Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Hunter
Lies go great with hot pizza.
W atching the steadfast, unshakeable force of Eleanor Austin tremble in the face of my spaniel is at odds with everything I know about her. She barely blinks when being hunted by known sex traffickers, but the smiling face of my loyal furry friend causes her well-constructed facade to crumble.
Hopefully, some alone time will help to overcome her fear. There’s nothing quite like exposure therapy for fast learning. Charlie wears even the coldest of hearts down with his endless optimism and affection.
I push into the local grocery store and grab a basket to collect some essentials to tide us over. I don’t want to leave Eleanor alone for too long, in case she contemplates running. I tap my jeans pocket, feeling the reassuring weight of her car keys in there. Just in case she tries it. I pause at the fresh produce, realizing I know nothing of her preferences. Pizza is a safe option, right? The ones stocked here are actually made by the local Italian restaurant. A little pricey, but worth it. I grab two types; a simple pepperoni and a parma ham, along with a salad for something healthy and a bottle of red wine.
My mouth draws into a grimace as I realize I constructed what could be misconstrued as a cozy date night without trying. Eleanor is a complex woman, but she’s no fool. Wooing her with wine and mouth-watering Italian food will not cut it. In fact, I suspect it will drive her even further away. I swap the wine for a bottle of sparkling water and quickly pay.
Stepping out onto the leafy sidewalk, I inhale the sweet scent of fresh fruit. Plums are the most common tree in town, but interspersed are pomegranate and peach. It’s an unwritten rule that the residents of Victoria Bay may pick and use the fruit, but never sell any products made outside of the town. The local bakery, run by Cheryl, the prez’s wife, is the only exception, and no one dares dispute her.
Tourist trade is bouncing as folks rush to soak in the town that seems, in many ways, stuck in the past. One where people still leave their doors unlocked at night. The street is a hive of activity as the sun reaches its peak. Busy, but never crowded, the town has become a sought-after haven with its high achieving schools, non-existent crime, and sense of community. But you can’t simply move into Victoria Bay, you have to be vetted by the MC, and without family ties, your chances of settling in our lovely town are slim to none.
We own the town, the people, and the land. It means townsfolk are clear of debt, therefore less susceptible to becoming a victim of blackmail or moving against us. It’s not without cost, though. Not financial, but personal. William demands unwavering loyalty. If he says jump, he expects those who live here to respond with how high, and they do.
I cross the street, heading for the one place I need to stop by, since Rose already laid eyes on Eleanor, therefore alerting the town to her presence.
Pushing open the glass door, I’m met with the familiar comforting smell of freshly baked bread sweetened by the undercurrent of peach pie. That’s perfect for dessert. I’d rather Eleanor was on the menu, but she seems immune to my charms. So far.
Cheryl’s head pops out from the open doorway leading to the kitchens, a wide smile gracing her face. Time has been good to the woman standing tall at the side of the powerful man she loves. She’s beautiful, aging with grace and still holds an easy laugh for those she loves. Life hasn’t been without hardship for Cheryl; her childhood, from what I understand, was fraught with violence, control, and pain. Perhaps that’s why the MC princess gets away with murder.
She rounds the long glass counter housing the remnants of today’s homemade goods. It’s only noon, and she’s almost sold out. You have to be quick, and early, to get the full choice.
She opens her arms and wraps me in a hug full of warmth and sunshine. “Rose said you were back early,” she says as she releases me.
“Is that all she said?” I know it won’t be. Rose loves being the first with hot gossip.
“Well, no. She did mention a mysterious brunette who seemed to be getting comfortable in your apartment.”
“Of course she did.”
“Who is she?”
Straight to the point, as is her way. It’s something I appreciate. Cheryl and Eleanor are going to get on like a house on fire. “Eleanor Austin.”
“Have you spoken to William about her?”
I blink as the wheels in my head turn, and I realize the very precarious position I find myself in. If I claim Eleanor as a friend in need, Cheryl will report her existence to William, and I will find myself in front of him explaining the details. If he determines she is likely to bring trouble to our doorstep, he will have her banished from the town. No questions. No second chances. If Eleanor’s not allowed in my home, I can’t protect her. Which means I will break my vow to Fox and Honor, leaving me with one choice. Hopefully, Eleanor will forgive this white lie and understand it’s only to afford her the weight of the Reapers’ protection.
I shake my head. “Not yet.”
She raises a brow as she lifts open the lid on the counter and pulls out a peach pie. “I kept one back for you as soon as Rose got your message to bring Charlie home. I swear that dog has put away more meat than a gang of hungry bikers,” she teases.
I swipe a hand through the back of my hair. “You’re too good to me, Cheryl.” I force myself to meet her eyes, keeping my body as relaxed as possible. “I’ve left them to get acquainted.”
“The girlfriend and your dog?”
There it is. Time to embrace the lie or own up. “Yes.” My gut twists. No going back now.
“Everyone loves Charlie,” she says, accepting Eleanor’s false title without batting an eyelid. “And given this is the first woman you have ever brought into the town and our lives, I can only imagine she is as warm and loving.”
A snort escapes me before I can reign it in. Cheryl slides the pie into a white bakery box and tucks the tabs in. “Eleanor is complicated.” I sprinkle in some truth, tempering some of the acid on my tongue.
Cheryl’s lips twitch as she passes me the pie. “Indeed. I never expected you to settle for easy, Hunter. Partners have to match the darkness and secrets in our souls. You may have everyone else fooled, but I know you. I know what stalks your nightmares and drives your need to save everyone around you.”
She is one of four people who know my history, who knows where I disappear to every Wednesday evening and Sunday morning without fail. My mind is already coming up with different ways to ensure Eleanor stays put when I make my visits.
The bell tinkles over the door, and William steps into the bakery with a smirk. “You’re back.”
He struts over, and we embrace with a thump on the back before parting. He kisses Cheryl on the cheek, and she smiles at him like he’s her whole world. That kind of love is rare. It’s almost embarrassing to witness, yet impossible to look away.
“What’s this about a girl?” William asks.
“Eleanor Austin,” I confirm.
He snatches a lemon muffin with a cheeky wink at Cheryl who scowls at him before giving me his full attention. “You met her on holiday, and now she’s moving in? Seems a little reckless for you.”
“No, we met months ago.” I stay within the guidelines of truth, still putting my neck on the line by lying to my prez. “But reconnected during my time in Miami.”
“You aren’t due home for another ten days. Why are you here?”
William is not stupid. He will see straight through anything less than the whole truth about Eleanor’s situation. The key is figuring out how to say enough to ensure she’s allowed sanctuary.
“She got herself into some trouble.”
The change in the air is palatable as William abandons his muffin on the counter, standing up straight and pulling on his prez mask. “What kind of trouble?”
“She attracted the attention of a very bad man.”
“I see.”
“And now he’s hunting her.”
William nods as the facts slide into place, his jaw ticcing. “You brought her here as it’s the place where you can protect her best.”
It’s not a question, it’s a fact. “That’s right.”
“How serious?”
“Deadly. If he catches her, she won’t be seen again.”
“No, you idiot, how serious are the two of you?”
I grimace as Cheryl catches my eye. Her gaze communicates a wealth of instruction, calming the erratic beat of my heart. “I want time to explore what she means to me and space to figure out if we are good together.” Truth.
William grunts in response. He is all for his men finding their emotional match and connection for the people under his care. Not to say we don’t have fun and enjoy our younger years experimenting, but William fosters a family approach, meaning if you bring a girl into the fold, you better be serious about your intentions. A pit forms in my stomach as ash coats my tongue. Why am I risking his wrath by lying about her? I tell myself it’s out of duty to Fox, a valuable ally I can’t burn bridges with, but I feel my fear surge at the very real danger we narrowly escaped in Chicago, and the voice in the back of my head screams in denial of the lies.
He stares me down for a beat. Two. Three. Four… then a wide smile breaks out across his face. “Then let’s go. I’m keen to meet the woman who has got you twisted in knots trying to figure out how to crack her shell and make her stay.”
“I think a little warning before she meets you is in order.”
William’s gaze narrows. “Nonsense. It’s important to catch her unaware. No preparation, Hunter. Unless, of course, you are hiding something?”
“Nope, nothing to hide,” I mutter as I send a prayer to whatever deity might be listening that Eleanor has enough social awareness to play along.