by Penelope Sky
I couldn’t hear the voice on the other line, but I knew it was someone special. Carter spoke to this person differently from all the others. He was excited, invested, and enthused. Even his tone was different.
“How’s the wife?” He listened to the man talk on the other line. “I’m glad you’re doing better. How much longer will you be staying with your parents?” He leaned back in his chair and looked out the window. “I’ve been meaning to stop by, but…I’ve had my hands full.” His eyes finally moved to my face for the first time since I sat down. “Yeah, I’ll talk to you then. Bye.” He hung up and set the phone on the table.
“Who was that?”
“You’re nosy.” He picked up his mug and sipped his coffee.
“I only ask because he seemed important to you. You spoke to him differently from everyone else.”
He set down his mug then looked at me, his brown eyes bright as they reflected the morning light coming through the window. His hair was messy because he hadn’t showered yet, but the sleepy look suited him. I imagined the women he brought home loved that look every morning. So far, I hadn’t seen him bring anyone home. If he wasn’t fucking me, then he must be fucking someone. “My cousin. But he’s more like a brother.”
“Is he okay?”
“He had an incident a few weeks ago, but he’s going to be alright.” He didn’t elaborate and didn’t invite me to ask questions.
Now I knew he was close with his cousin as well as his mother, along with his sister. It seemed like he had a nice family he could always turn to. If he had people in his life, what did he need me for? “I’ve been trying to figure out why you want me around, but I haven’t come up with anything.”
His hands came together in front of his chest. “Maybe you’re overthinking it.”
“I thought you’d want me for sex, but you don’t look like the kind of man who struggles to land pussy.”
The corner of his mouth rose in a smile. “Why do you say that?”
“Uh, it’s obvious.”
He narrowed his eyes on my face. “Not to me.”
“Oh, come on. You’re hot.”
Now he grinned completely, the corners of his mouth rising toward the ceiling. “Hot, huh?”
Maybe Carter was a psychopath who was just trying to fuck with me, to lure me into a false sense of safety before he struck. Knowing I could eat whenever I wanted and didn’t have to wear a chain around my ankle made me feel like a real person. That gift of slight independence and freedom had improved my mood incredibly. But I would be stupid to assume it would always be this way. Men didn’t buy women for a fortune just to keep them around. “A tad. So what does a man like you want with a woman like me?”
He shrugged. “That’s my business.”
“Since I’m one of the two of us, I think it’s my business too. If you don’t want to torture me or fuck me, then what do you want?”
His eyes darkened in a new way, locking on to my face with laser-sharp precision. “Who said I didn’t want to fuck you?”
The air left the room with his comment, and the peaceful morning suddenly became potent with silent threat.
“I just said I wouldn’t fuck you if you behaved. But the second you screw up your end of the bargain, I’ll screw up mine.” Without taking his gaze off me, he grabbed his coffee and took another drink.
I refused to break eye contact and show weakness, but I was definitely afraid of his words. I was afraid of the way they made me feel. It wasn’t terrifying like it was with Egor. He never threatened me at all, just beat me and fucked me whenever he wanted. But Carter made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end with just his words. I felt the warmth in my belly, the mix of fear and excitement in my heart.
“And just so you know, I hope you do fuck up.” He finally broke eye contact with me and picked up his newspaper again. “You can waste your time trying to understand me, but trust me, you never will.”
“Why don’t you just tell me? You bought me for a reason. I might fulfill that reason if it’s not repulsive.”
His eyes scanned back and forth as he read the newspaper. “Look, I bought you at the Underground to piss off someone.” He tossed the newspaper aside. “He crossed me a few months ago, and I knew he wanted you, so I made sure I got you first. It was a pissing contest, is all.”
“You bought me for fifty million for your ego?” I asked incredulously.
“Sweetheart, I’m a billionaire. I have so much money, I don’t even know what to do with it. So just be grateful.”
“Be grateful?” I cocked an eyebrow. “Why should I be grateful?”
He rested his elbows on the table and leaned toward me. “I don’t need to know where you came from to understand what you lived through. The scars on your back spell it out for me. My company is preferable to your previous master. So, yes, be grateful.”
A glimmer of hope erupted in my heart. “If you just bought me to piss someone off…will you let me go? Not tomorrow, but eventually?” I had to figure out how to escape one way or another. This man wasn’t keeping me in this house. I had a life to get back to. I would either have to kill him or hope he would release me. He was the one who would dictate how that would happen.
He held my gaze for a long time, his eyes shifting back and forth slightly. When he was this focused, he looked even more beautiful. When he was angry, he seemed confident. When he was pissed, he seemed aggressive. With those muscles and good looks, he had the perfect package. “Never.”
Fifteen
Bones
After I visited the doctor and had my bandage removed, Vanessa and I left for Florence. I didn’t prepare to put the apartment on the market just yet. She was anxious to see her family and get back to her gallery, and I wasn’t in a hurry to get rid of the place anyway. It would just be more money in my pocket—and it wasn’t like I needed that.
We took my truck, which was packed with all the essentials. I took a few rifles, shotguns, and pistols because I couldn’t live anywhere without a stash hidden away. Even at the most peaceful times, danger was lurking behind every corner.
I didn’t know if the issue with the Skull Kings had been resolved by the Barsettis yet, but something told me it hadn’t been settled. The Skull Kings weren’t exactly logical, and the Barsettis were too paranoid to make any moves of their own.
I wasn’t sure what would happen.
I didn’t mention any of this to Vanessa. She was happy right now—and I never wanted her to be unhappy.
Just like she did in my old truck, she sat in the middle right beside me. Her arm was hooked through mine while I kept one hand on the wheel. We used to drive around like this all the time, and sometimes she would sneak a few kisses against my neck. Her hand would glide over my thigh and to the definition of my jeans, teasing me.
I liked it when my baby was all over me.
I missed it.
I used to think about those memories every single time I was in my truck. That was probably why I crashed that night, the depression and the booze mixing together until it became combustive.
“Thank you for coming to Florence with me.”
I kept my eyes out the window, looking at the open countryside in front of us. There was nothing but vineyards, old cobblestone houses, and hillsides in front of us. It was a beautiful summer day—just like one of her paintings.
“I know it’s not your first choice—”
“I want to be with you—wherever we are.”
She rubbed my arm and then kissed my bicep, her soft lips brushing against my hard muscle. “I know you do.” She rested her head against my shoulder and leaned into me, snuggling with me just like she did on the couch.
These simple moments were the ones I missed the most, when we didn’t say anything to each other, but enjoyed one another’s company all the same. Her affection was like a shot of my favorite whiskey. Sometimes it was even better than when she fucked me because touches like this were from the heart.
I nev
er knew how much I needed love in my life until I had hers.
Her phone started to vibrate in her back pocket. It vibrated against the leather seats, so I could feel it too. She fished it out then looked at the screen.
Father.
Her family gave us peace and quiet for a few weeks, but I didn’t let that fool me. I knew the second Vanessa and I were together again, I would have to see her family on a regular basis. Now that I was accepted among them, their presence didn’t leave a bad taste in my mouth, but I couldn’t shake the past either. Her father called me trash more times than I could count, and her uncle preferred to insult me with his fists. I knew it wouldn’t be hostile when we were in the same room together, but it wouldn’t be comfortable either.
At least Vanessa was mine. That was all that mattered.
She answered. “Hey, Father. How are you?” She answered with genuine perkiness, like she was happy to talk to her father.
His voice was audible on the other line. “Things are good. Conway is still recovering. His face looks a lot better, but the ribs are taking a little longer. He’s restless, so naturally, he’s moody.”
“I can imagine,” she said. “Never likes to sit in one place too long.”
“No. Just like you.”
She chuckled. “I’m better than him, at least.”
“That’s debatable,” he said with amusement. “Anyway, just wanted to check on you. Haven’t heard from you in a while…” The tension filled the silence over the line. Her parents had always given her space, but after what happened, her father was probably a little paranoid. “Wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “Griffin and I are halfway to Florence.”
“Are you coming for a visit?”
“No. We’ll be staying at my apartment above the gallery. Then we’ll look for a house outside the city.”
Her father paused for a long time. “You guys are going to move here?”
“Yeah.”
He was quiet again, probably unable to express how happy that made him. “That’s great news. Your mother will be thrilled when I tell her. Conway and Sapphire are going to start looking for a house once he’s back on his feet.”
“Wow, that’s a lot of Barsettis in one place. Just gotta get Carter next.”
“That would be nice, but Uncle Cane makes it sound like he likes it there in Milan.”
“He’ll probably change his mind when he settles down.”
“Maybe,” he said noncommittally. “So, how’s Griffin?”
Vanessa smiled when she listened to her father ask about me. “He’s doing well. The doctor just removed his bandage and cleared him. He’s pretty much back to new.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” He wasn’t as enthused as he was when he spoke of his own son, but he didn’t sound bitter either. At the hospital, it seemed like he respected me because of what I’d done for his family, but that didn’t necessarily mean he liked me—just tolerated me.
That was fine with me.
“After you get settled, you should come by for dinner,” he said. “Your mother misses you… I miss you.”
“I miss you too.”
“I’m sorry for bothering you. Your mother told me not to call you…but I decided to ignore her.”
“You aren’t bothering me, Father,” she said with a chuckle. “I’m excited to see all of you.”
“Okay, good. Now your mother can’t get mad at me.”
“She’ll probably be mad at you anyway.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Alright.”
“Love you, tesoro.”
Her smile fell. “Love you too, Father.” She hung up and set the phone on the seat beside her.
Vanessa would be my baby for the rest of my life, so I knew I would have to put up with her family. When I heard her father wear his heart on his sleeve, I liked him a little more. He was the kind of man that was hard and tough, but he also loved openly. Only a truly fearless man opened his heart to someone—because he had something to lose. That was bravery. It would be hard for me to let go of the past, but I could move forward—for her.
At least he’d asked about me.
I kept my eyes on the road and didn’t question her about the conversation. I knew she wanted to see her family, but I preferred hiding away and being alone in our apartment. I’d never been a fan of people, especially after I found Vanessa. As long as I had her, I didn’t need anyone else.
“Conway is doing better. Let’s stop by the house tomorrow to see them.”
The only time I’d been inside that house was when I came face-to-face with her father for the first time. I handed him a shotgun, and he aimed it right at me. Handcuffed to the chair and vulnerable, I put myself out there in a way I never had before. But the bold step meant nothing to the Barsetti brothers. It would be strange to step inside that house again—under different circumstances.
She looked up at me. “Is that okay?”
Vanessa never gave me a choice in anything, just the same way I didn’t give her one. I told her what we were going to do, and that was final. Perhaps Vanessa and I were so compatible because we were so alike. “Sure.”
She studied my face for another moment, trying to look at my eyes through my sunglasses. “You don’t like them, do you?” Her voice carried her melancholy, her heartbreak.
My discomfort around them didn’t have anything to do with the blood war. I just resented them for the way they’d treated me for so long. Before I took a bullet for Crow, I’d proven my love for his daughter. I’d always been exactly what I advertised—a powerful man who could take care of her. Spending months being his punching bag didn’t count for anything. What if the events hadn’t unfolded the way they did? I would have lived the rest of my life without her. I simply got lucky.
“Griffin.”
My arm moved around her shoulders, and I pulled her close to me. “A single apology can’t erase the past, baby. Like I said, I risked my neck for you, not for them. I tolerate them, and they tolerate me. But no, I don’t like them.”
I carried everything upstairs and into her apartment, and despite my protests, she helped me. She busted her ass up the stairs and carried things that weighed almost as much as she did. When most women would sit on the couch or do something else, she got her hands dirty. I didn’t need her help, even with a bad shoulder, but her strength always impressed me. No matter what the odds were against her, she never shied away from a challenge. She was always eager to push herself, to be better.
She was strong.
Once everything was in the entryway, I took a look around the apartment. It was exactly as I remembered it—and the painting of me was still on the wall in her living room. I’d wondered if she would take it down, but she never did.
She stood in the living room with her arms across her chest, releasing a painful sigh that reached every corner of the room.
I watched her, seeing the signs of sadness creep onto her features. She’d spent three months in this apartment alone, in the apartment I bought for her. My tenure of depression had nearly killed me. I was sure her time here hadn’t been much better. “It’s in the past now.”
Her eyes focused on me, and after a moment, she gave a slight nod. “I don’t know whether to be sad or happy. I’m sad because the last time I was here…I was miserable. But I’m happy that I’m not alone in this apartment anymore. I’m happy you’re here with me.” She moved into my body and rested her cheek against my sternum. Her arms circled my waist, and she stood there, clinging to me.
My hand slid through the hair on the back of her neck, and I stared down at the small woman in my arms. She might be petite, but she was strong and quick. The only kind of weakness she allowed herself to feel was at my expense. I was the only man she ever dropped her guard for, the only man to get close enough to actually hurt her. She felt the pain of heartbreak, wearing it on her sleeve the way her father wore his l
ove for her. I never cared about the boys she took to bed before me. They may have had her then, but they’d never come close to her heart, not the way I had. Not only did I come close to it, touch it, but I conquered it. My possession of her was irrevocable.
She pulled her face away from the sanctuary of my chest to meet my gaze. “We should unpack…but I want to go to bed. I want you to make love to me.” She ran her hands over my chest, her plump lips slightly open and ready for my kiss. The needy look in her eyes would be annoying on any other woman, but with her, it was the sign of ultimate commitment. She wasn’t the smartass spitfire she was when we met. She allowed me to know her on a much deeper level.
I’d missed hearing those words from that pretty mouth. My hand tightened on her hair, and my fingers brushed across her bottom lip. We used to fuck exclusively, but then she wanted more, and I enjoyed it every single time I gave it to her. Now I lived for those words, lived for the tone of desperation in her voice as she said them. The only thing that could repair her broken heart was me, the passion, love, and desire I could give her.
My lips moved to her ear, and I kissed the shell. “I miss that.”
She pressed her hands into my chest. “Listening to a woman ask you to take her to bed?”
“No.” I pulled on her hair to make her head go back so I could kiss her jawline as I made my way back to her mouth. “Listening to my baby ask me to make love to her.” I lifted her into my arms and carried her down the hallway to the bedroom that had a queen-size bed. I dropped her on the covers then pulled my shirt over my head. Black ink covered all of my fair skin, the different images and words creating a work of art across my physique. My life was in the images and the words, the bloodlust and the heartache.
She held herself up on her arms and stared at me, watching me strip. Her eyes glazed over my body, the desire obvious in the way she parted her lips and took a deep breath. She pulled off her shirt next then unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the spot next to her.
I stared at her perfect tits like I hadn’t seen them earlier that morning. They were firm and round, and I loved feeling them in my palms. They were small, but I loved their perkiness. Nicest tits I’d ever had in my mouth.