Chapter 25 Hunter
TWENTY-FIVE
HUNTER
Max is always cute, but watching her get excited about the old school video games at the arcade bar I brought her to makes me so fucking happy. She lit up when she saw the pool tables and Skee ball lanes, boldly telling me she’s going to kick my ass after we finish up a round of drinks.
I’m letting her shit talk me because it’s my first time being out in public with her, and I’m nervous as hell. I want this to go well and I want to do this right, and if that means letting her beat me at a couple games so she keeps smiling, so be it.
God.
She’s so beautiful when she’s happy.
“I see two seats at the bar,” she practically yells over the ninety’s music playing from the speakers on the wall. “Gosh. It’s busy in here, isn’t it?”
“I’m not a fan of crowds, but I am going to be a fan of watching you bend over the pool table. I’m going to imagine I’m fucking you from behind.”
“Are you ever not thinking about fucking me?” Max laces our fingers together and guides me over to the high top counter. “I’m starting to think you’re only with me because of my ass.”
“It’s a very nice ass, baby, but it’s on the long list of reasons why I like spending time with you.”
“Yeah? What’s at the top of this list?”
“How wonderful you are.” I tug the belt loop on her jeans, pulling her toward me. “How happy you make me. Leo told me this morning he doesn’t know if he’s ever seen me smile so much. That’s because of you, angel.”
“You’re being a sap.” She puts a hand over my heart, grinning. “It’s making me want you to bend me over the pool table.”
“So scandalous, Max.”
“Only so I can show you off. Half the women in here haven’t stopped looking at you since we walked in.”
“Like I care about that. I only have eyes for you.”
“You’re good at using lines.”
“Because you make me go out of my mind. I’m a mess when you’re around.”
“When you say things like that, you make me think…” Max trails off, and I lift her chin so she looks up at me. “That this could be something serious.”
“Do you want it to be something serious?” I ask, and I could throw up waiting for her to answer.
“Yeah.” She stands on her toes and kisses my cheek. I want to pump my fist in the air and cheer. “I do. I don’t want to rush anything, but I like you, Hunter Wilder. I like you a lot.”
“What a surprise.” I slide my hands her back packets and give her ass a squeeze. “I like you a lot too, Maxine Walters.”
“I figured that was the case after you stalked me.”
“Can’t wait to tell the kids how we met.”
She laughs, but stops abruptly. “Fuck my life.” She glances over my shoulder, a frown pulling at her mouth. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“What’s wrong?” I look around us, confused. “You okay?”
“My ex is here.” Max hesitates, pinching the bridge of her nose. “He also… I didn’t want to tell you this, but Skyler said she saw him drive by the house over the weekend. Three times.”
“She did?” My blood runs cold. I touch the knife attached to my hip on instinct, ready to fight for her if needed. “Did you talk to him?”
“No. Maybe it was a coincidence.”
“A coincidence that he shows up at your school and repeatedly drives past your house? That’s intentional, Max.” I survey the bar, pretending like I don’t know exactly what this douchebag looks like. “Which one is he?”
“The blond in the corner with a group of friends. Stripped shirt. Khaki shorts.”
Of course this shithead wears fucking khaki shorts.
“Has he seen you?” I ask.
“I hope not. I don’t want—I don’t understand why he’s doing this.
He didn’t… he never told me he loved me.
Ten months together, and he never said the words.
” Max shakes her head, blowing out a sigh.
“And, I’m glad he didn’t, because it made getting over him so easy, but I just don’t get why he cares. Why now?”
What a fucking idiot.
I’m fighting not to tell her how I feel weeks after meeting her. I can’t imagine going months without letting her know I’m crazy about her.
“Men are stupid creatures. There’s no rhyme or reason to a lot of what we do,” I tell her. “The second he makes you uncomfortable, I’ll take care of him.”
“Are you going to protect me, Hunter.”
“Yeah, angel.” I tilt my neck, brushing my lips over hers. If this guy is watching, I want to give him a show. “I’ll always protect you. I’m the only one whose name you’re going to say, and that includes when I save the day.”
“My hero.” She giggles, a hand on the back of my head so she can kiss me. I taste the glass of whiskey she drank at my place earlier on her tongue, and I walk her backward until her shoulders press against a wall. Max smiles against my mouth, letting out a gasp when I nip at her bottom lip. “Oh.”
“You’re mine.” I move my mouth to her neck, sucking on her skin so I leave behind a little mark. “I’m going to take care of you.”
“Call me yours again.” Her fingers slip into the waistband of my jeans, and I roll my hips into hers. “I like hearing it.”
“You’re mine, angel. My girl. My pussy.” I brush my hand over her stomach, and she whines. “My obsession.”
Movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention.
Brian—Connor—is leaving his friend group and making his down the hall to what I assume leads to the bathroom.
Now’s my chance to get him alone, and for as much as I don’t want to pull away from the gorgeous girl slipping a warm palm under my shirt, I need to take care of this piece of shit once and for all.
“I’m going to use the bathroom.” I kiss Max’s cheek and step back. “I’ll meet you at the Skee ball lane when I’m finished so we can put all your showboating to the test.
“Deal.” She smirks. “I can’t wait to kick your ass, Hunter.”
I toss her a smile and sidestep past a group of women fighting their way to the bar for drinks. I follow Brian’s path, whistling as I push open the door to the restroom and let it slam shut behind me.
He’s standing at one of the urinals with his dick out, and I feel so sad for what Max had to deal with before me.
“You look familiar.” I stand next to him, breaking every urinal rule, and pull out my own dick. “Do I know you?”
“Huh?” He turns to look at my and frowns. “I don’t think so.”
“You sure? I could’ve sworn I’ve seen you somewhere before.”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I have one of those faces, you know?” He flashes me a grin, and I’d really like to punch his skull in. Or cut out his eyes and feed them to the birds. “What’s your name?”
“Hunter.” I finish peeing and tuck my dick back in my pants. “You?”
“Brian.”
“Really? Or is that what you tell your girlfriends so they don’t find out about your arrest record?”
He narrows his eyes and zips up his pants. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’ve never liked liars.”
“I’m not lying about anything.”
“Except to poor women who think they’re meeting someone else.” I grin. “You’re lucky I don’t use it against you.”
“How would you use it against me?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Like, if you don’t stay the fuck away from Max, I’ll plaster your information all over social media, Connor. I will ruin you.”
“Max? You’re dating that bitch? She’s boring, isn’t she?” He snorts and turns away from me, but I grab his shoulder. I shove him against the wall and pin my arm against his neck. “Jesus Christ, dude. What the fuck is your problem?”
“My problem is I don’t appreciate when people go after what’s mine. Max and I have been spending time together, but I hear you’ve been hanging around places where she might be. And she doesn’t like it.”
“It’s not private property, man.” He tries to shove my chest, but I don’t move an inch. “I’m allowed to drive wherever I want.”
“You mean by her house, man?” I push my arm harder into him. “If I catch you doing it again, we’re going to have a big problem.”
“Oh yeah? What’s a tattooed pretty boy like you going to do?”
Well.
That wasn’t very nice.
I step back and release him from my hold. Brian touches his neck, but instead of letting him go, I pull out my pocket knife and open it. His eye widen, and he tries to move past me.
“Pretty boy, huh?”
“Look, dude. I didn’t mean anything by it. She thought I was cheating and broke up with me. I didn’t do shit.”
“So you didn’t have your dick in someone else while you were seeing her?” I toss the knife in the air and catch it by the handle, grinning when he inhales a sharp breath. “That’s not what I heard.”
“We weren’t that serious.”
“Is that what you said to all the girls you’ve roughed up? It wasn’t that serious?” I laugh. “You’re a piece of shit. I’ll say it one more time: stay the fuck away from her, or we’re going to have a problem. Understand?”
“Yes, you absolute fucking psychopath.”
That’s much better than pretty boy.
“Great. Pleasure doing business with you, man,” I say.
With a salute, I tuck my knife away and make my way back out to the bar, happy to find Max at the Skee ball game.
She’s swaying to the music, bopping along to the beat.
Totally unbothered, and I’m not going to tell her what happened in the bathroom.
She doesn’t need to know her ex is a lying sack of shit. Not when I’d never do that to her.
“There you are.” Max smiles and taps her wrist. “Took you long enough.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. There was a line.” I see Brian heading for the exit and leaving. He’s practically twitching as he looks over his shoulder, and my grin is smug. “Is it ass kicking time?”
“It is. And I thought we could make it interesting.”
“Oh? You have my attention.”
“We can each come up with something we want the other to do if we win.”
“Like, if you lose, you have to ride on my motorcycle with me?” I ask, and she groans.
“Ugh. Yes. That’s right, but I’m scared, Hunter. I don’t want to go fast.”
“We won’t go fast. Just around the neighborhood. I bought you a cute pink helmet I think you’re going to like.”
That perks her up. She smiles, dark eyelashes blinking open then closed. “You did?”
“Yup. And a new protective jacket that will keep you safe.”
“Okay.” Max gives me a slow nod. “Fine. If you win, I’ll go on your motorcycle with you.”
“This is the best night of my life.” I scoop her in my arms and spin her around. She laughs and pats my chest. “Not that it’s going to happen, but what do you want if you win?”
“Um.” She buries her face in my chest. “I’m embarrassed to say.”
“That means it’s going to be good. Whisper it in my ear, angel, so no one else can hear.”
“If I win… I was hoping you’d fuck me with your Ghostface mask on,” she says softly. “And after, I want you to chase me.”
“Chase you,” I repeat. “Like, through the woods?”
“Behind your house, yeah. And you can… you only get to have me if you catch me.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” My adrenaline is pumping. Fuck the motorcycle, I’m going to lose on purpose. “We both know I’m going to catch you.”
“That’s why I want you to do it.”
“Guess we better get to work.” I set her down and motion at the game. “Do you want me to go first?”
“Yes, so I know what score I need to get to beat you.”
“What happens if I throw the game? Chasing you sounds like the best consolation prize.”
“I’ll be very mad at you, because I want to win fair and square.” Max puts her hands on her hips, and the way she sticks her bottom lip out in a pout is adorable. “Please, Hunter.”
“Who am I to say no when you ask so nicely?” I put a couple quarters in the game and roll up my sleeves. “I’ll give it my best shot.”
Except my best shot sucks. Each of my throws is too aggressive, and I groan when my score only totals 100.
“If that was really your full effort, it was terrible.” Max giggles and nudges me out of the way. “You should stick to scare acting and killing people.”
“Thanks, baby. Your support means a lot,” I draw out. “I’m sorry I can’t be the Skee ball man of your dreams.”
“I’ll survive.”
Max, on the other hand, is brilliant at Skee ball. She sinks three balls in the one hundred point hole off the bat, laughing when I gape at her skills. Her final score totals 570, and I can’t believe I got my ass handed to me so supremely.
“That was impressive. Where the hell did you learn to play like that?” I ask, and she flips her hair over her shoulder.
“One summer, Skyler’s parents rented a beach house up in New Hampshire for the week, and I tagged along. It rained every single day, so we put in a lot of hours at the arcade. I got pretty good at this and the Whack-a-Mole game.”
“I’ll say. Forget teaching. You need to start entering in some leagues, angel.”
She collects her winning tickets and smiles, dangling them in front of my face. “Maybe when I retire.”
“What are you going to get with all your earnings? A pencil with a cool eraser? A miniature slinky?”
“I was hoping I could cash them in and see how long it takes you to chase me down.” Max slips the tickets in my front pocket, and I hum. “Want to play, Hunter?”
“That’s a game you’re not going to win, sweetheart. But fuck, I can’t wait to see you try.”