Hunted (Love like Yours Series Book 3)

by Nicole S. Goodin

  I sniffed and rested my head on his shoulder.

  “I think it will be enough.” He told me softly. “More than enough.” He amended. “I think it’ll be everythin’. Just give him some time.”

  I shook my head. “He won’t be back Logan. You didn’t see him. He can’t give it up.”

  He rubbed my back slowly.

  “The worst part is, I know why he’s doing it. I know he just wants to make things right, because seeing those guys walk free, it makes him feel powerless.

  “It doesn’t make it right.”

  “No.” I agreed. “His intentions are noble, but his execution is all wrong.”

  “He’ll be back Q.”

  I wasn’t so sure.

  ***

  I stared up at the canopy above my bed. Light snores floated up into the still room from next to me.

  El had arrived before I’d even made it off the couch, bringing with her a fresh wave of tears.

  She was mind blown.

  She’d sat, wide eyed and listened to me choke out the story, Logan filling in when I couldn’t get the words out.

  “Reeve is going to kill him.” She’d said. “He’s literally going to commit murder over this.”

  I’d cried in her arms when I couldn’t talk anymore. El was my rock, she took it like a champion, insisting she stay the night with me and making me eat some of the soup she’d brought over with her.

  I’d known I was in trouble then – the food swirled in my stomach and made me feel so sick I’d thrown it all back up. I was slim enough already, if I couldn’t keep food down, I’d fade into nothing.

  “Don’t give up on him yet.”

  El’s voice startled me back to the present. I hadn’t noticed that she’d woken.

  “I’ve seen the way that man stares at you when you aren’t looking Quinn. He’s in deep. He’ll be back.”

  “What if he never comes back to me El? What happens then?”

  The silence stretched between us.

  “I don’t know.” She admitted quietly. “You just have to believe that you’re exactly where you’re meant to be. I think you were meant to see him in that ICU… you were meant to meet. You two are supposed to love each other and I know that it’s hard, but sometimes it’s the best things that take the most work.”

  I rolled over and looked at her, her blonde hair splayed all over the show.

  “It’s not like that for you and Lawson though.”

  She shook her head and smiled softly. “No it’s not. Loving him is the easiest thing in the world for me.” Her smile faded. “But I like to think I was due some good karma. Maybe the universe throws in an easy one every now and then you know?”

  She was right – if anyone was owed an effortless love, it was the two of them.

  “It hasn’t all been easy. Taking Stella in, totally unprepared, finalizing the adoption. It hasn’t been easy, it’s been bloody hard at times, but it’s without a doubt, the best thing we’ve ever done.”

  She was right.

  “What if I don’t get him back El? I’m scared.”

  “He’ll come to his senses.”

  “Maybe.” I agreed. “If he doesn’t do something stupid and get himself killed first…”

  Ellerslie had no answer for that.

  44. Harrison

  June

  Quinn

  Quinn

  Quinn

  Quinn

  Every slap of my shoe against the pavement screamed her name like a mantra.

  I can do this Skippy… I’ll be better.

  I pushed my pace even faster.

  Quinn

  Quinn

  Quinn

  Quinn

  “It’s OK if you fall down and lose your spark. Just make sure that when you get back up, you rise as the whole damn fire.”

  - Colette Werden

  45. Quinn

  July

  I half woke to a whole lot of noise downstairs.

  “What the fuck is wrong with that man?”

  Not now.

  I groaned and rolled over.

  “He’s seriously not come over? Not even called?” The familiar voice screeched.

  I heard Logan’s muffled replies, trying to calm her down.

  Nope… he’s seriously not even called.

  I was too tired to think too much about it. I was exhausted all the time lately, just living took all of my energy. Maybe I needed to sleep some more.

  Sleep…

  I drifted off.

  ***

  The light stunned my eyes as I groaned and rolled over.

  “Uh uh.” Her disapproving tone was in full force.

  More light streamed into the room.

  I knew she’d be seeing the mess that had taken over my bedroom.

  “Oh hell no.”

  She threw open a window.

  “Nope. No way. This is not happening anymore Q.”

  “Ellerslie cut it out.” I moaned. I pulled a pillow over my head, trying to block her out. She moved around the room, flinging drapes open as she went.

  “Jesus Quinn it stinks in here.” She pulled the pillow swiftly from my grip. “When was the last time you showered?”

  I gave her the finger.

  “I’m serious. It stinks. Get your virtually nonexistent ass out of that bed. We’re late.”

  I sat bolt upright, making myself dizzy as I did. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Like hell you aren’t.” El said without turning around. She’d moved from opening curtains to picking up dirty clothes off the floor. “If you don’t eat something today Q, I swear to God, I’m going to stop eating too.”

  I sighed and stared at my hands. Even my fingers looked skinnier. “Fine.” I admitted defeat. I knew El was dead serious, there wasn’t a thing she wouldn’t do for me, even if it meant starving herself.

  ***

  “I can’t eat all of that.” I hissed at her as the waiter left the table.

  She’d ordered me a large coffee, a chicken sandwich, a bowl of fries and garlic bread.

  “You’ll eat it.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “You’re just lucky that Lawson hasn’t seen you like this Quinn.” El told me quietly.

  I nodded. “I know. He’d flip.”

  “He’s already so worried about you.”

  I looked at my best friend and tried pointlessly not to cry. “I’m worried about me to.” I whispered, the tears falling freely.

  “Oh Q.” El breathed.

  She got up from her seat and slid in next to me in the booth. She’d requested a private spot in the back, probably knowing that I was going to lose my shit.

  She wrapped her arm around me and pulled me against her body.

  I rested my head on her shoulder and let the tears fall.

  “I just want him to come back El.”

  She shook her head. “Not the way he was. You don’t want him like that.”

  “I’m starting to think I don’t even care anymore.” I sobbed. “I just want him.”

  “I know it feels like that right now honey. But trust me; if you let him into your life on those terms, you’ll never be truly happy. You’ll resent him.”

  The rational part of my brain knew that she was right. But the rest of me longed for him. I missed him like nothing I’d ever experienced.

  I was desperate to feel his body against mine… to hear his gravelly voice… to just exist in the same space as him. I needed to know that what we had wasn’t just in my head.

  I was craving Harrison Hunt something wicked.

  “I hate what I’ve become. I’ve turned into one of those desperate women who doesn’t know how to survive without a guy.” I moaned.

  “Like hell you have.” Ellerslie shoved my arm. She gave me a sympathetic smile. “You might not be surviving right now, but he’s not just some guy Q.”

  Harrison was never just some guy, not to me anyway. He was my forever.

  “It’s his birthday today El. I can’t even
say happy birthday to him.”

  She looked at me in sympathy.

  “What do I do?”

  She pushed the bowl of fries toward me. The waiter had set them down on our table before making a hasty retreat.

  Nothing clears a room like a woman crying.

  “First things first, you need to eat.”

  “And then?” I asked her.

  “Stop playing ‘It Will Rain’ on repeat. Bruno needs a break.”

  “And then?” I asked again.

  She tilted her head towards the bowl. I plucked a fry out and popped it in my mouth.

  “And then… then you hope like hell that he’s as smart as he seems.”

  46. Harrison

  August

  My heart pounded in my chest as I pushed the door open and approached the counter.

  “Can I help you sir?” A red headed woman asked me politely.

  “I need to see Detective Rodgers please.”

  “I’m sorry, he’s not available right now, could I pass on a message to him?”

  “Could you please just tell him that I’m here? I think he’ll want to see me.”

  She gave me one of those ‘you’re not that special, but I’ll humor you’ smiles, and picked up the phone.

  “Anthony hi, yes I apologize. I have a Mr.…” She raised an eyebrow at me.

  “Hunt. Harrison Hunt.” I told her quickly.

  “I have a Mr. Harrison Hunt here to see you. I told him you were –”

  She was interrupted by the detective. I couldn’t make out his words but I was willing to bet my left nut that I’d be seeing him shortly.

  “Of course.”

  She hung up the phone.

  I smirked at her. “Let me guess, he found some time?”

  Her brows knitted as she frowned at me.

  “I wouldn’t look so smug there Mr. Hunt. They only drop everything for the really bad ones.” She scolded, directing me to take a seat.

  My grin faded.

  That’s why I’m here.

  I thanked her and sat down in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs lining the room.

  ***

  “So here I am.” I shrugged at him.

  “Here you are.” He pulled out a note pad and a pen. “I’m assuming you have something you need to tell me.”

  We sat opposite one another in a room entirely empty other than the chairs we sat on, and the table between us. I’d been in rooms like this, possibly even this very room, but always as a representative for a criminal or a victim – being the one in the firing line was new to me.

  “Aren’t you supposed to tell me I have the right to a lawyer?” I tried to joke.

  He chuckled. “Would you like a lawyer Mr. Hunt?”

  “Harrison.” I corrected him.

  “Harrison. Would you like a lawyer?”

  I shook my head and took a deep breath. “I’ve come to tell you a story, detective.”

  “Anthony.” He corrected me.

  I nodded once, grateful for the informality.

  “Anthony.”

  He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. “Well then. Let’s hear it.”

  ***

  “So you’re telling me, that you’re here to confess not only to regular assault, buying and selling drugs, breaking and entering, stalking and misuse of resources… but that you also were involved in the death of one of this city’s biggest criminal masterminds? And to top it all off, you’ve been in some type of illegal partnership with former officer Max Barceló?”

  He listed off the offences on his fingers, a slight smirk playing on his lips. “Am I missing anything?”

  “I think that about covers it.”

  I’d told him everything, every last detail. It was enough to put me away for a very long time – I was well aware of that. But having all of this off my chest – it was worth it. One day, when I got out, I could look Quinn in the eye and know I’d finally been completely honest.

  “Well. That’s one hell of a story.” He didn’t seem shocked, which I was confused about, but that also seemed to mean that he wasn’t handcuffing me and throwing me in a cell, so I’d take it.

  “What are you going to charge me with?” I asked him. I wanted to know how many years I was facing. He could throw the whole book at me if he wanted to. And he probably would, the guy didn’t seem to like me very much.

  He ignored my question. “You know, we had three undercover cops working on the Berkley case, trying to infiltrate their gang.” He rubbed at the stubble on his chin in contemplation. “Three. And they couldn’t even get close. You believe that?”

  I looked at him in confusion.

  “And yet, you just walked on in there and got to him.”

  I shrugged. “Like you pointed out, I had connections.”

  “Barceló.” He stated.

  “Yeah. He knew all of their hangouts.”

  He looked me in the eyes. “Do you know why that is Harrison?”

  “I dunno. I guess he runs in those circles now.”

  He shook his head. “Not just now. He always has. That man was the dirtiest cop I’ve ever encountered. And those guys you were picking off one by one?”

  I nodded.

  “You were doing him a favor… eliminating the competition, if you will.”

  My heart pounded in my chest.

  “No.” I growled. “That’s not right.”

  “Jimmy Jones, Chaz Lincoln, Sonny Redwick, Gunner Dent… they’re all locked up and out of the business now, thanks to you.”

  He uncrossed and re-crossed his arms. “But has there been a decrease in the crimes?”

  I’d never thought about it like that. But he was right. I’d got a lot of men put behind bars, but crime rates were still just as high.

  Mother fucker.

  “He’s been picking up the slack.” I stated dumbly.

  Anthony nodded. “He’s got more power now than you’d believe.”

  I took a minute to process what he was telling me.

  I glanced at the pad of paper in front of him. There wasn’t a single word on it. Yet he’d recited dates, names, details… almost like he was familiar with them.

  The light bulb in my brain flickered to life.

  When I looked up at him, he was watching me carefully.

  “You knew.” I stated.

  He nodded and my fist came down hard on the table in front of me.

  “I’ve been watching you Harrison.”

  I couldn’t believe it.

  “How long?” I ground out.

  He shifted in his seat. “Since before you started getting… shall we say… creative.”

  My jaw dropped. “You knew everything, and you did nothing? Why? Why not say something?”

  “I need your word Hunt, this stays in this room. I’ve waited a long time for you to come clean.”

  I nodded stiffly. This was getting way above my head. I was in this thing deeper than I’d ever even realized. “Fine with me.” I mumbled.

  “That officer that was with me when we visited you in the hospital?”

  I nodded, remembering the younger man’s face.

  “He and I are the only ones that know what has really been happening around here. We’ve tracked you for a while now. We were intrigued by the man putting all these lowlifes behind bars.” He chuckled. “I gotta say, I’m impressed with some of the beatings you took just to get a conviction.”

  He was right to be impressed. I’d taken some serious bashings.

  “But we weren’t too worried about it, so we let you be.”

  “If a guy wants to get his ass whooped you let him right?” I interjected.

  “Exactly.” He smirked. “But then once we saw Barceló was involved, I knew we had an in with you. We already knew your patterns, your movements, so we used you, to track him.”

  “Did you follow me everywhere?” I asked.

  “We were there that night.”

  I couldn’t think of anything to say. I
just stared at him, dumbfounded, and waited for an explanation.

  “We couldn’t step in. We were outnumbered seven to two. We wouldn’t have had a hope.” He explained.

  “There were so many.” I shuddered as I thought about it.

  “I thought they’d beat up on you and leave you there.”

  I could almost hear their yelling, their taunting, in my mind.

  “But they were gonna kill you son.”

  I hung my head. He was confirming what I already knew. The only piece of the puzzle I had missing was what caused them to stop.

  “I fired a shot into the air. They scampered like a bunch of wild cats.”

  “You guys called the ambulance.”

  It was all falling into place now.

  He nodded. “My partner did. We waited with you until we heard the sirens, and then we left you lying there alone.”

  I was dumbfounded. Coming in here, this was the last thing I’d expected to hear him say.

  “I killed a man.” I stated. “You can’t just ignore that.”

  “You pushed a man.” He corrected. “You didn’t kill him Harrison.”

  I laughed humorlessly. “So you’re just going to let me walk out of here?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “You’re going to agree to do me a favor… then I’ll let you walk out of here.”

  “She’s strong, but she’s exhausted.”

  - R. H. Sin

  47. Quinn

  “I brought Stella to see you.” El insisted after I’d failed to get up and talk to her.

  “I’m not feeling well. I might have a bug. Better keep her away.” I lied. Truth was, I just didn’t want to get up and face the world. Not today.

  “Get out of that bed and come and see her Quinn, or I swear to god I’m admitting you to some type of facility. Jesus Christ. She misses you.” El’s voice was pissed off now.

  A tear rolled down my cheek and onto my pillow.

  “She does?” I asked timidly

  “Of course she does.” El replied her voice softer now. “We all do Quinn.”