by Claire Adams
That creep fell to the ground and bled profusely. He was cringing in pain, his gun lying near the open doorway as I ran over. I picked up his gun before he could get it and pointed my down at him.
“Kylie. It’s Hunter. Call the cops, baby.” I narrowed my eyes at the guy as he blinked rapidly and passed out. “Bastard.”
I could hear her talking to the cops, her voice broken as she cried and shook. The minute she finished the call, I called out to her. “Kylie. Everything is okay. Come out here so I can see you.”
She walked out and moved into my arms without hesitation. I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, kissing the side of her face. “Shhh…I’m right here. It’s okay. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.” I had her back, and I would protect her no matter what, just like I promised Vince I would. I was grateful to be able to keep that promise after fucking up so many other ones.
Upon hearing my voice, she seemed to gain back her consciousness. She looked up at me, tears rolling down her face. “Thank you for the help.”
“I got you, okay? Just rest against me.” The softness of her body pressed against my side coupled with her sweet scent had my heart doing flip-flops, my body aching. What had I done with her? I’d fucked up everything to protect myself. Shame rolled over me in great waves.
She buried her face against my neck and panted softly. “Thank you, Hunter. Thank you for saving me.” Her hands clung to my shirt as her lips touched the side of my neck.
I stifled a groan and tightened my arm around her thin frame. “No problem.”
I held her until I heard the siren of the cops, coming to the rescue. The lights of their patrol cars were blinding us. In a few more minutes, the ambulance came to the scene of the crime too.
Several police officers surrounded the creep together with a few EMS guys. We moved into the yard to get out of their way.
“What happened, Mr. Yonnie?” one of the police officers asked as he walked up.
“I was coming to check on her and saw someone dart out from the trees with a gun. I grabbed my gun and put a bullet in his arm to stop him. It’s the same asshole who has been burglarizing her place and stopping by my shop,” I explained.
“Thank goodness, Mr. Yonnie. I hope these horrible things stop for both of you. You’ve both been through so much.” The police officer was turning his back and walked off as I tried to locate Kylie in the dark. Another officer pulled her off to get her statement.
I found her standing by the EMS truck, her hair a mess, her face stained with tears. My heart overflowed with love for the pretty girl. I walked over and slid my hand into hers before pulling her close to my side.
Kylie wrapped her arms around me tightly and pressed her cheek to my chest.
“Kylie, you can’t stay here anymore. It’s too late, and I can’t let you go anywhere now. You’re coming to stay with me tonight. We can talk about things.” I kissed the top of her head as she nodded.
She glanced up and stole my breath with the deep sadness in her gaze, her blue eyes filled with far too many emotions. She had endured so much pain, and I couldn’t hurt her or me anymore. Not even to protect myself.
We walked hand in hand to my house right after the police officer consented that we go home and rest. She was silent the whole time, her expressive eyes speaking on her behalf. I felt so damn guilty, but despite that, I felt fulfilled. She was with me again, and I could at least try and fix things.
We got into the house and sat on the couch together. Her arms were clinging tightly to my body, and I held her for a few minutes, just reveling in the feeling of her once against in my arms. All I wanted was to have her in my life again, to know that she loved me and forgave me for being such a fucking idiot.
“Kylie, I’m sorry.” I stroked her gentle face. She looked so beautiful despite her vulnerability. My heart ached to see her sad, but I deserved to suffer. I deserved this pain. “I did all of those stupid things that night because I was frightened that I would fall in love with you, and you’d pick up and leave me eventually. I couldn’t bear the thought of suffering that same pain again. Vince loves you so much, and I can’t afford to see him be crushed into pieces.”
She turned to meet my eyes, her eyes crowded with tears. “I’m not going to do that to you and Vince. You are the most important people in my life, and I would never do anything to hurt Vince.”
“Baby, I know that. I overreacted.” I leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose. “I’m a coward. I should have fought for you like the way you fought for us. I don’t deserve you, but here I am today begging you to forgive me. I don’t want you to go, Kylie. Please, I’ll do everything just to have you stay.” I knelt before her, pleading for her forgiveness. “Please, Kylie. I’m sorry for everything. I realized I can’t live without you. Give me another chance. Just one more.”
Tears fell from her cheeks, but the look on her face told me that she’d already forgiven me. She loved me, and like a good woman did, she made sure I knew it. “Okay, just one more chance though. If you mess up this time, I’ll be forced to shoot you with my new gun.”
We laughed together, and I moved back onto the couch, pulling her back into my arms. “You couldn’t hurt a flea if you had to.”
“What?” She laughed. “I’ve killed a hog. Remember?”
“I do remember.” I brushed my nose by hers and kissed her softly. “I’m so fucking sorry, baby.”
“Me too.” She snuggled against me. “Don’t hurt me again though, Hunter. My intentions are pure, and I’m not going anywhere. I love you too much to leave, ever.”
As she released her hold on me, I touched her cheeks and caressed her face. The remnants of tears served as scars of the bitter yesterday, but her smile signified the beauty of tomorrow we would be facing together. My heart was beating fast as I whispered these words in her ear. “I will never hurt you again, baby. I love you too. So fucking much.”
“Can we go to bed now? I’m still freaked out and so damn tired from all of this.” She looked hopefully at me.
“Hell yeah.” I got up and took her hand in mine, walking up the stairs in front of her. We’d almost had a tragedy that would have scarred me and Vince forever, but it all turned around because I kept my promise to little man. Kylie was behind me, having already forgiven me, and wanting to spend the night in my arms.
Everything was good. Fuck, better than good.
We climbed the stairs together, our hands holding each other. Upon reaching my room, I let her lay on my bed and rest. I laid beside her, assuring her that she was not alone. She’d had a rough night, and I wanted her to feel safe and loved.
“Thank you for protecting me.” She cuddled against me.
“I’ll never go far away from you. I’ll just stay beside you no matter what. I promise, and I’ll always be here to protect what’s mine.” I tucked her golden blonde locks away from her face.
“Good, because I am…yours.” She closed her eyes and fell asleep in my arms, making me the happiest man in the world.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Kylie
I woke up next to Hunter, finding solace with him lying next to me. I lifted his arm, careful so as not to wake him up from his deep sleep. I sat up and took my time to stare at his face. He was good looking and charming, even when he was sleeping. I kissed his cheek and stood up, readying myself for the new day.
Staying there overnight had me wanting to rekindle my usual routine. I jogged downstairs and walked into the kitchen, just like I had before everything went to hell in a hand basket. It was my task to prepare breakfast.
Eager to make my boys happy, I planned to cook something extra special. An old recipe my mom used to make for the holidays. It was a little lavish, but it would be worth it. After getting it all together, I poked my head into Vince’s room and let out a soft sigh. The little guy was on his back, his arms and legs spread out across the bed. He was so freaking precious.
The delicious aroma of the dish baking in
the oven lingered around the house. My mouth watered and stomach grumbled as I breathed in deeply and walked back into the kitchen.
Just as I took the baked French toast from the oven, I heard someone approaching. Vince came to the kitchen, his hair a mess and his eyes sleepy from just waking up. He was rubbing his eyes when I looked at him. His cute little mouth popped opened in surprise. He shook his head and wiped his eyes again as if trying to shake off the remnants of a dream.
“Kylie?” His little voice broke, killing me.
“Is that how you welcome me back to your house, little superhero?” I opened my arms and knelt down, getting ready for a warm reunion.
“No way!” he screamed happily, his little arms flung open as he ran to me and jumped into my arms. “Are you done with your work, Kylie? Are you finally coming back? Daddy said you were working a lot, but, man, did I miss you so much.”
“Yes, I’m coming back. I won’t ever leave you again, Vince. I missed you so much. Thanks for taking care of your daddy for me.” I kissed his cheek and memorized the moment as he clung to me, snuggling against my neck.
“Looks like I’m late for breakfast.” Hunter came to the kitchen to witness our blissful reunion. “Smells delicious, baby.”
“Dad!” Vince wiggled out of my arms and ran to his father, dragging him back toward me and wrapping his arms around both of our thighs. “We are finally complete again! I am so happy!”
I pulled apart from the embrace, recalling what I was cooking. “Since I missed you two, I’m treating you as the kings of this house. I’ll serve you with the best breakfast ever. Just sit and relax. I’ll set up the table for the first meal of the day.”
I finished my dish and prepared the table as they watched me with curiosity. It made me feel pretty, important, loved.
“This woke me up! This smell!” Vince was exclaiming his joy upon seeing the gooey baked French toast.
Hunter chuckled. “Vince, calm down. You’re going to blow a gasket in that head of yours.”
“Sorry, Daddy. I just got too excited about my favorite dish. Everything’s our favorite!” The excitement in his expression and voice was unquestionable.
I laughed and took my seat between then. “Well, eat up and tell me what you’ve been up to this last week while I was working.”
Hunter slid his hand over the top of mine and squeezed my fingers, the thankfulness in his eyes unraveled me. He was beyond handsome and having thought that we were over before we really began was more than I could bear.
The meal went on with us listening to Vince’s stories. I’d missed this kid. After telling us how many books he finished reading and coloring, Hunter interrupted him.
“Buddy, are you up for a great fishing trip today?” Hunter asked.
Vince nodded with intense enthusiasm, eager to commit to his father’s plan. He turned to me, a big grin drawn on his innocent face. “I want all three of us to go back to the lake and fish. It’s one of my wishes, and now that Kylie’s back, it can finally come true again!”
I looked at Hunter while I held his son’s hand. I turned to Vince, reminding him of what I had said moments ago.
“Don’t worry, Vince. From now on, we can go to the lake and fish anytime you want. I’m sorry I was gone. I’ll make it up to you and your Dad. You two are the most important men in my life.”
He was grinning at me, his face lit up in happiness. I did not know if the kid understood the depth of my words, but I knew Hunter did.
He looked at me with a contented smile, a sweet, satisfied one that melted my heart. “And you’re the most important thing in ours.”
*
After the three of us cleaned up the kitchen and prepared for the fishing trip, we got on the road and headed to the lake. I sat in the passenger’s seat, Vince insisting on me sitting beside his father. He was grinning brightly all throughout the journey, very much energized about what the day was to offer now that we were all back together again.
“Daddy, can you turn on the radio?”
“Yep. Here’s your favorite station.” Hunter reached up and turned on the radio, sneaking a glance my way and smiling like he liked what he saw.
Lust raced through me. I’d forgiven him completely. It was a misunderstanding, and he was scared. Of course, he acted like an ass. Anyone would.
In a few seconds, Hunter’s songs serenaded the entire car. Unexpected as it was, his playlist included some oldies country love songs. It felt light and renewed.
I could hear Vince humming over the chorus, listening to the beautiful song on the speakers. I looked out at the window, enjoying the beauty of the skies and nature all around us.
Just when I was indulging over the picturesque view of our hometown, I felt Hunter’s hand touch mine. His warmth tingled my skin, waking me up from the long dream I’d had. He was the vibrant sun that lit up my days, giving me a new reason to live and love life.
I turned and stared at his handsome face and found him smiling from ear to ear. Despite his eyes on the road, I could feel his attention on me. The way he held my hand, there was something different about it, something possessive.
When we reached the lake, Vince got out of the car with a happy yelp. He ran toward the dock, his arms opened, yelling and scaring the birds and ducks around the dock.
We laughed, and Hunter moved to the trunk to get everything out. We walked side by side, watching the bright sky and the clear lake surrounding us. Vince was beaming at us, waving his hand up in the air for us to come and join him.
“Let’s go, slow pokes!” He laughed and bounced on his feet.
“Some of us are getting old, thank you very much.” Hunter glanced over at me and released my hand to press his fingers into my lower back. He moved closer, and his hand slid down a little, his fingers brushing over the top of my ass. “I missed you so much. You know how hard it was to be a gentleman last night while you slept in my arms?”
I turned to face him and smiled. “Maybe you shouldn’t have been.”
He growled, and I laughed, turning to Vince and walking out on the pier with him.
As Hunter and Vince began their fishing bonanza, I decided to take pictures of the moment. I did not bother to tell them that I was taking photos. Natural, stolen moments were the best memories captured and recalled back after days passed.
Hunter noticed me holding my phone and taking pictures of them. He held his fishing rod up and rested it on the dock, turning his attention to me. “Hey, Miss Paparazzi, who said you could take pictures of us here? That’s illegal.” He stood up and chased me, his hands covered in worm guts and smelling like fish.
I pocketed my phone as he approached, raising my hands in front of me to shove him away. He was undaunted, eager to catch me in his arms. “You’re not going anywhere, Miss Kylie Tomms.”
I laughed as I ran as fast as I could.
He was faster than me, chasing me with a determination that felt almost predatorial. It turned me on far more than it should have.
Soon enough, Hunter’s arms surrounded me, successful in arresting me for taking stolen photos. His hands were on my waist, holding me tight so as not to let me go. Vince was laughing at us, entertained by the childish game we were playing. I turned to face Hunter, my eyes staring at him.
“I told you, miss. You’re not going anywhere.” He was smirking at me. I pretended to struggle like I wanted to escape his hold on me. Vince was happily watching us, enjoying the chemistry and sweet nothings the two of us shared.
“You’re a tough one to beat, Hunter.” I tickled him on his sides, which gained me an escape route. I victoriously freed myself from his hold, running toward Vince to seek support from him.
“I have the super boy with me. You can’t beat us.” I embraced Vince as we watched him walk toward us. He leaped at us, embracing us close to him. Vince began to tickle his Dad, using his tiny fingers to make his father laugh.
“Okay, I give up!” Hunter raised his arms as he laughed heartily, retreati
ng from Vince’s secret weapon. “I can’t beat this kid!”
We laughter as Hunter cringed. “I told you, Dad. We’re here to protect Kylie, even from each other.”
The little boy’s words raced down into my heart, healing me completely. I smiled and reached out to ruffle his hair. “Thank you, Vince. You’re my hero.”
“All right, you saps. Let’s fish.” Hunter nodded toward the dock and walked back out, leaving us staring at each other. We shared a laugh and followed his lead.
The three of us sat on the dock like little kids having fun under the sun. Hunter wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer toward him. I looked into his eyes until I heard a phone camera snap, capturing a photo.
I turned my attention toward Vince who was holding his father’s phone. He took a photo of us without me knowing it. Hunter winked at his son, approving his move as a job well done. Vince showed the photo to us, proud of the product of his new found skill.
“You guys look so happy.” He handed me the phone. “Like a family.”
“Because we are one.” Hunter smiled down at me and touched my face. “I’m in love with this pretty girl, Vince. What do you think about that?”
“I like it, just don’t—”
Hunter leaned down and kissed me as Vince groaned in disgust and finished his sentence.
“Just don’t kiss her. Jeez, Dad. Don’t you know girls have cooties? Even our Kylie.”
I laughed and kissed him again. “You are taking a risk, Mr. Yonnie.”
“Yeah, and I’ll do it every day for the rest of my life if it means being with you.” He kissed me again, and the world felt right.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Hunter
I opened my eyes to see Kylie sleeping beside me; her hand placed over my chest. Her head was resting on my arm, locking me to stay beside her until she woke up. I stared at her face, trying to figure out why a woman like her would welcome me back in. She was breathtaking and caused my body to harden as I held her.