Chapter 21

Kraven

Violence.

I'd always taken everything I'd wanted without hesitation. Penny had been no different. The feel of being inside her tight pussy had been a clear reminder of everything I'd missed for far too long. Nothing had compared to the way I'd felt while stripping away some of her sweet innocence.

Fucking her had been cathartic, a sweet moment of recapturing something from the past, but I wanted more.

Required more.

I wanted to feel her pert little mouth wrapped around my cock all over again, perhaps daily, sucking as I tangled my fingers in her long strands of hair. I craved sliding my throbbing shaft into her tight asshole, stripping her of any belief that I was anything other than a monster.

Bringing her to my home, a location no other female had been allowed to invade since my life had taken a brutal turn had been the only possible alternative. However, it still indicated I'd made a choice with her, taking her as a permanent possession.

If I had any decency inside of me, I'd feel guilty for destroying her life, but that simply wasn't the case.

I was a bad man. There was no sense in trying to deny what came naturally to me. I could put the spit and shine on who and what I was, but the reality was always there.

What I hadn't anticipated had been the rush of adrenaline when hearing her scream, my instant reaction of wanting to ensure her safety and not my usual method of operations. Seeing the horror on her face as she'd held the top of a toilet tank to use as a weapon had done something else altogether.

It had solidified the need for revenge no matter the outcome.

I rolled the Mercedes into the bay of garages, immediately hitting the secure opener as the blue lights of the interior flicked on. Even talking about her mother seemed off limits. She was hurting more than I'd anticipated. Weren't we all?

Penny sat still, staring out the windshield and I sensed her entire demeanor had shifted once again. I wasn't entirely certain why other than the obvious, but at this point I needed to regroup so I could better determine what the hell was going on.

Including how my secure environment had been turned into a shooting gallery. Christ, the bastards had all been wearing black, including ski masks. Their clothing hadn't drawn any attention from anyone? I had to remind myself that there were several entrances into the resort, including long corridors from five different parking lots and that didn't include those for employees.

Different jobs required different uniforms, but every exterior door was covered with cameras. That meant either they'd been disabled, or the assholes had changed clothes after they'd gotten inside. I was going for the latter considering the resort had been busier than normal.

My thoughts had also gone back and forth over the issue with Breck, and his father's odd behavior. Perhaps this was about drugs, but I doubted it. It was about control. It was about revenge. It was entirely possible the Butcher had visited the two men, just as he'd likely done with the judge Zach had mentioned. It was just another player to sort through.

I wanted to tell karma to take a freaking number. That could mean anything at this point.

At least I didn't need to remind her to climb from the vehicle. She did so stiffly, helping Remington out from the backseat then keeping a firm hold on his collar. I was surprised the poor dog had done as well as he had given the circumstances.

She trailed behind me, glancing from one of my acquisitions to another. It was good to see Vissarian's Cougar parked in its normal spot. While I couldn't keep him locked down in the house, the kid nineteen, I would stress the need for safety measures being taken, including always having two bodyguards with him.

Not that I believed he was the main target, but it was possible whoever was behind the attacks would sweep the house.

I led her up a set of stairs into the kitchen. We both heard blaring music, Vissarian's usual trait. When I returned from a lengthy stay at my suite, the place had often been used for a party with his buddies. Music was just a part of his world, the kid telling me he'd wanted to be a musician.

Hence the rock band he'd joined a couple of years before. Too bad they were terrible, but it was a release that he needed. That had at least kept him off the streets as well as away from drugs. Which I would kick his ass for. I flicked on another light, augmenting the one over the stove. I could see an open bottle of whiskey on the counter. My brother was obviously furious that I'd required him to come home, determined to piss me off as far too many had attempted to do as of late.

She said nothing, standing as if being in my home was the worst possible choice I could have made.

"Would you like something to drink?" I asked as I immediately went to find a clean bowl to fill with water for the dog. At least I had a series of housekeepers, or I had a feeling the place would be a pigsty.

"I want to wash my hands. Change clothes."

After placing the water bowl on the floor, I moved toward her, guiding her to the sink. She was more in shock than before, her eyes unable to focus as if her mind still couldn't process the atrocities she'd witnessed. If I could have kept her from seeing the carnage I would have.

I turned on the spigot, waiting until the water was lukewarm, mildly surprised she allowed me to take both her hands, placing them under the stream. I wanted to be gentle with her but the amount of blood she had on her skin was more than I'd originally believed. It was touching she was so concerned about Misha, wailing about his condition when she should have been thinking about herself and her own safety.

But seeing the blood gushing from the wound, his eyes rolling in the back of his head had taken a toll on her. Hell, it had on me as well. Misha was family. I'd never thought of him that way before but it was just another eye-opening moment brought on by the woman trembling in my hold.

When I was finally able to remove the stains, I yanked one of the kitchen towels from the oven door, now allowed to be tender as I helped wipe the water away. I left her with it, snagging two glasses from the cabinet and pouring both half full of whiskey.

As I brought one to her, I noticed she was either incapable of looking me in the eyes or flat out refusing to.

At least she accepted the glass, instantly bringing it to her lips.

I waited until she'd swallowed the first gulp, perhaps worried she'd choke herself, before sipping on mine. As I leaned against the counter, I tried my best to think of something appropriate or comforting to say. I had no clue what that could be. We were different people, her attempt at escaping whatever horrors she'd been through in her life leading her into a monster's lair.

"Why aren't you on social media?" Perhaps this was the wrong time to continue grilling her, but in my experience, her reaction was based on more than what she'd seen and heard the last couple of days. Something terrible had occurred in her past that had driven her into a black fog, perhaps reliving what she'd been through before.

She took another gulp of her drink, keeping her head down, her lips pursed. "Because I didn't want him to find me."

"Him? Jake?" I'd barely heard her words, they were said so softly.

Her nod was perfunctory and she finally raked her hand through her hair. "My boyfriend. My ex-boyfriend."

"What happened?"

She was slow in reacting, taking another sip then lifting her head, finally allowing her eyes to settle on mine. "I could flower it up with garbage, but the simple truth is that he tried to kill me and almost succeeded."

There was no emotion in her words. Maybe that's because I was ready to explode. Some motherfucker had hurt a precious creature like her? "Who the fuck is this asshole?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It does to me."

"He was just a mistake, a man I thought I could trust and he took that away from me the first time he hit me. Of course as you might imagine, he told me he was sorry and I was na?ve and gullible enough to believe him. How very stupid of me. Right? Then he bought me flowers and things were even better than before. But the next time he was angry, he smashed my head into the wall, also giving me a black eye."

She laughed bitterly while I almost crushed the glass between my fingers.

"But as before, he took care of me, kissing me and crying his eyes out for what he'd done. And I believed him when he said he'd get help. He lied by telling me he was going to an anger management counselor. You see, he had a stressful job as a stockbroker. I thought that's what was wrong and I took his abuse, maybe because my mother had slipped from remission, only given three months to live. I was an emotional wreck, obviously not thinking clearly. My mother and I were like sisters, doing so many things together. She had me at a very young age."

I allowed her to talk but would find the fucker who'd damaged her.

"When I finally realized Jake was abusive, I just didn't know what to do, especially since my mother thought the world of him. She was certain I'd found Prince Charming, a man who'd protect me against all the evils in the world. He sucked up to her and my father, forcing me to hide the bruises at first but when that couldn't happen any longer, he forbid me to see her. My own dying mother. I allowed that to happen. Do you know how terrible that makes me?"

Exhaling, I moved closer, careful not to touch her. I sensed she wasn't ready to be comforted over the heavy burden of guilt. "Abusers have a special place in hell."

"They do. I almost missed my beautiful mother taking her last breaths. And I'll never forget when she saw the black eye I forgot I'd had when I went into her bedroom. She started crying. My mother slipped into unconsciousness and died less than eight hours later. I'm a horrible person. That night, Jake almost beat me to death and I allowed it to happen. I think I wanted it to happen. When I woke up in the hospital, my father by my side, I finally confessed. My father tried to have him arrested but he was a powerful judge's son out of DC."

"That's when you started cutting yourself?"

"Before. When I couldn't take the pain and had no clue what to do. You see, I do understand monsters, Kraven. Better than most. I promised myself I would never find myself in any kind of situation like that again. But what is the saying? What goes around, comes around. Maybe I deserve to be hunted down."

When she tried to walk away, I couldn't stop myself from grabbing her arm, jerking her closer. "Don't you dare say that kind of shit. What that fuck did to you he should be killed for. You did nothing wrong, baby. Nothing. I promise you no one is ever going to hurt you again."

"Don't make promises you know you can't keep."

As soon as I pulled her against me, I heard a noise and Vissarian stormed into the room. When he saw me holding her, he scoffed.

"I was fucking escorted back to the house like some criminal. I thought something might be wrong. But you're just with your latest squeeze. Let me guess. You're going to tell me you're getting married. I'm not staying here. I fucking refuse." His accusatory tone and the flash of his eyes almost pushed me to the breaking point.

"We have a guest, Vissarian. Cut the attitude."

He snorted and glared at her. "You can't tell me what to do. Remember? And so what? Is this just another round of playtime for you while you're doing everything you can to destroy my life?"

I found myself moving toward him without thinking, my anger bridging the surface. I snapped my hand around his throat, shoving him against the wall without a second thought. While I could see the anger and hatred in his eyes, there was also fear. My own fucking brother was terrified of me.

"Hey," Penny snapped as she grabbed my arm. "You're brothers. What is wrong with both of you?"

I took a deep breath, relieving the pressure.

She crowded beside us, the spitfire in her returning with a vengeance as she addressed my brother. "I don't know you, Vissarian, but this man was almost killed today. He saved my life. My guess is he's done that for you more than once. Give him a break. Give us both a break. God knows I could use one after the shitty last couple of days I've had."

My brother was never shocked into silence, especially by a woman, but this time, he was. Yet I could read his mind, the hatred he had for me.

I backed away and he rubbed his throat. Yes, I was furious with myself for overreacting but at this point, what little I had left inside of me was rage. I was surprised he remained quiet.

"To answer your question, Viss. I'm protecting the woman who saved my life a couple nights ago, a random assassin sent to kill me. Without knowing me, she jumped in front of the guy when she could easily have been killed. And if you're curious why I'm covered in blood, it's because someone sent an entire army of men into my suite to end not only my life, but that of this perfectly innocent woman only a couple hours ago. So I brought her to the one place I knew I could keep her safe. The same place that I've tried to keep a nice home for you while you were growing up. One you don't give a shit about. Someone is trying to kill us, brother. And they're dead set on doing so. That could include getting to you, and I refuse to allow the people I care about to be hurt. So, you're staying in this house until further fucking notice. Get it? I can't lose you too. I won't."

As usual, the tension was insurmountable.

After giving me a hateful look, he shook his head and stormed out.

"Fuck," I hissed, hating everything about trying to be a parent. I sucked at it. Once again, I yanked her into my arms, trying to rid the horrors, even if I knew that was impossible.

She allowed me to hold her for a few more seconds before pushing away.

"I'm sorry about that. You didn't deserve to hear that or have him talk about you that way."

"That's your brother," she said as if she didn't believe it was possible.

"Yes. And as you can see, he hates me. He thinks I've destroyed his life by not allowing him to run the city streets free and wild."

"You care about him. That's an admirable trait. He'll come around, Kraven. Give him time. Kid brothers are always trying to live up to their big brother's standards. You know?"

"I don't know about that. As I said, he's made certain I know how much he hates me."

"No, he doesn't. He's just trying to find his way in your powerful world. You do overshadow everything and everyone around you but I have a feeling he looks up to you."

I huffed and rubbed my jaw. "You're a pretty smart lady but I won't allow him to treat you like that."

"I've invaded that safe space he's used to having. If you want, I'll leave."

"You're not going anywhere, baby. Period. There's too much danger."

She shuddered and looked down at Remington. "I know."

"Come on. I'll give you a tee shirt and shorts of mine to wear for tonight. Tomorrow your things will be brought over."

She allowed me to take her hand, guiding her through the house. Remington was already used to the routine, following happily along behind. I was surprised when she pulled to a stop in front of the atrium that I'd designed and had installed.

"This is exquisite. And peaceful. Yet there's a vibe that's incredible, as if you could sit here and become revitalized for whatever life tossed your way."

It was amazing to see my world through her eyes. When I said nothing, I was rewarded with a flush of her cheeks.

"Too philosophical?" she asked sheepishly.

"Not at all. That's what I was going for and I assure you that my impetuous teenage brother would prefer it being used to grow marijuana." Which wasn't necessarily true but at least it brought a smile, a slight giggle to the moment.

"Your house is amazing. Why don't you stay here? There's more of a reason than business, isn't there?"

I took a deep breath. "Let's just say that we all have things from our past we'd prefer to forget."

She studied me intently, suddenly doing something that couldn't have surprised me more. She cupped my jaw, rubbing her fingers delicately across my skin. "For whatever reason she left you, she misjudged the man under the rough and tumble brawn. You have a good heart, Kraven. You're just terrified to show it. Now, I think I understand why."

I pressed my hand to hers, keeping her sizzling fingers touching me. It was the most comforted I'd allowed myself to feel in a long time. She had a way of not only getting under my skin but wrapping her entire being around what was left of my soul. Looking for light in the darkness. I didn't want to burst the bubble that I wasn't a good man, and nothing would change that. At least not until necessary.

"I won't let anything happen to you," I told her.

"As I told you before. Don't make promises you can't keep. But right now, I feel safe. You're covered in blood. Let me help clean it off you like you were so sweet to do with me."

Without hesitation, I pulled her to me, slipping my fingers underneath her hair, tangling my fingers in the long strands. As I crushed my mouth over hers, I felt her tense, finally relaxing a few seconds later. The kiss was perhaps the most powerful of all. Gone were the masks we'd both worn, our true personalities revealed for the other to see.

I hadn't lied to her and now that I knew her horrible secret, I sensed even more of a strength that I hadn't known existed. I swept my tongue inside her sweet mouth, longing for the peaceful moment to last, to allow a growth in whatever it was we were sharing.

One thing was certain.

The woman wasn't going anywhere. Not because of her safety alone but because I wouldn't allow it. I'd spent so many years wallowing in a loss that had nearly broken me that I'd forgotten how to live or care for anyone. She'd awakened that part of me. She'd picked through the carefully placed locks, finding entrance to my cold, dead heart.

I was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, although I knew in my gut that my actions could create the kind of combustible fire that could turn into acid, scarring both of us. I was taking a significant chance, risking her life even more while also doing so with my own, but a decision had been made. I would stick to my decision. Maybe I could find a family after all.

She belonged to me.

The taste of her was as always so incredible, as if I was basking in the kind of sunshine forbidden to a vampire. She allowed me to dominate her tongue without fighting me back, but I knew her surrender would be short-lived. That was something else I adored about her.

When I finally broke the kiss, we were both breathless, a strange look crossing her face.

"Why are you doing this? Isn't it dangerous to keep me near you like you said?"

"Because I value beautiful things and don't want them hurt or worse."

"That's not the only reason. Is it?" She dared to ask me that question when I sensed she already knew the answer.

There was no reason to lie to her any longer, no reason to keep any secrets between us.

"Hear me this time, Penny, and embrace what I'm saying because you have no choice but to accept. You belong to me."