Devastated (Anger Management Book 1)

by R. L. Mathewson

  “I guess it did,” Ryan said, sounding pleased as he joined him.

  “Everything all set for tomorrow?” Hunter asked, as he opened the kitchen patio doors.

  “That depends.”

  “On what?”

  “If you’re sure this is what you want to do,” Ryan said, as Hunter found himself watching Kylie, thinking about what his life was like without her and…

  “I’m sure.”

  *-*-*-*

  She sucked at being a girl, Kylie finally had to admit to herself as she stood there trying to figure out what the difference was between a bath bomb and bath salts. Maybe she should stick with bubble bath, she thought as she shifted her attention to the glass bottle of bubble bath that was almost empty.

  Perhaps mix them? she thought, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she debated between lemongrass and lavender. Definitely lemongrass, she decided as she selected the green bath bomb and tossed it in the bathtub and-

  “Okay, that’s…that’s actually pretty cool,” she said, feeling her eyebrows arch in surprise as she watched the bath bomb roll around the water as hundreds of bubbles erupted around it.

  Curious, she grabbed another bath bomb and tossed it in the water. That was followed with a handful of bath salts and a sigh of disappointment when the salts didn’t do anything. Deciding that was enough, for now, she turned the water off and quickly got undressed, put her hair up in a messy bun, tossed her clothes in the hamper before she climbed into the tub, and-

  Groaned as the scented hot water seeped into every pore, relaxing her sore muscles, and had her quickly deciding that bath salts and bath bombs were definitely a necessity, one that she fully planned on buying from this point on. Definitely a necessity, she thought as she closed her eyes and couldn’t help but smile when she felt Hunter brush his lips against hers in a teasing kiss.

  “I thought you were working?” Kylie asked, opening her eyes to find Hunter leaning over her.

  “Did you miss me?” he asked, giving her one last kiss before he sat down on the edge of the tub.

  “A little bit,” she said, watching as Hunter unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them halfway up his tanned forearms.

  “Just a little bit?” he said, sounding distracted as he selected one of the bars of goat’s milk soap that she liked so much from the small basket that she kept by the tub.

  “Maybe more than a little bit,” she admitted, watching as Hunter absently nodded as he dipped the bar of soap in the water and began working it between his hands.

  “Sit up,” he said softly, gesturing for her to move forward as he placed the bar of soap down.

  Worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, she pulled her knees against her chest and dropped her trembling hands beneath the water and clenched them into fists as she reluctantly moved forward. Releasing a shaky breath, she wrapped her arms around her legs and placed her chin on her knees.

  Even after three months of working with Grey, there were still a few things that she couldn’t handle and the scars on her back were one of them. She hated the scars on her back, hated knowing that they were there, hated the reminder of what they did to her, and she hated that they’d made sure that she would never forget, but she hated the way she reacted when he saw her back even more. She didn’t want him to know that it bothered her so much or that-

  “I’m in love with you, Kylie,” Hunter said, as he shifted so that he could run his soapy hands over her shoulders and down her back.

  “W-what?” she asked, as her hands began to tremble for a completely different reason.

  Nodding absently, he took his time running his hands down her back as he said, “I love you, Kylie.”

  Closing her eyes, she released a shaky breath as she struggled to make sense out of what he was saying. He told her that he loved her only…

  They were just words.

  Three little words that always did more harm than good. Three little words that her parents told her when they went too far as they explained how it was her fault. The screams always followed when she couldn’t say those three little words back, reassuring her parents that she wouldn’t say anything until finally, they did what they always did to make sure that she didn’t say anything. They were the same three little words that David told her to make her believe that someone cared about her before they became the words that he threw back in her face whenever he wanted to hurt her.

  They were just three little words…

  They didn’t mean anything.

  Until now.

  Now they had the power to destroy her.

  “You love me?” she asked, needing to hear it one more time.

  The hands that were running down her back suddenly stopped and then…

  “What are you doing?” Kylie asked, trying to scramble out of the way when the very large, and fully dressed man, she’d like to point out, climbed into the tub.

  “Going over the rules,” Hunter said with a weary sigh as he somehow managed to fit his large body behind her, careful to make sure that his shoes didn’t scratch her skin as he stretched his long legs out alongside hers as he added, “Again.”

  “Umm, what rules are you talking about?” she asked, as she settled back against him.

  “The ones that you’ve clearly forgotten about, Miss Ashcroft,” Hunter said, as he tried to get more comfortable.

  “And you had to climb in the tub in your clothes to do this?” Kylie asked, as she tilted her head back against his chest so that she could look up at him.

  “I wanted to make sure that you remembered the rules this time, Miss Clark,” he said, as he grabbed the bar of soap.

  “Oh, I’m definitely going to remember this,” she said, feeling her lips twitch with amusement as she reached back and pulled his tie loose.

  “Good, because I don’t like having to repeat myself,” he said, sounding pleased as he dropped the bar of soap in the water before he managed to tear a moan from her as his hands found her breasts.

  “Out of curiosity, when did we go over these rules?” she asked, as she pulled his tie free and dropped it over the side of the tub as Hunter continued to run his hands over her breasts.

  “The day when we first met, Miss Stainton,” he said, sighing heavily before muttering, “I knew that you weren’t paying attention,” with a sad shake of his head.

  “Do you mean when you threw me over your shoulder and carried me like a sack of potatoes while ranting about being late and doing my job correctly the first time without bitching while also making sure that I understood that making excuses wouldn’t be accepted?” she asked, as her eyes slid closed on a moan.

  “You forgot the most important rule, Miss Lynn,” Hunter said, as she felt his lips brush against the side of her neck as he ran his soapy palms over her nipples.

  “What’s that?” she asked, licking her lips as her hands found his thighs.

  “That when I tell you that I love you,” he said, pausing so that he could take her mouth in a slow sensual kiss as his hand slid down her stomach, “that I mean that I love you more than anything else in this world, Kylie.”

  *-*-*-*

  “Really?” the small woman trembling in his arms asked.

  “I love you, Kylie,” he promised her, more than willing to say it as many times as she needed.

  He loved her so fucking much. The funny thing was that he never saw this coming, never wanted it to happen, and now that it had…

  He never wanted to let her go.

  “I love you,” Hunter said, tightening his hold on her breast.

  “I love you,” he said, as he kissed his way down her neck.

  “I love you,” he said, as he slid his hand between her legs.

  “I love you,” he said, as he shifted so that he could hook her legs over his knees.

  “I love you,” he said, kissing her neck as he traced her slit with his fingertips.

  “I love you,” he said, as he found her clit.

  “I love you,” he said
, as he gently caressed her clit, kissing her neck as he closed his eyes and said, “I love you,” one more time.

  *-*-*-*

  “Hunter?” Kylie managed to get out on a shaky breath as her grip tightened on his legs and she forced herself to ignore the way that her heart was beating against her chest and said those three little words that she’d never thought that she would be able to say.

  “I love you.”

  She felt him go still and then-

  “Hunter?” she said, worrying her bottom lip as he pulled his hands away.

  When she opened her eyes and moved to turn around, she suddenly found herself picked up and carefully placed on the bathroom floor. Frowning, she turned around to find Hunter watching her as he grabbed hold of the side of the tub and pulled himself up.

  “Say it again,” he said, watching her as he stood up.

  Licking her lips, she said, “I love you,” as she shifted nervously.

  “Again,” he said, as he climbed out of the tub, his gaze never left her.

  “I love you,” she said, as he reached for her.

  “Again,” he said, pulling her into his arms.

  “I love you.”

  Chapter 37

  “This is getting creepy,” the small woman curled up against him said with a sleepy smile.

  “I like watching you sleep,” Hunter said, as he leaned down and kissed her.

  “Still creepy,” Kylie said with a solemn nod, making him chuckle.

  “I wanted to talk to you about something,” he said, forcing himself to break off that kiss when all he wanted to do was to lose himself in her.

  “What’s that?” she asked, snuggling closer to him.

  “Actually, make that two things,” Hunter amended after a moment.

  “Two things?” Kylie asked, cracking one eye open to look at him.

  Nodding, he said, “Two things,” as he gently brushed her hair over her shoulder so that he could kiss the side of her neck.

  “And what are these two things that you wanted to discuss at three in the morning?” she asked, as she ran her fingers over his chest.

  “What are your plans today?” Hunter asked, kissing her neck as he gently pushed her onto her back so that he could follow, settling himself between her legs.

  “Well, you mean besides getting some sleep now that the Florida criminal system has released a dangerous criminal back into the population?” Kylie asked, as she wrapped her arms around him.

  “Yes, besides that, brat,” he said, chuckling as he pressed one last kiss against her neck so that he could look at her.

  “Errands,” she said, making his lips twitch.

  “That sounds exciting,” he said, smiling as he leaned down and kissed her.

  “What’s the second question?” Kylie asked, as she ran her hands over his back.

  “How would you like to go away with me today?” he asked, as he pulled back from that kiss.

  “You’re leaving?” she asked, sounding so damn sad that he couldn’t help but lean back down and give her another kiss.

  “Yes, and I’m asking you to go with me,” he said, kissing her chin.

  “What about work?” Kylie asked after a slight hesitation.

  “It will be here when we get back,” he assured her with a kiss against her throat.

  “So, I still have a job?” she asked, making him frown.

  “Why wouldn’t you still have a job?” he asked, pulling back so that he could look into her beautiful eyes as he tried to figure out what she was talking about.

  “I was only hired to help you during your house arrest.”

  “I see,” he murmured thoughtfully.

  “We’ve never talked about what happens after this,” she said, making him realize his mistake.

  “No, we haven’t, have we?” he murmured in agreement as he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. “It’s up to you, Miss Kimmes. The job is yours if you want it,” he said, tempted to tell her that she didn’t need to work, but he knew her well enough to know that’s not what she wanted. His little workaholic liked to stay busy. She could do whatever made her happy and he wouldn’t care.

  Unless she tried to leave, that is.

  Then he’d lose his fucking mind.

  “I want to keep my job,” she said without hesitation, making him smile.

  “And pretend that I’m in charge?” he teased with another kiss.

  “I suppose I could do that,” Kylie said, smiling as she reached up to gently caress his jaw.

  “What if I told you that I had another question for you, Mrs. O’Mallery?” he said, making her breath catch.

  “What did you just call me?” she asked, not sure that she’d heard him right.

  “Mrs. O’Mallery,” he said slowly, enunciating every syllable with a pleased smile.

  “Why did you call me that?” she asked, releasing a shaky breath.

  “Because I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he said, brushing his lips against hers as he said, “Say yes.”

  “I…” she started to say only to close her eyes and admit, “I’m scared.”

  “Of what?” Hunter asked, leaning down to brush his lips over hers.

  “Of saying yes.”

  “Do you want to say yes?” he asked absently, as he kissed a path down to the side of her neck.

  “Yes,” she said, making him smile.

  “Then say yes, Kylie,” he said, pulling back so that he could look into her beautiful blue eyes.

  “Yes,” she said with a watery smile as she pulled him down for a kiss.

  “Then this is probably a good time to go over the rest of the rules,” he said, sighing heavily with a solemn nod, making her lips twitch.

  “More rules?” she asked, unable to help but smile as she wrapped her arms around him.

  “Mmmhmm,” he said, as he leaned down and kissed her, “you are going to let me spoil you.”

  “I see,” she murmured against his lips. “Is that it?”

  “That, and you’ll let me love you for the rest of my life.”

  Epilogue

  One Month Later…

  Maldives

  “Are you going to open your eyes?”

  “Are you going to try to make me go back in the water?” Kylie countered as she felt the sheet pulled down another inch.

  “That depends,” Hunter said, as he continued kissing a path down her spine.

  “On what?” she asked on a moan as she felt her body relax.

  “On what you’re hiding under your pillow,” he said, making her wince.

  “I can explain,” she said, even as she pushed the iPad that she’d been forced to hide when Hunter came out of the shower back towards his side of the bed.

  “I thought we agreed no work,” Hunter said, as she felt his large hand slip beneath her pillow and pull the iPad away.

  “We did, but this was an emergency,” Kylie said, rolling over to face her husband with a hopeful smile, really hoping that it would be enough to make him forget his promise to throw her in the water if he found her trying to work again.

  “I see,” he murmured thoughtfully as he looked down at the iPad that she’d snuck into her carry-on bag when he wasn’t looking. “And this new online form system is an emergency?”

  “It is if we want an easier integration system,” she said, nodding solemnly, making his lips twitch.

  With a heavy sigh, he tossed the iPad aside and pulled her into his arms so that she was straddling his lap. “What am I going to do with you, Mrs. O’Mallery?”

  “Let me see how the forms look when they’re printed?” she suggested with a hopeful smile.

  “We could do that,” Hunter said, as he leaned in and pressed his lips against her forehead, “or we could go for another swim.”

  “We could do that,” she murmured in agreement only to shake her head with a sad sigh.

  “But…” he said, sliding his hands down her back as he turned his head so that he could ki
ss her cheek.

  “But that would mean leaving this bed, Mr. O’Mallery,” she pointed out as she wrapped her arms around him.

  “And we wouldn’t want that,” Hunter said, as he slid his hands over her bottom and pulled her closer.

  “We really wouldn’t,” she readily agreed with a nod, as she leaned in and-

  “Wait. What are you doing?” she couldn’t help but wonder when he climbed off the bed and headed towards the open patio doors.

  “Going for a swim with my beautiful wife,” Hunter said, kissing the tip of her nose.

  “B-but my floatie?” she said, sending a look of longing towards the SpongeBob Square Pants floatie that he’d grabbed for her from the gift shop.

  “You won’t need it,” he promised her as he headed towards the edge of the deck.

  “And why’s that?” she asked, because she was pretty sure that she was going to need it, especially if she wanted to live.

  “Because,” Hunter said, turning around as he tightened his hold around her, “I’m never letting you go.”

  *-*-*-*

  Maryhale, Florida

  “I think there’s been a misunderstanding,” Ryan said, as he glanced up from the resume with barely anything on it to look at the small woman that had waited over two hours for this interview and-

  “Mommy?”

  Once again wondered why she’d brought her son with her when the little boy who’d been doing his best to sit quietly next to her reached over and gently tugged on the cheap blouse that was two sizes too big for her with a, “I need to go potty, mommy.”

  “The bathroom’s over there, big guy,” Ryan said, gesturing absently towards the bathroom off his office as he took in the woman sitting across from him, taking in her long black hair that she’d put up in an elegant bun, pale baby blue eyes that looked sad, a cute nose, baby pink lips, a full figure, and realized that she was nothing like the women that he normally hired.

  When the little boy hesitated, the woman that was wasting his time turned to him with a soft smile and said, “It’s okay, Chance.”

  After throwing Ryan a questioning glance, the little boy reluctantly climbed out of his chair and headed towards the bathroom, mumbling, “Thank you,” as he kept his gaze glued to the floor.