“Let him go and I’ll play nicely. You can fuck me. I’ll pretend to enjoy it if you want. Just let him go.”
Hunter’s cry sounds like a no. I twist my head, see the anguish in his face and silently plead with him not to do anything stupid. He presses his back against the wall and struggles to his feet. Lucas goes for his gun.
“Don’t!” I scream.
A crash sounds. The door splinters. I wait for Hunter to fall but he doesn’t. No blood stains his chest. There’s another crack and the locked door judders. Someone is kicking it down.
It’s enough. I struggle off the bed and fall to the floor with a smack. Pain shatters through me. Lucas spins and from my position on the floor, I see Hunter lunge, the rope tearing away. Blood drips from his wrists where he must have been working them free. The rifle bangs and plaster from the ceiling rains down on them both, covering them in a snow-like coating. Hunter smashes his head into Lucas’s face and the man staggers. Another blow to the stomach from Hunter and Lucas collapses to the floor.
The door bursts fully open and Mitch and Connor storm in. Mitch’s eyes widen when he spots me. In one stride, he’s at my side and pulling me to my feet.
“Help him!” I cry.
Mitch shakes his head and wraps an arm around my shuddering half-naked form. “Looks like Hunter has everything in hand.”
I glance over and see Lucas curled in a ball. Hunter kicks him and tears the fabric from his mouth. “Touch my woman,” he spits. “You sick fuck.” Another kick and Lucas cries out. “I’ll fucking kill you.”
Connor strides over and grabs the abandoned rifle before tugging on Hunter’s arm. “He’s not worth jail time. You’ve got a woman who needs you, remember?”
Hunter glances at me, swears and delivers one last kick to Lucas’s side. The man goes limp. Panting and hobbling slightly, Hunter takes me into his arms and clamps me to him. “It’s over now, princess.”
***
Hunter
After a long day of sitting in a car, watching a potential cheating, I’m grateful to be home. It’s easy to become jaded watching people like that but Jess will draw me out of my bad mood. Stepping in through the door, I shut it and inhale deeply. Can’t get sick of that new apartment smell, especially when it’s mingled with the scent of Jess’s coconut shampoo. She must have just showered.
Unable to resist a grin as I drop my car keys on the kitchen side, I draw in another deep breath. Strange. Smells like… motor oil? Voices reach me from the balcony and I curl a fist.
Connor.
Eyes narrow, I stalk out onto the balcony. Connor and Jess stand side by side looking out over the city.
“Well, isn’t this cosy…” I drawl.
Jess whips around and grins. Connor shakes his head. “Nice you see you too, Hunter.”
I come up to Jess’s side and put an arm around her shoulder, hold her close to my side. “What brings you over, Connor?”
“Just checking the new place out. Nice.”
“That’s it?” I raise a brow.
“Pretty much.” He glances at his watch. “I’ve got to get going. I’ll see myself out.”
Scowling, I watch Connor leave before turning back to Jess. “What was that all about?”
She shrugs and turns to stare out at the view. With the sun slowly dropping, the tall buildings are cast in an orange glow, silhouetting them against the sky.
I wrap my arms around her waist, loving how she sinks into me with a sigh. “Might not be a penthouse, but we do have an awesome view.” I draw back slightly to drop my gaze between us and eye her leather clad legs. I’ve not seen her in leather for a while and I must admit, it’s a damned nice view too.
Jess tilts her head back against me. “No regrets?”
She’s talking about selling Mam’s house. It was hard, letting go of what she’d worked so hard for but Jess reminded me that there’s more to life than work and Mam wouldn’t have wanted me struggling to make payment. I’d locked myself in the past and it was time to let it go. I suspect my mother would have been thrilled to know I’d finally settled with a gorgeous girl.
“None.” I skim a kiss over her neck and feel her shudder. “You?”
She laughs. “As if.”
“I think Connor has a crush on you,” I mutter.
Another laugh. Why is that so funny?
“Hardly. Connor and Mitch have taken it upon themselves to play big brothers ever since you charged them with protecting me.”
“I didn’t say Mitch. You think he has a crush on you too?”
Jess turns in my hold and wraps her hands around the back off my neck. “Quit scowling and listen. I did not say Mitch has a crush on me. Neither of them would dream of touching me. You know they love you too much.”