Guts & Glory: Hunter (In the Shadows Security Book 3)

by Jeanne St. James

  “You tell me about your parents first.” If he wanted her to share, he should be willing, too.

  His chin jerked back at her request. He clearly wasn’t expecting it.

  “That won’t take long. My father was a bad fucking drunk. He hit my mother when he was wasted. He drove truck cross-country. Mix alcohol and an eighteen-wheeler and that can do a lot of damage.”

  Oh, good Lord, she wasn’t prepared for that answer. “And did he?’

  “Ran his truck through a group of young kids on a school field trip. Killing, maiming, injuring a number of them.”

  Frankie smothered her gasp with her hand.

  “Right,” he muttered because he heard her anyway. He sucked in a sharp breath. “Left a path of destruction. Probably mentally scarring the ones who survived for life.”

  “Oh my God,” Frankie whispered.

  “No god involved in that, Frankie, just the devil himself.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about. My mother should’ve left him. She didn’t. The end. Now your turn.” She could taste the bitterness in his words.

  Her turn? No, now she had questions. “Is he still in prison?”

  “Didn’t want to do the time he deserved, so he hung himself in his cell.” Now his voice held nothing. Zero. No emotion at all.

  “What about your mother?”

  “Living with her sister in Florida. I call once a month and visit her at Christmas. That’s it.”

  She’d give anything to talk to her real mother just once. “Hunter...”

  “Frankie, it’s the way shit is. Not all people are meant to be parents. The second I was old enough to enlist, I did. Not sure if alcoholism is genetic, but figured I needed a purpose in life to fight it if it is. Now, I’m done talking about it. Tell me about the woman you call your mother.”

  It had to affect him more than he let on, but he was “done talking about it” and wanted to hear more about her. She was certain any other questions she asked about his parents or childhood would be ignored, so she asked, “Why are you interested?” instead.

  His body surged against her and there was a long pause before he answered. “Because I’m interested.”

  This time his voice didn’t sound lifeless and cold. This time his words held some depth to them. She found that curious. This caring tone made warmth swirl through her belly, which she found a little worrisome. She should be avoiding any kind of emotional attachment to this man.

  Even so, Frankie leaned back against him and he crossed his arms around her chest, holding her tightly. His cheek rested in her hair as she began to tell him about her adopted mother. He already knew Diane wasn’t her birth mother, but she wasn’t sure how much more he knew.

  “You know my birth mother’s name was Camila Hernandez. She came to the States from Guatemala when she was eight months pregnant with me for a couple of reasons. The first was to see if she could find my father. To this day, I have no idea who or where he is. She never found him before I was born, and then... Well, I’m getting ahead of myself. My father was in the Air Force and stationed in Honduras when they met.”

  “Soto Cano Air Base.”

  She had no idea where the man was stationed, but maybe Hunter knew the area. “If you say so. Anyway, I don’t know if he knew my mother was pregnant when he transferred back to the States. But from what Diane—”

  “Diane?”

  “My adopted mom. From what she was told, it wasn’t a love affair, it was only a short ‘fling,’” she air-quoted that last word, “so he might never have known. At least, I want to hope that’s true, otherwise, he abandoned a woman he got pregnant.” Or “helped” get pregnant. Frankie’s mother played a part in that, too.

  “And you.”

  “And me,” she echoed. She took a breath. “Anyway, he was only one reason. The other was the area she lived in was overrun by violent gangs. Women were raped and killed all the time. She worried not only about herself, but me, as well.”

  “As she should.”

  “I’m not sure how she ended up in Manning Grove, I’m not sure if Diane knows that, either, but for whatever reason she settled here, they became close friends. Diane was a Spanish teacher at the high school and the only person my mother would communicate with because her English was so limited.”

  “Diane taught you Spanish.”

  “Yes. She wanted me to be bilingual and we’re teaching Leo, too. Anyway, after I was born, while my mother was still in the hospital, she was arrested and eventually deported. Being born here automatically made me a citizen and she begged Diane to take me so I could have the better life my mother was so desperate for. Diane, not having any family of her own, agreed. She raised me from an infant and she’s the only mother I’ve ever known.”

  “You never went to Guatemala?”

  Frankie shook her head. “No point. I was Leo’s age when my mother was murdered, just like she feared. She was walking home from work and was shot, robbed, and left in an alley to die.” Maybe raped, too. Frankie wasn’t sure, and there was no way of knowing. The rape and murder of women was so common there and the police so corrupt, no investigation was done. No one cared enough to give her mother justice.

  “Fuck,” Hunter whispered into her hair, his arms tightening even more around her. She rested her hands on his forearms that crossed her chest and she squeezed them slightly.

  “She was determined to give us a better life, a safer one. Then when she was detained, she found a way to at least save me. Only...” She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and took a breath. “I fucked that up by making a stupid decision by being with Taz. I put myself in the path of danger and almost lost Leo. My mother did everything she could to save me. And this is why I’ll do anything I can to save Leo.”

  “You didn’t know he was dangerous, Frankie. You can’t blame yourself for that.”

  She turned her head enough to see his face. “No? You just said your mother should’ve left your father. I should’ve walked away from Taz the first time he hit me. I should’ve refused to accept his excuse or apology.”

  “Maybe you wanted to see the good in him.”

  Wasn’t that human nature? “Maybe your mother wanted to see the good in your father.”

  “Right,” Hunter murmured.

  “Your father couldn’t have been all that bad. I’m sure your mother loved him and... he made you.” And Hunter was there with her, helping her when he didn’t have to be. “So, I thank him for that.”

  “Frankie,” he whispered.

  “However, a real man doesn’t hit a woman ever. Have you ever hit a woman? Out of anger? When you were drunk? Or just... just because?”

  “No. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t. If my life was threatened. If one of my teammates’ life was threatened. Or someone I cared about was at risk. You’re damn right I would strike a woman. I would take out that threat without hesitation. Women aren’t helpless, Frankie. They can kill or hurt you as fast as any man. A man who underestimates a woman is making a big fucking mistake.”

  She squeezed his forearms again, noticing how tense his muscles had become. “That’s different. How about striking a woman because she tripped and spilled your beer?”

  Hunter’s growl was low when he asked, “He did that?”

  “I spilled it on him.” Normally, she’d never accept that type of behavior from anyone. Why she let that go, she’d never know. The man could pull the charm out of his ass at the drop of a hat. And he’d immediately apologized and begged her forgiveness, saying he’d had a rotten day and a headache, and every other excuse in the book. Even though a red flag had been raised that day, she also believed in giving people second chances. She shouldn’t have with Taz.

  She should’ve kicked his ass out that minute. But she’d been lonely. And he had worked hard at bringing her around after he first asked her out and she’d said no. Not once during those weeks had she seen even a glimpse of his temper.

  Bait and swit
ch.

  He had baited her and once he caught her, the real Taz came out.

  Now they would bait him. And finally, justice would be served.

  She had always been strong, but having Leo only made her stronger.

  When she saw those double lines on her pregnancy test, she had panicked. She didn’t want to be tied to Taz and she didn’t want him to be the father to her child. She hadn’t even decided on how she was going to handle her unexpected pregnancy until she woke up in the hospital and was told that her baby had survived the trauma.

  Then she knew exactly what she was going to do. And she did it.

  “I will never, ever let that happen to me again.”

  “Which is why my Rover is sitting in pieces right now.”

  She turned in his arms and leaned back against his right thigh so she could face him better. “And this is why I’m allowing you to use us as bait. I want this over. Like you said, I want to breathe easy. I don’t want to be worried and suspicious if someone is pulled over in front of the house just checking their GPS.”

  “Your swing impressed me.”

  She had been scared out of her gourd that day, then, once the fear passed, anger had taken over. She had totally lost control and acted on impulse. “I’m sorry I trashed your SUV. I still owe you for that. And now I’ll owe you for taking care of Taz.” She had no idea how she’d ever repay him.

  “We need to get him first.”

  We. His “team.” He hadn’t talked much about them. And she was putting her and Leo’s safety in their hands, along with the local police force. “Are you all former military?”

  “Yes.”

  “Same branch?”

  “No. Steel was a Marine. A Raider, in fact. And you haven’t met the rest yet, but you will when we meet here in the morning. Brick was a Navy SEAL. Mercy, Delta Force. Ryder, Army Ranger. Walker, Night Stalker.”

  He forgot someone. “And you?”

  It took him a few seconds to answer, but he finally murmured, “Green Beret.”

  She didn’t know much about all those titles, but she knew enough to be impressed. “I’m feeling a little better now about this ‘operation.’ You’re all special forces, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What about your boss... This Diesel?”

  Hunter snorted softly. “He’s from a different kind of ‘army.’ He’s the Sergeant at Arms for the Dirty Angels MC.”

  She knew nothing about special forces, but she also knew nothing about motorcycle clubs, especially since Taz never talked about the tattoos on his back. He’d said it was in his past, Frankie had believed him and left it there. “The rival club of those Shadow Warriors.”

  “Yeah. We thought the Warriors were all gone. We missed Taz somehow.”

  We missed Taz somehow.

  Missed... Which made it sound as if they had been searching for the members of that club.

  “What does a Sergeant at Arms do?”

  “The dirty work.”

  “For his club?”

  “Yeah, his club, his family. Pretty much one and the same.”

  “And he hired you and the others to help with that dirty work?”

  “We take all kinds of jobs. We protect people....”

  “Like bodyguards.”

  “We track people...”

  “Like those Warriors. Like Taz.”

  “We do stake-outs, investigations, things like that.”

  Things like that. Like exterminating a rival MC.

  We missed Taz somehow.

  Could the man who had his arms wrapped around her right now, the man she’d allowed into her house with her three-year-old, be just as ruthless as Taz? Or worse, was he a killer? Had Taz even ever killed anyone?

  “As a Green Beret, did you have to take anyone’s life?”

  “We had a job, we did it.”

  Not even a hesitation this time. Frankie chewed on her bottom lip. “You’re on a job now.”

  “Yep.”

  “So, you’ll do what you need to do,” she stated.

  “Right.”

  “No matter what it is.” Again, she made it a statement, not a question.

  He didn’t answer.

  “Do you think Taz ever killed anyone?”

  “Don’t know, loquilla. He tried to kill you. And Leo.”

  That was true.

  “Frankie,” he murmured, “you lifted that bat to hit me and if I wouldn’t have stopped you, I’d most likely be dead. You would’ve done what you thought you needed to do to protect yourself and your child. Think about that.”

  That was true, too.

  He wasn’t done. “I haven’t hidden the fact that when we find Taz, he will no longer be a threat to you or Leo.”

  Again, true.

  “How do you think that will happen?”

  “Apparently, not by asking him nicely,” she answered with all seriousness.

  Hunter chuckled softly. Frankie was tired of this heaviness and worry, so to hear him laugh made her lips curve up.

  “No, we won’t be asking him anything.”

  “You’re not doing this only for me, though. You mentioned ‘missing’ Taz. You were hunting all of these Warriors down.”

  “We were.”

  She was surprised when he didn’t deny it. But then, he hadn’t lied to her yet. Or she didn’t think he had. But she’d misjudged someone before. “Why?”

  “Because they hurt a lot of people. They were a constant threat to Diesel’s family and club. We’re talking serious shit here. It was an ongoing war that lasted decades. Diesel, as their club’s enforcer and protector, decided to end the war once and for all.”

  End the war once and for all. And what better men to use than former special forces operators? Men who had most likely seen war themselves. Survivors. Men who could do a job and do it right. “And you and your team helped him.”

  “We saw some pretty ugly stuff, Frankie. Stuff you don’t just scrape off. Especially when it happens to innocent people. We’re talking women and children, not just men fighting amongst themselves.”

  “And you protect women and children.”

  “Especially these women and children.” He snagged her chin in his fingers and lifted her face until their eyes locked. “Especially you. And Leo.”

  Frankie swallowed because his eyes had become intense, heated. “Why especially me? Or is it because you know Leo’s uncle? You’re doing it for him?”

  “Even without Leo, I’d do it for you.”

  Frankie inhaled a breath and her heart began to race. Again, she reminded herself not to get emotionally attached to a man who was only temporary. So she said, “I like having sex with you.” Then cringed internally at that idiotic statement.

  But he grinned, his brown eyes crinkling at the corners, the ones she knew had gold flecks throughout, even though she couldn’t see them in the low light. “I like having sex with you, too, loquilla.”

  She dug into the tiny pocket of her PJ shorts and lifted the condom she had snagged from his bag before coming down the stairs.

  His eyes moved from her face to the condom and back. His grin was gone and something else replaced it. Something that made her toes want to curl. “Leo’s in your bed.”

  “You’re getting good at moving him without him waking up.”

  “You can move him back in there permanently. I can’t find sleep in that room.”

  She wanted to know more about that, too. Why he had been crawling on the floor. Why he took a freezing cold shower. Why he couldn’t sleep in Leo’s bedroom. There was so much more she wanted to know about him. “Is the bed too small?”

  “The room itself.” He lifted a hand to stop her next question. “I’ll explain, but not now. Right now, we have the little man to move and other business to attend to.”

  She smiled at his use of “little man.” Leo loved it and so did she. “I’m glad I won’t be standing in front of the cameras tomorrow with Max, since I’m sure I’ll have bags under m
y eyes from lack of sleep.”

  “Sleep is overrated. You only grab one?”

  She dug into her pocket again and lifted a second one.

  His grin returned. “You thought before you acted. Proud of you,” he teased.

  She snorted softly and shoved at his chest.

  He snagged her wrist and tugged her against him, then captured her lips, sweeping his tongue through her mouth once, twice, before letting her go. “Let’s get him moved since I need to be out of your bed by five.”

  Hunter helped her rise to her feet. They went up the stairs and got Leo settled back into his room. Luckily, without waking him.

  Frankie hung back for a few minutes to study her son while he slept, hoping this whole thing with Hunter, his fellow teammates and the police went smoothly. Then she closed the door and headed to her own room where Hunter waited, the monitor already turned on next to the bed. Just in case.

  But she looked forward to spending a little time forgetting about what would happen later that day. And letting the man naked in her bed wash away the worry. Even if, like him, it was only temporary.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Frankie gasped as Hunter sucked her nipple deeper into his mouth. It wasn’t gentle, but it was glorious. Her back arched and her head rolled back on the pillow. He had one hand covering her mouth to smother her cries and the other was where they were connected as he powered up and into her over and over. His thumb was doing all kinds of things to make her hips jump.

  She was pretty sure he kept his mouth on her nipples to mute his own reactions. But she didn’t care, she encouraged it. This man knew how to use his tongue, his fingers and his cock. And, fuck, Frankie loved it all.

  And wanted it all, since her vagina would go back to growing cobwebs once he left town due to the limited selection of single men in Manning Grove. Plus, having Leo, she worried about who she brought home and introduced into his life. Not to mention, she was a little gun shy after Taz.