My ability to read people so well was one of the main reasons behind my success.
Along with my brute force, intelligence, and savage sarcasm.
And since I knew my woman so well, I could read her like she was under a microscope. There was definitely a barrier around her, a bit of distance that was still in place between us. I felt it diminish when we were together, when our eyes were locked and the love flowed between our hearts. But then it returned, subtly.
I decided to let her work it out on her own, not to question her in case it spooked her.
But she’d gone home for the weekend, and now it was Tuesday, and I hadn’t heard from her. No text. No phone call. Nothing.
I was too proud to chase after someone who didn’t want to be chased, but my patience was my weakness because I didn’t have any. If I had it my way, I’d burn her apartment to the ground and move her ass into my place.
But that wasn’t going to work on a woman like her.
She’d kick my ass.
And I’d enjoy every second of it.
When my patience had officially expired, I caved and texted her. Baby. That was all I said, that single word packed with an entire essay.
She texted back right away, those three little dots appearing. Sorry. Just been busy.
I didn’t like that excuse. Remember what happened last time you were too busy for me. I didn’t mean to threaten her, but threatening people was my entire life, and it just came out. I was frustrated she wasn’t there with me, that she wasn’t at least sleeping with me before she took off to take care of things.
The three dots didn’t show up in the message box.
Good. She better think about what I said.
The three dots appeared minutes later. I’ll be there soon.
That’s what I thought.
She walked in the door with her bag over her shoulder. Her makeup was gone, like she’d been at home doing nothing except drinking wine in front of the TV. Her hand moved through her hair as she set the bag on the kitchen island.
I didn’t rise from my seat on the couch. I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees, my gaze down on the table. I didn’t look at her as I spoke. “Don’t play games with me.” After a few heartbeats, I lifted my gaze and stared at her. In the last four days, I’d improved, the bruises fading further, the physical therapy helping. I was shirtless in my sweatpants, watching the game as I drank water even though I craved something better.
She stood in front of the counter, slowly crossing her arms over her chest like she was uncomfortable. She was in jeans and a sweater, looking constrained by all the clothes she wore. “I’m not playing games—”
“Then why haven’t I seen you in four days?” I rose to my feet and slowly came toward her, able to hold my frame perfectly straight now that my body had healed enough. My shoulders were squared, my back was rigid, and my ribs didn’t ache so much. “Why haven’t I heard from you?” I didn’t want to be a man who demanded all of her attention, but my intuition was never wrong. There was something wrong, something off.
She didn’t step back as I came closer. “I worked all weekend, and then my brother got engaged—”
“That’s not the answer I’m looking for.” I stopped in front of her, staring down at this beautiful woman with full lips, eyes like gems, and the sexiest little freckle. “Don’t waste my time. Don’t insult me either.” After she’d saved my life, I’d made a lot of assumptions, but every assumption was reasonable. “You’re either with me, or you aren’t with me. Leave and don’t come back…or stay. Choose—and stick to it.” I didn’t want her to choose the option I despised, but I also didn’t want to be with a woman who didn’t want to be with me. I deserved better than that.
She dropped her gaze to the floor.
“When you have a conversation with me, you look at me.” My hand moved under her chin and forced her gaze up, being aggressive rather than gentle. I was treating her like one of my men rather than the woman I loved, but sometimes it was hard to keep the two separate. I released her.
This time, she didn’t look away. “Everything happened so quickly. We never really had a chance to talk—”
“Then talk.” I didn’t like where this conversation was going—at all.
She was quiet for a long time, like she didn’t want to be honest with me, didn’t want to say these things to me. “I saved you because I love you. I saw you, and I just…acted. I was so angry with you for what you did, but my love triumphed my hatred, and I got you out of there…and I don’t regret it.”
I held my breath as I stared at her, actually afraid. Afraid that she would hurt me worse than she did last time.
“And I love you…so much.” She closed her eyes and her voice escaped as a whisper, like saying the words out loud consumed every drop of emotion her body could create. When she looked at me, a film of moisture was on the surface of her eyes. “There’s no one else I want to be with. You’re the man I want…forever.”
I still didn’t breathe because I knew that wasn’t the end of the conversation.
“But…I talked to Damien.”
I hated that motherfucker even more. I didn’t care about the destruction he’d inflicted on my body. Taking his sister away, the woman I loved, was a million times more painful than some broken ribs.
“I asked him to drop his crusade. He agreed.”
I finally released the air I was holding because my lungs couldn’t handle the stress anymore.
“But he told me he would never accept you, he would never approve of you, and neither would my father. You’ll never be a part of our lives, a part of our family. So, for every holiday, every major event, it’ll just be me…and not you. So, this has no future… We can never have a future.”
“Things change, Catalina.”
“Yes, but not this.” Her tears grew so large in size that they streaked down her cheeks.
“Hades and Damien didn’t speak for a long time. But they figured it out—”
“Totally different—”
“It’s not different. Damien made a lot of mistakes that caused terrible things to happen to Hades’s wife. He’s not so fucking innocent. He makes mistakes too. Time changes perspectives. Look how your perspective on me has changed. It takes time—a lot of time.”
Her arms tightened over her chest. “He’s not going to change his perspective—”
“Don’t give up on me.” I couldn’t lose her. I did it once, and it was unbearable. I’d handed myself over to Damien because I was so delirious. “Give me a chance. I can change his mind—eventually.”
She shook her head slightly.
“Baby, please.” The idea of obtaining Damien’s forgiveness sounded like a ton of effort and a pain in the ass, but I would work hard to make it happen—because she was worth it. “You told me you aren’t looking for a husband for a few years anyway. You’ve got time. Give that time to me.”
“I’ve thought about that too…but the longer I stay, the harder it’ll be to leave. And I can already see how things are different with my family. I can feel the awkwardness that wasn’t there before, even with Anna. You’ve been ostracized by my family, and now they treat me differently because of it. I don’t want to lose my family.”
“You’ll never lose them, baby.”
“But it’s not the same anymore. I can’t imagine you asking my father’s permission to marry me and him saying yes—”
Now I took a deep breath, feeling the pain in my lungs because I’d sucked in the air so fast. “You think about marrying me?”
She was quiet for a while. “No. I just mean hypothetically—”
“Don’t lie to me. Can you really walk away from the man you want to marry?”
She looked away.
“What did I say about looking at me?” I snapped.
She turned back to me, her nostrils flaring in annoyance.
“Don’t walk away from me. Not yet.” I wanted to chain her to my bed so she couldn’t leave. I wanted to take her away, start over somewhere new, just so we could be together. But she would never truly be happy—because she needed both of us.
She was quiet for a long time, breathing hard. “I want a husband who calls Damien a friend. That’s so important to me because my father won’t be around after another decade, and he’ll be all I have left—”
“Balto is all I have left too. I understand how you feel.”
She rubbed her arms like she was cold. “I want our kids to play together. I want us to be close. But if Damien refuses to acknowledge your existence, I’ll have to go over there alone with our kids and you can’t come and it’s just… I don’t want that. I want the four of us to be a family. I just can’t see that happening with you.”
“Right now, no. But in time, yes. I can make that happen.”
She shook her head like my suggestion was ridiculous. “The gypsy told me I would only love one man…and he would be an enemy to my family.”
“But she didn’t say there was no hope. She didn’t say things can’t change. She only told you one truth about your life—the rest is up for grabs. Look, I’m a man who can make shit happen. At least let me try.”
“If I get out now, it’ll be much easier than if I wait—”
“Let. Me. Try.” I raised my voice because my temper was starting to rise. “I lost you once, and I can’t do it again. I won’t fucking do it again.” I started to breathe hard, my body aching because of all the exertion I was putting forth. “All that shit with Damien just happened weeks ago. Of course he’s still angry. Fuck, I’m still angry. Let him cool off. Let the dust settle. Then, let’s try.”
She ran her fingers through her hair, clearly flustered by the risk she was taking. “Even if you’re successful, there’s still my father—”
“I’ll win him over too.”
“I-I don’t know about that.” She shook her head. “And I need his blessing, even if he’s gone. I just can’t be with a man my father doesn’t approve of—”
“I’ve seen him with you, Catalina. That man is not bitter, cold, or selfish. He loves you so much, and there’s nothing he wouldn’t give you—if it made you happy. All you’d have to do is talk to him, and I’m sure he would be responsive.”
“And then Damien would talk him out of it again. His son’s opinion matters to him—”
“Then let me work on Damien.” I raised my hand to silence her. “I’m just asking for some time. I let your brother beat me nearly to death. I’m clearly willing to do anything to make this happen. Anything at all. So please…let me fucking try.”
She sighed quietly, closing her eyes for a few seconds as she considered the offer. She was still at odds with her feelings, still afraid to give me any chance because it would hurt her so much if it didn’t work out.
“We’re supposed to be together, Catalina.”
Her eyes focused on my face. “You said you didn’t believe in fate and stuff like that.”
“I don’t,” I whispered. “But I believe in this.” I moved closer to her, touching my forehead to hers, reminding her of the blinding feeling we shared so easily, so organically. “I believe in us.”
Her arms rested on mine, her fingers lightly pressing into my flesh. She stared at my lips for a few seconds before she closed her eyes, like she could hear the unison of our two heartbeats, feel the tightness of our souls as they wrapped together into a knot. “Alright…”
I sat on the couch, my back against the cushion with my knees apart, my bare feet on the rug. My hands were still at my sides, my hard cock against my stomach as I stared at Catalina in front of me.
Her sweater was somewhere on the rug, her bra on the coffee table, and after she got her jeans off, her thumbs slipped under the lace of her panties before she pulled them down. Her pussy was perfectly groomed, her little nub visible between the slit at the apex of her thighs. She pushed them down over her strong thighs, and when she released the fabric, they fell the rest of the way to the floor. She stepped out of them then came close.
I could barely fucking breathe.
The living room was dark because the TV was off, the windows were open to the view of the city, the lit-up cathedral in the distance, and it was so quiet that I could hear every sound, from her slow breathing to the stretch of the fabric of the couch once her knees landed on the cushion.
It’d been so goddamn long.
My cock hadn’t been anywhere else, not even in my hand. My body wanted sex, but my heart wanted this spiritual connection, to feel her in a way no one else ever had, to feel our breaths sync, our heartbeats race even though we hardly moved.
Her hands went to the back of the couch as she guided herself down, careful not to grab me or cause my injuries to flare up. She planted her feet on either side of me on the couch, holding herself up like the fit athlete she was.
My hands went to her strong cheeks, and I gripped them hard, feeling the muscles that turned me on.
She brought her face close to mine, holding herself without even touching me, her lips ready to consume mine.
My fingers kneaded her flesh, touching that sexy ass in my hands. I pulled her a little closer, wanting to feel her tits rest against my chest, feel those hard nipples drag against me. I breathed against her mouth, excited like a boy rather than prepared like a man.
Her lips landed against mine, her mouth softer than her silky legs, softer than her rose-petal cheeks. It started off so gentle, like she was getting used to my kiss all over again.
I closed my eyes and fell hard, fell more in love with her at the simple touch.
I’d wondered if she’d been with anyone else, late at night when my thoughts haunted me. It wasn’t just jealousy that drove me crazy, but possessiveness, because she was still mine according to my heart. I didn’t care where she’d been, how many guys had had the honor to fuck her, but now that she was mine, I wanted to be her one and only…and her last.
One hand spanned across her ass, while the other moved into her hair, stroking the silky curtain that trailed down her back. My fingers cupped her face, my thumb brushing over the corner of her mouth as I kissed her. My dick oozed from the tip and dripped down my length to my balls just from her kiss.
She grabbed my base and guided me straight before she lowered herself, her lips wrapping around me in the sexiest embrace, coating me with her wetness, squeezing me with her tightness.
I looked her in the eye as I watched her take me, watched her handle that big dick like a pro.
She lowered herself farther, sliding down my length, going slow because her body wasn’t used to me anymore. Her breathing became more labored the farther she went, like the discomfort was brand-new.
I struggled at just the contact, struggled at the feeling of our combined bodies, of the way she loved me and I loved her. My hands went back to her ass so I could support her a bit, my arms aching with the exertion.
She grabbed both of my wrists, her shoulders back and her tits pushed forward. She pulled my arms away, showing me that she didn’t need my help at all, that she didn’t want me to hurt myself by trying to lift her body. She placed my hands on her narrow waist, my thumbs stretching across her stomach to her belly button—where her skull diamond still was.
I wondered if she’d ever removed it.
She started to move up and down, holding on to the couch for balance, her body so fit that she could do all the work and not even struggle.
Every time she pushed her tight pussy down to my base, I released a moan, getting louder and louder with each movement. My fingers gripped her stomach, digging into her flesh and feeling her abs underneath.
I closed my eyes because I couldn’t fight it, couldn’t fight the urge to fill that pussy because it was mine. “Baby, I’m sorry…” I came loudly, falling apart within the first few strokes, letting go like I’d never fucked a woman before. My cock twitched hard inside her, and I pumped so much of my seed into her that it instantly started to drip, like there simply wasn’t enough room to hold it all. My feet pushed against the floor, and I felt the heat spread through my skin, making me hot and sweaty even though I’d barely lifted a finger.
She watched me with intent eyes, like it was a turn-on rather than a disappointment.
I whispered through my heavy breathing. “My last time…was you.” I had been too depressed to jerk off when she left me. I didn’t even feel aroused because the liquor watered down all my desire. The last time was the way I’d come just now.
She started to move again, sliding through the white come that dripped down my dick. It was added lubricant, not that we needed it. “I like feeling your come inside me…” She continued to ride my semi-hard dick, bringing it back to stiff hardness with a few strokes. She moved up and down, her ass and thighs tight as she lowered and raised herself nice and slow, her fingers sliding into the back of my hair as she breathed in my face, enjoyed the potent desire between our bodies.
I got lost in those green eyes, got lost in the spiritual connection between our bodies, traveled through the clouds and the stars as she took me somewhere out of this world. I understood exactly what Balto felt, why it was so easy for him to give up his entire way of life for a single person.
Because she was his new way of life.
Catalina continued to rise to the top of my dick, her wetness kissing the crown of my head, and then push down, my shaft stretching her again before she rose and started over.
I already wanted to come again. “Baby…I love you.” I’d never before said how I felt when I felt it because our feelings had been classified from our own minds. But now I felt it, and I wanted to say it every time I felt it, unafraid to feel the most powerful emotion created. It was stronger than hate, stronger than jealousy, stronger than greed…stronger than all known forces combined. Power always remained in the person who cared less, who had nothing to lose, and I had forsaken all that control because it didn’t matter anymore.
She continued to rise and fall, her back arched, her tits dragging against me, her lips slightly parted, so perfect. “I love you…”
I was dead asleep when the phone started to ring on my nightstand.
Catalina groaned and turned over, pulling the sheets over her head like that would block out the sound.
I grabbed the device, saw Balto’s name on the screen with squinted eyes, and took the call because it was important. He wouldn’t call me at this time of night unless it was urgent. In fact, he hardly ever called me unless it was urgent. “Yeah?” I sat up then rose from the bed, leaving the bedroom so I wouldn’t wake Catalina.
He got right to the point. “Cassini needs you to take her to the hospital.” Despite the words he spoke, his voice was controlled. “She’s having pain with the baby.”
My heart started to pound. “Of course. But—”
“I’m too far away, Heath. I’m in the middle of collections in the north. I can’t get to her. And it would take too long for us to swap.”
I felt like shit. Felt worse than I had at the bottom of that cage. “I’ll take care of it…and I’m sorry.”
Click.
I went back into the bedroom and got dressed.
Catalina woke up at the sound of my movements. “What are you doing…? Are you leaving?”
I quickly pulled a long-sleeved shirt over my head and got my jeans on, invincible to the pain it caused me. “I can’t explain right now. I have to go.”
She got out of bed, wearing nothing but her panties. “What’s wrong?”
“I have to help Cassini.” I grabbed all the stuff off my nightstand and headed down the hallway.
She followed me. “I don’t understand. What’s wrong? Let me come with you—”
“I don’t have time to wait.” I took the stairs to the garage. “She needs me to get her to the hospital. Something is wrong with the baby. And Balto is working—in my fucking place—so he can’t do it.” I despised myself for doing this to him, for taking care of his wife when it should be him.
“Oh no…”
I hit the button on the wall so the garage door opened. “I have to go.”
“Alright.”
I grabbed Cassini and got her to the hospital. I did exactly what Balto would do, bossing people around and making threats until she saw a doctor right away—cutting through everyone in line because I didn’t give a shit about anyone else.
When she was in the room, the doctor did a few tests, including watching the baby on the ultrasound machine.
She was scared—and in pain.
I held her hand and whispered to her. “Everything is going to be alright, Cassini. I’m sure he’s fine.” I interlocked our fingers, looking into her tear-stained face as I felt my self-loathing grow. I shouldn’t be the one comforting her right now.
“I’m scared,” she whispered. “He’s my baby…”
“I know.” I squeezed her hand. “But he’ll be alright.” I lied to her, lied to her to calm her down.
When the doctor was finally done, he delivered the news. “Your son is fine. You’re just experiencing some early contractions, but they’re temporary and will pass. Most women don’t even feel them.”
“He’s going to be okay?” she asked, squeezing my hand hard. “He’s fine?”
“Yes. Everything looks normal.” He shut down the ultrasound. “I’ll give you two a minute.”
When the doctor left, she broke down in sobs. “Oh my god…” Both of her hands went to her stomach as she faced the ceiling, her eyes closed, tears dripping from the corners of her eyes to her ears.
My hand rested on her arm. “He’s alright, Cassini.”
“I know… I was just so scared.”
I rubbed her gently. “I know. But this is Balto’s son. You know he’s a beast.”
She smiled slightly, still crying.
“The doctor said he’ll give you something to stop the pain for the next few days. How about I drop you off at home then wait at the pharmacy until it’s ready?”
She wiped her tears away and ignored what I said. “Can you call him?”
I knew he was in the middle of something, so a phone call probably wasn’t practical. I pulled out my phone and texted him. Cassini is okay, so is the baby. Everything is fine. I’m going to take her home now.
He didn’t text back, but he’d probably look at that message as soon as possible and feel relieved.
“I texted him, probably shouldn’t call him right now.”
She nodded, still lying on the bed. “I wish he were here…”
I bowed my head in shame, closing my eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
She grabbed my hand again. “It’s okay, Heath. Thank you for taking care of me.”
“Of course. I’m always here for you.” I would die for her, because that was the kind of loyalty that was shared between Balto and me. He would do the same for me if I had a wife. I squeezed her hand. “And I’ll go back to work so Balto can be home with you.”
She didn’t argue with that, not hiding the fact that she hated Balto impersonating me.
“I’m sorry I even allowed him to.”
She still didn’t say anything.
I felt terrible.
“I don’t want it to happen again, Heath,” she whispered. “You’re the one who chose to be the Skull King. Balto chose to leave. Don’t put us in that situation ever again.”
Balto had offered, and I never would have asked. But I didn’t tell her that. “I promise.”
“Then take me home.”
I got to my feet and helped her off the bed and to the floor.
“Could you do something else for me?”
I tucked her arm through mine so I could support her as I walked her out of the hospital. “Anything.”
“Maybe some ice cream? Balto never has sweets in the house—”
“I’ll get you anything you want.” I smiled at her. “Let’s get you home, and I’ll grab the medication and everything else.”
“Okay, thank you.”
I got her into the house before I returned to my truck and drove to the pharmacy. I was about to open the door when Balto called.
I answered right away. “I just dropped her off at home. I’m grabbing her medication at the pharmacy.”
He must have been alone because he was candid. “What did the doctor say?”
“Something about early contractions—but they are normal. I guess all women have them, but most don’t feel them. I’m grabbing the medication the doctor prescribed to make her more comfortable until they pass. She also asked me to get her some ice cream.”
He didn’t chuckle at the last thing I said. “My son is fine?”
“Yes.”
“And my wife?”
“A little shaken up, but she’s okay.”
He sighed into the phone, showing all of his emotion in just that simple pause.
“I’ll return tomorrow. You’ve done enough.”
He was quiet for a long time. “I want to help you, Heath. But my wife and son come first—”
“You don’t need to explain yourself, Balto. I understand. I shouldn’t have let you take my place to begin with.”
“Are you sure you’re strong enough?”
It didn’t matter if I was in a wheelchair. “Yes. Finish up what you’re doing, and go home to your wife.”
He sighed again. “I should have been there…”
I closed my eyes. “I know…but you’ll be there for everything else.”
“Yeah.”
We sat in silence for a long time, like Balto just wanted the comfort of my presence.
“What kind of ice cream does she like—”
“Chocolate. But she’ll eat anything.”
I smiled slightly. “Alright. Let me get that to her. When you get home, she’ll be pain-free and fed—and really happy to see you.”
When I got home, it was sunrise.
Catalina sat in the living room, like she’d been waiting for me for the last few hours. The second I reached the top of the stairs, she jumped to her feet and came to me, wearing one of my shirts. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Cassini and the baby are fine. She was having pregnancy pain, but it was normal.”
“Oh, that’s a relief. And Balto?”
“He’ll be home any minute.”
She nodded. “Good thing you could take her to the hospital and everything.”
That wasn’t something to celebrate. “It should have been Balto. If it weren’t for me, it would have been him.” I sighed quietly. “I’m going back to work tomorrow.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“I’m much better than I used to be. No one will know.”
“But…I’m still worried.”
“I can’t let Balto keep working.” I walked past her and headed to the bedroom. “I shouldn’t have allowed it in the first place. I’ll lie low for a while. In a few weeks, I’ll be as good as new anyway.” I walked into the bedroom and stripped off my clothes.
She stood there and watched me, her eyes scanning over my bruises. “Couldn’t you take a vacation or something?”
I chuckled. “No such thing as vacation time, baby.”
“Well, could you quit?”
When I was in my boxers, I moved to the bed. “Yes. But I don’t want to.” I sat on the edge.
She looked at me with her arms crossed over her chest. She’d never expressed any dislike for my career choice, but our relationship had always been a fling. Now that we talked about the future we wanted to have, she probably felt differently about it. But she didn’t say that now. “Why not?”
“I worked hard for the position. I’m not going to hand it over to someone else.”
“So, you enjoy it, then?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
She dropped her arms and moved to the other side of the bed.
With my back to her, I addressed the thoughts I assumed she had. “But if you ever asked me to leave…I would.”
Her body made the mattress dip, but then she went still, like those words affected her.
Balto made a hard decision when he picked domesticated life over the blood-pumping excitement of the Underground. But he knew he couldn’t have both, couldn’t keep his family safe if he continued to be the king. So, he made his decision—and didn’t regret it. I hadn’t thought that far down the line, but I knew I would do anything to keep this woman, so if it came down to it, I would do it…in a heartbeat.