Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Hunter
If that was my loot, I’d refuse to relinquish it also. Oh, wait.
I play a hundred different ways to communicate to the clueless woman in my apartment that she needs to play along with what’s about to happen. William complains about his wild daughter and her antics, and I nod along, regretting not grabbing Eleanor’s phone number before I left.
I slot my key into the door, pausing to face William.
“Don’t interrogate her, Will. I don’t want you to scare away the first woman I have brought back here.”
He narrows his eyes, and his brows lower. “You really like her.” A statement, not a question.
A sigh escapes me. “Tone it down. She’s shy and a little awkward.”
He quirks a brow, his lips twitching. “Never took you for the nerd type.”
I snort. “You have no idea what my type is.”
“Open the door, Hunter. I want to introduce myself to the woman you brought to my town.”
That’s code for I want to ensure she knows who runs this place and the consequences of any disruptions.
Twisting the key, I’m greeted by Dangerous Night by Thirty Seconds to Mars. Okay… I take two steps inside the living area with William hot on my heels, and my body freezes as I try to take in the chaos exploding across my living room. The music is simply a backdrop to the scene.
“I do not negotiate with terrorists,” Eleanor snaps, standing on my couch.
Charlie bounces on the floor, something white clamped between his teeth. He side-eyes me and William, then refocuses on Eleanor.
My gaze slides up her bare legs, the backs of her thighs cut off by one of my white shirts. My cock jumps, and I’m thankful William is behind me. I’ve never understood the appeal of a woman wearing my clothes, but now I have the irrational urge to shred everything she owns to ensure she only has that option.
“I do not condone this behavior, Charlie. Stealing my panties, just like your daddy did, won’t end well for you.”
Charlie huffs but doesn’t relinquish his prize, his tail wagging lazily behind him. He’s normally a sock thief, but then again, he doesn’t get many opportunities to steal ladies underwear, so I guess he’s branching out. I’m a proud dog dad.
Eleanor puts her hands on her hips, making the shirt ride up even higher and gifting me a peek of a scrolling watercolor tattoo inching down from her hip and looping around her thigh. Who knew the nerd had a penchant for ink? She is a colliding conundrum of contradicting elements, making me equal parts confused and curious. The chorus reaches a crescendo, nearly shaking the glass. I agree with Jared Leto… dangerous.
William snorts at my dog and Eleanor, and her head snaps over her shoulder, leveling a glare I’m positive would burn lesser men to the ground my way. She spares a quick glance at William, recognition flitting across her features. Interesting. She knows what he looks like, which means she’s at least done a basic search on my life. Oh, Eleanor, you are giving so much away right now.
“Your dog is out of control,” she snaps as she points to Charlie.
She fiddles with something before spinning to face me and jumping off the couch. Only the bottom two buttons on my shirt are fastened, leaving it almost open. The valley between her breasts is damp from her hair, and I realize she smells like me. Jesus fucking Christ.
She stalks over to where I’m standing with my mouth hanging open. Her hands clasp my hips as she pulls her body tight against mine. There’s a double scrape of metal against my abdomen. Fuck.
“Eleanor,” I choke. “What…”
Her hand slides into my pockets, and her lips tilt up in a wicked smirk that would be sultry if we were alone. In company, though, it’s indecent. And heartbreaking. Where was this vixen thirty minutes ago?
She pulls away and waves a scrap of black lace in my face. “My last clean pair that hasn’t been commandeered by your dog.” She bends and slides them up and over her legs in front of me… and my boss, I remember belatedly. Even though I know William is happily married, it doesn’t stop the hot burn of possession from spilling in my veins.
“Hi,” she finally greets William. “Sorry. It seemed rude to greet you while I was sans underwear.”
She gives him a finger wave and walks off down the hallway and into the guest room, closing the door behind her. She jerks it open, my shirt falling off her shoulder in the process. “For the record, your dog can open doors. They need locks to prevent him from absconding with my belongings. I already don’t have that many.” With that, she snaps the door closed.
The music continues to blare through the speakers as my mouth opens to explain myself. William’s hand clamps on my shoulder before I can get a word out, and he throws his head back and laughs.
“I like her, Hunter. She’s perfect for you.”
She is? I mean, I know she is, but that meeting didn’t exactly scream loved up couple . I run a hand through my hair, and a long sigh leaves my lips.
“She’s complicated,” I whisper. That’s the truth.
William’s hand squeezes my shoulder before dropping to his side with a tilt of his head. “All the best ones are. A straightforward, carefree woman with no secrets isn’t going to cut it for you long term.”
“That’s exactly the type of woman I normally go for,” I argue. Why am I fighting this? I poke my tongue into the inside of my cheek to stop the catalog of truths it seems intent on spilling.
He bends and gives Charlie a scratch behind his ear, one of his favorite places. “True, but you never brought those women home. Ask yourself why that is, Hunt.” His lips thin as he continues to focus on Charlie. “You made brief encounters an art form. You protected your heart from the pain of caring for someone only to lose them.” Charlie flops on his back and uses his paws to push William’s hand to his belly. Said heart squeezes in my chest at his words. William raises a brow in my direction as I stay silent.
I suck my teeth. “You’re right.”
“I’m rarely wrong.”
“And modest.”
He shrugs as he stands. “Does she know about your past?”
I shake my head and fold my arms. “I’m not ready.”
“These things always have a way of making themselves known at the wrong time. If you are serious about her, tell her. Secrets aren’t the basis for a long-lasting, happy relationship. They are cracks in an already fragile construct.”
She is hiding as many, if not more, secrets than me.
“I will.” The words leave my lips, and for the first time, I actually want to share that shameful part of myself with a woman that’s not my family. Cheryl, I consider family. I want to expose my weakness. My failures. I want to be judged by Eleanor, and if she finds me lacking, at least I didn’t fall too deep. Perhaps she will share the horror lingering in her gaze. She may even allow me to stand beside her, a silent harbor as she battles the demons of her past that are colliding with her present.
I stare at her closed door. Eleanor won’t be persuaded with pretty words. She needs someone to expose themselves to the bone to break through her walls. I don’t want our time to be full of painful truths. I need to show her what life could be with me, how I can enrich it beyond her computer screens. Show her that laying down roots isn’t a weakness, but a strength, allowing you to gain a family who cares.
“You should bring her down to the bakery to meet Cheryl.”
Now that’s a hundred times more terrifying than him. Cheryl is the epitome of a mama bear to all the club members. If she sniffs out any disingenuous intentions, she won’t hesitate to have someone removed from town.
“What’s with that look?” William asks.
My eyes close for a moment as the wheels in my head turn. “Cheryl is?—”
“I’ll instruct her not to go too hard.”
I chuckle. Since when did Cheryl listen to her husband? “Fine.”
His lips turn upward in satisfaction. “And you’ll bring her to the camp out?”
“I will.”
Camping doesn’t seem like Eleanor’s thing, but it’s not negotiable. At least I have a few weeks to work on her before the trip.
“Then it’s settled.”
William’s phone lets out an annoying pinging noise that makes me grit my teeth. I have tried to change the basic notification noise several times, but someone always changes it back. It won’t be William; he’s about as tech savvy as a Neanderthal. My bet is on his lovely daughter, who lives to make my life hell.
He frowns at the message, meeting my gaze. “Seems your pretty friend has already made waves in my town, Hunter.”
My forehead crumples into a frown. How? Nobody but Rose and William have met her.
He passes me his phone.
C
Heads up. Someone hacked the town surveillance and hijacked it with a facial recognition software program. The source is at Hunter’s place, and if I’m not mistaken, they have a very distinct signature I recognize as one of the world’s best hackers. Let me know what you want to do.
Fucking hell, Ghost.