The Skull Crusher (Skull 2)

I stared at his muscular back and thought about the night before. He’d made me sit in his lap the entire time, riding his dick over and over until he couldn’t come anymore. He used me like a toy rather than a human. It didn’t feel like a punishment at all until the soreness kicked in. I wondered if that was the punishment, or if he had something else in mind.

He pulled out a container of egg whites along with veggies. “I know I should stop asking, but do you want any?”

“Never.”

“Alright. I’ll stop asking.” He poured the egg whites into the pan and prepared his breakfast.

There was a bowl of fruit on the counter, so I grabbed a banana and ate that standing up. “When are we going to leave?”

“After I finish my workout.”

“How long is your workout?”

“An hour and a half.”

I couldn’t even watch TV that long, let alone exercise that long.

“Where do they live?”

“They’re both at work during the day.”

“Then should we wait until they’re home?”

“No. They work together, so that’s the best way to see them at the same time.”

He scooped his food onto a plate and grabbed a fork. Instead of carrying his food to the kitchen table, he stood at the counter and ate. “What do they do?” He scooped a bite into his mouth and chewed. Despite how pissed he was last night, he didn’t seem angry anymore.

“They run a pasta company. It belonged to my grandparents, and it was passed to my parents. Now it belongs to the three of us.”

He stopped chewing mid-bite. His eyes slowly turned to me before he started to chew again. When he finished, he set his plate on the counter beside him even though he hadn’t finished his food. “What pasta company is this?”

“Cardello Italian Cuisine.”

He stared at me blankly, like that name actually meant something to him.

“What?”

His silence continued as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“I doubt you recognize the name since you never eat carbs.”

“That’s your maiden name? Cardello?”

“Yes.”

He looked straight ahead across the kitchen. Then he departed, leaving behind his food and abruptly dismissing the conversation.

Did he know my brothers? I didn’t see how that could be possible. My brothers did respectable work, while Balto was a criminal. But maybe he knew all the business owners in this city since it was his territory. I followed behind him until I entered his bedroom. “Do you know them or something?”

He pulled out his workout clothes from the dresser and changed. He slipped on his workout shoes without addressing my question. Then he grabbed his earbuds and walked past me.

“Are you going to answer me?” I demanded, annoyed by his silence.

“I’ll be back in an hour and a half.” He kept walking, dismissing me.

I had no idea what his coldness meant, but I would figure it out at some point today.

We left in his truck and headed across the city to where the factory was located. Not once did Balto ask where the business was located. He made all the right turns like he knew exactly where he was going.

He pulled up to the front of the building and parked along the curb.

“I should go in alone.”

He killed the engine and stared straight ahead. “I’ll give you fifteen minutes.”

“This is going to take longer than fifteen minutes.”

“Fifteen minutes until I join you.”

“I really don’t think that’s a good idea…” My brothers never tolerated Lucian, and they definitely wouldn’t tolerate Balto. Case would be particularly vicious. Balto wasn’t afraid of anything, so he might actually hurt one of my brothers if there was too much back talk.

“I disagree.”

If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have tried to see my brothers in the first place. “You can’t lay a hand on them. I mean it.”

“I can lay a hand on anyone I want.”

“I mean it, Balto.” I stared at him until he met my gaze.

He stared at me with his pretty blue eyes. As a little boy, he must have been so adorable. But now that he was a man, those beautiful, soft eyes didn’t show even a hint of innocence. “In my world, no one is immune. If they cross me, I’ll have no choice. My best advice to you is to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“I can’t control them—”

“And you can’t control me.” He faced forward again. “Fifteen minutes.”

I’d made my bed, so now I had to lie in it. I left the truck and walked inside the building. After moving down the hallways, I reached the kitchen where Case and Dirk experimented with different recipes. Neither one of them was there, so I continued farther back to the table where Case did all the paperwork. Case sat there, a bottle of scotch sitting next to an empty glass. Dark circles were under his eyes, and it seemed like he hadn’t slept in days.