Chapter 5

BEAST.

Natalia pushed against my chest, her face scrunching up as my damn radio clicked with one of my men trying to contact me. I sighed, my irritation of being disturbed raking through me, and I grabbed the radio off the couch and took it outside.

“What,” I asked into the device.

“Sorry, boss, just checking in to see if you need anything.”

I walked down the beach, glancing over my shoulder to ensure Natalia wasn’t eavesdropping. If she were a wolf like me, she could still hear me. But she was only a human. I’d gotten a good whiff of her since kidnapping her to know.

“Nope, just you and Lev guard the boat. No one but me gets on it. Got it?”

“Yeah-yes, boss. You got it.”

I chuckled. “Good.” I turned off the radio, watching the waves for a moment. I couldn’t believe Natalia had tended my wounds. Of course, I’d have to wear the bandages for a few days so I didn’t freak her out, but by morning, my knuckles would be completely healed up.

My wolf clawed inside my chest, wanting to be free, wanting to run and hunt.

Not tonight. It was too soon after her waking up and our fight. We were like gasoline and a lit match.

And I’d kissed her. Why the fuck had I done that? Except she looked so vulnerable with her big, blue eyes and pouty mouth.

I picked up a broken shell and hurled it at the sea. My thoughts of her and what I wanted to do to her when I had kissed her churned in me.

But then I thought I saw her gaze lingered on the scar that ran down from the corner of my eye to my cheek. A constant reminder from dear old dad when I tried to get him sober when I was nine. He cut me with a broken beer bottle and left me bleeding on the kitchen floor. Fucker wouldn't even take me to the doctor afterward, even when he was sober and Band-Aids and iodine could only do so much.

I ground my teeth, pushing aside that beating and all the ones that had come before and after. My pride hadn’t allowed me to seek help. Besides, it was always too easy to look the other way for most people.

After half an hour, I walked back inside, finding Natalia at the kitchen table, eating a bowl of cereal. She glanced up at me, fear and caution in her eyes. “Glad to see you’re going strong.”

“Please. It’s only a knuckle-cracker. It’s nothing.”

“You shouldn’t do that,” she said matter-of-factly.

“I know.” I pulled out a cereal bowl of my own. “So tell me, what are your plans for the future, since you’re a college girl?”

She took another bite. “I’m not sure. I should be because it’s my final year.”

“You’re not a kid. Tell me what you really want to do.” I sat across from her.

She sighed, staring down at the milk in her bowl. “Why do you even want to know? It’s not like you care or anything. I’m just a means to an end for you.”

“Suit yourself.” I shrugged, fighting the prickle of irritation that she wouldn’t even open up to me when she was on my island. Back on the online platform, she’d liked me enough to agree to a blind date. I guess she couldn’t look past my scars like others. Which is why I liked my mafia code name of Beast. No one dared cross me.

And I had the urge to play mind games with her, make her sweat a little. I could say she was exotic and tempting, which would feed her ego. I didn’t, though, because I didn’t care about her. I much preferred someone who wasn’t full of shit. I’d always liked my girls fragile and vulnerable so they’d do what I said. Natalia, however, didn’t seem to like that philosophy.

I shoved a spoonful of cereal in my mouth, hiding the fact she could still get to me even after all this time.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” She glanced around the kitchen, as though expecting one to pop out of one of the cabinets.

“Fuck no.” Women have too many expectations, and I wasn’t the guy who walked around with flowers and chocolates. I’d rather spend time alone and hunt. My wolf needed the thrill of danger. “I’m at the top of my game.” I waved my spoon out. “I own everything you see.”

Natalia bristled, squirming in her seat, and tossed her dark hair over her shoulder. “Fine. I’m studying law. Maybe I’ll go into criminal science. And when I get off this island, I’m going to make sure you are in jail for kidnapping to the maximum amount allowed.”

I barked out a clap of laughter. “You think so, princess? I’d like to see you try.”

Her eyes flared with anger and her whole face turned redder than the cereal box. “You know who my father is,” she said, tone laced with venom. “He’ll put you six feet under for taking me.”

“I’ve taken down better men than your daddy. You don’t know shit. Don’t piss me off, sweetheart. I’ve crushed men and made them disappear for less.”

She glared at me. “I think you’re bluffing.”

“Try me and find out.” I never bluffed, but she didn’t seem to get that. Her father was a plum connection and wouldn’t be able to pass up the chance to save his daughter. That was one of the ways she and I were different. Her father seemed to care about her at least enough not to soil his reputation by allowing her to get hurt.

I wasn’t a fool. Crossing her father meant death, but I wasn’t going to hurt her... not physically. No, by the time I was finished with her, she’d cower in my presence and tremble at the sound of my name.

She pushed away her half-eaten bowl of cereal while I finished mine. Then I grabbed both our bowls and tossed them in the dishwasher.

“So how long am I stuck here?” She blew out a breath.

“That’s up to your dad.” I leaned against the kitchen counter, watching her. “If he does what my boss wants, you’ll be released right after.”

She snorted, climbing out of her chair. “You know that won’t happen. He will have his men looking for me and they’ll bury you in pieces.”

She was good at deduction. I could see her dad doing exactly what she said he would.

“Well,” I drawled lazily, “he’d have to find me first. This island isn’t under my name, and no one but a handful of men I trust with my life know the location or that we’re here.”

She paled and I wondered if she was working out that she couldn’t kill me. If she did, she’d be alone here with no way to contact help. My radio was tuned to me and my men only. Out of spite, they’d probably leave her to rot here if they found out she’d killed me. All three of them had nearly one foot in the grave when I saved them. They owed me their lives and couldn’t be bought or tortured. They were my brothers, not by blood but by pain.

Her hands tightened around her elbows as though she were suddenly cold, and I felt myself wanting to cross the room and wrap my arms around her. What the hell was wrong with me?

Thankfully, she didn’t wait as her body leaned away, as though she couldn’t get far enough from me.

“Who is paying you? My dad will double it.” She wrinkled her nose as though saying that bothered her, and I had no idea why.

Was she not as close to her father as I’d thought? That was rich. He gave her anything she wanted, even throwing her a graduation party that rivaled a billionaire’s indulgence.

“No, thanks, I’ll pass.”

“You aren’t taking me seriously.”

“Of course I am. But I’m not going to do anything with you like this.”

“Why? Are you worried about what my dad will do when he finds out about you kidnapping me?” She sighed. “He never would allow a guy like you to get near me.”

A sense of pride filled me at that. I wasn’t proud of kidnapping her and forcing her to come here, but at the same time, I liked that she knew that she couldn’t get out of this. The fact that she wasn’t honest with herself was almost amusing. She wished that she didn’t get off on the situation, but she couldn’t deny her arousal. Her heart pounded in her chest and her breath came in short, sharp bursts through her nose.

I let out a laugh and shook my head slowly. “You’d better worry more about what I could do to you than any puny repercussions your dad might try to enact on me.” I wasn’t afraid of her father or anyone. My wolf howled in my chest, wanting a challenge, wanting blood.

Her eyes opened wide as though she was surprised by how much power I had over her.

“What are you going to do? Kill me once I’m of no use?” She laughed, pressing her arms tighter around herself. “You’d better hope the rest of your team doesn’t attack now you’ve got me and take the reward money for themselves.” She faltered, looking at me when she realized I was here by myself. “Oh, right, stupid question. Your team’s probably guarding other parts of the island right now to make sure I can’t escape.” She rolled her eyes.

“You’d make an excellent enemy.”

I thought I saw a flash of ice in her gaze before she looked away. Her blue eyes were filled with rage and something I didn’t dare name. Admiration?

“I’m sure you would think that,” she whispered hoarsely with a shrug. “Guess I’m your bitch now. And you and my father are on the same team.” Her lips pursed as she turned to me. “It makes me wonder if maybe you have my dad in your pocket and he already knows where I am.” She frowned. “But if you did, you wouldn’t act like this. You’d just have to tell my dad.”

“I already told you, my employer requires your dad to do something, and when he’s done it, then I’ll release you.”

“Right,” she snapped. “Well, I’m sure Dad can get my location from my cell. They’re probably already here.” She avoided meeting my gaze.

I wouldn’t lie, I liked her desperation. It made her weak. “Your phone is in a trashcan back on the mainland and far from the docks. They won’t find you here and they don’t know I took you.”

“Why are you doing this?” She inhaled sharply and arched an eyebrow. “You’re getting off on this, aren’t you? Torturing me. Keeping me a prisoner to do whatever you want.” She made a face that showed her distaste.

“Think whatever you want, sweetheart.”

“Don’t call me that. My name’s Natalia.” She squared her shoulders, lifting her chin “You let me go and I’ll ask my dad not to have you killed. Can’t promise anything, though.”

“No, you won’t,” I replied with a crooked smile. Her heartbeat frantically sped up. She might claim not to like this situation, but she was getting off on it despite her protest. The sweet scent of her arousal filled each breath I took. She flopped back in the chair like she wanted distance and the table between us.

I wasn’t stupid. I knew our kiss from earlier had affected her the same as me. My body burned to cross the space between us and claim her mouth again. I wanted to have my hands on her, soaking in her moans and whimpers as she kissed me back with the same passion and fever. Her hands had tugged at my clothes, wanting more.

I narrowed my eyes. “You may look sweet and innocent, but really you’re raging with desire right now, aren’t you? Do you get off on being helpless like this? That’s why you know as soon as you saw me you wanted me to take you.”

She shook her head and wiped her brow, beads of perspiration covering her skin. “Of course not. I hate that I’m here with you and that you brought me against my will.”

Did she? I didn’t know. Maybe I needed to push her harder. “I can be very creative when it comes to my pursuits.” I took a step closer to her, enjoying the fact that she shrank back from me. “Trust me, I’ve had plenty of time to think about forcing you to your knees. You’re mine. Right here, right now. There’s no getting rid of me.”

She glared at me sharply and slowly rose from the table, waiting for me to step aside to get out of the kitchen.

Her fists curled at her sides, her body tense, as though she was fighting back a war within her mind. I knew she wanted me with everything she had. Her body was shouting it, and even if she didn’t admit it, her arousal scented the air so heavily that it took all my willpower not to kiss her again.

“I’m not yours.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and it reminded me so much of her in high school that my heart twisted in my chest. “What? Do you think I’d just melt at your feet because of your muscles and your power?”

“Think whatever you want, but I’ll give back twice as much as you dish out.”

She let out a huff, but her cheeks colored. With her nose in the air, she pushed past me and her shoulder bumped my chest. I put my hands on the sides of the archway to block her exit. She stopped short and turned to glare at me. She pushed hard with both hands on my chest, but I didn’t move.

“Like I said”—I cocked my head—“you’re mine until I let you go.”

“Get out of my way,” she barked, pushing at me. I let her shove and then push harder, finally watching her hands slide across my chest and the quick backward motion of her leg as she threw her weight into it.

I caught her easily and wrapped one arm around her back to hold her against me. Her sex pressed into my crotch and the pants I was wearing didn’t do a thing to hide my reaction. “I think you actually like it.” Her pulse jumped in her throat and beat hard against my thumb. She didn’t deny it, though.

“I always win. But I haven’t even tasted my prize yet.” I leaned in so close that my lips were by her ear. “You know you want this. You might not admit it, but you want me. And you’re going to give me every inch of you.”

“Let me go.” She glared, tensing up like a caught fish fighting an invisible hook. She raised a hand and pushed on my chest. “Get away from me.”

She huffed in irritation, but her arousal bloomed.

With a smirk, I let her go and she stepped around me into the living room in quick steps.

She came off as stuck-up, with her diva attitude and condescending tone of voice, but I could see that she was afraid underneath it all, and that excited me more than I liked to admit.

I straightened, calling out to her, “Enjoy the rest of your vacation.”

“Fuck you,” she yelled and slammed the door shut behind her.

Absolutely.

I had to shake myself for a second and grin. Just thinking about her again had gotten my cock hard, and if I gave in to my whim, I’d take her now. But I wouldn’t force her. No, I wanted her begging for me.