Hunter's Treasure

by Jill Shannon

  As much as Charles wanted to leave with Hunter and Willow, he knew it would look strange to do so. "I look forward to hearing from you, Hunter. I think you have a hit on your hands with that building." Keeping to the reason Hunter was even there, he continued. "I can also give you a few pointers on running it. The most important thing to remember is to have an experienced diver always on hand."

  "Sir, I did my time in the Navy as a SEAL. There will always be an experienced diver on hand. However, having a female diver would be so much more appealing. That's why I want Willow to consider coming to work for me." He knew it was way too early to be asking her this, but he knew without a doubt, she was meant for him. He quickly amended his statement, "I don't need an answer now. I would like you to just think about it." He looked down at her shocked face and smiled.

  Charles was quick with his thinking and interjected, "When would you be looking to get this up and running? Because Julie and I have been talking about retiring here in Myrtle Beach. We could add a few more days onto our vacation." He looked at Julie and said, "Do some condo hunting?" No one could miss the excitement in his voice.

  "Whatever you want to do, Charlie. I'd follow you to the moon." Julie leaned in and kissed his cheek.

  Willow had stood and listened to the exchange of conversation around her. Somehow, Hunter had gotten Charlie to agree to stay and help with his imaginary business and included her as a bonus. She had to laugh to herself. Hunter was very good at being convincing. Figuring it couldn't hurt to play along, she said, "You know there are a lot of sunken pirate ships and smugglers' coves along the coast that have never been found? I think that could be your selling pitch. The real search for buried treasure."

  "You might have an idea there," Hunter acknowledged. "But now, it's time to go." They said their goodbyes, and this time, both Hunter and Willow walked away from the group. He knew Charlie and Julie would be okay and he needed to get to the clubhouse. When they got to his bike, he asked Willow, "Did you get a photo of every inch of that boat?" She nodded her head in agreement. "I'll need you to send them to me."

  "Why?" she blurted out.

  "Because we need to try and figure out what they are moving." He reached for his phone, shooting the prospects a text. "We need to go to the building before we head back. I need to fill the prospects in on what they need to be watching." He started the bike, and she got on behind him.

  It was a short ride to the building, and Willow got off the bike looking around the area. If Hunter had been serious about starting a business, she had to agree this would be the perfect building for it. She watched as Hunter got off the bike and, taking her hand, led her to the front door. She watched in amazement when he slid the key into the door lock. Swinging the door wide, he stepped aside for her to enter.

  "What do you think?" Hunter heard the cage rolling into the driveway and told her, "Hold that thought." He walked down the few steps of the deck over to the side window of the truck.

  She looked out the door to see a truck pull in. Realizing Hunter knew them, she turned and walked further into the room. She watched out the windows as the vehicle pulled to the back of the building. Closing the front door, he walked past her down the hallway to the rear entrance. Opening it, two men entered. Both were about Hunter's size and wore a cut that read Prospect on the bottom rocker. Hunter spoke quietly to them before they both went back out the door to the truck.

  Then, as if nothing had just happened, he turned to her and said, "Willow, come with me. I want to show you the view from upstairs." He took her hand in his and led her up the stairs. When they reached the landing, he guided her to the wall of glass windows in a large open plan room. Looking out at the beauty of the landscape, as well as all the water, Hunter whispered in her ear, "This could be your office."

  Stunned by his remark, Willow swung her head around so fast, her braid smacked him in the face. "Oh, God, I'm so sorry." She reached up to sooth his stinging cheek.

  "Damn, that ponytail is lethal," he commented, rubbing his new wound.

  "You can't be serious? I work for Charles Andrews in the Florida Keys, with Luca."

  "Yes, I know. You keep reminding me. If Luca is the problem, he can come on board as well." He turned her, so she was looking at him. "Don't get me wrong, Willow, I would be hiring you to run the business because of your abilities as a diver, not because I want you in my bed every night." He wasn't sure if her blush was from his compliment or his desire for her. "But in all seriousness, I do want to hire you. You can do whatever you want to with the place, just tell me what you need, and I'll make sure it's here." He looked at the blank expression on her face and wondered what she was thinking. "You don't have to decide anything right now. Let's get this thing with Charlie settled, and you can give me your answer then. How does that sound?" Fixing Charlie's problem would go a long way in convincing her she could trust him.

  Willow was taken back by his request, but in all honesty, she liked the idea of being her own boss. "I'll think about it," was all she said and then gave him a dazzling smile. Smacking him on his shoulder, she told him, "We should get going; you need to upload the pictures from my phone." She then scrunched her nose a little and confessed, "Some of them may be blurry. I wasn't looking through the lens with each one."

  He led her to the stairs. "I'll bring you back to the clubhouse with me. We can upload the pictures to my laptop, and then I'll take you home."

  She watched him lock the door behind them, jumping right in. "If you think you're eliminating me from this equation of helping Charlie, you couldn't be more wrong."

  He guided her to the bike, explaining, "No, princess. I'm not eliminating you; I'm preparing you."

  She gave him an odd look as she got on behind him. "Continue?"

  "You need to pack a bag for a few days. I have an idea I need to run past Judge, then I'll be able to let you know." The roar of the engine coming to life ended their conversation.

  Wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his back, they rode back to the clubhouse. Willow's mind kept running different scenarios through her head. But the one that confused her the most was how could she be so happy? With everything that was going on around her, she could only attribute the content feeling deep inside her to Hunter. Somehow, she knew he would make everything better. Closing her eyes and laying her head back on her shoulders, she freed her mind and enjoyed the feel of Hunter in her arms. Letting the wind whip away the stress her body felt, she escaped the complications of life for just a little bit.

  Chapter 6

  They arrived back at the clubhouse, and Hunter brought Willow to his room. Directing her to his laptop on the desk, he sat her in the chair. After firing up his computer, he handed her a power cord that would fit her phone. "I need you to send the pictures of the boat to my computer."

  Willow sat in the chair and plugged her phone into the computer. Following the prompts, she began the process. "This shouldn't take too long, and then you should have what you need."

  "Thank you for doing this, princess."

  "You're helping my friend. I should be thanking you."

  He leaned down, kissing her. "I'll take that as a down payment," he whispered as he released her lips.

  Willow's heart started to race, and her body came to life when his lips pressed against hers. Her eyes glazed with desire as she looked into his. Now, if only she could get her rational brain to fall in line, things would be perfect. The moment was broken by the sound of the computer finishing the upload.

  He disconnected her phone and closed his laptop. Picking it up and shoving it under his arm, he gave her head a peck. "Wait here for me. I need to pitch my idea to Judge and then the club. I should be back in an hour, then I'll take you home to pack and wait for you. How does that sound?"

  Willow was pleased that he had taken her feelings into consideration. "I will be right here waiting for you," she told him with a confident smile.

  "I'll be back as soon as I can. Make yourself comf
ortable. You'll find some fruit and water in the fridge," was all he said before he was gone.

  Willow looked around the silent room. Grabbing her phone, she opened her music app and hit the random play button. Music filled the air. His room was simple, with a bed, nightstand, and a desk and chair the only furniture in it. The bathroom was small with a sink, toilet, and standup shower. A large television hung on the wall closest to the door and another John Lawson painting over his bed. She walked over to the college size room refrigerator, opening it. Finding grapes, apples, and oranges, she opted for an apple. Sitting down on the bed, she picked up one of the medicine bottles on the nightstand. Not knowing what it was for, she pulled her phone out and Googled the name Sertraline. She read that it reduced aggression, impulsiveness, and decreased anxiety and was used to treat patients with PTSD among other things.

  Remembering he had mentioned a mission that had gone wrong, she assumed they were prescribed for that reason. She replaced them where she'd found them and opened the drawer of the nightstand. Resting in a tray was a silver chain with dog tags attached to it. Picking them up, she read what they said. Having always thought they had the name, rank, and serial number, she was surprised to see Hunter's had his name, blood type, religion, and his social security number instead. She understood why they put the blood type and religion on them, but not the social security number. Pulling Google up again, Willow found out that in the early seventies, they did away with serial numbers, and social security numbers replaced them. She put them back in the tray where she had found them and closed the drawer.

  She got up from the bed and walked to the desk. There, she thumbed through a few of the computer books Hunter had stacked in a pile. She thought about taking a shower to wash away the road grime but settled on washing her face instead. The hour Hunter had promised had come and gone, and Willow was starting to think he had forgotten about her. Figuring that she would go search for him, she picked up her phone and headed for the door. She swung it open to find the tall, leggy, busty blonde standing there, posed to knock. "Can I help you?" Willow asked.

  Crystal lowered her hand as she sized up the woman standing in front of her. Before she could compose herself, she blurted out, "You are so tiny, like a little child." Then she snickered behind her hand.

  The hair stood up on the back of Willow's neck. She recognized her as the woman from the fundraiser and could feel the trouble she was about to brew up. "Don't let my size fool you. I grew up with four sisters, and I know how to protect what's mine."

  The expression on Crystal's face twisted, showing the fury she was feeling. "I don't know who you are—"

  Willow interrupted her, saying, "Well, that's your first mistake. I'm Willow Lawson, and I'm with Hunter. So, take whatever threat you were about to throw at me and shove it up your ass. If he had wanted you, I wouldn't be here now."

  "My name is Crystal, and you may be here now, but I wouldn't get too comfortable, little girl. He'll get bored with you, and when he does, he will return to me." The anger dripped from her words. She turned and began walking away, saying over her shoulder, "And, for the record, he always does."

  She hadn't walked five steps before Willow slammed the bedroom door shut. She knew everyone had a past; she just hadn't planned on confronting Hunter's. Leaning her back on the door, she couldn't help the self-doubt that filled her head. Her insecurities rushed to the front of her conscious thinking. She was the total opposite of Crystal, except maybe in the chest area. Dark hair, not blonde, short in height, and she wouldn't know a blush brush from an eye shadow brush. Willow sat back down on Hunter's bed, feeling a bit out of place.

  Hunter found her sitting in a daze on his bed when he walked into the room. He knew immediately that something wasn't right. "What happened, princess?" he asked, his voice filled with concern as he knelt in front of her.

  "I formally met Crystal. I got the impression from her that I am just a temporary fix." Her eyes welled with the tears she had been holding in.

  Hunter sat on the edge of the bed next to her. Leaning forward, he raked his finger through his hair, his brain racing to find the right words to repair her trust. He sat up and wrapped his arm around her. "There is nothing temporary about you or us. I will put Crystal in her place the next time I see her. You shouldn't have to deal with her."

  Willow brushed the stray tear from her cheek. "She told me that you'd go back to her when you became bored with me. Hunter, if that's the situation, you can just take me home, and I'll figure out another way to help Charlie."

  Hunter released her, and getting off the bed, he stood in front of her, his anger held in check. "Is that what you think this is? That I'm using you to get back with some house mouse? If that's what you think, then I'm doing something very wrong." He started pacing back and forth in front of her trying to figure out a way to make her understand how much he loved her without scaring her off. He decided on the truth. "Willow," he said, getting her attention. He knelt down again in front of her. "This relationship is not going to work if you don't trust me. I know trust can come hard to some people, but have I done anything to indicate that you are someone I want temporarily?" He waited for her to answer.

  In a quiet voice, Willow mumbled, "No,"

  "Good, at least we got that one out of the way." He sat down on the bed and took her onto his lap, resting her head in the crook of his neck. "Have I done or said anything that would lead you to believe you can't trust me?"

  Again, she answered meekly, "No."

  "Then why would you allow someone to put doubts about me into your head?" He placed his fingers under her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I have no doubts about you. Hell, if I thought you'd say yes, I'd ask you to marry me today." He watched the blush shade her cheeks. "But I know you need time. Time to get to know me, time to understand I'm not going away, and time for you to learn about my lifestyle."

  With her eyes lowered, again she asked, "What if I can't be the submissive you need?"

  "Princess, you already are; you just can't see it yet." Hunter moved in and gently kissed her lips. "But if it eases your mind, I will take you any way I can get you," he murmured against her lips.

  Willow's heart stuttered in her chest, because, in her mind, she had figured out the underlying meaning of his words. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly to her body. "All doubt has been erased. I know you didn't have to tell me all of this, but I have a more secure feeling about where you want to go with this relationship." Moving back and looking him in his mesmerizing grey eyes, she added, "I won't allow anyone to get in my head again."

  He graced her with a beautiful smile before saying, "Yes, you will. It's just your nature. But I'll be there to repair and reassure you that you are exactly where you belong." He stood up from the bed with her in his arms. Setting her feet on the ground, he took her hand and led her to the door. "Let's get out of here."

  Willow stopped short, jerking Hunter to a stop. "But what happened with the pictures? Are the Demons going to help?"

  Hunter pulled her to the door. "I'll tell you what happened when we get back to the house. Right now, I want to get you out of here."

  Willow didn't argue, following Hunter to the stairs, through the clubhouse, and out to his bike. He waved to brothers sending greetings their way but stopped to talk to no one. He got on his bike and started it; he could see Willow looked confused. "We aren't leaving the compound. You won't need a helmet."

  It was a short ride to the house, and after parking his bike in the garage, Hunter led Willow inside. Grabbing two beers from the refrigerator and handing her one, he told her, "Make yourself comfortable, and I will tell you as much as I can from my meeting with Judge."

  Willow kicked off her shoes, sitting on his bed. She tucked her feet up underneath her, taking a sip of her beer. She told him, "Ready when you are."

  "I need to warn you. Some of it you will like, but there is a part I'm sure you are not going to agree with."

  "Well, tell me
everything, and I'll decide what I like and don't like, okay?"

  "Okay." Hunter went on to explain what the club had agreed on.

  Chapter 7

  Hunter walked into Judge's office after being granted entrance. "I have photos of the boat. Any word from the prospects?" Judge shook his head no. "Are Yankee and Viking on their way?"

  "Yes, they should be here at any moment. But since we are alone right now, I need to ask you, are you putting the needs of a woman above the club, brother?"

  Hunter didn't hesitate in his answer, "No, Judge. The problems just seem to coincide. We have a cartel trying to move something in our territory, and Willow's boss just happens to be who they are using to make that happen." He gave Judge one of his sarcastic smiles and continued. "But it doesn't hurt that I'm helping Willow at the same time." He moved toward Judge's desk. "May I?"

  Judge got out of the chair behind the desk. "Be my guest."

  Hunter moved behind the desk, sitting in Judge's chair, remarking, "I could get used to this." Watching Judge for his reaction, he opened the laptop and pulled up the photos.

  "Yeah, until you have to make the tough decisions, then the chair isn't so comfortable. Besides, I think Yankee might have something to say about it," Judge commented.

  At that moment, Yankee and Viking walked into the office. "What would I have something to say about?" Yankee asked, plopping down into one of the vacant chairs.

  "Saint was just saying how his ass fits nicely in my chair," Judge said with a raised eyebrow.

  "Like hell; you still have a few more years left in you, Judge," Yankee teased.

  Viking snickered under his breath before asking, "So, what are we dealing with here, Pres?"