by Jo Raven
My limbs were spent, and when the reality of what he’d just done hit me, I wasn’t sure whether to hide or run. How could I have let a man reduce me to nothing like that? A man whom I’d known since yesterday morning, who in truth could be a madman needing mental help from a rehab I was supposed to take him to. He did with me as he pleased, when and where he pleased, and it was absolutely wonderful.
“Don’t be shy, Grace.” He smoothed the back of his hand against my cheek. As much as I tried to look for a sign, there was definitely nothing mad about Hunter. In fact, so far he’d been the opposite. He’d saved my life, bought flowers, come to get me when I asked him. If I hadn’t known about his need for therapy, I’d have said that he was a perfect guy.
“As weird as it may sound, I have never done anything like this before.”
“Grace, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “Only you matter.”
“I just don’t want you to think of me as a woman who does this kind of thing.”
He leaned in closer, kissing my lips before he said, “There’s nothing wrong with this kind of thing. And I could never think wrong about a woman I’m only getting to know better.”
“That’s your way of getting to know me better?”
“It’s the best way. Look how much I learned already. You’re shy, you’re afraid you’ll commit your feelings too quickly, you melt in my mouth like chocolate, taste like raspberries, and are absolutely stunning.”
Wow! What do you say to that?
“Thank you.”
Stupid!
“Um, I’d better get going.”
“Grace, wait.” He grasped my wrist before I got out of the car. “For what it’s worth, it’s not in my nature to be so forward, but I can’t help it with you. I keep telling myself it was those bullets that triggered me yesterday, but I don’t think that was it.”
I gasped. “What was it?”
“It was you.”
And once again I felt my cheeks heat, totally feeling like a fifteen-year-old girl who just got asked out to a prom.
“Are you going out with Emma tonight?” he asked.
“How do you know?”
“Isn’t that what you usually do on a Saturday night?”
Staying out in public instead of home alone was definitely a good idea.
“Yeah, we do.”
“I guess I’ll see you around then, Magic Fingers.” He leaned over and kissed me gently on my lips before winking. “Don’t do anything I would do.”
I waved before stepping onto the elevator and watched Hunter start his car as the door closed. I leaned my head against the mirrored wall, feeling sad and empty without him.
CHAPTER 7
The pounding in my head felt like the after effects of someone drilling a hole through my skull—with a jackhammer. I’d already called Emma to cancel our plans. There was no way I was stepping out of this apartment tonight with a migraine—that is, after I came back from the pharmacy with a prescription that would hopefully knock me out for the night. I’d been driving back and forth between my apartment and the salon to check on the progress of the renovations. One thing I’d learned was that it wasn’t easy to coordinate last minute, high-quality contractors—no matter how much you paid them.
The week had taken a toll on me and I’d been feeling something coming on for a couple of days now. I was supposed to go out with Emma tonight. Friday nights were our “thing,” but then again so were Saturday nights. This one I had to cancel, and, given the way I was feeling, Emma would be lucky, as I wouldn’t be able to continue our weekend tradition of dares.
Rain battered my windows, and the darkening sky and occasional flashes far in the distance didn’t look uplifting either. I hated bad weather. My mood fell, my blood pressure rose, and everything around me felt like crap.
I pulled on a pair of sweatpants and headed downstairs. The pharmacy was only a block away, and I could manage to stay dry on the covered sidewalk. When I pushed the door to the store open, bright fluorescent lights hit my eyes and I was forced to close them momentarily. With half-shut eyes, I walked through the aisle toward the counter at the back where I could refill my prescription. Honestly, I should have done it a month earlier when I ran out.
“It will be ten minutes,” the pharmacist said, handing me a pager. “We’ll let you know when it’s ready.”
“Thank you.” I stuffed the square box in my pocket and remembered that I was out of tampons and batteries. Strolling through the aisles I added my necessities to my basket, momentarily pausing, wondering whether I’d truly need the batteries again. Hunter had been over every day to check up on me, as well as some evenings. Given that it was the wrong time of the month, we didn’t get too close. Still, Hunter made sure I felt at ease, massaging my feet while I ordered new supplies for the salon and double-checked the upcoming load of appointments.
Someone stirred on my left and I froze. A peculiar feeling passed over me. I stood there, unmoving, taking in the negative energy I felt at my back, feeling someone’s gaze drill through my body, right to the bones. The vibe gave me the creeps and I slowly turned, but no one was there. Shivers passed over my arms and down my legs, and suddenly I felt like the rain outside had drenched me after all. Tugging at the hem of my oversized sweatshirt I pulled it lower, wishing I could somehow disappear, or at least teleport straight to my apartment. To my left, a man in a navy hoodie was looking for something in the fridge. Although he stood with his back to me, his movements appeared nervous. Not only did he wear the hood over his head, but also a baseball cap. For a moment, I thought he was deciding which frozen pizza to purchase, until I noticed he was looking straight at me in the reflective refrigerator glass. Something looked extremely familiar about him.
My pager vibrated and I dropped my batteries. Hurrying to pick them up I headed for the back of the pharmacy to pick up my pills.
“Can I pay for these here as well?” I asked, noting in my peripheral vision that the guy by the fridge had finally decided on a pepperoni.
“Yes, of course.”
The pharmacist rang up my purchase, and I paid and left the store. As soon as I crossed the street and started walking toward my apartment, the guy left the store as well. He didn’t appear to be looking at me, but he also didn’t have any shopping bags with him—not even the pizza. His hands were stuck in his pockets, one of which appeared to have an oddly shaped protruding bulge. I picked up my pace and saw him take longer steps. He crossed the street, nearly getting struck by a cab, and sped up his walk—which, if I wanted to outpace him, was close to a slow jog for me. Lightning flashed nearby and thunder boomed as if it was only a few feet away, making me jump.
My gut told me I needed to hurry. At this speed I wouldn’t make it to my building without him catching up. I turned left into the first door I saw and entered an adjacent business building. Thankfully it had a corridor linking it to my condo. As soon as my feet touched the marble floor I ran as fast as I could, seeing the man in the navy blue sweatshirt enter just before I turned the corner.
And that’s when someone pulled me to the side and clasped his big hand around my mouth. I wanted to scream but couldn’t. Emma had taught me a few self-defense moves, but for the life of me I couldn’t recall even one at this moment.
“Shh, Grace. It’s me.” Hunter’s voice cooed in my ear as he pulled me into the depth of a dark nook. In front of us was nothing but a large fake decorative tree. We had a clear view of the passage to my building. I’d walked by here so many times before, but never in my life would I think of this nook as a hiding spot.
“I’m gonna let go of your mouth. Stay quiet.”
I nodded.
“Someone’s following me.” I could barely hear my own voice.
“I know, Grace. Don’t move.”
I curled into his comfortable hold, hiding in the dark space behind the tree. At least I wasn’t alone. Waiting patiently, for the first time since I’d left the store I was able to catch a small breath—but
not for long. The echo of rushed steps on the marble floor was getting closer. I could hear my heart drumming against Hunter’s chest and his responding with the same quick beat. As the man approached, I could see that he still held his left hand in his pocket. From the close view now, it appeared he held a gun there. I drew my gaze higher, regarding every feature I could take in. And if there was any doubt in my mind that the guy was after me, it disappeared the moment I saw his profile. Although he wore dark shades and had a hoodie still over his head, and I hadn’t seen him in over ten years, I’d recognized my own flesh and blood.
“I fucking lost her,” he growled into his phone. “Meet me at the pier in fifteen.”
He hung up, still searching with his eyes. When he turned toward the nook I thought my heart would jump out of my chest, but I held my breath and remained as quiet as a corpse. For a moment I thought he’d look into the dark hole we were hiding in, but he turned on his heel and left. Why would my brother do this to me? We waited a few more minutes before either of us moved a muscle. Hunter checked both sides of the hall, ensuring the threat had passed, before he let me out of the nook.
“Come on. Let’s get you home.”
“Scar tried to rob me. I need to call the detective.”
“Grace, by the time the police get here he’ll be long gone.”
“He went to the pier.”
“And how many piers are there in Manhattan?” He pushed the elevator button.
“Too many. Hunter, you don’t seem surprised he was there. That was my brother.”
“That’s because I know him as well.”
“What?”
“It’s a long story, Grace. I’ve been tracking some of his unlawful activities. Let’s get upstairs first.”
We had already passed the entrance into my building, where the tight security would not let non-residents through. Once the elevator door had closed and I’d pushed my floor, I breathed out in relief. No one got on the elevator without a pass.
“He knows where I live. My brother wants to rob me, or kill me—I don’t know what he wants and why.” I leaned my head back against the glass wall and closed my eyes. My migraine only intensified. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
“How?”
“The only thing I can think of is to do what I’m good at. I need to see your home computer and the one you had at the salon.”
“I’m pretty sure that was smashed.”
“It doesn’t matter if it was. If the hard-drive is intact I can work with it.”
“Frankie brought more boxes to my apartment this morning. I think I have the computer there.” The elevator door dinged and opened.
“Good, then I guess I’m staying over.”
I turned the key to my apartment and pushed the door open. Setting my bag of tampons and batteries on the kitchen counter, I clicked the kettle on. “Coffee? Tea?”
“Coffee. I think this may be a long night. Here.” Hunter pulled on my hand and led me down to the couch. He grabbed my feet, removed my shoes, then lifted them onto the cushion. “Take care of your headache first, and I’ll take care of the rest.” Within a minute I had an ice pack on my forehead, a pillow underneath my head, and a pill to swallow in my hand. Moments later the smell of coffee drifted around the room. Hunter had made me a tea the way I had asked and started looking through the boxes I pointed him toward.
“What were you doing in the building?”
“I was on my way to see you.” He lifted a black bag he’d been carrying with him. I peeked inside to find some sort of concoction in a jar. “It’s my mother’s recipe. Emma told me you weren’t feeling well. I thought this could help.”
“Thank you, that’s very thoughtful of you.”
“You’re welcome. Where’s your computer?”
“Office.” I pointed and closed my eyes.
As Hunter set up the equipment I stayed down on the couch, watching him from a side angle. His forehead creased slightly when he was thinking. The stray piece of hair he kept lifting away from his eyes looked sexy. It’d be easier for him if I shortened it, but then he wouldn’t have the look of a hot-off-the-skillet man. Still, I recalled I owed him a cut.
Over the next hour I watched Hunter as he unwound cables, plugged my computer into the smashed laptop from work, and started clicking. With the machinery on the coffee table, he sat on my plush carpet and, with his legs crossed, concentrated on the screen that highlighted his chiseled face. I watched his brows furrow and forehead crease. The slow buzz of my medication began working and I dozed off once in a while, waking up to small changes like the blanket over my body. At one point he knocked over the bag full of tampons and batteries, smiled to himself, and set them aside. Next time I woke up Hunter had no shirt on and was sitting in his jogging pants only. By the time two in the morning hit I could see that he was tiring, yawning every few minutes. My headache had passed, but I was exhausted. My adrenaline had spiked during the busy day and so I passed out again. Waking up at five, I found myself in my own bed. A light snore caught my attention. Hunter lay on the floor, with nothing but a rolled up towel under his head. He only wore his boxers now. At the sight of his naked body I felt the urge to glide my hands along his perfectly sculpted abs. On his left arm, underneath a thorn tattoo, was a scar, and I wondered how he got it.
Tiptoeing around him, I picked up a blanket and covered his body. At the first touch of the fabric on his feet, Hunter jumped up. I screamed as I found myself in a sudden choke hold, barely able to breathe. He kept talking nonsense about not touching and staying away from him.
“Hunter! It’s me!” I yelled out as my eyes felt like they’d burst rivers. The grip around my throat tightened more.
“Hunter… nightmare…,” I said with what felt like my last breath, and he finally eased his hold.
He backed up against the wall, slid down to the floor, and curled into a fetal position. I’d never seen a man this distraught and vulnerable. I wanted to hold him and caress him and kiss him to make it go away. I didn’t like this Hunter. Whatever had happened to him had crossed the line of torture a long time ago.
“I’m sorry, Grace. I’m so sorry.” It appeared as if he wanted to disappear into the furthest and darkest corner of the room he could find.
I crouched by his side, wearily reaching out to touch him. “It’s okay. I think you had a nightmare.”
His entire body shook as he finally looked up into my eyes. His gaze then drew lower to his own body and the room, assessing the situation.
“Yeah, I think so too. I’m sorry I scared you. I’m sorry I did that to you. It’s never happened before.”
I stayed there for a moment in silence, watching his uncomfortable body language, and finally said, “Do you want to talk about it?”
He let out a long breath and slouched. “No, it’s all right, Grace. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m just going to use the bathroom.” I pointed toward the door and slowly backed out. Whatever had caused Hunter to jump like that had to be big, and I wondered whether it was the reason he was supposed to go to rehab. I sat down on the toilet and emptied my bladder before turning on the shower.
Once under the water, I wondered what had happened to Hunter to make him so afraid and defensive. Who could have broken the caring man I’d seen in Hunter so far?
CHAPTER 8
The shower door opening startled me. I gasped at the sight of pure naked male perfection in front of me. No matter how many times I’d seen Hunter this way, I couldn’t tear my gaze away. Nor did I want to.
“The tampons. I saw… Is it a bad time?”
“Not yet.”
“I need to be inside you.” The hungry rasp of his voice drove through me like a shot of liquid lust, instantly.
I stepped to the side, making space for Hunter. He moved under the shower and wet his hair. Water cascaded down his body, glistening on every hard muscle on his chest a
nd abs. I reached out to touch his sunk-in stomach just to make sure the six-pack, which honestly looked like an eight-pack, wasn’t sprayed on. He smoothed my wet hair back and drew his thumb over my lower lip. I took his hand into mine, and kissed it before weaving our fingers, pressing our palms together. There was something so sensual to this touch. His body language showed me more than any words could say. Hunter needed me. I had to be his rock tonight the way he’d been mine since the day I met him in my salon. I would give this my all—I would give him my all and let him take whatever he wanted and whatever he needed. No questions, no expectations—except that my heart was already making space for Hunter to fill in that spot I’d been keeping for the one.
“I’m so sorry, Grace.”
“You did nothing wrong.” I pressed my finger to his lips when he wanted to say more and whispered, “Take me, Hunter. Take anything you need.”
And with my permission his lips seized mine, his body consumed me, and I felt like the light of our souls connected us, blending our brightness into one, beaming further out each time his tongue pushed deeper into my mouth. His hands grasped at my skin and his soft need transferred from his lungs into mine, into a greedy desire that only I could fulfill. He kissed me like he never had before—with everything he had.
I combed my fingers through his long hair as he lifted me up into his arms. Wrapping my legs around him, I guided my body over Hunter and slid onto him, grasping his ready length with hunger. His hands held my ass as he wedged himself inside me, slowly at first, breathing into my neck, skimming his lips over my jaw, taking my mouth with just enough force for me to meet his need and reply with my own. My hips picked up the momentum. Holding onto his shoulders I rubbed myself against him, rocking my body with his, lolling my head back.