Hunter's Treasure

by Jill Shannon

  Willow returned Hailey's embrace. "I'm glad things turned out the way they did and you're home safe."

  Hailey wiped away the stray tears that had fallen. Her guilt-laden voiced was barely audible. "I haven't been much of a friend, let alone a best friend."

  "Well, I haven't always been there for you, either, but that's all in the past," Willow admitted. "We have the opportunity now to change that. So, let's try, going forward?"

  When they separated, both wore happy smiles on their faces, each knowing they had been given a second chance to have a real friendship. "I'll call you tomorrow. Let's get together for lunch one day this week. I have a feeling my boss is going to want me to take a few days off to recuperate." They both looked Hunter's way.

  "Take as much time as you need, Hailey. I'll make sure payroll cuts you a check each week until you're feeling well enough to come back."

  "Thank you, Hunter. That's very generous. I'll be back before you know it." She gave him a quick hug. Glancing Viking's way, she asked, "Are you ready to go?"

  "Ready when you are."

  Once they were both ashore and heading to the clubhouse, Willow shouted to Hailey, "Don't forget to call your parents." Seeing the star-struck eyes Hailey had for Viking, she thought it couldn't hurt to remind her.

  Hailey gave her a thumb up.

  Viking looked back at Hunter and asked, "Are you coming up to the clubhouse?"

  "Not tonight. I have a few things to handle here." Hunter gazed over at the group still on the Black Rose.

  Viking glanced at the people who had been left on the boat, and his expression changed to one of understanding. Giving Hunter a wave, they turned and left.

  Alex and Jax were the next pair to approach them. "I don't know what happened on that boat. The only thing I can say is thank you." Jax looked at Willow, Hunter, Maggie, and Liam. Turning to Alex, she continued. "I'm sure Alex will fill me in." Her gaze shifted to Maggie. "And whatever it is you had agreed upon on our behalf, I'm very sorry we put you in this situation." Jax bowed her head with regret.

  Maggie interjected before she went any further with her apologies and promises. "Don't think you've gotten off that easy, Lassie. There will be consequences to your actions. However, I believe Charlie should be the one to dispense your punishment. Until then, you will spend some time with Liam and me." Maggie focused her attention on Alex. "I believe you would be a good soldier for my organization. You showed me that you honor your word, even if it goes against all you believe in. Yet, you are also willing to listen when you know you're wrong. Though what happened here tonight will never happen again, you now have people you can trust." She glanced in Willow and Hunter's direction. Her penetrating grey eyes darted back to Alex. "Your debt has been paid to Carlos. My suggestion is you never contact or cross paths with him again. Now, I believe there is a fine bottle of Irish whiskey calling my name. Turning to Liam, she told him, "Take these two on shore. I'll be right there."

  Willow, Hunter, and Maggie followed the trio to the platform of the boat. Once they were on shore, Maggie centered her focus on Hunter and Willow. "I expect my payment." She held up her index finger. "One year from today or sooner, barring any complications. Am I making myself perfectly clear?" The stern expression on her face added to the importance of her statement.

  Hunter wrapped a reassuring arm around Willow's waist before he answered, "We hear you loud and clear, Mother." He squeezed his fingers into her thin waist, making her jump.

  Willow smacked his chest when she saw the playful smile on his face. "Cut it out. We're having a serious moment here." Facing Maggie, she apologized, "I'm sorry for your son's triviality." Then, without even knowing what she had agreed to, she added, "We will do everything we can to make sure you receive your payment on time."

  Maggie could not contain the smile that spread across her face. Stepping toward Willow, she gave her a hug, and as she did, she whispered, "I know you are going to make my son a very happy man. Have patience with him; he has a lot of ghosts in his closet. But I believe you are the one to set them free." Maggie backed out of the hug and kissed Willow on both cheeks before adding, "I will be in town for a few more days before returning to Ireland. I would like you and Hunter to join me for dinner one night. So," she looked at her son, "make sure you give Willow my number, and she and I will set it up."

  Hunter took his mom into a loving embrace. "Thank you, Mother, for your help. We couldn't have done any of this without you." He held her at arm's length, looking into her eyes, a sadness expressed on his face as he apologized to her, "And, I'm sorry I was such a stubborn bastard. I had no right to judge you for doing what you needed to do to protect not just yourself, but the family as well. Apparently, I was wrong. I never believed a woman could gain the respect needed to survive, let alone succeed in what has always been a man's world." Tilting his head to the side, he explained, "I was concerned for your safety, then and now. But after seeing you conduct yourself tonight, I know you've come a long way in how you dispense a message." He held up his hands, stopping her from saying anything. "You're still my mother, and I have every right to worry about you."

  Maggie mumbled under her breath loud enough for both of them to hear. "Oh yay, and what you do every day is so much safer." She was referring to his motorcycle that Maggie absolutely hated.

  "Hey, at least no one is shooting at me or trying to blow me up," he retorted, throwing his fears at her.

  "Touché, my son."

  Hunter leaned in, kissing her cheek and mumbling in her ear, "I love you, Mom. I just want you to be around to not only collect on your payment, but to also have many years to enjoy it."

  Maggie's exquisite grey eyes teared up. She knew now that Hunter had not been mad at her for accepting her father's position. He had been scared for her. It was the same kind of fear that had forced him to leave the military.

  "I should apologize to you, my son. It never dawned on me that you would be so affected by it." Stepping back and wiping the tears from her face, Maggie took a deep breath, tilting her head up toward the star-filled sky. 'Well, from here on out, there will be no more misunderstandings. If you have something to say, you better say it." She got a grin on her face as a pleasant thought entered her mind. "So I'll start. I think you will be seeing a lot more of me in the future. I've already missed so much time with you, I don't want to miss anymore."

  The smile on Hunter's face dropped at the realization of her meaning and the impact it would have on him. "What are you saying, Mother?"

  "Oh, relax, Hunter, it's not like I'm going to move in next door. But I do think the same country couldn't hurt." The expression on Maggie's face changed. "I believe I will start looking for a house while I'm here." Gazing in Willow's direction, she asked, "Would you have a realtor you could recommend?"

  "In fact, I do. His name is Major Boyd. He helped with the purchase of the waterfront property I wanted for Willow's business. I'll text you his number. Right now, though, I think it's time for you to leave." He tilted his head toward the trio on the dock, waiting for her.

  Maggie chuckled at how easily she had forgotten about them. She gave her son one more hug before she departed the boat. "I'll give you tomorrow, but expect a call from me the day after." She took hold of Liam's extended arm and headed in the direction the others had gone.

  As soon as he was sure they were finally alone, he took her into his arms. With no care to the pain it created, he kissed her, as if he was a drowning man, and Willow was his lifeline. He broke the kiss from her lips. Feathering kisses along her jawbone up to her ear. Sucking the lobe into his mouth, then releasing it, he murmured. "We can stay here for the night; Yankee gave me the okay. Or, we could take the ride through the compound back to my house. Which," he raised his voice to cut off her answer off further explaining. "Will probably be crowded with mom, Liam, Alex, and Jax."

  Willow clung to him as if he was a life preserver. All stress and worry melted from her body as Hunter brought her back to life. Tilting her
head to give him better access to her neck and ear, she mumbled, "It doesn't matter where we stay as long as I'm with you." She pulled back to look into his intense grey eyes. "I know it's irrational for me to feel such intense feelings for you in such a short time." Willow swallowed, gathering her courage before she continued. "From the moment I saw you, I knew you were going to have an impact on my life. I just didn't realize how strong of an impact. I know you are the one I'm supposed to be with. No one has ever made me their total focus, but with you, there is no doubt. You not only helped Charlie, but you also gave Alex and Jax a solution to their debt. After that, you rescued Hailey and all those other women."

  "That was a team effort," he corrected her.

  "You're missing the point. None of this could have happened without you. You put your life, as well as the lives of your brothers, in danger, to help me and my friend. Not many men would do that. Thank you, Hunter." She brushed her knuckles from his temple down to his chiseled jawline. "I love you, Hunter 'Saint' Murphy." A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, sliding into her hairline as she tilted her head up to him. "I never knew I could feel this way." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "When you floated away tonight, I felt like I couldn't breathe knowing you could get hurt, which you did. Or you could have even died because of me." Another tear slipped away. "Well, it made me realize my feelings ran deeper than even I knew."

  The minute Willow spoke those three little words, the tension that had filled his body when she started talking released. He had been preparing to fight for them, only to learn there was no need. A smile spread across his face. When he pulled her body against his, a grunt escaped as he held her close. "Princess, until I met you, I didn't think I'd ever find a woman who could quiet my demons. You have not only done that, you've shown me that fate and love are real. Fate brought us together that night at the gym, but love has set us on a path to our future." He held her close in comfortable silence, while both of them took in their new reality.

  Willow took a deep breath, gathering her nerve. "Hunter," she asked softly, "what if I can't be your submissive?"

  Hunter laced his fingers together at the small of her back. "Princess, you being my submissive doesn't change how I feel about you." He moved his hands to her shoulders then went on. "All I ask is that you keep an open mind about it. We can go slow, and I will train you. That way, as always, it will be on your terms, not mine." He then scooped her up in his arms with a moan of pain.

  Startled by his actions, Willow started scrambling to get down. "What are you doing?" she screeched. "You could have broken ribs. Put me down."

  Hunter stood there, trying to hold onto her squirming body. "Stop moving," he commanded. Willow halted all movement. "There, that's better." He then turned and walked into the salon talking to her as he went. "You see, it's as simple as that. I tell you to do something, and you do it. No questions, no discussions, no arguing. We will discuss your wants and desires, your likes and dislikes." He stopped and placed her feet on the soft carpet. Returning to the sliding doors to the platform, he locked them, making the decision for her. Going back to Willow, he took her hand, leading her to the stairs. "You will also learn about me. The things that please me and don't. My likes as well as dislikes. But until then, I will take you any way I can have you."

  Willow followed him to the stateroom listening to him explain his BDSM lifestyle. Standing in the middle of the room, she needed a bit more clarity. "Baby, I'm almost positive I can handle being dominated in the bedroom. It's everywhere else that doesn't sit well with me."

  Hunter comprehended what she was really asking. "Princess, there are some dominants who require total submission, twenty-four seven." He took her hand. Sitting on the end of the bed, he pulled her onto his lap. "You are beautiful, sexy, charming, intelligent, and independent. I wouldn't want to change a thing about you. If you were to become my submissive, it would reflect in the bedroom or playroom. However, that is not to say if you put yourself in danger, there wouldn't be a punishment waiting for you. Similar to what you did today by volunteering to scuba into an unknown situation." He rested his head on hers. "A dominant protects his sub, as a man protects his home. He picked up his head. Moving his bent finger under her chin, he made her look at him. "Willow, you are my home. No matter what happens or where we go, as long as you're by my side, I will always be at home. I've never said these words to another woman because I knew it would be a lie. But since the first day I met you, it's been the hardest thing not to say." He gently kissed away another stray tear. His beautiful grey eyes held a touch of shine to them as well. Gazing into her crystal-clear blue eyes, he couldn't hold the words back a moment longer. "I love you. I want you to be my old lady. I want you to be my submissive, but most of all, I want you to be my home."

  Willow saw the worry lines begin to show around his exotic grey eyes. Knowing she had taken too long to answer, she put him out of his misery. "Yes." A simple word that quickly changed the expression on both of their faces. A shy smile began to appear on hers.

  While Hunter looked like he had just won the lottery, he grabbed her face between his hands. Leaning his head down, he kissed her. Caressing her lips with his, he slid his tongue along the seam of hers, prodding them apart, kissing her with all the love he felt for her. Breaking the kiss, he began nibbling his way along her jaw, threading his fingers through her hair as he made his way to her neck. Moving further up to her ear, he whispered, "We have more to discuss, but all that can wait. Right now, I want you in this bed. I want to feel your soft, warm skin against mine. I want to taste every inch of you. I want to see your extraordinary blue eyes infused with desire. But most of all, I want to hear you cry out with pleasure."

  Willow couldn't have agreed more. From the moment when he had told her how he felt about her, Willow's body had been filled with an overwhelming need she couldn't explain. Sitting on his lap, she could feel how hard he was. Yet, she also knew he was hurt. Expressing her concern, she asked, "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to cause you any more pain." She had pulled back, roaming her hands over his injured ribs.

  "Princess, it wouldn't matter if I was on my death bed, I will always want you."

  Hunter's words were all the encouragement Willow needed. She stood between his legs, removing her sandals. She pushed his cut off his shoulders down to his fingers, allowing him to take over and remove it. Tossing it to the closest chair, she reached for his belt as Hunter leaned back on his hands, allowing her the freedom to do as she chose. She pulled the overlapping strap from the loop, pushing it through the buckle, releasing it from the bar. Holding the buckle in her hand, Willow tugged the belt through the loops on his jeans. Raising it up like it was a snake, she then dropped it on the floor. With a grin on her face, she continued, popping open the button holding his jeans securely to his body, carefully lowering the zipper, separating the material to allow his straining cock the room to spring free. She reached for his pant loops in an effort to remove them from his body. Yet, without his help, she couldn't budge them. Frustrated, she grunted at him, "A little help here?"

  He chuckled and groaned in pain as he shifted his hips off the bed for her to remove his jeans.

  "Don't worry, baby, I'm going to help you forget about the pain." She had gotten his jeans out from under his butt and carefully nudged them down his thighs, causing her to move from the position she was in. She quickly unlaced and unzipped his boots, removing them and giving Hunter the ability to kick his jeans the rest of the way off. Wearing only his T-shirt, he reclined on the bed, clasping his hands behind his head as he watched her. His hard, thick cock strained for her attention.

  Standing before him, she unclasped the dark blue jeans she wore, stomping them to the ground beneath her feet. Next, she took hold of the hem to her sweater, pulling it up over her head and letting it fall from her hand to the floor, leaving her to stand before him in her matching peach strapless bra and lace thong. Her hair was left in the messy bun atop her head.

  A genuine s
mile of admiration spread across Hunter's face as he observed the beauty before him. Not once in all his life had he ever felt the peace he felt when he was with her. Needing to touch her, he ordered, "Come to me, princess."

  Willow carefully climbed onto the bed and straddled his waist. Placing her hands on either side of his head, she leaned over his body, her extended arms holding herself above him. She kissed his lips then his nose, his closed eyes followed, and finally his forehead. "You are the injured party here. I think you should lie back and let me take care of you."

  The position of her body over his gave him total control with his free hands. He shifted them from behind his head, molding his palms around her heavy chest. The silky fabric of her bra was so sheer beneath his fingers. Kneading his way down to her erect nipple, pinching the hard nub through the thin material, Hunter needed to feel her. He shifted his hands behind Willow's back, unclasping the hooks of her bra and letting the material fall to his chest.

  Willow sat up across his waist. Shaking the bra in her hand, she then tossing it to the side. She spoke softly to him. "I'm supposed to be taking care of you."

  Her voice was soft, but Hunter knew he was being scolded. "And you're doing a marvelous job. Now, lean back down over me."

  Willow did as he asked, coming down over him, leaning on her hands and knees, leaving herself at his mercy. He took immediate advantage of her vulnerable position. Holding her magnificent breasts in his fingers, he brought her hard nub to the tip of his tongue, teasing her by flicking his tongue back and forth. Then, sucking her nipple into his mouth, he clenched it between his teeth, slowly applying pressure.

  Willow moaned, her head looking toward the wall in front of her as she tried to concentrate on keeping her body above him. She was seriously losing the battle. "You have to stop before my body melts like ice cream, making me fall on your hurt ribs." Willow took this moment to regain control. Forcing him to release her nipple, she demanded he take off his shirt. "Hunter, before we go any further, I need to see that you are really okay."