Chapter Twenty-Three
OCEAN
Temptress.
She was a restless soul.
Hunter stayed in the streets like it was a second home.
I knew she kept company with thieves, hitters, and corner boys—some of the worst in Black Veil.
And she did it without any regard for the danger she courted.
No longer just pixels in a photo but flesh and blood, Hunter stood before me now with murder in her eyes.
I should have seen the blade coming before it was inches from my heart, but her aura was a distraction that nearly cost me. At the last moment, I grabbed Hunter’s wrist before she could plunge the hunting knife between my rib cage and quickly disarmed her.
She cried out her frustration and anger when the knife clattered to the asphalt.
I gripped her fingers, pushing her hand into her face and transferring my hold to her thumb, and then I grabbed her elbow before shoving it down until it forced her back to bend into a ninety-degree angle with her face toward the ground.
“Let me—”
I locked my elbow to apply pressure to her wrist until it cinched, and she screamed. “Go?” I finished for her. Hunter focused on controlling her breathing rather than responding. “You’re Coby’s friend. I’m sure you mean a lot to her, which means I’d prefer it if I didn’t hurt you and upset her.”
Hunter renewed her struggle at hearing Coby’s name, which only made her cry out in pain when she realized my hold was unbreakable. Moving my grip from her wrist to her arm, I grabbed her nape before she hurt herself.
Forcing the front of her body over the hood of the van, I locked her arm behind her back before planting the hand that held her neck next to her head.
Once my hold was secure again, I leaned forward until my lips brushed her ear, and that delectably round ass was nestled right against my dick.
“Are you going to make me hurt you, Hunter?””
“You’ll never get the chance,” she threatened while trying to wrestle free. “I’m going to make you bleed.”
All she managed to achieve was making me hard.
“Cut it the fuck out,” I commanded as I drove her arm upward.
She whimpered. Liking the sound, my dick jumped in my jeans, so I took a deep breath to keep my mind off getting into hers.
Down, boy. “As thrilling as chasing you has been, I’ve had enough.
I’m tired and have something warm waiting for me in my bed. ”
Knowing exactly who I meant, Hunter growled. “She said you let her go—”
“I did no such thing. That would only ruin my plans.”
Hunter huffed and shook her head. “Then you lied to her,” she accused.
I studied Hunter before I coldly replied, “And now she knows how it feels.”
She laughed right in my face, and all I could think was that if all I had was that sound and Coby’s smile for the rest of my life, I would never want for another fucking thing. “If that’s true, then I can promise you’re not getting any sleep tonight unless you can do it with one eye open.”
I’d feared as much.
These women were going to ruin me.
I couldn’t remember the last time I had to work this hard to win. The game had started long before Coby or Hunter even knew, the board meticulously set, but within a few weeks, I was already questioning if I’d made a grave miscalculation.
My plan for choosing a bride had been simple: take one with everything to lose or one with nothing.
In a bizarre twist of fate, Coby Perry had been both.
Extorting her hand in marriage wasn’t my first choice. It was insurance. I couldn’t have her backing out later once I won her over. In the meantime, I’d make her fall so hard for me—make it feel so real—that she forgot about how we came to be. Until nothing else mattered.
But I hadn’t counted on Hunter.
Their bond.
Their…affection…for one another.
But I could offer Coby more than just my heat. I could give her status, wealth, and protection. All things she was sorely lacking.
My thoughts were interrupted by an explosion of pain when the girl trapped in my hold drove her foot into my shin.
Almost as if Hunter had read my mind and sought to prove me wrong.
Her message was clear.
Coby had a champion. Someone willing to wage war against the Fola—against me—for her.
It was admirable but foolish. Hunter would eventually lose, and Coby would still belong to me.
As amused and impressed as I was by Hunter Parrish, I didn’t like loose ends. I’d been prepared to leave her be—if only to keep my new bride happily chained to me—but she’d forced my hand by coming after me.
“Why didn’t you take the money?” I asked. The answer to that question had been plaguing me ever since Kellan told me she turned it down.
Hunter stopped fighting me as if I’d surprised her. “What?”
“The money Kellan offered you. Why didn’t you take it?”
“Because there’s no amount you could offer to make me give up my best friend.”
“It was two million,” I stated flatly.
Hunter let out a laugh that sounded both condescending and hysterical. “Then you clearly don’t know Coby.”
I didn’t respond as I quickly checked her for more weapons before releasing her. Abel had already moved closer after Hunter’s misguided attack, and I knew I’d have to listen to him bitch about the close call later.
“Explain,” I ordered once she was facing me.
If looks could kill…
Her pretty ass wanted to finish me off so bad. I don’t think she ever wanted anything more.
Hunter was smart enough to know she’d reach the end of my forgiving nature.
I mean…it’s not like I needed a second wife.
Hunter sighed and said, “She’s my best friend.”
I guess that was all the explanation she felt compelled to give.
“You can buy new friends.”
Hunter shook her head. “Not like her.”
I just stared at her. I might have given Hunter too much credit. She was more naive than I thought.
“I disagree,” I told her. “Anyone can be bought when you have the world to offer.”
“Speak for yourself, asshole. I’m priceless.”
I smiled widely. “I’m starting to understand that.” I began circling her and laughed to myself when she turned with me, keeping me within her sight always. “But money isn’t the only currency, so tell me your price.”
Hunter blinked. “What?”
“Tell me how much it will take to make you go away and forget Coby Perry ever existed.”
There was nothing but silence between us for several moments.
“All right,” she said eventually and then folded her arms. “Eat a dick.”
Stopping in front of her again, I turned my head to the side and cupped my ear. “Run that back?”
Hunter batted her false lashes innocently. “Eat a dick,” she repeated, “and I’ll let you have my friend.”
I said nothing as I let my gaze roam her face and those arresting eyes one last time.
So tempting.
And an utter waste.
“Have it your way, Vengeance.” I held her gaze as I backed away and lifted my hand.
My men immediately took aim.
She’d never even noticed them closing in and forming a kill circle while we spoke. As one, they tightened their ranks until Hunter had nowhere to run. Their grim faces would be the last thing Hunter Parrish would ever see.
Suddenly, I felt a wave of anxiety as I forced myself to walk away from her. Come on, I silently begged her. You’re smarter than that.
Two of my men had just parted to let me through when I heard, “Wait.”
My chest felt like it had caved from all the relief rushing in. I let none of it show as I paused at the circle’s edge and turned to face her. “Yes, Hunter?”
“I-I can work for you.”
Now, why did this sound familiar? “I’m sorry, Vengeance. All positions have been filled.”
“You wouldn’t have to pay me,” she rushed to add. “Just let me be with Coby.” Remembering at the last moment to play the part, I turned to go without a word, adding to Hunter’s desperation. “She’ll never forgive you!”
“She’ll never know,” I returned. But she could, my paranoia warned.
“Coby is smarter than you think,” Hunter argued. “She’s smarter than you and me. She’ll figure it out.”
I barked a laugh so loud it startled the birds in the trees. They flew from their perch, where they had no doubt been watching the drama unfold. I was still laughing when I turned to face Hunter. “You mean the same way she figured out that her brother sold her to me?”
Hunter balked. “What?” I just held her gaze.
Hunter eventually saw the truth in my eyes and swore.
“That grimy piece of shit!” Her eyes were wild as she started to pace, seemingly forgetting about the guns pointed at her.
“I should have killed him a long time ago,” she mumbled.
I couldn’t agree more. I didn’t realize I’d fallen into a trance watching her prowl like a caged lioness until she suddenly whirled on me. “Well?”
I blinked. “Well, what?”
Hunter’s gaze narrowed as she shifted her weight to one leg. “What are you planning to do about it?”
“I’m going to kill him, of course. When I’m ready.”
Her eyes widened—with surprise or glee, I didn’t know. Maybe both. “I can help you.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“You will if you want Coby to forgive you after.”
I paused to consider that and felt Abel’s agitation the moment I did.
I already knew he thought killing Hunter was the safest move, and this was coming from a man who despised offing women.
That was how far Hunter had pushed us. “I don’t need to convince her,” I decided after a while.
“She’ll do what I say and think what I tell her. ”
It was Hunter’s turn to howl obnoxiously.
“Oh, my God.” She cackled as she bent and braced one hand on her knee while wiping a tear from her eye with the other. It took everything in me not to smile along with her. “Forget not being ready to die. I just want to live so I can be there when you tell her that.”
Losing the battle, my lips turned up at the corner as I watched her.
The shadows in her eyes had cleared a little, and in that moment, Hunter looked younger. Supple. Pliable.
Mine.
Fuck.