The Scarred One Read online

  “How do you know Henry?” She didn’t like having Arnold around and not talk to him. It seemed rude to her.

  “I was a fighter. He and Caleb come to the fights and offer jobs to the men who are the most promising and discreet. They want men they can trust to get the job done.”

  Did she want to know anymore about Henry’s work? She knew he wasn’t legal. The only thing that was legal about his entire operation was the club they owned.

  “That’s enough. I don’t need to know anything else.”

  There was a buzz at the intercom. Leaving the kitchen, she walked into the hallway to find Caleb waiting to be let inside.

  “Caleb? Henry’s not here right now.”

  “I know. He’s busy. I wanted to talk with you.” She stared at him. This man did scare her. “Let me in, Lydia.”

  Arnold was home, so there was nothing Caleb could do. He was employed by Henry to keep her safe. She pressed the button and waited for the knock on the door. Arnold was stood in the hallway along with her.

  He pushed her behind him as the door was knocked on. Caleb stood on the other side, raising a brow at Arnold.

  “You can leave, Arnold. I’ve got it from here.”

  She didn’t want Arnold to leave. Caleb looked at her, waiting.

  “It’s okay, Arnold. Caleb won’t let anything happen to me.” She turned on her heel and walked back to the kitchen. The only thing she wanted between her and Caleb was space.

  The door closed, and she held her breath waiting for Caleb to come into eye sight.

  When he did, she turned toward the fridge to finish putting away the cheese and cream.

  “You and Henry,” he said.

  She glanced over her shoulder to see him stood waiting for her. He looked like he owned the place. Staring down at the cream in her hands, she didn’t like the way he made her feel.

  “What about me and Henry?”

  “Is it serious?”

  Lydia gave him her full attention. “It’s serious to me.”

  “Henry is my friend, and we’re business partners. What happens to him concerns me. You’re a distraction. He’s different since he’s been around you.”

  “Isn’t that a good thing?”

  “He’s determined to find those men who hurt you. This man is not the person I’ve come to rely on.”

  She tucked some hair behind her ear. “How is that being distracted?”

  “He’s missing other business. We’re a team, and if he keeps going hunting, he’s going to find what he’s looking for and more.”

  Lydia saw he was concerned.

  “Are you fucking with him because he killed your boyfriend?”

  “What? No?”

  “You don’t strike me as a nice woman. Henry, he needs a nice woman to see past all the shit.”

  “What? You mean his scars?” She was getting angrier by the second. Caleb had no right to come here and accuse her of this stuff.

  “You’re in his apartment, and he’s laid a claim to you. I don’t like the vibe I’m getting from all of this.”

  “You think I’m using him?”

  “He’s got a thing for whores.”

  She threw the block of cheese at him. “First, I’m not a fucking whore. Second, Henry was the one who moved me into this apartment. I didn’t suggest it once. And third, how fucking dare you. You don’t know me or anything about me. I care about Henry. He means a great deal to me. I don’t know if I love him yet as that’s pretty fucking deep. I’ve never loved any man in my whole life. Henry, he’s special, and I would never, ever, do anything to hurt him.”

  “Caleb, get the fuck out of my apartment,” Henry said, rounding the corner.

  Lydia gasped. She’d not heard him come into the apartment.

  “Henry.”

  “Lydia, I want to apologize about my so-called friend,” Henry said.

  “I was worried about you, Henry. You’re different. You’re missing business while you’re searching for these men, and it is going to put you behind bars.”

  “No, it’s not. I’m not hurting anyone. Those men deserve to die, and I’m going to do it.”

  “You don’t know anything about her,” Caleb said.

  She stared from one man to the other. Henry’s hands were fisted while Caleb simply had his arms down by his sides.

  “Neither did you when it came to Donna. All you saw was what you wanted. You wanted her, and I want Lydia. She’s not using me, Caleb. I’ve told her to stop working. I already started moving her in with me before we were fucking. Get the fuck out of my apartment before I do something I might regret.”

  Lydia watched as Caleb stared down her man. She didn’t want the two friends to argue over her.

  “Henry?”

  “No, Lydia. Stay out of it. He had no right speaking to you like that, and I won’t have him doing it again.”

  “You’re putting a woman first?”

  “Didn’t you when it came to Donna?” Henry asked.

  She looked at Caleb when he made no sound of disagreement.

  “Donna’s my wife.”

  “Now she is. She wasn’t when you first started out, so don’t try and tell me otherwise. Donna was just another woman you fucked. Get out.”

  Henry and Caleb disappeared taking their argument with them. The door closed, and Henry reappeared in the kitchen. His hand went to the back of her neck. “Hey, baby, I’m really sorry about that.”

  “He’s your friend. Doesn’t he have a right to be concerned for you?” She didn’t want to come between them, but Caleb’s words were incredibly harsh.

  “I don’t give a fuck what he says. You’re mine, and he doesn’t allow me to say shit like that to Donna. I’m not going to let the bastard do it to you. I’ll protect you.”

  He tilted her head back and claimed her lips. She melted against him as his tongue plundered her mouth. All thought of food disappeared as he pressed her up against the fridge. His hands moved down her body stopping at the bottom of her skirt. Henry lifted her skirt up. The tips of his fingers skimming over her thighs until one of his hands cupped her panty covered pussy. Henry growled. “What have I told you about wearing panties?”

  She gasped as his lips moved down to her neck. He nibbled on her neck as he slid his finger underneath the edge of her panty.

  Cream soaked the lips of her sex, and his fingers teased through her cum before sliding over her clit. She cried out as he pinched her clit then delved down to thrust inside her core.

  “You’re so fucking responsive, baby. Do you like my fingers in your cunt?”

  Lydia stared into her eyes, never wanting to stop looking at him. The scars on his face didn’t define him as a man. No, Henry, his actions that went unnoticed defined him to her. Behind closed doors he was the most amazing person she’d ever met.

  “Yes.”

  “Do you want my cock?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then get my dick out.”

  She tugged at his belt, working fast to free his cock from the confines of the pants that kept him.

  Henry didn’t leave her pussy, and she had to work around his searching hands.

  “This is my pussy.”

  Every part of her belonged to him, and she had no interest in any other man.

  “Please, Henry.” She begged, needing to feel him inside her.

  Seconds that felt like hours passed before she finally got his cock out. She stroked the entire length, smearing his pre-cum along the head.

  “Fuck, I don’t have a condom.”

  “I don’t care. Please, Henry, fuck me.”

  He froze. His whole body tightened at her words. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. I trust you.” She worked his cock until he batted her hand out of the way. He lifted her up ordering her to wrap her legs around his waist. What woman wouldn’t love being able to be lifted? He pressed her against the fridge as one hand left her ass to take control of his cock.

  Lydia paused as the tip of his
large cock pressed against her entrance. She was so wet that he pushed the first few inches inside her with ease. They both groaned. The sounds echoing around the room as he sank inch by glorious inch inside her.

  “Fuck, you’re so fucking wet.”

  His curse words made her smile. Gripping his shoulders, she rested her head against the back wall.

  On the last couple of inches he thrust hard and deep inside her making her cry out.

  “That’s it, baby. I’m deep inside you now. There’s nowhere else for me to go.”

  Both of his hands returned to her ass, gripping the flesh.

  Without the condom between them, she felt every pulse and jerk of his cock within her.

  “No man will ever treat you like that again. You’re mine, and I won’t allow it.”

  She nodded, panting for him to move.

  Slowly, he started to withdraw from her.

  “Watch me, baby. Watch my dick covered in your cum.”

  Looking down she saw the rock hard length of him appear. His prick was slicked with her cum. He didn’t give her a chance to admire the hard length as he rammed inside her.

  Henry took control of the fucking, changing it up from a slow withdrawal to a harsh thrust. She loved the mixture of pain and pleasure and didn’t want it to end.

  “So fucking tight and hot.” He pounded inside her. Sweat covered both of them. “Finger your pussy. I want to feel you come before I do.”

  She reached down between them, sliding her finger over her nub. The moment she touched herself it was an instant hit of sensation. She couldn’t focus as he filled her to the brim.

  “Come for me, Lydia.”

  From the look on his face, he was close to coming.

  Fingering her clit she didn’t take her time and just thrust herself into an orgasm that left her screaming. His fingers tightened on her ass to the point she knew she was going to have bruises from them.

  Seconds later his cock tightened further, jerking as he spilled his cum inside her. He growled against her neck. His hot breath brushed across her pulse.

  Closing her eyes, she wrapped an arm around his back, holding him close.

  “I never want to let you go,” she said, speaking the words softly.

  She opened her eyes when she felt him move. Henry was staring at her, his face completely closed off.

  “I’m not going anywhere, Lydia.”

  Chapter Nine

  Leaving Lydia asleep in bed, Henry moved out of the bedroom to stare at the door that he kept locked. He’d not been inside that room in over ten years. It was time for him to go back inside. The key lay in his hands, and he took several steps toward it. Inserting the key into the lock he opened the door. There was no creak or waft of cobwebs. He’d given the key to the cleaning crew for them to come in and dust so there were no shocks for him as he looked around the room. Everything was under old blankets and covered. The windows still sparkled letting him know the cleaning had been consistent. He stood looking at the room he’d first installed when he bought the place. There was a section in the center of the room for what he wanted to display so he could paint. There were several canvases all around that were blank. He’d not had much time to actually paint anything of real substance. Pulling the blankets off the equipment he returned the room to its former glory. He threw the piles of cloth into the corner, keeping it out of the way. Everything was packed away, and he started opening drawers arranging it all back into its place.

  The canvas on the easel showed the fruit bowl he’d been painting when his life changed. Sitting on the stool, he stared at the painting seeing how impersonal it was.

  There wasn’t anything personal in this room. He’d liked to paint and draw for as long as he could remember. When he got his own place that he knew wouldn’t be broken into he’d invested in what he enjoyed.

  Removing the fruit canvas, he replaced it with a clean one and simply stared at the sheet.

  Minutes passed, he didn’t know how many, and yet he still couldn’t bring himself to draw or paint anything. The first step was complete in getting him into the room.

  “Hey,” Lydia said.

  He turned to see her wrapped in the blanket. She leaned against the doorframe staying out of the room. Her shoulders were bare, and her brown hair cascaded all around her. She looked tired and well fucked.

  “Hey,” he said, staring at her. She was a beautiful woman, and she was all his.

  “You were gone, and I didn’t like it.” She stayed out of the room.

  “Why don’t you come inside?” he asked, wanting her beside him.

  “Are you sure? This place was locked up tight. I guessed it was your space.”

  He smiled. “You can come in providing you drop the blanket.”

  She tilted her head to the side, looking so damn cute as she did.

  The blanket dropped, and she walked into the room, naked.

  His cock hardened at the sight. He was naked as he’d not taken the time to actually put on any pants. Taking hold of her hand, he tugged her down onto his lap.

  “You paint?”

  “I used to paint. I don’t anymore.”

  “Why not?”

  He stroked her thigh, loving the feel of her smooth flesh.

  “Shit happened, and I didn’t want to do this anymore. I’m not the same man who bought this apartment.”

  “Why not?”

  He shook his head, not wanting to remember the old memories.

  “Don’t lock me out. Talk to me. I want to know everything.” She took hold of the hand stroking her thigh, locking their fingers together. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  He blew out a sigh. “I was on a job with Caleb. We were first starting out and making a mark for ourselves. One of the drug lords didn’t like us making a mark. We were two bastard fighters who didn’t know our place. Anyway, one night I was stupid and lured back to a woman’s place. I didn’t know she was a whore at the time, and I was taken from behind. I didn’t even see it coming. When I woke up, I was chained up in a warehouse.” He stopped. She didn’t need to know everything that happened. “I was tortured for information. It took Caleb a good few hours to find me, and in a couple of hours they can do a hell of a lot of work. I was messed up, and something changed. When I healed and was able to move around. I came back here only to find that I was different. This place didn’t hold anything for me. I know it’s fucking ridiculous, but I no longer wanted to be here.”

  “Has it really been that long since you’ve been here?”

  “I came here and knew I couldn’t stand it. I packed everything away and rented an apartment in the same building as Caleb. I paid for the cleaners to keep an eye on it while I was away. When I brought you here, it was the first time that I came here since I closed it up. I packed up everything that I wanted, and everything else I left behind.”

  “Are you going to paint?” she asked.

  “You’re not going to call me names for leaving this place behind?”

  “Why would I do that? You were hurt and didn’t want to come back here. I can understand that even if this place is awesome.” She kissed his cheek, resting against his chest. “Will you paint something for me?”

  “You want me to paint?” He’d entered the room getting past that first step. The last thing he anticipated was to actually paint something. Henry didn’t want to say no to her.

  “If you’re not ready you can tell me no.”

  He stared down at her, and what he saw in her eyes scared him. She cared about him as he heard her telling Caleb that she did have feelings for him. It wasn’t love, yet from the look in her he knew it was close.

  “I’ll paint, but you’re going to have to be the person I paint.”

  She pulled away. “You want to paint me?”

  “Yeah. You’re the only person I want to paint. Will you be a model for me?”

  He saw she was struggling.

  “If you want me to be a model? Are you sure about this? You could ge
t a lot of other people willing to sit for you.”

  “The only woman I want to draw is you.” He dropped a kiss to her lips. “Let me draw you.”

  She rolled her eyes but stood. “Okay, but you’ve got to promise me you won’t show anyone else.”

  “I promise. The only person who’ll get to see this is me.”

  Lydia nodded. “Where do you want me?”

  Henry didn’t want her in this room. There was nothing special about the room, and when he painted he wanted Lydia to feel special.

  “Go back to bed. I’ll grab what I need.” He watched her leave the room. Grabbing the easel and the canvas he made his way into the bedroom. She lay on the bed with her knees drawn up to her chest.

  “Stop worrying,” he said.

  “I don’t know what to expect.”

  “Don’t expect anything. I’ll be back in a minute.” He walked back into the store room selecting the colors he needed. Once he had everything, he made his way into the bedroom. Staring at Lydia, he started to direct her to how he wanted her to lie. He had her lying across the bed, staring at him with a smile. She was on her stomach, showcasing that wonderful curvy ass. One of her hands was in her hair, resting her head while the other was flat on the bed.

  He took his seat behind the canvas. For several seconds he simply admired her frame. She was so tempting to him. His cock was long, hard, and pulsing with need to be inside her.

  “You don’t have any idea how tempting you look.”

  “I can see you like it.” Her gaze wandered down his body to rest on his large shaft.

  “Don’t worry, baby. When I’ve finished drawing you, I’ll take care of your other needs.” They’d not used a condom all night, and he was happy about that. He didn’t want anything to be between them.

  Picking up a pencil, he started to outline her body. It was late, but he wasn’t leaving her alone tomorrow. He wanted to spend the whole day with her. The last couple of days all he’d done was search for Bill and Leon with no luck. The men could wait while he was with his woman.

  “You’re going to have to talk with Caleb again soon,” she said.

  “I only kicked him out of our apartment a couple of hours ago. I’m sure he’ll be okay to wait a little longer until I’m ready for him.”