10. Hunter
Chapter ten
Hunter
“I’m just saying, cuz. I don’t see why she needs to stay in that cell.”
“So, you’re asking me to house the enemy? Do you not remember what she did to our family, Saint?”
I halt, peering around the corner. I’m just leaving my wing, stepping into the communal area of our house, when I overhear Prince and Saint.
It seems they’re discussing our new guest.
I have yet to set sights on her, but I already know she’s breathtaking.
The look on the twins’ faces says it all. They’re already smitten, and maybe I can get my chance to spend time with her, too.
That’s when I remember myself.
She is our enemy, and I shouldn’t get attached.
Besides, she’s our prisoner, not our guest.
“Are we growing soft now for the enemy?” Prince asks. He can be an ass at times.
I don’t see why she has to stay in a cell, either. We could at least offer her a room.
We have plenty of room, after all.
The poor thing must be frightened and all alone.
No, no, I mustn’t go there.
She is the enemy…
I was just taught to be a gentleman. It’s how I treat all the ladies in my life, of which there have been plenty.
My brothers are hopeless with women, and my cousins aren’t much better. Not one of them knows how to woo a girl, and maybe it’s time I stepped in.
Prince is a brute, Moth a grump, and Saint is too focused on keeping Angel in check to bother with dating.
Casper is shy, and Knight is too busy with work.
He's our doctor, and even our men go to him. One of their wives is heavily pregnant, and he has just been around to their house to check up on her.
We’re good to our men like that. That baby boy will go to the best schools with a man like my eldest brother, Prince, looking out for him.
Though, I wouldn’t want to think about what he would do if the wee lad’s father ever betrayed us.
He never gets into specifics, but I would like to think that he spares the women and children.
But I know better…
It’s not even worth thinking about.
Saint heaves a breath. “Look… how do we even know that Regina will take the bait? Has it occurred to you, Prince, that she may not even care about the girl?”
Prince halts. Saint makes a good point. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, and the other day, I called pesto salad green pasta (our Italian ancestors would be turning in their graves, as Prince told me rather harshly), but even I can figure out that it would be in Regina’s best interests if Snow were gone.
Sure, she’s King Leroy’s widow, so she gets his entire fortune and estate, but Snow would still be a threat.
Still a problem.
Prince inhales, and I don’t even have to look at him to know he is fussing with his tie; he does that when he gets nervous.
He needs to get out of those suits and start wearing leather jackets, like me.
Those suits look painful.
“Well, that is a risk I am willing to take, Saint.”
Saint huffs, “You’re insufferable at times.”
“And still your superior. I’m the head of this family, cousin, and as I have told you and the others, you would be wise to heed me.”
“Yes, boss .”
I snort at Saint’s tone, and both men stop at once.
My brother’s irate tone reaches me. “You know it’s impolite to eavesdrop, Hunter.”
I jump around the corner, hoping to startle both men, but they’re too dead inside.
Instead, they regard me in irritation as I widen my arms, wearing a stupid grin on my face. “Surprise!”
Prince scoffs and returns to fixing his tie. Saint rolls his eye at me, yanking off his eyepatch. It looks like he was pretending to be Angel again.
They can’t fool me; I can tell the difference between their voices now, so that trick won’t work on me anymore.
Angel’s voice is a little frostier. He speaks without flexion , or whatever they call it.
“Grow up, Hunter,” Saint gripes, rubbing at the red mark that his eyepatch left.
“Leave him be. It’s his naiveté I am trying to preserve,” Prince chimes, finally finished with his tie in a nearby mirror.
Saint shakes his head, tucking his eyepatch into his long coat, the one that’s Angel’s coat.
I’m the second youngest of the family, so I tend to get away with more shit.
Prince sometimes likes it when I act like an overgrown brat, but other times, it drives him crazy.
For one, I’m a party animal, and Prince is losing his patience by the day.
I’ve lost count of how many girls I’ve brought back here, and as always, I don’t hear from them again.
I always wonder if Prince paid them not to talk about me or what they find in our home.
I have quite the reputation; I’m always in the tabloids.
I’m the screw-up Diamante brother, the playboy. That’s what they call me.
Prince is always having to clean up my messes.
My older brother regards me strangely, eyeing me up and down. “Your shirt is on backward.”
It is?
I look down and snort. “How did I miss that?”
Saint cocks his eyebrow at me, and I shuck off my leather jacket next and fix my shirt, and he shakes his head.
“Seriously, you’re lucky you’re so pretty, Hunter.”
“I know, right! It’s a blessing and a curse. The ladies can’t get enough of me.”
Saint smirks. “Oh, that so?”
“Yeah. Like the threesome I had last night. You should have seen one girl—”
“Is there something you need, Hunter? We were in the middle of an adult conversation.” Prince cuts me off, and I deflate.
“Oh, sorry…”
He still talks to me like I’m a kid. He tells me it’s because I still act like a kid, and at times, it’s like he thinks he’s Dad.
He's only five years older, but sometimes, he acts like he’s forty years older than me.
There really isn’t anything I need. I was just eavesdropping on their conversation.
Now, I tuck my hands into my pockets, gazing at Prince and Saint. “So, we’re really going through with it?”
They don’t need me to specify. Saint peers down at his feet, but Prince studies me carefully.
“You knew it would come to this, Hunter. We’re Diamante men—”
“Yeah, yeah, men with honor or whatever, I get it. It’s written in our family crest.”
Prince tightens his lips, and he narrows his eyes. “What is on your mind, brother?”
I peer at Saint. “Well, I couldn’t help overhearing you both, and… I really don’t see why we can’t offer her a room. Be… serval , you know?”
Saint’s eyes widen at my comment, but Prince’s face only hardens. “She’s not one of your whores, Hunter. She is your enemy. And the word is civil. A serval is a cat.”
“Yes, I know, but…”
He steps closer, eyes flaring. “You stay away from her, Hunter. Keep your dick in your pants.”
I hold my palms up. “I wasn’t—”
He scoffs. “I know you, baby brother. You’re already imagining ways you can tie her up.”
He's got me there, and I don’t even know what she looks like yet. Judging by the semi Saint is sporting right now, then she’s pretty fine.
More than fine.
Prince paints quite the picture, after all.
He looks at Saint, spying his semi, then bares his teeth. “And you, too. I expected better of you, Saint.”
Saint looks ready to throttle our don as he shows his teeth. “I’ll bear it in mind, boss. ”
He eyes me and Saint suspiciously for a few more moments before he storms off to his office.
“I will hear no more talk of this. Snow White is off-limits. Only I get to be the one who fucks with her…”
And by fucking , he doesn’t mean sex.
Shit.
Prince really will fuck her up.
A solemn silence fills the room after Prince leaves. Saint rubs at his temple, and he looks rough.
Angel had that expression, too, and my brother, Moth, for some strange reason.
It's almost like he has met Snow. He hasn’t, as far as I am aware. He always keeps his distance from Prince’s obsessions.
He's not like me; he knows not to get attached.
But I can’t help myself when I ask, “So, is she that hot?”
He stops rubbing his temples, eyeing me like I just said the stupidest thing.
People look at me like that a lot.
“What?”
I regard the bulge in his pants, and it looks like someone needs a moment in the shower.
“When Prince mentioned tying her up, you fucking grew hard . I know you, Saint. Not many women catch your eye.”
“Yeah, I’m not quite as basic as you are, thank God.”
I grin. “I will take that as a compliment, but if she’s enough to get even you semi-hard, then she must be something. Tell me everything …”
“No.”
“Angel had the same expression on his face. So… blonde?”
He groans, walking away. “Drop it, Hunter.”
“Redhead?”
“I said, drop it!”
“Brunette?”
He freezes, and I smile. “Bingo! I did always love a brunette.”
He snorts. “You like anyone, so long as she has a hole for you to fuck.”
Well, he’snot wrong; I do love pussy, but this one must really be something if even Saintis thinking about putting his dick in her holes.
Angel, too, and perhaps Moth, as well.
I have suspicions.
“I will find out! You can count on me, cuz!”
He's already gone, but what does it matter. I am going to see her.
Tonight.
I have to see for myself.
I must see her beauty before Prince takes it away forever.
I have an ingenious plan later that evening.
Saint and Angel aren’t the only ones who can play pretend.
I slip on the most convincing blond wig ever, and then snap the eye patch in place, flinching when it stings.
“Ow!”
How does Angel do it? The patch itches as I fix the wig and find my long coat.
It should be enough to pass off for Angel. We have the same hooked nose, but my eye is green, not blue, and this will be a little tricky.
I haven’t got contacts on me, so I will just have to make sure no one looks at my eye.
Only Angels and Saint have authorization to go down into the prison block.
So far, they’re the only ones who have seen her, but maybe I will get lucky.
I just have to know… I have to see her before it’s too late.
Sneaking across the grounds, I make it to the prison block in no time. One of our guards stands duty outside, and he doesn’t even question me when he sees the blond wig and eyepatch.
I mean, I do look pretty convincing, yet still…that’s inept.
No time to dwell, though. My plan worked.
The guard didn’t look too closely at my green eye, so I’m good.
My heart pounds when I step down the stairs, taking several deep breaths. Soon, I will feast my eyes on her.
I find her cell, and I must be quick before the real Angel or Saint arrives.
Unbolting the door, my uncovered eye finds that small shape beneath the threadbare blanket, and my heart breaks immediately.
That’s all the comfort she has?
She stiffens when she senses me, peering quickly over her shoulder. Then she sits up straight, her face paling as she stares at me.
Holy fucking stars…
I can see why Saint and Angel have been so torn up.
She's a real-life fairy-tale princess.
And she’s more than just a brunette.
I’ve never seen hair so black, like the feathers of a crow…
And her eyes.
So round, so big, so brown…
My heart thumps, and for the first time in my life, I don’t know what to say to a woman, and fuck.
Is this what it’s like to be Casper? It sucks.
He's always shy around women. He’s lucky he has me . I was the one who helped him lose his V-card.
Snow moves those perfect lips, and I return to earth when I hear that sweet voice. “Who are you?”
Shit. Looks like my trick didn’t work on everyone, and now I remove my wig and eyepatch, bracing my arms wide. “Surprise!”
She squeals, jumping up on the bed. “You’re not Angel!”
I grin. “Oh, no, sweetness. I’m—”
I don’t get to finish as the door unbolts behind me, and now the real Angel steps inside the cell, along with Saint and… Prince…
It's happening.
They’re finally going to pay back Leroy for what he did to our family.
Starting with his only daughter and child.
No. I can’t let them.
I will stop them.
This beauty needs to be preserved, not destroyed.