The Skull Ruler: Skull #3

by Penelope Sky

  I shrugged. “This saves time.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I hate you sometimes.”

  “Most people hate me all the time.”

  He stepped away from the door so I could come inside. He set his pistol on the entryway table and headed to his dining table.

  I followed behind him and watched him pour two glasses of scotch.

  “Say what you came here to say, and leave.” He slumped in the chair, barely looking at me as if he despised me. “I’m guessing this is personal because you know I don’t keep my cash here.”

  “Yes, personal.” I fell into the chair across from him, the exact seat where I’d had dinner a few months ago.

  Case drank from his glass and stared at me. “Get on with it.”

  He despised me for hurting his sister, and since I couldn’t blame him for that, his insults meant nothing to me. He used to respect me for everything I did for her, but those feelings had been blown away by the wind. “I went to Cassini’s new apartment. Tried to work it out with her.”

  “I can guess how that turned out since you’re here…”

  “She kicked me out.”

  “Good. You really hurt her, and I’m glad she’s not the kind of woman that forgives and forgets easily.”

  “That makes two of us.” I liked her pride as well as her anger. She stood up for herself, and that was the sexiest thing in the world. “I deserve her coldness. I deserve her anger. But that will pass eventually.”

  “Maybe.” He drank from his glass. “Maybe not.”

  “She loves me. That’s all that matters.”

  “But you don’t have the balls to say the same.”

  Because I showed it every damn day. “I left the Skull Kings.”

  Just when he’d lifted his glass from the table, he lowered it again. The gentle thump was loud in the quiet room.

  “Heath has taken over.”

  “And why did you do that?”

  “Because I’m getting Cassini back. It might take some time, but she’s my woman. She loves me, and I love her. I suggest you tell your friend Chicken Boy to stop wasting his time. He’s just a rebound.”

  Case stared me down with an excellent poker face. “Why are you telling me this? If you think I’ll talk to Cassini on your behalf, you’re wrong.”

  “No. I can get her back on my own.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  “I know how Italian families are. Very traditional. You’re the oldest man in the family, so you’re the patriarch. Cassini doesn’t treat you like you’re just her brother, but as a father figure as well. So I’m here to ask you something.”

  His olive skin slowly started to turn pale, like soured milk. His fingers released his glass, and he straightened in his chair as he sighed.

  I reached into the pocket of my jeans and pulled out the ring. I held it up for a second before I set it in the middle of the table. A large diamond cut into a skull, it was one of the skull diamonds. It wasn’t the one Lucian had taken from me. I knew she wouldn’t want anything to do with that one.

  Case stared at it, watching the diamond reflect the gentle lights from the ceiling. He lifted his gaze and looked at me.

  I’d had the diamond set in a band that would fit her slender finger. She would return my necklace, and I would wear that ring once more, just on my left hand instead. “I know you don’t like me, but I want your blessing anyway.”

  He stared me down.

  “You know I’ll take care of her. I already sacrificed my life for hers because you were so important to her. If it weren’t for me, she would still be Lucian’s prisoner this very moment. If it weren’t for me, Evan wouldn’t have paid the price for his treason. If it weren’t for me, Lucian would have gotten her back and killed her by now. I’ve done everything for that woman—everything. Yes, I fucked up over these last three months, but I’m back now. I’m not leaving this time.”

  He stared at the ring for a while before he sighed. “You expect her to wear that big thing?”

  “She’ll love it.”

  “It seems heavy.”

  “She’ll get used to it. Is that a yes?”

  He lifted his gaze to meet mine. “Do you really care what I say?”

  Normally, I would just do whatever I wanted. I never waited for permission. But this was different. “Yes.”

  His eyes shifted slightly. “You have my blessing.”

  I grabbed the ring and returned it to my pocket. “That’s all I wanted. I’ll go now.” I rose to my feet.

  “You have a tough road ahead of you. She’s pretty stubborn.”

  “I know. That’s why I fell in love with her.” I turned for the door.

  “When are you going to ask?”

  I turned back around. “Once I get her back.”

  He nodded. “I’ll put in a good word for you. You’re going to need it.”

  A slight smile spread across my lips. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

  30

  Cassini

  I worked across from Case, snacking on a bag of chips I’d found in the kitchen. My stomach appeared to get bigger by the week, and my appetite mirrored it. I seemed to always be hungry, even in the middle of the night.

  I worked on the schedule for the upcoming week while partially thinking about Balto. He hadn’t visited me again since that conversation in my apartment. He told me he wanted to be with me, but he still wasn’t willing to give me everything I wanted. Maybe I should tell him the baby was his, but that would only make him commit out of obligation. Right now, he was only sniffing around because he had competition.

  Case kept staring at me.

  “What?” I held up the bag. “You want one?”

  “You know I don’t eat that shit.”

  “Then why do you keep staring at me?” I dropped the bag and dug out another chip.

  “Have you talked to Balto lately?”

  The mention of Balto seemed to come out of nowhere. “Why do you ask?”

  “I just suspect that we haven’t heard the last of him, not after he crashed your date like that.” Case had bills to pay and checks to make out to employees, but he didn’t seem to care about that. He gave me that knowing look, the same one Father used to have, like he could see right through me.

  “Well, he came by my apartment last week…”

  “Just dropped by?” he asked in surprise.

  “Yeah…he likes to make an entrance.”

  “What happened?”

  “He told me he wanted to be with me.”

  “Isn’t that a good thing?” He cocked his head slightly.

  “But he’s only doing it because another guy is interested in me. It’s the only reason he’s contacted me in three months. When I went to his apartment to tell him about the baby, all he cared about was kicking me out. He didn’t tell me he loved me either…which is getting old. None of this is happening under the circumstances I want. So it feels…heartless.”

  He nodded slightly. “Balto is a different kind of man. There are few words that can be used to describe him.”

  “Very few.”

  “But you can’t expect him to wear his heart on his sleeve, not like other men do.”

  “Whoa, hold on. Are you defending him?”

  “No,” he said calmly. “I’m just pointing out that he’s different. He’s the hardest, cruelest man in this city. Saying pussy words like ‘I love you’ isn’t his forte. That was why you fell for him in the first place, right? Because he’s the manliest man out there.”

  “That wasn’t the only reason…”

  “I just think you should cut him some slack. I admit he’s a piece of shit for wanting nothing to do with the baby. You have every right to be angry about that. But everything else…is forgivable. Let’s not forget this man sacrificed himself for you. Maybe he’s never said those three little words directly to you, but he obviously means them.”

  I looked away, feeling guilty for the lie I’d told. “Well…I never actually
told Balto he was the father.”

  Case raised an eyebrow.

  “When I went to his apartment to tell him about the baby, he was such a jackass to me that I didn’t bother to mention I was pregnant. He told me he wanted nothing to do with me and I shouldn’t show my face again. Since he was so cold to me, I just assumed he wouldn’t want anything to do with the baby either.”

  “Whoa…” He raised his hand slowly. “So, he has no idea the baby is his?”

  I shook my head.

  “Then what does he think? It’s Lucian’s?”

  I nodded. “Yeah…”

  Case sank back in the chair and shook his head slightly. “So this guy wants to be with you even though he thinks you’re pregnant with Lucian’s kid? A kid that isn’t even his?”

  “I guess…”

  He stared at me blankly. “And you think this man doesn’t love you? I would never be with a woman who was knocked up by some other guy. Most men wouldn’t, especially a guy like Balto.”

  “But three months came and went, and he only came after me when I had my first date. That’s pretty childish, don’t you think? He doesn’t want to be in my life because it’s what he wants. He just doesn’t want another guy to have me.”

  “I understand you know Balto better than I do, but I think you’re totally wrong. Let’s not forget the sacrifices he’s made for you.”

  “Like I ever could…”

  “And maybe that’s what he needed to light a fire under his ass. Maybe he needed to understand he was really going to lose you unless he did something. It’s not like he was fucking around in the meantime. He was struggling to accept the final sacrifice he had to make for you.”

  “He would never make that sacrifice.”

  My brother stared at me.

  “Being the Skull King is everything to him. That will never change.”

  Case didn’t question me. “A few months ago, Balto did something I never told you about.”

  “What?” I asked, finding it unlikely Balto would do something without telling me.

  “He asked me about Evan. Wanted to know his name so he could track him down.”

  “Oh no…”

  “He originally wanted to kill him, but I told him you wouldn’t want that.”

  No, I wouldn’t.

  “So he went to the bank where he works, threatened him, and then when Evan got off work, Balto dragged him to the middle of nowhere and gave him a beating so extreme he was in the hospital for a few days.”

  “Oh god.” I covered my mouth, actually feeling bad for Evan. “That was completely inappropriate. What Evan did was wrong, but he didn’t deserve that.”

  “Actually, what he did was worse than what you think. Balto questioned him and found out Lucian had had his eye on you for a long time. He paid Evan a hundred thousand euro to go along with his plan to make you cooperate. The whole thing was a setup, and Evan got a big paycheck out of it.”

  My heart fell into my stomach.

  “That was why Balto did it. And I stand by his actions.”

  I looked away, hurt by Evan’s betrayal but also touched by Balto’s loyalty.

  “Balto may have made mistakes, but he’s always been loyal to you. And since he has no idea that the baby is even his…then he obviously loves you for you. You should forgive him, tell him the truth, and be with him.”

  “I thought you said he would never be good enough for me?”

  He shrugged. “I was wrong. He’s proven himself a million times over. You know how stubborn I am, more stubborn than you—”

  “Definitely.”

  “And I think he deserves a second chance.”

  I shifted my gaze to the table, thinking about everything my brother said. Case was a cold man who preferred solitude. He never gave anyone the time of day. But he obviously respected Balto—and respect was impossible to earn from a man like my brother.

  “All I want for you is a man who will take care of you and keep you safe. He can do both of those easily.”

  “I don’t need a man for that.”

  “Yes, you do,” he said quickly. “Maybe you won’t admit it to me or yourself, but you want a man who can protect you. After everything you’ve been through with Lucian, no one can blame you. With Balto by your side, you never have to worry about that ever again. So, work this out with him. And you better tell him the truth. The man deserves to know.”

  I canceled my date with Alessandro. Now that I knew my situation with Balto hadn’t been resolved, I didn’t want to waste any more of Alessandro’s time. He was a good man, and he deserved better.

  I didn’t contact Balto because I expected him to contact me. If he wanted me, he had to fight for me. I wouldn’t chase after him. I’d already done the chasing enough times. He’d had plenty of opportunities to take advantage of my vulnerability, but he never did. Instead, he sent me away.

  Ball was in his court.

  I finished dinner then sat on the couch to watch TV. It was eight in the evening, so I was ready for bed. Being pregnant made me more tired than usual, and now that I was six months along, I was getting really uncomfortable. I had morning sickness every day, and I didn’t sleep through the night because the baby kicked.

  I still didn’t know if I was having a boy or a girl. I could have asked the doctor during my last visit, but I didn’t want to know.

  There was suddenly a loud knock on the door, the sound of a hard fist striking the wood. Just the knock alone sounded like him.

  I checked his face in the peephole and felt my heart race at his presence. I’d known it was only a matter of time before he came back. At least this time he was more civil.

  “Are you going to open the door?” he asked. “Or will I have to break it down?”

  I turned the knob and opened the door.

  In jeans and a t-shirt, he looked exactly the same as the last time I saw him. With a perfectly shaved jawline and stunning blue eyes, he was the beautiful man I dreamed about every single night. He was the man who got me wet with just a look, but he was also the same man who stole my heart.

  I stared at him for several seconds before I stepped aside so he could come inside.

  He followed me and shut the door behind me. “I’m surprised you let me in.”

  “Didn’t want to scream at each other on the doorstep. I’ve got neighbors.” I crossed my arms over my chest and faced him, slightly insecure about the nightdress I wore. It was long and gray, giving my belly a break from wearing pants and jeans. My hair was pulled over one shoulder, and I’d already washed off my makeup and brushed my teeth for bed.

  But he stared at me like I was the most alluring thing in the world.

  “Still mad at me?” he asked, his masculine voice deep and seductive.

  “Always.”

  The corner of his mouth slightly rose in a smile. “I’m not going to go away. I’ve decided you’re mine, and I will chase off every man who thinks he has a chance with you. Because you’re my woman, and hopefully, you’ll eventually call me your man.”

  I still did think he was my man, even when he wasn’t. I was relieved he hadn’t been with anyone else since we broke up. It would have devastated me if he had. I guess I could understand why he threw such a temper tantrum when he saw me with Alessandro. If I were in that situation, I would have been classy and walked away. But I certainly would have wanted to throw a tantrum the way he did.

  “I left the Skull Kings.”

  It took me a second to process what he said. That was the last sacrifice he would ever make, and there was no way he’d actually made it. He’d dumped me because he didn’t want his life to change. But now he was telling me he’d turned his back on the most important thing to him. “What? When?”

  “Last week. Heath is the new king now.”

  I was still in shock. “I don’t understand. You told me—”

  “I love you.”

  Just when he couldn’t shock me anymore, he did. My mouth stayed open with my last s
entence, and it slowly closed as my eyes burned into his. Those three little words had been so difficult for him to convey, but now he said them with such purpose. I could see the determination in his eyes, the lack of uncertainty.

  “I fell in love with you far sooner than you ever did with me. Even when you were still with Lucian, I knew how I felt about you. I wanted to save you when I wasn’t a rescuer. I wanted to make all your problems go away when I shouldn’t have cared. Then I stole you, not because I wanted to hurt Lucian, but because I wanted you all to myself. So, you can be angry at me for not saying it earlier, but I certainly felt it far sooner than you ever did. The night we met, my life changed forever, and I think in that exact moment I fell pathetically in love with you. My dick never stays in my pants, but the second I had you, I didn’t want anyone else. There are so many beautiful women out there, but once you stepped into my life, I stopped noticing anyone else but you. Love is a concept I struggle to understand, but when a man becomes faithful to a woman, that’s love. That’s not lust, obsession, or a fuck-buddy situation. That’s just love, baby.”

  Those were the words I’d wanted to hear, but they were far sweeter than I’d ever expected.

  “Everyone saw it long before you did. My brother accused me of it. He was right. Even Case told me I loved you…and he was right. I don’t sacrifice my life for just anybody. I’m way too selfish. But I would lay down my life for yours in a heartbeat.” He breathed hard as he stared at me. “I’m sorry I fucked this up. I’m sorry I left for three months. But trust me, I was fucking miserable without you. I’m here now, and I’m not taking no for an answer. I’ve already left everything behind, so I’m all yours—and I made those sacrifices because I wanted to. Being the Skull King didn’t mean as much after I lost you. It meant nothing at all, actually. I realized you’re my world, and I don’t give a damn if that baby isn’t mine, I will raise it with you like it is. There’s nothing more I can say now. I’ve given you everything you wanted. All that’s left is to get on my knees and beg. I will, if that’s what it takes.” He slowly lowered himself to one knee in front of me, shifting his gaze up so he could keep our eyes locked together. He stared at me as he waited to hear the words he needed to hear.