Give Me All Of You

by Delka Beazer

  She quailed under the dose of humility she’d just been fed, she tried for a bright smile and failed, she searched his lean, serious face. “You’re not an awful man, are you?”

  He cracked a cheeky smile, the first she’d seen in days. “So I like to think,” his eyes darkened with mischievousness, “but I’m still quite arrogant.”

  Unbidden, a smile tugged at her lips, she grinned at him. “I know,” she tore her eyes away from his with an effort to the brown sacks in his hand, “is that lunch?” She was starving.

  “Yeah,” he came over and handed her one of the packages, she sniffed appreciatively, the pungent aroma of tuna and gooey melted cheddar cheese wafted tantalizingly beneath her nose. She shot one last worried look at the library door. “I guess we should go?”

  “Yes,” Hunter turned firmly for the door.

  She’d dreamed about her parents coming to an amicable understanding for so long that now it almost didn’t seem real, and she was afraid that things would go horribly wrong again.

  “Mina?” Hunter’s stern voice slashed through her consciousness, he walked over and grasped her elbow firmly, but when he looked down at her there was only compassion in his dark blue eyes, “leave them alone, they can do this.”

  She swallowed, then nodded, with one last longing look at the library door she followed Hunter out.

  Buckled inside the car, Hunter opened one of the bags and took a hearty bite of his sandwich

  Mina followed suit, closing her eyes in ecstasy at the cheesy, salty goodness flooded her taste buds, “Yummy,” she purred.

  “If you’re not referring to that sandwich you’re courting trouble,” Hunter warned.

  She gulped down the piece in her mouth. “You wish,” but her voice wasn’t as firm as it should’ve been.

  Hunter threw her a clear look, “I do, every night and day and countless moments in between.”

  She refused to answer those inflammatory statements. She took another bite, this time keeping her ravings private.

  Hunter maneuvered the car expertly with one hand as they began their trip to Jacobe Aisle. “Do you mind telling me what happened between your parents?”

  She took her time chewing. What the heck. After what he’d done for them, he deserved to know.

  An hour later, trepidation began to settle heavy in her gut. They pulled into the dirt parking lot of Jacobe Aisle. Several dozen cars and trucks were parked neatly about. At the mouth of the parking lot which led down into the unfinished resort, their staff was waiting.

  Facing several dozen men and letting some of them go, if only for a few months, until the business could recover, made her insides churn with nausea.

  This was her fault.

  She should’ve saved their company, but in the last several days she’d accessed the situation from Hunter’s perspective and she’d been staggered by their mounting debt. None of the resorts were making a profit, despite the influx of new cash.

  Hunter had saved them from bankruptcy but their hotels and resorts badly needed to be upgraded.

  She wouldn’t have been able to keep the company afloat, no matter how many cuts she’d made, not without Hunter’s money.

  Feeling more than one pair of hard eyes on her she lengthened her stride to keep up with Hunter’s. He reached for her hand, she flinched, but his fingers tightened in warning.

  Some of the men snickered, others’ faces grew dark at Hunter’s show of authority. News of their marriage and Hunter’s ownership of the company was now old news.

  Hunter surveyed the men. “You guys know Bronswort’s been in trouble for a while now. We need to take some emergency steps for the next few months to balance the company’s finances,” a few muffed curses sprang up as the men realized where this was going. Hunter ignored them and carried on, “we’ve got to let some of you go for the next six months-”

  “What the fuck?” An angry voice boomed out, there were several not so polite expulsions.

  Randy Joseph, Hunter’s foreman, stepped forward from the agitated throng of men. His dark face was mottled by rage.

  He stalked towards them and Mina stared mesmerized as he approached, his sinewy arms swinging at his side, his body coiled with leashed threat.

  Randy leveled a sneer at her. “This is your fault, you stupid bitch.”

  “Joseph!” Hunter’s voice thundered above the small gathering, killing every murmur. Hunter chucked her behind him and drew close to Joseph, “I will allow myself to believe that you’re simply overcome by this bad news, as we all are, but I require an apology for my wife who’s your boss,” his words were quietly spoken, but a muscle throbbed in his jaw as he and Joseph stared malignantly at each other.

  Joseph threw back his head and laughed the crass sound whiplashed around them, making her cringe, then he eyed her with repulsion. “Everyone knows you and your daddy fucked up the company a long time ago-”

  “Joseph” Hunter barked his hands bunched into fists. “That will be enough. Get your things and go.”

  Joseph’s dark eyes turned black, the creepiest sensation of evil skittered down her spine. How had she missed seeing Joseph’s poisonous attitude before?

  Her own anger ignited. She had been the one to hire Joseph. She scuttled out from behind Hunter’s broad back. “You may be right, we screwed things up, but you won’t be around to fix our mess. You’re fired.”

  There was no shock in Joseph’s eyes, only mockery. “I already got another position, bitc-”

  Hunter was in front of her, his fist zipped through the air and Joseph landed with a thud on the ground, sending up a fine mist of dirt.

  He lunged to his feet, the men roared, some charging towards them. Hunter was once again firmly in front of her, his fists bunched, his body tense as he awaited the oncoming onslaught of angry workers.

  She nearly blacked out the cry in her head was so agonizing, then she realized that she was screaming as she rushed towards Hunter, threw herself in front him. She turned on the men, contorted with rage. “If any of you lay one hand on my husband I will make sure that you never work for another reputable company on this island ever again.”

  Dozens of eyes glared angrily at her.

  Hunter’s hands closed around her waist, she yelped as he picked her up and placed her back behind him, out of harm’s way.

  “Put me down now, Hunter,” she shrieked mortified by his actions. She was trying to help him!

  Hunter laughed heartily, his eyes warm with feeling. “Calm down there my little tiger. No one’s going to start something they’ll regret today,” he gazed meaningfully at the men, “are you guys?”

  A rumble of dissension came but no one moved.

  Joseph had gotten to his feet, he threw them a look of pure malice then stalked off.

  Hunter ignored him and reached into his pocket. He read the names of each man who’d be staying and those who’d be laid off.

  Her adrenaline began to abate. Another thought started to form inside her.

  She waited until the last man, who they had laid off, got into a beat-up white truck with rusty doors.

  Hunter was quiet, his face drawn by the day’s unpleasant events. “It’ll be alright soon,” he murmured.

  Her face ached as though frozen. She looked up at him. The last rays of the sun were shooting out from behind fat clouds, pinks and reds streaked across the sky. “How do you know that?” she asked unable to believe it.

  His face sobered. “I’ll work my tail off to make sure that our company survives.”

  She was shamed by the fierce devotion in his eyes. “Why do you care about Bronswort? It’s just another acquisition to you.”

  Hunter’s face was fervent with determination. “Mina, Bronswort is ours, not mine, doing whatever we can to fix it is our job.”

  He was right. She should’ve seen it long ago. She could help. “I quit.”

  Hunter’s jaw dropped, stunned. “What did you say?”

  The hurt began to swell inside her,
she felt like she was about to burst apart. With a cry, she turned from him. One moment she was walking, the next her feet were pounding the ground as she ran.

  Hunter’s footsteps raced behind her. He caught up, wrenched her to a halt. “You can’t mean it!”

  She accepted his hold, relished it. It would be the last time he’d want to touch her. But he had to let her go. “I’m not like you Hunter. I don’t fool myself into believing I can save what’s lost. I won’t stick around and watch Bronswort go under.”

  He let her go as she’d known he would. “You’re distraught. The Mina I know loves Bronswort. She did everything she could to save Bronswort … even marrying me.”

  She swallowed a sob. “You don’t know me. You think stalking me, buying off my father and a few nights of sex are enough for you to know me? Hunter’s eyes always so dark, grew darker still until she could barely see the whites around them. His entire body stiffened as though he’d received a mortal wound. “Mina, you don’t mean-”

  “Oh shut up!” she nodded wildly. “Of course I mean every word. Why do you think I haven’t shared your bed since that night in the car? You’re supposedly a smart man Hunter. Read my lips, I don’t love you. I won’t. Not ever. And I’m through with this business. Save it if you can.”

  He hauled himself up to his impressive height, his tanned face grim, “I’ll do my damndest to do so,” he bit out.

  “I’ve no right to but there’s one thing I’d like to ask,” she said.

  He looked past her as if she wasn’t there. “What is it?” his voice was devoid of any emotion.

  The hurt was instant and crippling, she fought to stay on her feet.

  But she needed to say one last goodbye.

  Later she’d have to do the same with Hermile. She couldn’t live with him anymore. She had to get as far away from Hunter as possible. “I want to stay here for a while, alone,” Hunter’s brows furrowed but she rushed on, “We put a lot of work into this place and I’d like to take one final look around.”

  He nodded without speaking then met her eyes, she flinched under the searing sense of loss which shone from his eyes.

  Was it for her? Or was he simply pissed off that he’d lost another employee?

  “One hour Mina. That’s it. Then get off my property.”

  He took off towards his car.

  Minutes ticked by after he’d gone. He’d not headed back to Bronswort mansion instead he’d taken the opposite turn … towards his old home?

  She closed her eyes against the hot sting of tears.

  She loved him but she had to do her part to save the business. Eliminating her salary would go a long way. Hopefully he’d use it to rehire some of the men he’d laid off today.

  She brushed a tear away and looked around the deserted worksite.

  How would she get back home? She’d come with Hunter. She shrugged, she’d make do. Besides Bronswort mansion was no longer her home and very soon Hunter would no longer be her husband.

  Chapter fifteen

  “What are you doing here?” Hermile’s bellow shook the wooden rafters which lined the low ceiling of his library.

  Mina’s knees quaked but she squared her chin and marched stiffly into the room. She stopped short at the sight of Josephine, sitting opposite Hermile’s desk. “Mom, I thought you’d gone home?”

  It was after 10 p.m. She’d deliberately stayed away until she thought Josephine had left and Hunter wouldn’t be likely to show up.

  Josephine smiled softly at her, there was a new sense of peace in her dark eyes but sadness still lingered there. “How are you doing?” she asked quietly, her voice soothing.

  A rush of emotions choked her. She’d give anything to blurt out the truth. It hurt so much more than she’d thought it would. The only thing she had to compare it to was when Josephine had left, but even that had been different. She’d been young, scared, and hadn’t understood the depth of pain behind her parent’s imploded marriage.

  She didn’t have any such shield anymore.

  She rubbed her arm, looked away from Josephine’s steady gaze. “I did what I had to do, mom.”

  “Is that what you call it?” Hermile barged in, his green eyes glowed with fury. “You call quitting your job, dumping your husband, what you had to do? What kind of selfish brat did I raise?”

  His outrage was so ridiculous considering the source, Mina threw her head back and laughed. A hollow mirth bubbled up from nowhere, she tried to stop but couldn’t. She leaned over, wrapped her arms around her middle and roared … it turned into sobs, very soon she was bawling her eyes out. She couldn’t stop. It was as if all the pain had to get out.

  Dimly she felt Josephine at her side, holding her up.

  Mina, wrapped her arms gratefully around her mother, and rested her head on her shoulders. “Oh Mom, I love him so much but he doesn’t love me.” The words lacerated her throat, she howled even louder.

  “Stop that damned caterwauling in this house,” Hermile said gruffly. He was beside them now, “It won’t change a thing sweetie,” this made her cry harder. “Oh shit, Mina, you make me ashamed of the stupid woman you’ve become,” he pulled her from Josephine’s grasp. “Hunter loves you. Just about admitted it this morning.”

  “What?” she stuttered, taking a deep breath, she wiped her eyes. Disgust shot through her, she shoved away from him. “You’d do anything to keep Hunter’s pockets open, wouldn’t you? You disgust me!” she cried.

  Josephine jumped, came towards her again.

  Mina motioned her back. “Hunter doesn’t love me. He bought me. You sold me to him to save your company,” she turned to Josephine, ignored her mother’s frantic shake of the head. “For two decades you punished mom because she made a horrible mistake. Hunter doesn’t love me, but I’m willing to bet he cares for me. More than you ever did.”

  Josephine’s dark moon face was horrified, her eyes glazed with distress. “Mina that’s not true. Hermile loves you more than anything.”

  “No, Josie, not more than you. I’ve never loved anything more than you.” Hermile looked at Josephine, whose mouth trembled with a smile, her face soft and flowing, she was more beautiful than Mina could remember. Hermile’s entire being seemed to glow from within, there was more warmth, more life in his eyes than she’d seen since Josephine had left.

  What was happening? Had the damned world turned crazy?

  But it wouldn’t change a thing for her, “I’m glad … I truly am, that it seems things have changed between you guys, but please,” her gaze implored them, “stay out of my life. I’ll be moving in the morning.”

  “Mina, you can’t,” Hermile cried out. He held out both hands in appeal, his eyes distraught, “we can all make this work. Please give Hunter another try.

  He called, he’ll be arriving soon to get his stuff.”

  She stared adamantly at her father, for once facing him as an adult, “I won’t be your pawn anymore. It’s over dad.”

  Mina found herself hiding at the top of the stairs much later that night, long after Josephine and her father had retired to bed. Josephine had decided to stay overnight, unwilling to ignore Hermile’s shameless pleas. As far as she knew they were asleep in separate rooms on the ground floor.

  Apart for two decades, now they wouldn’t be parted.

  She rocked back on her bottom, her hands tensed around her legs as the sound of a car’s engine slowly died to silence outside.

  He’d come at midnight. Hoping perhaps that they were all asleep.

  So why wasn’t she? She could still slip away without anyone knowing how weak she was. How much she loved him. But she couldn’t.

  She listened to him silently stride into the room. She watched him through the bannisters, her eyes ate up every nonchalant movement of his body in the soft light at the bottom of the stairs. It illuminated the breadth of his long, muscled arms, the uncompromising tilt of his head.

  She waited. Praying the puddle of darkness at the corner of the stairs wou
ld hide her as he came to the top. His room, the one she’d forced him to use, was in the opposite direction.

  He didn’t pause. A relieved breath escaped her as she watched him make his way to his room.

  He stopped halfway down the hall, his stance rigid, and before she could make a hasty retreat, he marched right up to her.

  She nearly swooned, as he stood glowering down into her upturned eyes. His face was frightening, already swarthy the darkness gave him a diabolical appearance.

  “Missed me?” he queried caustically, but there was no warmth in his voice, none of the playfulness that usually simmered beneath the surface.

  She gulped, “this is still my home, I can go where I please,” it came out as a stammer.

  He tilted his head to the side, “hmm … now that would be something wouldn’t it, that a cold-hearted little witch like yourself would actually care about something other than herself.”

  That hurt, she couldn’t let it pass. “Calling me names doesn’t mean you know me Hunter, it simply shows how ignorant you are.”

  She could feel him stiffen beside her, he bent, broke deeper into the barrier of darkness shielding her. She flinched but didn’t retreat.

  He shrugged, “you may be right there but I have been mistaken before. I’d never figured you for a quitter,” his eyes grew skeptical, “but I do know why you’re hiding out here,” he finished ominously.

  The urge to escape seized her. This had been a very stupid mistake. But she stayed rooted to the spot, pinned against every iota of better judgment. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said flippantly.

  The blur of his hands springing down, caught her off-guard, he cupped her cruelly through her clothes. She tensed as a rush of traitorous blood went racing down to the pressure from his fingers.

  He laughed, low and bitter. “You want me,” he yanked her forward, she smacked against his hard chest, the breath knocked from her body. He lifted her as if she weighed nothing and grounded his hips into her femininity. There was no mistake that the reverse was also true, his bulge gouged into her belly, “you want this,” he hissed.