Broken Bastard (Killer of Kings Book 2) Read online

  Now he had to focus on the task and put those memories to rest. The sedative he’d given Scarlett before they left would start to wear off soon. He had timed it so that he’d be back at his place by the time she began screaming. Tick tock.

  His cell phone went off, and he cursed. There were only a couple of minutes left, and he didn’t want to lose his element of surprise. Answering the call, he saw it was Boss. “Are you for fucking real right now? I’m on a job, and you think it’s the right time to call?”

  “I missed you.”

  He rolled his eyes. “What the fuck do you want?”

  “I want to know if you ended your problem. You need to. If she’s reported missing, she becomes a big fucking inconvenience.”

  Bain rubbed his eyes. “I’m handling it.”

  “You need to handle it soon. Cops will start looking, especially if her friend lets them know exactly where she was going last night, and there are a lot of dead bodies there. When she’s not there, they’re going to want to know where the fuck she is. Time’s ticking.”

  He heard the key in the lock.

  “I’ll handle it.” He hung up the phone before Boss could say anything more. The door opened, and the mark was alone, talking on his cell phone.

  Everything went according to plan. The guy ended the call, dropped his suitcase off, and then headed toward the balcony, which was when Bain struck. The mark went over the edge, and Bain didn’t stay to watch as chaos ensued. Leaving the room, he kept on sucking his lollipop, heading toward the parking garage. He checked to make sure no one was around and opened up the trunk of his car. There she was, safe and sound, still dressed in his clothes. She was going to be so pissed, but he liked her fighting.

  He didn’t like it when she’d given up last night and begged him to kill her. There was more fire in that sexy body, and he was determined to deal with it.

  Climbing behind his wheel, he drove out of the parking lot and headed back home.

  His cell phone went off, and he sighed.

  “You shoved him off the balcony?” Boss asked. “You could have been seen.”

  “I’m a fucking ghost. It was a textbook hit. Job done.”

  “That’s why I hired you,” said Boss.

  Bain hung up the cell, and drove home.

  By the time he pulled into his garage, Scarlett was banging on the roof of the trunk, screaming.

  Just thinking of her chest heaving as she yelled and fought him was enough to turn him on. His anger subsided as he opened the trunk.

  “You fucking asshole. What the fuck did you give me?” she asked. She was so angry she was even cussing at him. Just hearing the word fuck from her voice had his dick getting harder.

  “It was just a little sleeping pill. You’ve been out like a light. I needed to do this job, and I knew if I took you, you’d help the poor fucker that was due to die today.”

  “You killed someone else?” she asked.

  “I did.”

  “What if he was a good person?”

  “He specialized in getting pedophiles out of prison. He was a monster protecting monsters. I did a good deed today.”

  She closed her eyes and sighed. “I can’t handle this right now. My mouth is so dry.” He took her hand, and she pushed him away. “I really don’t want you touching me right now. I can’t believe you drugged me.”

  “For a good cause.”

  “Is that what you do? Kill people who are bad?”

  He paused. “You don’t want me to answer that. Not yet.”

  “You’re right. I really don’t want to know any more right now. I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

  He wrapped his arm around her back and held her close, loving the way she seemed to collapse against him. She needed some food, and as he entered his home and led her to the counter, he opened his fridge.

  “Another sandwich?” she asked.

  “Do you want takeout? There’s a Chinese place that has the most amazing wontons. I love them.” He showed her the paper menu he kept in the drawer.

  “I’m confused. First I’m not allowed to eat, and now I get a choice? Why are you being nice to me?” she asked.

  “Why wouldn’t I? I’ve completed a job, so I’m feeling good.” Then he decided to test her reaction to the news Boss gave him. “Just so you know, someone went to the cops saying you didn’t make it into work.”

  He watched as she froze, her gaze panicked as she looked at him.

  “Do you want some decent food?” He had no intention of killing her. Boss wouldn’t let him get away with it, though. There was no way she would ever be able to rid herself of the mark on her head. Boss would kill her to make sure nothing came back to him as leader of Killer of Kings.

  “I would love some food.”

  He watched the acceptance of her situation take over. She was worried, her mind working a mile a minute.

  She tucked some hair behind her ear. “I’ll eat anything. I’m pretty easygoing. I love spicy food, sweet and sour, stuff like that.”

  Bain touched her hand, and she pulled back. “You don’t have to be afraid.”

  “I’m not an idiot, Bain. I know what this means. Just don’t kill my friend, okay? With me out of the picture, she may just keep her job.”

  Bain gritted his teeth. “Do you trust me?”

  She tilted her head to the side and shrugged. “I don’t really know you.”

  He tapped his fingers on the edge of the counter. This wasn’t right. He didn’t want her like this. He had to show her how he felt in the only way he knew how. Grabbing a knife from the set on the far wall, he slit his palm open, then he took her hand, and gave it a similar small nick. He’d done this many years ago with Viper. To him, this was the most sacred oath he’d ever given.

  “What the hell are you doing?” she asked, trying to tug her hand away. He waited for her to calm, then carefully matched their scars together, watching for her reaction.

  “We’re blood now, Scarlett. I won’t let anything happen to you. While you’re with me, you’ll be safe, do you understand?”

  “I know you’re crazy.”

  “I haven’t shared any of my shit with anyone. You’re the first woman I’ve trusted, and this is not something I take lightly. You need to listen to what I’m telling you, Scarlett.” He held her hand firmly in his grip. “When you have nothing to your fucking name, and all you’ve got to share is blood, it matters. I’ve only ever done this once, and I’ll never do it again. Do you understand?”

  She nodded, and tears once again glistened in her eyes.

  Just once, he didn’t want to make her cry. Was that really too much to ask?

  Chapter Five

  She should be completely freaked out. A stranger had mingled their blood together, which would normally terrify her because of all the contagious diseases out there. She’d even prepared news reports on tainted blood, and some of the outcomes were horrifying.

  But instead of being scared, or even upset, she felt uniquely special. All her life, she’d wanted to belong to someone, to feel loved and wanted. As crazy as it seemed, Bain had offered her a piece of himself and an odd promise—to not kill her. She’d take it for now, but deep down, she hoped for a lot more. The rules of right and wrong had gone out the window once the bullets started flying at Semenov’s. Her world had tilted off its axis ever since Bain had been thrust into her life. There was no going back.

  “You know what, I don’t want to see you like this. No more tears. Come on,” Bain said.

  Scarlett narrowed her eyes as he led her to the front door, unsure of what to expect. She watched as he entered the code: 24926 for the exit alarm system.

  “Where you taking me?” She followed him to that same black BMW in the garage. A little piece of her was terrified he’d set her free, return her to her previous reality. Maybe a big piece. This hulk of a man was broken on the inside and breathtaking on the outside. The fact he thought she was beautiful already put him high above her previous boyf
riends. And he hadn’t hurt her. Bain was a murderer, savage and ruthless, yet he’d barely put his hands on her. She kept expecting for it to come—a slap, a punch, an ugly insult. Now she was actually starting to trust him, and ever since last night and the kiss to end all kisses, she wanted him in unspeakable ways.

  “You need something proper to wear, and we need food.” He opened the passenger door for her. “So we’re taking a quick drive into the town.”

  She frowned. “No trunk?” It had been the only way she’d traveled with Bain, cramped in the tight, dark space. It seemed foreign to be offered a normal seat in the car.

  “Don’t tempt me.”

  The leather seats were soft and warm against her thighs. She put on her seatbelt and watched as Bain started up the vehicle, the blue dashboard lights flicking on. He cleaned up nicely. He still had on the full suit he’d worn to kill that pedophile, his biceps bulging as he reached for the steering wheel. She wasn’t sure who was worse, Bain for murdering that man or her for being glad it happened. Scarlett realized she would have failed miserably as a field reporter. There was no way she could remain impartial when one person was being victimized. Her skills were in research and intel. She almost envied Bain’s lifestyle. He was judge and jury with no fear holding him back from bringing justice to the bad guys. Then again, maybe he’d kill any person if he was paid enough.

  “You said you won’t kill me,” she stated.

  “Yeah.”

  “But you can’t let me go?”

  The hum of the engine grew louder as he gave the car more gas, the scenery whipping by in her peripheral vision. She held onto the edges of her seat as her heart began to race. Her life had never been a thrill ride like this.

  “It’s for your own good. Without me, you wouldn’t last a day,” he said.

  “What do you mean? Who would want to kill me? All of Semenov’s men are dead, and you destroyed all the security footage.”

  “My boss doesn’t like loose ends. You’re a loose end.”

  She kept quiet. Bain wanted to protect her, and it turned her on to be so important to another human being—to a beast like Bain. Even her own parents discarded her as if she had no worth.

  He parked the car on a busy street. It was almost dinner hour, and she was getting hungry.

  “I can’t go anywhere in public like this.” She was still wearing Bain’s oversized shirt and boxers. Not a good look for the Junction area of the city.

  He squeezed the steering wheel, staring straight ahead. “It would have been better if I’d put you in the trunk, or drugged you.”

  “Really? I won’t leave the car. Like you said, it’s dangerous for me anyway, right?”

  “Every chance you’ve gotten, you’ve tried to get away. I can’t trust you,” he said.

  She pointed to the shop right beside them. “Just get me anything decent to wear—extra large. I like blue and purple, if it matters. You’ll be able to see me through the store windows.”

  He took a deep breath, scanning the crowds as they walked by and darted across the road. “I’m putting the car alarm on, so don’t touch the door handle. If you try to get away, I’ll be back in less than one fucking minute. I won’t be happy if I have to chase you down.”

  “Relax. I just want food and clothes.”

  He adjusted a shoulder-holstered gun under the front flap of his suit jacket, and then stepped out of the car. The alarm system beeped three times as it activated. Scarlett watched Bain. He towered over the crowds, and his presence was so menacing that they parted for him as he moved. Just before he entered the little specialty shop, he turned and stared directly at her. God, he did wild things to her body. His musky cologne still lingered in the car, invading all her senses. Why did he have to have so much self-control?

  Scarlett was alone. She could run into the crowd, honk the horn, or attract attention. She would have loved this opportunity yesterday. Today, not so much. Her past had been rough, filled with heartache and abuse. There was one secret Bain didn’t know. This secret had a life of its own, haunting her, pulling her into a ravenous pit of depression whenever she didn’t resist. It was easier said than done to let go of the past and move on. She understood Bain more than he knew. He had his demons, but so did she.

  Bain returned in record time, rescuing her from her darkening thoughts. She would have barely started combing through the racks, but he entered the car with two bags, thrusting them onto her lap. “Get dressed.”

  “Here?”

  “The windows are heavily tinted. Just make it quick.”

  She started sifting through the contents of the bags and found a pair of black capri pants and a purple shirt with three-quarter sleeves. She smiled to herself. Scarlett started wiggling into the capris, lifting her hips to get them on in the cramped passenger seat. Bain had already seen her naked, but there were so many people passing by.

  “What next?” she asked, trying to discreetly switch shirts.

  “We’ll get some food. I think a change of scenery will do you good, no?”

  “You’re actually taking me out in public? All this change because of the blood thing?”

  “I’m trying to be nice. It’s not something I usually do. You want me to stop?”

  She shook her head and began twisting her hair up into a bun. Bain reached across the center console and stilled her hand. “Leave it out,” he said. “I like it loose.”

  Her chest felt like it was clenching down around her heart. Was she actually falling for a hitman?

  They got out of the car, and she felt awkward walking next to Bain. He was so much taller than she was, a presence unto himself. Not to mention he was completely out of her league. She could already see the way women looked at him, a desperate longing in their eyes. When he didn’t respond to their blatant flirting, it pleased her deep down inside.

  If you were smart, Scarlett, you’d run the other way. Her first serious relationship with Jerry ended because he’d been a serial cheater. He’d torn her confidence to shreds, and made her more needy and clingy than she’d been to start out with. Then came Michael, a few years later. She could never have prepared herself for the physical and mental abuse. It crept in slowly until it became so extreme, so all-encompassing, that dysfunction became her whole world. She felt like nothing, and never believed she deserved better. It was a vicious cycle of abuse, and she’d been caught in it for much too long. Scarlett would probably still have been trapped in that dark world if the unthinkable hadn’t happened—but it had.

  And it changed her forever.

  Now there was Bain. He was just another mistake, a man she should stay far, far away from. She needed to put an end to her fucked up relationships and find a good man, one with a normal job, normal life, normal hopes and dreams, and a normal body. Normal was good, right? Then why couldn’t she stop envisioning herself naked in Bain’s bed? Why was he taking control of all her thoughts?

  He pointed to an outdoor patio on the sidewalk up ahead. “You want to stop there?” he asked.

  “Sure.”

  When his hand settled possessively at the small of her back, she held her breath. Tingles and warmth broke out where he touched her and traveled down between her legs. She expected him to be embarrassed of her. Most men were. Scarlett was happy with who she was, but she wasn’t disillusioned about the superficial and highly critical world she lived in. Working with the media put things into everything into perspective—hot guys didn’t settle for big girls.

  ****

  Bain hated crowds. He rarely came into the city on his own accord. Walking through the throngs of law-abiding citizens made him feel like a monster. It was the beauty by his side that anchored him. He focused his energy on keeping her safe, ensuring no asshole got into her personal space.

  They sat down at a small table at some hippy café. He wanted to impress Scarlett, to be what she needed, even though he knew it would never be enough.

  “What if someone sees me?” she asked. Boss had given
him the inside scoop about Scarlett, but her friend hadn’t reported her missing yet. He still wasn’t sure what the fuck he was going to do about the whole situation. This was the first time he had a conscience, or any issue finishing a job. It would be so simple if he could end her, wrap his hands around her throat until her life slipped from her body—but he couldn’t do it. Fuck, but he wanted to keep her.

  “I’m not worried.”

  A twenty-something waitress passed them menus. She lingered, and it was blatantly obvious she was trying to get his personal attention. He ignored her until she left. The only thing he knew about women was how to thoroughly pleasure them, and since he’d been forced to do that for so many fucking years, he wanted no part of it. And it pissed him off that she assumed he’d cheat on his date. Just because he was rough around the edges and covered in ink didn’t automatically make him a lowlife prick.

  “You know what you’re getting?” he asked.

  She’d kept her head down, her shoulders lowered. Bain knew she wasn’t shy, she’d said so herself. He couldn’t understand how a woman with so much going for her could lack confidence. Maybe her asshole ex had fucked with her head.

  “I think so,” she said, folding the menu back on the table.

  “You never shut up when we’re at my place. What’s going on with you?”

  She glared at him. “Nothing.”

  He growled. This was just one of a million reasons he was single. Women infuriated him with their mixed signals. “Was it our waitress?”

  When she didn’t respond, he knew he was on the right track. “She’s a stupid bitch if she thinks I’d choose her over my prize.”

  Scarlett looked up at him, eye to eye contact without saying a word.

  “That’s right, babe. I’m talking about you.” He reached low and tugged her chair closer, the legs scraping loudly against the concrete patio. “And you’re right about the color. The purple looks beautiful on you.” He ran the back of one finger along the edge of her jaw. That same desperate urge to kiss her took over, but he controlled it, pushing the need away.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.