Chapter 23
My love for Hunter stretches beyond infinity. I can’t take my eyes off him, watching his features drawn in a peaceful sleep. He looks so serene, so different from the chaos of our lives. After last night, when he pulled me to him during the group hug, it was as if I was the only one he truly needed.
He peeks one eye open, and I give him the same reply as he gave me. “Enjoying the view.”
His smile is so radiant it brightens my insides. “Take your fill then.”
“I’d never get my fill.”
“Now I am hard, happy?”
I snort a laugh. “I’m so sorry for the inconvenience. How can I be of service?” I ask, batting my lashes at him.
“Take care of my dick.”
I love that gravelly, deep tone laced with a command that instantly makes me wet. My need for him only grows, and I doubt this insatiable desire will ever be appeased. It gets bigger and bigger while our relationship gets better and better.
Two orgasms later, I dress and leave him to get ready. I go downstairs to see the girls all gathered around the kitchen table.
“So, what are we going to do?” Abi inquires, her voice tinged with urgency.
Mia’s lips purse in a tight line, her eyes narrowing with determination. “Fuck priorities. I need her to suffer.”
Celine stares into space, playing with a kitchen knife. “I want cockroaches to eat her rotten corpse.”
“We need to go to London,” I say, and we all exchange a glance.
“The guys will never be okay with that,” Celine voices what we’re all thinking.
Placing my elbow on the table, I lean my cheek in my palm. “Yeah, but who knows when we’ll finally catch Felix.”
“I hate that we’ll have to lie to them, but fuck it. They will forgive us,” Abi says, and we nod in agreement.
“I can talk to Mom and tell her we need some girl time, and she can cover for us,” Celine suggests.
“One day, that’s all we need,” I say, fully on board with this plan.
I do a lot of thinking and planning over the next week. Stalking Alice online, I find out what she does every hour of every day. I hacked her office laptop and her phone, and I have watched her social media nonstop. I want her to suffer first. Death would be too easy for her, but what I have in mind will be a slow, agonizing torment before she dies. With time not being on our side, I must be content with the few hours of torture.
While the girls flesh out the plan, seated around the kitchen table and not caring at all about preparing breakfast, I have my own plan. No one hurts the man I love and gets away with it. I don’t care about right or wrong. His abuser will pay.
When the guys come downstairs, suspicion glints in Kaden’s eyes, but Celine kisses him, distracting him well enough. As no one wants to cook, we decide to go on campus and have breakfast at a coffee shop.
I don’t want to lie to Hunter, but this need to avenge the small boy and lost teenager overshadows anything else. Not wanting him to have even a smidgen of doubt that we’re planning something, I shower him with all my love and attention.
He’d do the same, so I know he will forgive me. I’ll take his frustration, aware he’ll fuck me so hard I will probably promise him never to do something like that again.
***
It’s Friday morning, and we told the guys that Cassandra summoned us to the estate. The matriarch is going to be furious when she finds out we lied to her about planning a wellness day. But she would stop us, or worse, take our revenge from us.
When the guys leave for classes, we grab our bags and hop in an Uber. We drive to the airport and take a private jet to London. We didn’t want to risk it, so I chartered one with fake IDs.
“The guys are going to be so mad,” Celine says, rummaging through her bag with a furrowed brow.
“It’s too late for that,” Abi replies, resolve in her voice. Mia and I nod. We’ve already decided, and we’ll stick with the plan. We’ll deal with the consequences later.
While the flight attendant brings us some champagne, I say, “Hopefully, soon we’ll be able to go on an actual girls’ trip.”
Raising their glasses, we clink them in a toast.
“Do you think they know by now?” Mia asks.
“Undoubtably. You kept asking Blake about different drugs to incapacitate someone,” Celine sighs.
“He knows his stuff, and how else would I have been able to steal the right thing from the laboratory?” Mia turns to me. “Why did you need that toxin powder as well?”
“Making sure we have all our bases covered.” I love these girls; they’re my best friends and family. Lying to them pains me, but I’ve made up my mind and won’t be deterred. This is for Hunter.
Abi frowns. “If something happens to me, Dane will kill me.”
We giggle at that.
“We’ll never do anything behind their backs again, okay?” I say, and they all dip their chins in agreement.
“We wouldn’t like that either if the roles were reversed. But for Hunter, I’d take Kaden’s anger. He will understand,” Celine says.
Abi shrugs. “We’d die for each other.”
I look at each of them. “Let’s try to stay alive because I’ve barely started mine.”
“Please, he’s my brother. I love you. I hope you have the best sex life but…” Mia shudders, her face scrunching up.
“Stop being a drama queen. Ignore that he’s your twin. I want to know all about it,” Abi says, clasping her hands together in barely contained excitement.
“I’m sure the sex is violent, just like him,” Celine says, looking me over.
He must have fucked the blush out of me because I don’t feel the heat stretching over my skin.
“He’s so commanding, and then he’s so sweet. We do it for hours. Is that normal?”
They all nod enthusiastically.
“Do you think the guys know something is up?” I ask, my hitched voice betraying my nerves. I’m more afraid that they will endanger my plan.
“Hopefully not yet. They think we’re at the estate for the night,” Mia replies.
“You know the guys we’re with, right?” Abi says.
“They’ll find out. Fuck. We need to hurry,” Celine says, tapping her foot on the floor as if that will bring us closer to our destination.
A sigh heaves my chest. “This is the fastest jet I could get…”
Mia waves her hand through the air. “It will lessen their anger once they see us alive and well.”
When the jet lands, we hop in the cab to the hotel. The drive passes in a blur, and I am deep in my thoughts.
The hotel wasn’t chosen at random. It’s a quick walk to the monster’s favorite bakery. Every Friday, she indulges in one chocolate pastry in the afternoon. I glimpse at my smartwatch; the timing must be perfect. I have only one chance.
The plan the girls and I devised must be enacted at night. Once inside the suite that offers a fabulous view of the Thames, I tell them I’ll be in my room, hacking the cameras at Preston’s boarding school.
Taking advantage of their chatting, I quickly put on transparent gloves and sprinkle the contents of an untraceable toxin powder on my left hand. This will poison Alice’s insides and, lastly, stop her heart. I slip outside and head toward the bakery.
A limousine halts in front of the shop, and Alice Declare steps out. She betrayed her best friend. Instead of taking care of her son, she tarnished that relationship by committing the worst crime—abusing an innocent boy. That’s unforgivable in my moral code. I could have destroyed her career, but she doesn’t deserve a second chance.
Calm and collected, I watch her. She smiles as she passes me by, unaware of the danger she’s in. It rings of poetic justice. I hate how she can do that; smile so genuinely, you’d think she’s a damn saint when she’s the devil in disguise. But monsters know how to present themselves, playing the societal game, so their crimes stay hidden. With a deep sense of justice filling me up, I return her smile, brushing my left hand along hers, infecting her skin immediately. A few seconds, and it’s done.
In the hotel lobby bathroom, I discard the gloves in the toilet, flushing them down the drain. I wash my hands, then return stealthily to the suite as if I was never gone.
Back in my room, I hack into the hotel and street cameras, erasing any evidence that I was near the bakery. We can’t risk it, so just for safety reasons, I plan to delete us from any camera feeds that might catch us today. However, the safety measure is moot because Alice’s death will be ruled a heart attack.
Once I’m done, I meet back with the girls in the living room.
“I really want to see Preston’s boarding school and a bit of London. This was your home,” Abi says, looking at Mia and then at Celine.
“We are risking too much already, but we’ll come back,” Mia tells her, a nostalgic look passing her features.
“I’m starving. What do you all want to eat?” Celine asks and places the order for us.
Twenty minutes later, there’s a knock on the door.
“That was quick,” Abi says and moves to open the door for room service. A gasp breaks through, and we rush to her, coming to a complete stop.
The guys stand in the hallway, shoulder to shoulder, staring us down.
No one says anything.
“You know me better than that. So don’t even start,” Celine says.
Kaden arches a brow. “Defensive, Sky. That means you know you fucked up.”
She huffs. “Of course, I know. But I won’t let that fucking predator be alive one more day.”
He sighs and steps inside.
“I have eyes only for you, so when you insisted you wanted to see the drugs, I had my suspicions, but when you stole it, I was sure,” Blake says through a clenched jaw.
“That’s because I have a smart boyfriend,” Mia replies sweetly.
“Oh, Silver, flattery won’t get you out of trouble,” he clicks his tongue and walks inside.
Dane pins Abi with an intent look. “I am mad at you, princess.”
She wraps her arm around his elbow, looking up at him with sheer adoration. “I’m sorry. I was thinking all the time about how to make it up to you.”
“You better.”
They walk inside. Maybe I should try her placating tactic by acting as if nothing happened, but I doubt it will work on my man.
And then it’s just me and Hunter. Tension bristles between us. His intense perusal sends a dizzying wave through me. He cocks his head, checking me from head to toe as if he’s making sure I am all right.
“What would you have done to her?” he asks, bracing his arms against the door frame.
“You mean, what will I do to kill her,” I say matter-of-factly.
“Are you my avenging angel?”
“I would be anything for you.”
That softens the hardness on his face.
“It is a good plan. We would have been home by the time you woke up tomorrow.”
“Could I have slept without you by my side?” he asks, erasing the space between us, his chest brushing mine.
I tilt my head up. “No.”
“Since the moment I confessed to you, I have watched you, knowing you’d do something because if you’re as crazy as me, then that is what I would have done.”
I opt for sincerity. “I didn’t want you to have to see her ever again.”
My face falls, and he tips my chin up by sweeping two fingers under it, then splays his hand on my cheek and neck.
“You. Alive. Safe. If you’re not in my life, this world won’t be ready to face the darkness in me once I unleash it. You’re holding it at bay.”
Determination fills every crevice in my body. “No one hurts you and gets away with it.”
“I told my father you went with the girls to avenge me, and he said, ‘Son, she’s a keeper.’ Do you want to know what I replied?”
I nod, incapable of forming words because he makes it impossible to think clearly.
“I’m aware, and I intend to keep her. I’d find you every time.” He rubs a point on my neck, and it seems to soothe him, easing the tightness in his features. “I’d never jeopardize your safety. Because I live for you.”
Tears gather in my eyes, and I leap into his arms. “I needed to do this. I couldn’t help myself.”
“Mad together, huh?”
I bury my face in his neck. “Mad together.”
He carries me inside and shuts the door with his foot.
“Can we do a bit of sightseeing?” Abi asks with a cute pout.
“Only if you fucking promise not to do something like this again,” Kaden says, rubbing at his temple.
The girls and I exchange a look, keeping silent, not wanting to lie to them. Who can guarantee something won’t happen in the future?
“Fuck,” Blake says, aware of that.
“It’s not that we want to do it on purpose, but we’ll let you know next time,” Celine says in a soft but resolute tone.
It’s the guys’ turn to exchange a knowing look.
“Fine. But we won’t separate, and we stay vigilant,” Kaden says, giving in.
Room service delivers shortly after the guys’ arrival. Once we finish our meals—sharing our food with the guys—we head out to sightsee. The guys wear caps, and we have our own incognito attire: sunglasses and wigs. It’s reckless, but I think the vacation opened a door we can’t close again. We need more of these easygoing times.
London is eclectic and vibrant. A multicultural, cosmopolitan city where old and new mesh together—pieces of history mingling with contemporary culture. It’s permanently bustling as locals and tourists navigate their way through the metropolis.
I sigh deeply, and Hunter pulls me to him. “What is my girl thinking about?”
“How I want more of this.”
“I’ll make sure you get it.”
I believe him. I lift onto my toes to plant a kiss on his mouth. We take some pics and visit a few tourist locations, from Big Ben to Buckingham Palace.
It’s night by the time we reach the boarding school. I’ve learned that Alice moved into Cillian’s cottage on the school grounds.
On the way there, I hack the cameras and freeze the image for one hour. While we move stealthily from one bush and tree to the other, Celine makes it to the front door and unlocks it with a bobby pin.
I am the first to enter with a single-minded focus. As expected, Alice looks terrible. She’s on the couch, looking unfocused and pale. A sheen of sweat covers her face as she lies there. Every movement is sluggish as she reaches for and drains a glass of water before placing it down on the edge of the table. It tips over, landing on the carpet with a silent thump.
The hardwood creaks with our steps, and she jerks up, startled.
“You… I saw you…” Her brows furrow, trying to place me in her memories.
“Bailey?” Abi asks, and the girls blink at me incredulous.
For the first time, my friends look at me with apprehension. It’s a good feeling. I know they think I’m only dangerous with my tech skills, but for the people I love, I have no problem being lethal in real life as well. My innocence was stripped from me long ago. I am just like them, heirs to a corrupt legacy. While we strive to do good, if someone attacks us, I don’t mind turning into a killer.
I am at peace with that, and my strong voice confirms it as I say, “I did what I had to do.”
I didn’t tell them about this part of the plan, but it felt like my responsibility as the one he confided in. As the woman by his side.
“What have you done, kitten?”
I lift a shoulder. “Poisoned her. I wanted her to suffer for what she did to you before she dies.”
“You did that for me?” Hunter chokes out, voice thick with emotion. I nod, standing my ground. I have no limits when it comes to Hunter.
Alice interrupts our moment with a desperate cry. “No, please. It wasn’t like that. Hunter, help me.”
He doesn’t move from my side. He cocks his head, watching her with zero empathy.
Mia steps over to her, pure malice in her eyes, and pulls a syringe from her bag. “You touched my brother. You should have thought about wanting to stay alive before you did that.”
“I…” she stammers before she says, “What would your mother think?”
In a rush of movement, Mia yanks Alice’s elbow and drags her to her knees. “Don’t talk about my mother, you piece of shit.”
“Say something like that again, and I will end you sooner,” Celine says, playing with her knife. “Or please do. If you’re still breathing, I can torture you.”
“I’ve worked my ass off. I won’t lose everything because of a spoiled boy I only tried to help.” Adrenaline is surely pumping her up, but what she doesn’t know or want to accept is the poison will only kick in faster.
“Don’t,” I tell them. “No evidence.”
It’s also to remind myself not to kill her with my bare hands when she looks at Hunter with doe eyes. “Please help me. What we had was real. I am the only woman for you.”
Don’t kill her, I repeat to myself while Abi strides to her side and presses a point in her clavicle that has her panting.
“Say another word, and I will inflict so much pain on you that you’ll beg for death.”
I want her to suffer until she curses the day she ever thought of touching him.
Darting to her, I bend at the waist to meet her at eye level, forcing her to feel the power imbalance when I look her straight in the eyes. “You’ll die knowing I’m the only woman he has ever loved.” Without thinking, I grab the syringe from Mia, ready to end her already.
Nothing I do will erase what she did to him. Breathing heavily, my chest heaves with every painful rise and fall, just thinking of everything Hunter went through.
It’s Hunter who comes to my side, stopping me. Turning me to him, he has such a soft look on his face before cupping my cheeks. “Easy there, my panther.”
I can’t help but smile. “An upgrade?”
“You’ll always be my kitten, first and foremost.”
Then he cocks his head at Alice, coldness seeping through his grays; they appear icy. A hard expression sets on his face, and there is no trace of the softness he reserves only for me. “Bailey is the only woman I have ever loved—the only one for me. I despised your touch, your breath, and your presence while I crave hers. You wanted me to be your good boy, but she takes me like the bad guy I am. I’m good only for her though.” His voice lowers to a deadly tone that makes her tremble. “And now she’s dirtied her hands for me.”
I’d dirty them up to be unrecognizable for him.
Alice’s eyes flash with disdain. “You’re a disappointment. A sad little boy who would be nothing without me.” She clutches her chest. It won’t take long now. None of us wastes another word on her. Let her marinate in the knowledge of her impending death.
“What do you want, Hunter?” Kaden asks, sweeping his gaze from him to pinning her down with a hard look, she shudders.
“I won’t spare another moment thinking about you.” He pulls me to his front. “You took all my firsts, but this…” He slams his mouth on mine, kissing me with savage passion and wild abandon. When the kiss ends, I’m so overcome with emotions I don’t even know what to say.
“What are we doing with the poison now?” Mia asks, and Hunter says, “Let’s not waste it.”
He takes the syringe from my hand, finds a spot on the back of Alice’s neck along her hairline, and presses down through her whimpers.
“Isn’t it ironic, Alice? You touched me first, but I am touching you last.”
When he takes a step back, malice flashes in her eyes before her body shakes uncontrollably. She lets out a long breath, and then her eyes remain open.
With her dead, Hunter tugs at my hand and pulls me outside. Blake, Kaden, and Celine stay behind to make sure she’s dead.
“Bailey, I fucking bow to you,” Dane says, lightening the atmosphere.
“Are you okay?” Abi asks, palming my arm.
“This was never about me,” I say, and Mia hugs me tightly.
“Thank you for loving my brother. And thank you for being the best woman I could have wished for him.”
“Always.”
Once we’re back in the hotel room, we all pack quickly.
“Are we talking about it?” Blake asks no one in particular.
“It’s done. Good work, Bailey,” Kaden says.
“We have to be better role models for our children,” Abi says.
Celine’s eyes narrow on an invisible point. “You teach them that, and I’ll stand by your side. But if anyone even dares to come close to our children, they will end up slaughtered.”
“We were always going to be corrupt,” Mia sighs.
“To Family. Whatever it takes,” I say.
“To Family. Whatever it takes,” my friends repeat.
When we step inside the Family’s private jet, Hunter is the first to take his seat, gently pulling me down beside him. Holding me close, he kisses my temple.
“Why?” he murmurs softly.
I look around, seeing that our friends allow us a bit of privacy by taking the furthest seats in the jet. This moment feels like a stolen treasure. “I love you… I couldn’t be there when that happened to you, but I will never allow anyone else to ever hurt you again and live.”
“Do you know who’s the only one who has the means to destroy me?”
I shake my head as he whispers above my lips. “You, Bailey. No one else but you.”
“Then no one will ever hurt you again,” I say resolutely.
If it were possible, I’d become one with him to show him that my love for him flows through my veins.
“Thank you,” he rasps and kisses me. “For being you.” He kisses me again. “For being the one who lit up my entire being, but most of all, healed all my wounds. You’re my everything, Bailey—my saving angel, the one and only love of my life, my temptress of a kitten.”
I hug him, pressing my quivering lips to his. If I could, I’d glue us together so we’d feel like this forever—complete. I never believed in love until him, even though I witnessed it in my friends. I never thought it could blast through your life and alter everything in you. Redefine who you are and everything you thought you knew—and then that person becomes your all, and strangely, you feel nothing but utter bliss.
“You better, Hunter, because I don’t think—”
He silences me with another kiss. “I’m yours, even if you stop wanting me.”
That will never happen, but his assurance warms my chest. I cuddle myself to him, and as he wraps his arms around me and caresses along my back, I fall asleep.
He peppers sweet kisses along my face, and I groan, not wanting to leave my dreamy cocoon. With my head on his shoulder and him brushing a strand of hair from my face, he gently turns my protests into moans.
“Or we could just keep flying, love. You don’t have to wake up just yet.”
“Don’t forget about us, Romeo,” Blake says, and I open my eyes to see the girls grinning at me as they step out of the plane and walk toward the cars parked in the hangar. “We’ve been summoned to the estate. We’ll meet you there.”
Hunter flips him the bird, and I say, “It’s okay. We can fly somewhere else once we catch Felix.”
For the second time in my life, hope leads me. Together, we’ll overcome anything. I trust him with my heart. He has all of it anyway—that delicate organ is his to take care of, but also his to destroy. I survived all that neglect my parents inflicted on me, but I’d rather die than go through that with Hunter.
“Hey, love, what’s wrong?” Hunter asks when we pull into the compound a short while later and he parks the car.
“I am just afraid…”
“Of fucking who?” he asks, taking on a warrior stance. He’d slay all my demons, interior or exterior.
“Of this between us…”
His expression softens as he holds my face in his hands, leaning his forehead on mine and breathing me in. He doesn’t seem to mind that the others are waiting for us.
“I am terrified of this between us, too, Bailey. But nothing and no one could keep me from being with you. For a long time, I have wandered around lost, trying to find a place and a purpose. I found both in you. There’s no one else but you for me.”
A loud bang of a fist slamming into the side of the car has me jumping back while Hunter curses under his breath.
“These egotistical assholes,” he grumbles.
I giggle as we climb out.
“Not one fucking word from either of you,” Hunter says, asking me if I am okay.
“Ah, so there is an exception, huh?” Dane chuckles.
“Yes, and it’s just her.”
“He’s in love,” Mia sighs contentedly, and I feel the tips of my ears warm.
“Now, with that piece of garbage dealt with, which place would you consider home?” Abi asks him.
“Home is not a place, it’s a person in my case.”
“Aww,” the girls swoon, and the guys glare at him.
“What, assholes? I’m sure it’s no different for you.”
“True,” Kaden says, each gazing at their respective women.
Surrounded by family, I can’t help but stop and embrace the wholesome moment.
Climbing the stairs of the estate, Samuel welcomes us in. Cassandra is standing in the foyer with arms crossed and an arched brow. It’s obvious that she’s angry with us. She stalks toward her office without a word, and we follow her.
“Ma’am, I’m sorry we worried you, but I needed to do that,” I say, thinking I need to take full accountability.
“Consider yourselves lucky that nothing happened to you. You’re all dismissed for now.” She thrusts a finger at the door, and we trudge out one after the other.
“I hated seeing my mom like that,” Celine says once outside.
Kaden wraps her in his arms. “Sky, we went behind her back.”
“Zero remorse, though,” Mia says.
“We’re trapped in this limbo, anyway. And we came back in one piece,” Abi retorts.
Hunter opens the passenger door for me, and I can’t help but swoon. Any moment, I could erupt with uncontainable love for him.
With a parting kiss, he strides to his side of the car and turns on the engine.
He looks so good with a hand on the wheel, all confident, sexy, and manly as he drives toward campus. A small sigh parts my lips, and he catches that.
“What is it, kitten?”
“I want…”
I don’t even know what I want exactly—this moment never to end, the danger to pass. While he can make me forget about everything else, reality always finds cracks and slips through the openings with ease, waking me up from my dreamlike state.
“You’ve opened my world to more, and now I am greedy and want everything. A life that is more than screens, threats, and responsibilities.”
“Are you tired?” he asks, and my brows furrow at the sudden topic change.
“No.”
“Good, let me show you something.”
That sounds exciting. He drives past the college, and then he turns down an empty road through the forest. There’s nothing here, but on the other side, I recognize Blake’s lodge. In the distance is Dane and Abigail’s house.
“We should have our own place. What do you think?” he asks with a boyish grin that only inflates my excitement.
I jump into his arms, and he swirls me around. Maybe I am a fairy after all, because I’m living my own fairytale love. For the next hour, we make plans.
I smile, fully excited about the future. “Abi will surely help us with that.”
“And once it’s safe, we can start building our home.”
I don’t think it’s too soon. There’s an inner voice telling me he’s the one. This is right. I don’t see myself with anyone else but him. If I had one wish, it would be to grow old with him.
We seal the deal with a deep, passionate kiss that leaves me breathless yet craving even more when suddenly my belly rumbles.
He tucks me to his side, guiding me toward his car. “Let’s get my girl fed.”
“Your girl, huh?” I ask teasingly, but I am so happy and want to hold onto this incredible feeling for as long as possible.
“My one and only.”
I could never tire of hearing him say that.
“Who would have thought…” I sigh dreamily.
The moment we reach the car, he backs me against the passenger side. Crushing his mouth on mine, he feeds me his tongue and groans of satisfaction until I am breathless.
When he pulls away, his eyes are hooded. “I couldn’t withstand temptation. You did the corrupting all along.”
I giggle. “I guess I did.”
He shakes his head at me, but that smitten look on his face doesn’t falter. “So proud of yourself, kitten.”
I so am. But above that, I am awed by this wondrous thing developing between us.
I tilt my head, staring deep into his eyes. “We’ve just planned our house. It’s serious.”
“I know how serious it is, Bailey.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, biting my lip.
“Like I have never been before,” he says resolutely.
He takes my hand, lifts it to his mouth, and kisses each of my fingertips. Swept away by the reality of us feels better than any dream. I can’t stop imagining our life in our house. Home—something I’ve never had and can’t wait to experience.
He parks in front of a diner on campus, and we walk inside hand in hand. Music plays low as students mill around, and I abruptly halt when I see Eric at the bar. I totally forgot about him. He looks at me, but the smirk on his face drops when he sees us holding hands.
I don’t know how to react, but Hunter takes care of it by simply guiding me to a booth.
After we order, I can’t help but squirm when I sense Eric staring at me.
“Maybe I should talk to him,” I say, not sounding sure at all.
Hunter stares him down with such a hard look I expect Eric to be knocked down. “You don’t owe him anything. And I don’t like how the fucker is leering at you. Entirely too sure of himself.”
Me, either, but I don’t say that. Instead, I place my hand on his, and he intertwines our fingers.
He shuts his eyes for a moment. “You give me no reason to be jealous, but fuck…”
“I only see you.”
“Do you, now?”
Loving the playfulness going on, I continue. “Mm-hmm. Since the first moment.”
“You taught me a very important lesson. It’s because of you my ego took a huge dent.”
“Oh, now I want to know all about it,” I say, curious and content with myself.
“We see what we want to see. The confirmation bias really did a thing to me. I prided myself on nothing escaping my attention, but I was so focused on how you made me feel that I wasn’t paying attention to the details. Like why you would vanish to your room and why your head was always stuck in your phone all the damn time. I became opaque and didn’t realize you were the hacker. I felt stupid as fuck once I found out.”
I give his hand a squeeze, trying to comfort him. “I never flaunted my ability, mostly because I was afraid of what the Family would do once they knew. While Celine, Mia, and Dane found out quickly, you were so intent on wanting to believe that I was some damsel. I didn’t like that you thought of me as helpless, but I longed for your attention. In my head, it was like once you figured that out, you would stop watching me.”
He strokes his thumb along my palm. “You own all my attention, Bailey.”
“Good. I hated that you ignored me afterward.”
“I was confused, love, but I needed to protect you, so I sucked it up. I tried. Fuck, how I tried to keep my distance. But I failed every damn time, and then you asked me to take your virginity. I knew right then I was losing my control, but for the first time, I didn’t want to stop.”
My head lowers and I give him an apologetic glance. “I felt terrible once you told me what happened to you. I’d rather die than coerce you…”
He brings my hand to his mouth and places a tender kiss on the inside of my palm. “Please never think of that again. That time I stiffened when you touched me was because I wasn’t used to it, but I craved your hands on me. My body and mind were at war, but once you did, I wanted more, so I kept provoking you.”
Resisting the urge not to jump him, to blanket him in my love and show nothing but pleasure, is a challenge. We’re in public—and just in time, our food arrives to remind us of that.
As he digs into his salad and steak, I say, “Always so disciplined.”
“I like how you stare at my body so much, so I am not risking that.”
Only he would think that, I swear. “Shut up. I’d love you anyway.”
He cocks his head, running his thumb along his bottom lip, and that is so sexual I think he might undo my hard work of keeping it together. “Maybe I just love seeing that hungry look on your face.”
“Yes, mine and everyone else’s. I hate that,” I mumble. Nothing like my jealousy making an appearance. “Sorry, but it makes me mad.”
In one swift move, he bends over the table and pulls me toward him by the back of my neck. His face is so close to mine that I can make out the different speckles of gray in his eyes.
“You’re going to be the only one to touch and have me. Got it?”
“Got it.” I don’t even try to hide my smile. “That makes it better.”
I never believed I’d be a jealous or possessive person, yet here I am. He’s so understanding, never making me question his devotion to me. That would be a total mind fuck.
“It’s only fair. I was your first, Bailey, and I intend to be the only one. No one will know you better than I do from the inside out.”
His words echo inside me, making my heartstrings vibrate with acceptance as we lean back in our seats.
I am about to sip from my strawberry mocktail when Eric slides into the booth, sitting beside me.
Hunter’s expression turns murderous. “Get up, right fucking now.”
“But why? I am her boyfriend.”
This guy is dense and has absolutely zero self-preservation skills. Any sane person would pick up on the dangerous vibe Hunter emanates.
“You were never my boyfriend, Eric,” I say, hoping he will leave already. I was enjoying my date with my actual boyfriend.
“Since when?” he asks, his arm inching behind me.
“Since fucking never,” Hunter says low, his arm shooting toward him. He grips Eric by the throat and lifts him.
Eric gurgles for air, his eyes widening so much it seems they might pop out of his sockets at any moment.
“Hunter,” I say his name softly, resting my hand on his wrist. We have drawn attention and everyone is staring in our direction. With a push from Hunter, Eric lands on his ass. He rubs his neck and stands up.
“You’ll pay for this. She’ll be mine. You’ll see,” he spits, storming out.
Hunter’s about to go after him when I step in front of him, placing my hands on his chest that thumps a wild rhythm.
“Shh, it’s okay. He’s not worth it. I’m here. I’m yours.”
Jaw set in a hard line sharp enough to cut granite, he plucks some bills from his wallet, and throws them on the table. Taking my hand, he pulls me closer to his side as he leads me out with tunnel vision. He only releases me briefly to open the passenger door and climb in his seat before he splays his hand on my thigh possessively.
The drive back to the house happens in a blur.
The moment we’re inside, Celine asks, “Wanna join us for a movie?”
“No,” Hunter says, and I offer an apologetic shrug.
She smiles under her breath as Hunter drags me up the stairs and into my room. He slams his mouth on mine, backing me into the door. I love it when he loses control, driven by his animalistic side that wants to prove a point. I am his, but if fucking me against the door will help him, then so be it.
He buries his head in my neck. “You’re bloody mine. Nothing and no one will take you from me.”
“Only yours,” I say, yanking at the ends of his hair the moment he sucks. “You’re going to leave a mark.”
“Exactly.”
Why does everything he says and does to me feel so damn good I lose my mind?
His palms glide down my sides, stopping a bit to caress my breasts before they lower, and he lifts my shirt up, discarding it to the floor.
“Mine. Just mine,” he states, unclasping my bra that slips down my arms.
I am so wet and ready for him I am drenching my thong—conditioned to want him. Naked from the waist up, he plays with my nipples, kissing, licking, and sucking on every uncovered inch. I throw my head back, desire owning me, trapping me in a fiery need.
“Please.”
“Is it torture, love?” he asks, voice dripping of sinful promises as he continues to tease my body.
“Yeah, I want more. Everything.”
“This is how I feel every damn time. It’s never fucking enough.”
He shoves a hand inside my jeans, and a satisfied groan parts his mouth when he finds my slick entrance.
He sucks one nipple and toys with the other—like I’m his personal fuck doll. He pushes two fingers inside of me, curling them and pressing down on my clit.
It’s so much pleasure as he conquers my senses, working my body until I reach the crescendo. The orgasm rips through me so suddenly that my vision blackens for a moment. I’m dizzy on my feet, but he’s there to hold me as I catch my breath.
I am still panting as he pulls his hand out, sucking my release off his fingers and then trailing one over the contour of my lips before he pushes his thumb inside. I suck on it, lulled by the sheer carnality.
“Such a good girl coming on my fingers…”
He unzips my jeans and moves to his next. I am too dazed to participate, and a part of me loves that he’s undressing me.
When we’re both naked, I swallow at his long, thick cock jutting out and leaking pre-cum, those eight small balls on his piercing instantly making me hunger for how they feel inside of me, massaging my walls into blissful euphoria.
I am about to move to my knees when he wraps his hand around my neck and keeps me in place. He hooks my leg up with the other, forcing me on my toes.
He guides his cock to my entrance, groaning, “You’re getting fucked hard tonight.”
“I can take it.”
“Good, because I will test that, my kitten.”
He shoves himself inside of me, bottoming out. I gasp, my nails automatically digging into his back—so full and stretched, a vessel to receive all of him.
Sounds of rapture rumble in his throat. “Always so fucking tight and hot for my cock.”
“You’re so deep…” I moan.
“Mm-hmm. And I want to go even deeper until you feel me with every step you take, every breath you inhale.”
Good god. His words, combined with how full I am, make me delirious. He squeezes my neck at the same time that he pushes back inside of me. In perfect sync, he plays with my neck and pussy. I can’t hold back my cries or tears, the pleasure overwhelming me.
“Such a pretty mess for me,” he says, licking the tears from my face. “Only when we’re like this are you allowed to cry, do you hear me? When I pound this pussy raw and make you take me however I want. But even when I fuck you like you’re my fuck toy, I want you to remember that I love you the most, worship you with every fiber of my being. I’d give my life for you.”
He not only makes me feel loved and desired but cherished and adored. The best kind of emotions overwhelm me, both my heart and body jubilating. “I know, baby. Your love for me is the most extraordinary thing I’ve ever experienced.”
He pulls out of me, and I instantly squeeze, wanting to feel him and not the emptiness he left behind.
In one swift movement, he positions me with my palms on my desk and spreads my legs with his, setting himself at my back. Then, he opens the camera on the laptop.
I am naked and on display while he’s behind me, his hard cock growing even bigger against my back—our bodies create the perfect image of sensuality. His body is wider than mine, carved in stone, making me feel delicate and petite. The knowledge makes me even hotter.
His eyes bore into mine, and I suck in a breath at all that raw hunger reflected in them. He brushes his knuckles along my collarbone down the valley of my breasts. Every touch is a testament to the unbound passion that heats me up. Hunter must be a wizard because he has cast a spell on my very being, making me his and irrevocably binding me to him. He’s all I know. All I want—body and heart. We might live in different bodies, but at our core, we’re one. That’s the only logical explanation for this beautiful madness.
“Watch yourself take me.” His voice is a deep husk that only increases my desire. We feel the same, and I let go, knowing that euphoria will await me once I take the plunge.
As he slips inside of me, inch by mind-blowing inch, I gasp at the fullness and delicious stretch, wanting to hold on to my sanity while he pushes me straight into the arms of sweet delirium. A groan vibrates in his throat as he prolongs burying himself in me to the hilt, keeping us both teetering on the edge. I pant out his name, and his reply is a satisfied grin, loving to make me beg for him.
It’s the most erotic and intense fucking I’ve ever experienced. While I can see myself on the screen, I can also watch him. My eyes are glazed over, and a flush covers my face. His face is drawn in pleasure as he pulls his lower lip through his teeth. His control shatters, and he fucks me like a wild animal let loose. The image, combined with him tugging my hair back and thrusting into me with powerful strokes, triggers my second orgasm.
Eyes locked, I fist the edge of the desk, crying out in pleasure.
But he’s not done with me, and I hope he never will be.