Tomorrow's Too Late

by Nicole Edwards

  “Died,” Hunter added. “Yeah. My life completely unraveled at that point.”

  “You loved him,” she concluded aloud.

  “No. But I cared about him.” He swallowed hard. “I loved you.”

  A tear slipped from her eye and trailed down her cheek. Another followed quickly behind, but she didn’t look away from Hunter. She’d spent years missing him, aching for him in a way she knew no one could ever ease.

  “Don’t,” he said roughly, his hand moving up to cup her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek. “Don’t cry.”

  More tears fell. She couldn’t stop them. It seemed the dam had been broken last night and she wondered if she would ever stop.

  “Ah, fuck, Dani. Don’t cry.” His words were raspy with emotion.

  Hunter moved closer, his chair coming with him. Their legs brushed as they continued to stare at one another.

  “I am so sorry,” she whispered. “So sorry, Hunter.”

  When Hunter leaned closer, she thought for a second that he was going to kiss her. She was disappointed when he didn’t, but his forehead pressed against hers and she found herself content with that. He was touching her, and for the first time since she’d left him, she felt as though she wasn’t completely out of control.

  AS HE MADE HIS THIRD pass over the back deck, Kye glanced into the house.

  He stopped instantly when he saw Hunter and Dani at the kitchen table. Neither of them were moving but their foreheads were touching. It was an intimate scene, one he probably should’ve turned away from, but he couldn’t help himself. Right there in that moment, he knew exactly what they meant to one another. There was no way either of them could hide their vulnerability, even if they wanted to.

  Guilt and jealousy had his chest constricting. He cared as much for them as he could care for anyone. Kye would go so far as to say he had fallen in love with Hunter. And in the short time he’d known Dani, he had come to care for her deeply. Although, he seriously doubted either of them would ever feel for him what they did for each other. They had too much history for that to happen.

  He'd spent most of the night thinking about the two of them. Wondering how in the hell either of them could’ve walked away. For Hunter to have carried all that anger and hurt with him for so long, Kye knew Dani had meant more to him than he had ever let on.

  And of course, Kye had spent part of the night wondering how he fit into all of this. Not that he did, but he certainly wanted to. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined finding someone who would understand him. Not only did Hunter get him, he shared the same desires, accepted his lifestyle.

  And they’d had some serious fun back in the beginning. Based on their conversations, Kye knew that most people—including the man’s family—weren’t aware of Hunter’s bisexuality. That had made it a little more risqué. And hot as fuck. Especially those times when they’d fantasized about bringing a woman into their bed. Granted, Kye knew it would take a special woman to be able to commit to something like that long term, but he’d actually started thinking about it again recently.

  He’d actually started thinking about it with Hunter, although he knew that was a waste of time. For one, Kye had successfully put an end to their sexual encounters because he knew that was what Hunter wanted. The man knew exactly what buttons to push to keep everyone at a distance. Since the night Kye had walked away, he’d ensured he didn’t come face-to-face with Hunter. Whatever they’d had together hadn’t been working, so it shouldn’t have mattered.

  Unfortunately, Hunter still mattered to Kye.

  And so did Dani.

  A noise in the trees alerted him and Kye spun around, pulling his gun from the holster at his back. He silently slipped down the stairs, moving along the edge of the house. He didn’t see anyone, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there.

  Come on, you bastard, show your face.

  Kye did his best not to step on the dried leaves that had fallen from the trees in the previous months. It was probably safe to assume a squirrel was trekking through the brush, but he wasn’t the type to assume anything. Plus, he’d been out there for the better part of the morning and had yet to hear any of the forest critters moving about.

  The noise sounded again as he moved closer to the tree line. He paused as he scanned the area. He didn’t see anyone, but he sensed they were there. Since Dani and Hunter were in a vulnerable position in front of that window, he knew he had to signal his partner.

  He tapped his watch, engaging the mic. “We might have company, Hunter.”

  “Ten-four,” came the reply. “Location?”

  “Back. But that doesn’t mean someone’s not out front.”

  Since Dani’s intruder had failed the last time, Kye wouldn’t put it past him to bring backup. That was what Kye would’ve done.

  Suddenly, someone shouted and Kye glanced back at the house. The next thing he knew, several guys were stepping out of the trees, all dressed in black.

  Oh, shit. They were so fucked. No way could they defend themselves against all of these guys. No fucking way.

  Kye lined up his sight on the one closest to him. He tried to run through a scenario that might have him breathing at the end of this. There were too damn many of them. They would have to surrender and fucking hope for the best.

  Hunter’s voice sounded in his ear. “Stand down, Sterling. It’s Dani’s…brother.”

  “Yeah. I’m not buying that,” he replied. These guys were military, he was almost certain of it. He had witnessed Max’s bodyguards. They were hired guns, not assassins. Whoever these guys were…

  “Wasn’t about to let him crash the party all by himself,” a familiar voice said as another black-clad figure stepped forward.

  “Son of a bitch,” Kye grumbled. “You know, Conner, we do have a front door.”

  “Yeah, well, I figured I’d let Max use that entrance.”

  Kye glanced away from Hunter’s brother long enough to take a mental count of at least half a dozen other men guarding the perimeter.

  “Kye,” Hunter’s voice sounded in his hearing aid. “I need you inside. Let my brother keep an eye out there.”

  Great.

  Kye peered back at Conner.

  “We were keeping tabs on Max,” Conner explained. “We expected he would seek her out after the bomb she dropped yesterday.” Conner glared up at the house.

  “How’d he figure out where she was?” Kye didn’t like the fact that they’d found them so easily.

  “No idea. But that’s why we’re here. I’ve got people surrounding the place. I’ll alert you if there’s anyone who isn’t welcome to the party.”

  Kye sighed. He wanted to tell Conner that Max wasn’t welcome to the party, but it wasn’t his place. Holstering his weapon, Kye turned toward the house. He traipsed through the leaves, not bothering to be silent. When he reached the porch, he could hear loud voices coming from inside. He made his way through the back door.

  “I don’t give a fuck,” Hunter snarled. “You’re going to get her killed. Whoever’s after her is likely watching you.”

  “I’m sure they are,” Max noted.

  Courtney was standing beside her husband. The glare she shot Dani said she wasn’t happy about any of this.

  “So, why’d you come?” Hunter asked.

  Max smiled, but it wasn’t a happy one. “You think I could let my sister disappear without figuring out what the hell was going on?”

  “When she was your cousin, it didn’t seem to matter that much to you,” Hunter bit out.

  Max snarled but didn’t say anything. Kye figured the man knew it was the truth.

  “We’re not gonna get anywhere if the two of you are at each other’s throats,” Courtney said. “You’ve got ten minutes, Max. Then we have to leave.”

  That seemed to settle the man somewhat.

  “I’d like to talk to Dani alone,” Max said, peering up at Hunter.

  Hunter looked at Dani and she nodded her agreement. Hunter
sighed heavily, then moved toward Kye.

  “The fucker’s gonna get her killed,” Hunter grumbled as he headed over to the kitchen counter.

  “Conner brought an army,” Kye informed him.

  “Thank fuck for that. Max isn’t thinking straight.”

  Was anyone? Tempers seemed to be high all around.

  Doing his best not to eavesdrop, Kye stood in the kitchen and watched as Dani and Max walked down the hall to the bedroom she had taken as her own. He couldn’t necessarily blame Max for wanting to get more information. It sounded as though no one knew about Dani’s secret. How she’d managed to spend her entire life pretending to be someone else, he wasn’t sure.

  “When they leave, we move out,” Hunter stated.

  “Where to?”

  “Back to Dallas. You’ll take the scenic route, come in under the cover of darkness. We’ll stay at the compound. No way anyone can get to her there.”

  Yeah. That was probably true. Yet… “Why didn’t we go there in the first place?”

  Hunter cut a quick look his way. “Because I was hoping to keep Max from finding her.” He nodded toward the bedroom. “As much as he wants to protect her from his enemies, the idiot just leads them right to her.”

  “Good point.” Kye could be ready to leave in thirty seconds. The only thing he needed was his go bag, which was currently packed and ready.

  Oh, and that box of condoms.

  He would certainly be grabbing those.

  You know, wishful thinking and all that.

  FOURTEEN

  BY THE TIME DANI AND Kye made it back to his house, Hunter was going stir-crazy. He’d headed back as soon as Max left, while Kye and Dani had taken a three-hour detour with an armed escort that consisted of Conner and the men Conner had pulled together to track Max to the Oklahoma safe house.

  To pass some of the time, Hunter had gone into the office, hoping to get a chance to talk to RT. Unfortunately, being that it was Saturday, RT had opted to spend time with his husband, so Hunter had bailed, far too wired to be cooped up in that office for an extended period of time. He had ridden around for a while, but then headed home.

  It wasn’t until Dani and Kye walked inside that Hunter released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He had worried about both of them endlessly while they’d been out of his sight.

  Dani looked tired, but he couldn’t very well blame her. It had been a trying day for them all. After she had given Max the sordid details of Samuel’s lies and deceit where she was concerned, she had turned in on herself. It hadn’t been easy leaving her behind, but Hunter knew it was the best thing. His concern was for her safety and he knew without a doubt that Kye would protect her with his life.

  Now that she was here, his concern was something else entirely.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked as she peered around his house.

  It probably didn’t look much different to her than it had before. In fact, it was possibly the exact same as when she’d been there all those years ago. He hadn’t changed a damn thing.

  “We grabbed burgers,” Kye informed him, holding up a white paper sack. “Well, technically, one of the other agents stopped to pick them up and delivered them to us. We ate ours on the road, but there’s one for you. If it’s wrong, take it up with them.”

  Hunter smiled as he took the food from Kye. “Thanks.”

  He set it on the counter and moved toward Dani. She looked lost and exhausted. Hunter knew exactly how she felt. After their brief conversation that morning, he had felt the same. Spending hours on his motorcycle had given him plenty of time to think. And he had come to one conclusion.

  Hunter was tired of wasting time. Hell, wasting his life. He’d spent the past five years living with the bottled-up rage and anger over things he couldn’t control. He had blamed Dani for so much, although he was far guiltier than she was. If he had honestly wanted to find her, he could have. Sniper 1 Security could’ve tracked her down for him. Of that, he had no doubt.

  Instead, Hunter had played the martyr, exactly as Dani had accused. Rather than suffer in silence, though, Hunter had taken his anger out on anyone who got in his way. He was tired of being angry and he was tired of lying to himself. Kye and Dani were what he wanted most in the world and he’d spent so much time fighting that, he was ready to give in.

  Granted, he wasn’t sure either of them would be on board with his plan, but he was hoping they would warm up to it. After all, he’d been fighting them both for so long now, he was ready to beg for their forgiveness.

  “I’m gonna shower,” Kye stated as he glanced between the two of them.

  “Sure,” Hunter said, never looking away from Dani.

  She moved through the living room, touching the few photos he had of his family, then running her fingers over the furniture. When she turned to look at him, he could see pain in her eyes.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Dani offered a partial shrug. “I’m sorry Max is so stubborn. I didn’t expect him to track me down.”

  “I did.”

  She offered a partial smile. “Well, thank you for letting me stay here.”

  He frowned as he closed the distance between them. “I’m glad you’re here,” he admitted.

  “Are you really?” She didn’t sound convinced, her golden eyes sliding up to his face.

  Hunter moved even closer.

  “Or are you looking for a little payback?”

  “For what?”

  Dani cocked one dark eyebrow. “Oh, I don’t know. Me leaving you on our wedding day.” Her eyes dropped to the floor. “Or me sleeping with Kye.”

  So, it had happened. He’d assumed as much, but he hadn’t sat Kye down to seriously discuss it. Sure, Hunter had accused him, but he’d been angry at the time. Truth was, Kye was right. Hunter had no claim on Dani, and he damn sure didn’t have the right to come between them.

  “Is this payback?” Dani sounded uncertain.

  Yesterday, he might’ve said yes. Today, that wasn’t the case. “No.” Hunter couldn’t resist touching her. He cupped her face between both of his hands. “I’m not looking to hurt you, Dani. I understand why you walked away.”

  She smiled sadly. “I’m glad one of us does. I’m always questioning why I didn’t stay. Why I didn’t trust you.”

  “It wouldn’t’ve mattered.” He leaned in closer. “I would’ve been angry and we both know I’m prone to knee-jerk reactions.”

  Dani chuckled softly. “That you are.”

  He held her stare. “What’s happening here, Dani?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “Is this just about me keeping you safe?”

  She stared back at him as though she didn’t understand what he was getting at.

  “I want you.” He couldn’t keep that to himself anymore. “I still want you. The same way I did back then.”

  “What about Kye?”

  “What about him?” Hunter wasn’t sure what she was getting at.

  “Do you want him?”

  He didn’t look away. “I do.”

  “The same way you wanted Josh?”

  “No,” he admitted. “Not the same way.”

  She frowned, and Hunter could tell she wasn’t happy with his revelation. “What’s different?”

  “I…” He knew he had to throw this out there. If he didn’t, it was going to eat him up inside. “I feel something more for Kye than I felt for Josh.”

  He hated himself for acknowledging that, but it was the truth. He had cared about Josh, but he had never loved him. With Kye…it was different. Hunter felt something deeper, stronger. Even though they’d been apart for months, Hunter still felt it. He still wanted that man with a desperation he had never known before.

  And he knew this because he felt for Kye the same way he felt about Dani. Love wasn’t a rational thing. People didn’t get to choose who they loved. It merely happened. Would he admit to anyone else that he never loved Josh? No. He couldn’t. Hunter wasn’t g
oing to tarnish his memories of Josh by psychoanalyzing it.

  But he could admit the truth about how he felt for the two of them now.

  Dani’s gaze dropped to his mouth and Hunter couldn’t resist leaning in closer, allowing her breath to fan against his lips. He tilted his head, angling to claim her mouth the way he’d dreamed about for so long.

  “Is this a good idea?” she asked, her voice strained, as though she feared he was leading her on.

  “It’s the only idea I have.”

  When Dani’s palms flattened against his chest, Hunter thought she would push him away. Instead, she fisted his shirt and pulled him closer, effectively eliminating the scant few inches that had separated their lips.

  He pressed his mouth to hers, all the old feelings slamming into him. He remembered her kiss, remembered the way her hands felt on him. The soft moans she made. Dani was a drug Hunter couldn’t resist. Although he’d abstained for years, he couldn’t hold back any longer.

  Attempting to take things slow, he didn’t deepen the kiss, didn’t thrust his tongue into her mouth. He remained lip-locked with her, breathing through his nose as the emotions within him rioted, anxious to find the balm that could soothe his soul after all this time.

  Dani was the first to pull back, but Hunter didn’t let her get far.

  “Aww, Christ,” he growled, sliding his hand around to cradle the back of her head as he crushed his mouth to hers. He thrust his tongue past her lips, inhaling her soft mewl as she kissed him back with equal passion.

  The woman had always done this to him. Reduced him to nothing more than a barely restrained animal desperate to claim her.

  When her arms wreathed his neck, Hunter dropped one hand to her ass, jerking her closer. He needed to feel her, all of her against him. He feared he would go crazy if he didn’t have her.

  He only prayed he could keep from unleashing on her.

  The last thing he wanted was to scare her away just when he’d gotten her back.

  DANI KNEW SHE SHOULD TELL Hunter that she was conflicted.

  Back when they’d been together the first time … when Hunter had brought Josh into their relationship … Dani had been with Josh to appease Hunter. However, with Kye … she felt different about Kye. She cared about him, but she also wanted him. In a way she’d never wanted Josh.