by Bella J.
“What kind of business are you in that is so dangerous it would make you break my mother’s heart and keep you from being a father to me?”
James took a deep breath while rubbing his hand over his bald head before walking over to his desk and taking a seat behind it. “I guess I have to start at the beginning, then.”
“That would be a good place to start, yes,” she said with sarcasm.
James glanced at Riggs and they nodded at each other.
“Okay.” He leaned forward on his elbows. “We run a secret operation where we infiltrate the underground sex market, posing as buyers or agents.”
Scarlet shook her head slightly. “What does that even mean?”
“We buy girls on the black market, take them to various safe houses, rehabilitate them, and then give them a life free of slavery.”
Hunter stepped closer to James. “So let me get this straight. You’re sex slave dealers?”
“Yes. But our only goal is to save as many girls as possible.”
“How?”
James looked in Scarlet’s direction. “Your grandmother has been funding this operation for the last thirty years. And I’ve been head of this operation since the beginning.”
And then it dawned on her. “That’s how you met my mother, isn’t it?”
James nodded. “Yes. I was at Bella Vista one day for a meeting with your grandmother when I met your mother for the first time. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my entire life.”
Scarlet gave a tiny step closer. “That’s why you couldn’t be with her.”
“I’ve been head of this operation ever since your grandmother and my uncle started it. I’ve successfully infiltrated this sick world of sex and slaves. I live by a completely different identity. To most, I’m a notorious slave dealer who finds clients and make the deals.”
“And this is why the girls in this safe house can’t see your face. They can’t know that you actually saved them.”
“Exactly.” James nodded.
Hunter jerked his head toward Riggs. “And him, where does he fit into all of this?”
James looked in Colton’s direction. “Riggs is my, how shall I put it, apprentice. I’m not getting any younger, and the day will come when I will no longer be able to head this operation. The sooner I get someone else in on this, introduce someone new into this world, someone all the bad guys will trust by the time I’m gone, the better. But right now, he’s still a card I’m keeping close to my chest. Once he’s learned all there is, he’ll start dealing with me.”
Scarlet glanced at Riggs. Funny, she never figured this tall, brown-haired, brown-eyed guy was into shit like this. Sure, he looked badass with his gun and his soldier attitude, but she never figured him as a slave dealer impersonator.
Riggs caught her staring at him, and she quickly looked away.
“I wanted to be with your mother, Scarlet. I really did,” James continued. “Not a day went by that I didn’t wish there was some way I could be with her—with you.”
“Then what stopped you? You could have walked away from this. You could have chosen us.” With every word, she felt anger filling her insides little by little. “Nothing was forcing you to keep doing this, to stay away from us.”
“One hundred and thirteen.”
Scarlet cocked a brow. “What?”
James met her eyes. “We have saved one hundred and thirteen girls, out of which eleven committed suicide, but the rest we were able to be rehabilitated. One hundred and two girls are out there living normal lives because of what we do here.”
Scarlet swallowed, and Hunter turned to look at her. The expression on his face told her exactly what he was thinking. Poor woman. What is life planning on tossing at her next? How will she deal with all this shit?
Fuck. She would not wither like a damn flower in front of everyone just because life saw her as its goddamn punching bag.
She cleared her throat. “Okay, so let’s talk about Brent. What do you know about him?”
Hunter straightened, and when he rolled his shoulders, balling his fists at his side, she knew he was fighting to keep control over his rage.
“We know that Brent is looking for you,” James answered.
She scoffed. “No shit.”
“We know that he wants you dead.”
“And he’s been wanting me dead for the last seven years.”
James got up from his chair. “Because of your grandmother’s inheritance.”
“Well, see. That’s what I thought all these years too. Until Sherlock Holmes here,” she pointed to Hunter, “discovered Brent actually inherited everything six months ago. Yet the SOB still wants me dead. Evidently.”
James crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Brent didn’t inherit everything.”
Hunter jerked his head toward James. “Say what?”
“Brent only has power of attorney over your grandmother’s estate. He didn’t inherit it.”
Scarlet glanced from Hunter to James. “What are you saying?”
“Scarlet,” James started. “Brent didn’t inherit everything. You did.”
“Jesus.” Hunter pulled his hands through his hair. But Scarlet was unable to react. She was frozen to the spot.
James walked closer. “Because no one has heard from you for the last seven years, not knowing where you are, Brent was given power of attorney. That’s why he wants to find you. The only way he gets it all is if you’re…dead.”
Just like that day at her mother’s funeral, her legs gave way beneath her. Before she collapsed, two arms wrapped around her waist, keeping her from falling like a pathetic piece of weakness.
“Scar, baby,” Hunter whispered as he pulled her tighter against him. “I’ve got you.”
Her head was spinning. This was just way too much information to process all at once—even for her.
“Okay, I think this is enough for now,” Hunter said. “I’m going to get her cleaned up. Give her some time.”
“Of course.” James walked to the door. “Riggs will take you to a bedroom, and I’ll arrange for some food to be sent to you.”
Scarlet was way too confused to say or do anything. She just let Hunter guide her out of James’s office without even protesting even a little. It felt like every ounce of strength had drained out of her within a nanosecond, leaving her empty and frail.
Before they could leave, James took her hand. “When you’re ready, I’ll be here.”
Scarlet locked her eyes on his. “You should have been here twenty-four years ago.”
Chapter 5
Hunter followed Riggs up the stairs while keeping his arm tightly around Scarlet. Even though this woman was as strong as fucking nails, the way she leaned into him, allowing him to support her, he knew she was about to crack wide open. And he didn’t blame her. After everything she had been through, it was a miracle she hadn’t gone crazy. And now with what James had just told her, Hunter was afraid it might just be the last push Scarlet needed to fall over the edge into nothing but darkness and despair.
Learning that she’d inherited what he could only assume was a shit load of money and assets, and that because of said money and assets her life was in danger from a man who had already taken so much from her, was a lot of shit for Scarlet to process.
How much more hurt did this woman still have to endure? How much more before she finally broke into tiny pieces that would never be able to get put back together again?
After walking down a long hall with nothing but a few pictures on the walls and bright lights hanging from the ceiling, Riggs stopped in front of a door.
“This is her room.” He glared at Hunter. “Your room is further down the hall, to the left.”
“Like hell it is. If this is where she’ll be staying, it’s where I’m staying.”
Just as Hunter was about to reach for the door, Riggs stepped in front of him. “I assure you that she won’t be safer anywhere else than right here. There’s no need to
share rooms.”
Hunter leaned his face closer to Riggs. “And I assure you that if you don’t move out of my way right now, I will punch you in the face.”
There they were, like two alpha males glaring at each other while imagining who would rip off whose head first. But Riggs could be sure that when it came to the woman currently glued to Hunter’s side, he would rip, tear, claw, destroy, and fucking incinerate if it meant keeping her safe. He’d made her a promise, and intended to keep it—even if it killed him.
“Hunter, stop being such a guy. I need a shower.” Scarlet tried to pull away from his side, but he tightened his hold around her, making it impossible for her to move. And then he tightened his hold some more, probably making it almost impossible for her to breathe—which was okay. Her breathing easily was not as important as him keeping her as close as fucking possible. Did that make him a little insane? Probably.
Did he care? Nope.
Hunter slanted his head to the side while keeping his eyes glued to Riggs’s face. “You heard the woman. Now if you’ll excuse us.”
With that he reached for the doorknob and pushed Riggs to the side as he walked into the room. He turned around, shot Riggs a smug grin, then slammed the door shut in his face.
Fucking dildo.
“You should lay off Riggs.” Scarlet pulled away from him, and this time he let her.
“I don’t like him.”
“I don’t think he cares.”
“Well, if he values his life, or those white polished teeth of his, he would.” Hunter walked around the room, inspecting it. Judging by the beige sheets, brown furniture, and brown paneling on the walls, earthy and boring was definitely the theme they were going for.
He walked over the plush white carpet in front of the bed and started looking through every drawer and every cabinet.
“What are you doing?”
Hunter closed the drawer of the bedside table. “Looking for bugs.”
“Excuse me?”
“You can’t be too careful. Especially now that we know what kind of setup they have going here.” He lay flat on his back and checked under the bed, and only when he was sure it was clear did he get up.
Glancing at Scarlet, he saw her frowning at him. “What?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m going to take a shower.”
“Scarlet?”
She paused, but didn’t turn around.
“We’re going to need to talk.”
“Maybe we don’t,” she replied softly.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing, Ace. Nothing.” And then she walked away, into the en-suite bathroom, closing the door behind her—shutting him out.
That was exactly what she was doing. She was shutting him out, and he hated the feeling. Why, after seven years of being alone in nothing but a pit of sorrow and regret, when he finally found something that resembled hope, did it get snatched away from him in the blink of an eye? And by what? A ghost? The ghost of the person he thought he would never get over.
Rubbing the back of his neck, he sighed. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe all this was a sign that he wasn’t meant to love anyone else but Blue. Maybe he was meant to live the rest of his life alone, with nothing but memories to haunt him every day of his miserable damn life. God knew he made peace with that a long time ago…until Scarlet. Until she gave him hope. Being with her, feeling the way he did about her gave him that tiny little shred of hope that maybe, just maybe, he was capable of feeling again. But that feeling of hopefulness was short lived.
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the trinket, the chain he had carried with him all these years. The symbol that had become his cross, a reminder of what he had lost.
It was official. His life was just one big what if. What if he never agreed to run away with Blue, would she still have been in her car at that exact same time on that exact day? What if he never met her in the first place, would he still have managed to get so fucked-up over some other girl eventually? And what if…what if after meeting Blue and then losing her, he met Scarlet under normal circumstances where she wasn’t related to his dead girlfriend, would he have managed to heal from his loss? Would he have been able to love again?
What if…what if everything wasn’t so fucked-up?
Hunter tossed the chain on the bed and felt like he could scream. There was this raging animal inside him, scratching and clawing, wanting fucking out.
A knock on the door had Hunter reaching for his gun in a split second.
“Who is it?”
“Um, my name is Lily. Mr. Baxter asked me to bring you something to eat, clean towels, and some clothing.”
Food, towels, and clothes. What was this? A fucking five-star inn?
Hunter walked to the door, still holding his weapon in his hand. There was no room for taking chances in their current situation.
When he opened the door, the woman who called herself Lily stood behind a trolley. Hunter had to blink when he noticed how young she looked. Seventeen, maybe eighteen. Was she one of the girls Baxter had managed to save?
He stood to the side, allowing her to push the trolley inside while he hid his gun behind the door.
“Thank you,” he said as she walked out again.
She nodded and disappeared down the hall.
This was un-fucking-believable. Never in a million years did Hunter ever think he would find himself in a damn safe house where girls saved from slavery would be rehabilitated. It sounded like something out of a damn Taken movie.
Closing the door, Hunter noticed the rolled up towels at the bottom of the trolley. He grabbed one and knocked on the bathroom door.
“Scar. Do you have a towel?”
Nothing.
“Scar?”
He turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door. The bathroom was fogged up with steam, and he had to squint to be able to see anything.
“Scar? Are you trying to make a damn sauna in here?”
He walked further in and noticed the shower at the far end corner of the bathroom.
“Scarlet. Are you okay?”
The second he came close enough, he saw a figure inside the shower. Only, she wasn’t standing. She was sitting with her back against the wall, clutching her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth as the water came down hard over her head and back.
“Scarlet.”
Hunter pulled off his shirt and flung open the shower door, crouching down in front of her. When he felt the water on his skin, he flinched.
“Jesus Christ. This water is too hot.” It was scorching. “Come on.”
He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and lifted her up. The moment he looked into her eyes, he sucked in a breath.
She wasn’t crying. She wasn’t sobbing. No. The look on her face was like ice. Cold, hard, completely devoid of any emotion. A solid nothing.
He wiped her wet hair from her face. “Are you okay?”
She just nodded, and Hunter pulled her out of the shower. As soon as he grabbed the towel, wanting to wrap it around her, he saw how red her skin was from the scorching shower she had made her body endure. It was like she was trying to burn something off of her. Trying to get rid of whatever it was that caused her pain.
He held out the towel and she lifted her arms, allowing him to wrap it around her, her eyes still empty orbs of blue. Of course, the son of a bitch that he was, he allowed his gaze to move down to her breasts. Firm, full breasts, beautiful round, pink nipples that he had sucked, nipped, and tugged so many times. Yet, standing there, staring down at them, he knew he hadn’t tasted them nearly enough.
Immediately his cock shot to attention, and he cursed his body for wanting her even though he knew Scarlet was in a bad space right now. But the selfish prick inside him made it impossible for him to not stare at her hot as hell, curvy body that knew exactly how to set his damn insides on fire.
Wrapping the towel around her, he purposefully let his knuckles graze a
gainst her skin just above the swell of her breasts. Selfish bastard.
Just as he was about to tie the towel, he paused while still looking down. It was like his hands had a mind of their own. He had no control as they moved down, softly caressing the skin between her breasts, thinking of how fucking good her skin tasted.
The towel dropped from his hands, and all she did was stand there, staring at him, allowing him to look at her—to touch her.
“God, Scar,” he whispered. “I’m such a selfish prick right now, but I want you so damn much.” He didn’t look up at her. He couldn’t. All he wanted to do was stare at his hands, his fingers as they softly traced down her warm skin, still pink from the hot water.
“Then take me,” she replied softly, still not moving. “Take what you want, Ace.”
His gaze shot up to hers, her words taking him by surprise, but her eyes were still empty, cold, not a hint of lust or warmth hidden behind her blue irises.
For a long few seconds they just stared at each other. Hunter’s mind engaged in a raging battle with his dick, his head telling him to walk away, to not make this entire situation more complicated than it already was. But his dick kept on pressing hard against his pants, reminding him that he was a man, and that he wanted to claim Scarlet now more than ever. Without warning, Scarlet grabbed his hand and pushed it between her legs, letting him feel her slick heat.
“I said take what you want, Ace.”
Christ. No matter how much he wanted to be the good guy here, having his hand against her smooth skin made it impossible for him to be anything but a damn animal.
Nothing on this goddamn earth would have been able to stop him from doing what he did next. He grabbed her behind her neck, pulling her closer, crashing his lips against hers while he pushed his finger deep inside her. She gasped against his lips and he took the opportunity to force his tongue inside her mouth, wanting to taste her as that familiar cherry scent completely overwhelmed his senses. When he felt her tongue eagerly playing against his, he felt like he could fucking roar with the lust pulsing through his damn veins. Everything about her, her taste, the feel of her skin, her body—everything wound him up so fucking tight he could hardly breathe.