“Love you, sis.” Kendra shot a forced smile over her shoulder, trying to let the kind words sink in.
She launched out of her house to find her rental car—a reminder she didn’t need. The deal Delta had tried to cut with her was nothing more than an avenue to play more mind games. She didn’t need any fucking lessons from him.
The long drive down into LA to the lab gave Kendra enough time to think things through and reflect on her sister’s words. One day, she was going to have to have an honest conversation with Delta. It wasn’t a matter of giving him a chance. It was a matter of what was right. There were things he needed to know. Things he didn’t know right now.
Her fingers twitched on the steering wheel, drawing her attention once again to her naked ring finger. She was unwed. She wasn’t even with the father. He wasn’t there. That had been so hard to admit during her pregnancy.
“I wouldn’t ever marry him anyway,” she attested, dead sure. “It doesn’t matter.”
Shrugging it off and telling herself she really didn’t care, Kendra finally pulled into the parking lot of her gray and white-bricked lab, which was situated in the busy core of the city. She turned off the car and pulled her cell phone off the charger. But before stepping out, she stared at the screen. Afraid that she was obsessed, she fought the urge to send a chaser message to Delta.
I need to talk to you.
Then she deleted it before once again retyping it.
Chewing her mouth, staring at the unsent message on her screen, she knew it would be wrong. She wasn’t ready to have that talk. She wasn’t okay yet. He hadn’t known about the pregnancy, about his son. And even if she’d lain awake at night, thinking about how to tell him, she had no idea what she wanted out of it, aside from the fairy tale she’d never get.
But that familiar guilt rose up, pointing to the values she held dear. Her finger hovered over the ‘send’ button, and she bit her lip a little too hard, making herself flinch.
What am I doing?
She exhaled, finally deleting the words and never sending the message at all.
“Why can’t I get him off my mind? I’m just wasting my time,” she growled at herself, grabbing her building pass out of her tote.
Reaching for the door, she lifted her feet to swivel out as her cell phone pinged, notifying her that she’d received a message. Her heart practically thumped out of her chest as she stared as the lit screen in her hand, slowly raising it. But her stomach sank so hard that she fell back into her seat as she read it. It was from Hunter.
Available tonight?
Irritated, Kendra snapped back a message.
No, I’m not.
It’s for work. If I text you a time and a place later, can you be there?
Goddamn. Kendra twisted in her seat, wishing she could break the stupid phone. Hunter, whether she liked it or not, was her boss. This was for work. He’d made clear. He could write her up.
I need back-up on this.
Can you get someone else?
No, I need you.
Kendra closed her eyes, caught in a bad spot. She hovered her fingers over the phone’s keyboard, at a loss. She just couldn’t go. Delta’s words crashed through her mind. Hunter was dangerous. She needed to stay safe, stay away. For once, she agreed with him.
But Delta’s other words sliced through her memories—“All mine.” He wanted her to feel like she belonged to him, to wait for him—so no one else could have her. Kendra looked around the car, gazing at nothing particular but letting the truth sink in. There was not going to be a fairy tale for her. She had to get back to her real life, and that meant raising a child and making a living. She had to write back to her boss.
Is it urgent?
Yes.
Send me the details.
Chapter Fourteen
Kendra’s black stilettos clicked down the sidewalk in West Hollywood as she approached a nightclub she’d never been to. In a black strappy tank top and a leather bomber jacket on top of dark jeans, she thought she cut the look of a good undercover operator. Protecting her identity, she’d even left her car at a quiet lot several blocks from her destination.
It wasn’t often that she did this type of work, but apparently, she needed to this time, according to her boss. Moving through a small club-going crowd in front of a row of buildings, she tightened her jaw, feeling a little out of place, to say the least. Party people were younger than she remembered and wearing things she didn’t quite understand. It took everything in her not to just turn around and bolt home. Home was the only place she wanted to be, the only place that felt right, cozy and safe.
But here she was—meeting Hunter.
Pulling out a twenty as she approached the bouncer at the entrance to a dark club, she observed the name—Holywood. A gothic, edgy design adorned the black doorway leading into a space down a shadowy hallway. As she strode into the bar, she spotted Hunter leaning up against the bar top, just where he had said he’d be.
“You came.” Hunter licked his lips, possibly inebriated.
She grumbled to herself as he ushered her into a tight space next to him. The room, peppered with dim lamps, featured a long antique-looking wooden bar. Loud music echoed throughout, a type of dance-rock, enticing people to move. If vampires drank anywhere, Kendra didn’t doubt they’d show up there, based on the crowd.
“This better be worth it,” she noted, cold and unsociable, which didn’t seem to dissuade Hunter from pawing up her back.
“You won’t regret this.” He slammed down on the bar beside her, leaning in to speak over the music. “What can I get you?”
Something in his gaze made her skin crawl, but it was a little unlike before. Something was different. The calculating look in his eye was unnerving, and she covertly inched away, creating space.
“Let’s get to it,” she prompted. “This is business.”
Hunter grinned, tracing the rim on his cup, looking her up and down. “Why can’t this be personal?”
“Why am I here, Hunter?” She grew incensed, looking around the bar. “What are we looking for?”
Hunter laughed, motioning to the bartender, ostensibly ordering her something. He always thought he knew what she wanted, she realized—and he always got it wrong. Now, both hands leaning on the bar, she couldn’t miss how he was flexing his muscles and looking at her through the side of his eyes. He seemed different. A little wilder.
Leaning into her, he exhaled as a strange, self-satisfied look crossed his face.
“Your boy, Delta… He thinks he’s pretty smooth, huh?”
Kendra’s interest was piqued. “Okay?”
“But he’s not as clever as he thinks.”
“What does that mean?”
Hunter grinned and continued, “The thing about SEALs is that they chew through women—and were you any exception? I’ve been the only person looking out for you. I’ve been here when he wasn’t.”
The way his words came out was like a justification. She raised her eyebrow again, feeling that there was a deeper story behind what Hunter was up to.
“Has something happened you would like to share?”
She slowly probed Hunter, waiting for him to make sense, but the man just shrugged, holding firm in his space as the bartender slung a clear drink down in front of her with a lime on top. She went to reach into her jacket for cash, but Hunter aggressively flung down bills to cover her. The bartender snapped them up before she could protest, which she very much wanted to.
Fuck, she thought as she paced back.
“Are we sharing now?” Hunter quizzed, advancing toward her. “Have we decided to be honest with each other?”
She watched him, silently, waiting for him to play his cards. He continued, letting her in on his point.
“When are you going to recognize that he’s a monster?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Kendra said, confused as hell. What does Hunter know?
“He’s dangerous, Kendra. I’ve been tel
ling you that since the beginning. What more do you need?”
His focus followed her lips, on down her throat and resting there for a moment. Taking a swig of his pint, Hunter recovered, pausing the conversation. He then put the cold glass down and narrowed his eyes on her.
“As it is, I knew you wouldn’t take my word. I know you’ve been hanging on to hopes for him. Well, Delta is going to just hurt you…again and again, like he already has. And I want you to see it for yourself.”
As his words dripped out, she couldn’t hide the surprise on her face. He was about to show her something that she didn’t want to see. She knew it. He motioned to a dark wall on the edge of the room that clearly had line of sight to the antique bar in the middle of the room. It was, however, blocking the view of the back of the bar.
He continued, “I want you to walk to that wall, in the shadow, and look behind the bar. You’ll see someone sitting there. You’ll know what I mean.”
Kendra raised her eyebrow, her nerves growing inside her. She couldn’t explain why. It just didn’t feel right. But she moved toward the wall, like he said, needing to see for herself. Hiding herself in the shadow, she turned to look behind the bar.
That was when her heart stopped.
It’s Delta.
The man who made her feel too much, the man that never was available, sat there in his usual black hooded sweater, his hand on the bar, drinking whiskey. It wasn’t so much that he was there, but that his head was dropped and he was conspiring with someone.
A woman.
The gorgeous, slim brunette with an athletic build leaned into him, taking in every word. Is this a fucking date? Kendra stumbled back against the wall, gripping it for stability. He’d never taken her out on a date. Feeling sick, she stood on the sidelines like an invader. That woman was so much closer to Delta than she’d ever be, whispering intimately and smiling.
To say that Kendra’s heart died a little would be an understatement. Something inside her blackened just then. She was damn glad she was in the shadow, unseen—because she wanted to cry. Frenzy filled her as she watched Delta shoot his casual smile at the woman. It couldn’t be any clearer what was going on. Furious with herself, she wished she would have just listened to her own good sense.
A familiar, crawling voice came up behind her in the shadow, cold hands gripping her shoulders.
“He never gave a fuck about you,” Hunter grunted into her ear. “But I do.”
She turned her head, taking in the self-congratulatory look that was emanating from his very being. He spun her in his arms, far more aggressive than he’d ever been. It was like the Hunter she’d known had mutated. With fiery eyes, he gazed down his nose at her, like a tiger ready to eat.
“He’s not capable.”
Her lips parted with his words, realizing what he was getting at—and where it was going.
“Why are you saying this?”
“He can never be a father. You know it.”
Kendra felt herself breaking down, unwilling to lie to herself anymore. Hunter tightened his arms around her, pulling her into him. That unpleasant scent filled her nose and she tried to push away, her gaze drifting back to where Delta sat at the bar.
Except he was gone.
Stuck in Hunter’s grip, Kendra pressed her eyes shut, feeling tears well. Searing tension ripped up her throat and she gasped for breath. She gave that man too much power over her.
“I’m the one who will protect you.” Hunter wouldn’t relent. “I’ll marry you, Kendra.”
She looked up at him, her eyes wet. “And what do you want in return?”
He lifted his hand and touched her, like she was the prize he finally was ready to claim for his own. Every muscle in her body screamed as she realized how close he was getting. As he ran his gaze up and down her face, Kendra suddenly felt nauseous. There was no doubt what Hunter wanted in return—and she’d known it all along. She just wanted him to be a man and finally say it.
“What do I want in return?” he asked, his breath sour. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“Hunter,” she pleaded through the loud music in the bar, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe it—couldn’t believe the position she was in.
Hunter tightened his grip on her chin, and he had that same vicious, entitled look shining in his eyes. He wasn’t going to let her go. She flinched, but he grabbed her wrists, smacking her whole body against the wall, causing her to scream out, though it was dulled because of the loud music. She saw that same something in his eyes. He was losing control. Hunter’s eyes twitched with an anger she’d never seen before. Even in the darkness, she could see his neck pulse, like he was becoming someone else.
“Think about it, Kendra. I’ll take care of you.”
“I don’t need that.” She exhaled sharply. “I have to go.”
“You can’t leave. I’m not letting him win.”
Then Hunter’s head dropped lower, and he was readying to take her mouth. Writhing underneath his cold grip, she screamed out for help, screaming for Delta, but no one heard her. She shook her head, fighting back against Hunter. A lone tear sprung from her eyes as she desperately tried to free herself.
But she couldn’t.
Just before he could land his mouth on hers, a thick hand thumped on Hunter’s shoulder, yanking him off her. Letting out a sharp shriek, she collapsed back against the wall in shock, watching a surprised expression whipping across Hunter’s face. In the blink of an eye, the profile of a familiar tall man with a hood up and a black mask on pummeled Hunter to the ground.
She slid away, stumbling into the crowd. Through the loud music and the dark of the bar, all she could see was Hunter on the floor, bloodied and gasping. But, searching between the bobbing heads of the party people, she realized that Hunter was once again alone.
Delta was already gone…like a ghost.
Trying to process what the hell had just happened, she quickly slipped away and ran out of the bar, tears streaming down her face. It had all been a terrible mistake. Why the hell had she gone there? Trembling, Kendra launched herself back onto the street, her heels clicking noisily on the sidewalk as she paced back toward the lot where she’d left her car. Fear boiling over, she kept glancing over her shoulder, unsure who she was more afraid to see.
She sped off the main street into the connecting alleyway to the lot. She ran through the dark space, wishing she’d worn better shoes. The heels were new—and digging into her, making her hobble toward safety. Her car wasn’t far. She just had to get there—and get out. Get home.
Then she could think.
Halfway down the alley, she passed a fire ladder, creaking in the night’s breeze on the side of the building. A loud thud crashed behind her—like someone had jumped from the ladder onto the ground. She didn’t have time to turn around.
Hands wrapped around her in an aggressive bear hug, pulling her body into his. She tried to scream, but a gloved hand on her mouth stifled her. She immediately used her police training to destabilize her assaulter, kicking back and trying to bite the glove. She was good at it—but he was better, easily fending her off. He was strong as hell.
Tightening his hold on her, he held her back against his chest in the alley. It caused her to flinch and fight all the more, though his familiar scent was calming her at the same time.
“Why did you come to meet him—when I specifically told you to stay away?” His low voice challenged, as fierce as she’d ever heard him.
Unable to answer, as his hand still covered her mouth, she turned her head more toward him. He continued his questioning, which was nearly a lecture.
“Why can’t I get you to listen to me?”
Silent, she struggled to breathe as he held her mouth, wriggling and fighting his grasp. All she wanted to do was get away—get away from everything.
He yanked her harder into him, sending a clear message as he continued, “This is what happens when you don’t listen to me.”
His velvety growl was as
intoxicating as ever. He just did something to her. Then he released his hand from her mouth, spinning her to face him for the first time, apparently satisfied that he’d scared her enough.
“You!” she cried out, thumping hard on his chest. “You are worse than him.”
“I know I am,” he growled low, holding her tight. He ran his gloves up the side of her face, caressing her cheek as he stared down into her eyes. “But I still need you to trust me.”
“No. I’ll never trust you.”
The words seemed to hit him hard, and he widened his eyes with surprise as he released his grasp on her, allowing her take a step back from him…then another.
“Just how many girls are you fucking?” Kendra howled, incensed at his emotionless face.
“It’s not what it looks like.”
“Then why the hell were you there—with her?”
“Does it matter?” His angry boom carried in the alley, and Kendra took a step back, stunned.
A silence found the space between them, and he stared back without explaining who the woman was. The absence of explanation was all Kendra needed.
And that was when Kendra spun on her heels to find her way to her car. She didn’t dare look back over her shoulder at him, unwilling to fall victim once more to his burning gaze.
Chapter Fifteen
One year before
“Cheers.” Warren clinked Delta’s pint, leaning against the bar.
A younger, less-broken Delta nodded in agreement, studying the LAPD officers mixing at the bar, enjoying the round he’d bought for everyone after the obstacle course. It was the least he could do for their guests.
“We should invite them back.” Delta shrugged, keeping his gaze fixed on the crowd.
“Looking for something?” Warren pressed, spinning his pint thoughtfully on the bar. “Or someone?”
“No.”
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