Hunter
When Hunter woke, a dread settled over him as the morning light hit the window, making the curtain seem to glow. He could lose everything today. Or, if luck was on his side, gain it.
He slid out of bed, trying not to disturb Vanessa. She rolled over and groaned when she found him gone.
“Where are you going?” she asked, her voice scratchy.
“I have to get going. We slept late. I need to be at my hotel before Jeremy gets there.”
She sat up and rubbed her hands over her face, then looked at the clock. “Oh. It is late.”
She jumped out of bed as he pulled on his pants.
“Can I make you something to eat?” she asked.
“I don’t really have time. I’m just going to take a quick shower.” He gave her a peck on the cheek before disappearing. It was a quick shower, though part of him said he better enjoy it, because it might be the last hot shower he got for a long time.
When he stepped out, he smelled coffee and eggs cooking. He shook his head. She really was something, wasn’t she? She was the type of woman who would take care of him every day. He wanted that so badly. And now was the time to go fight for it.
After he finished dressing, he went to the kitchen to find her. She stood at the counter in her cotton shorts and t-shirt, still rumpled from sleeping. He loved the way her blonde hair was still a little tangled from the night before, when he’d bent her over right there. His dick went hard and he wrapped his arms around her from behind, wishing he had time to bend her over again before he left.
“I made you something,” she said. She turned and presented him with a foil-wrapped sandwich. “You can take it with you and eat in the car.”
“Thank you.” He set the sandwich down and gave her a long kiss.
She followed him to the door and kissed him one last time.
“Oh, and this.” She handed him a cardboard cup with a plastic lid. “Good luck? I guess. I don’t know what else to say. Be safe. Be careful. I love you.”
“I love you.” With one more kiss, he closed the door behind him and walked to his car.
He peeled back the foil and took a bite of his sandwich. Hot egg and cheese melted over his tongue. How could anyone mistreat this woman like Jeremy had? What a monster he must be inside to do the things he’d done.
The sandwich and coffee were gone by the time he reached his hotel room. Inside, he tucked his guns away. One in his ankle holster, one at the small of his back. Nicholas already had set up a hidden camera and microphone to capture the meeting. And that meant that he either had to make it look like self-defense or there’d be footage of him murdering Jeremy.
He stood in the middle of the room, facing the door. All he had to do now was wait. Jeremy was usually punctual, and he still had a good twenty minutes before their meeting time.
His mind wandered back to every moment with Vanessa. Their first meeting, their first kiss, their first time sleeping together. His heart ached for her and Opal. He needed them to be safe and come out of this alive and well. Then he thought of the conversation he’d had with Vanessa not long ago. Maybe there was one more thing he could do.
He dropped down to his knees and folding his hands. He hadn’t prayed since he was a little boy and it felt strange to be in this position. He didn’t know if anyone was listening or not, but he spoke out quietly into the room, aware of the recording that would capture even this.
“God, if you’re there, I know I haven’t been good, but this isn’t about me. Keep Vanessa and Opal safe today. Help me do whatever I need to do to make things better for them. Even if it means going away and not being with them, I’ll do what I have to do.” He stood up, then dropped back down to his knees. “Amen.” He stood again and paced a few steps.
In that moment, it felt like all the years of abuse he’d suffered were somehow worth it. As horrible as it had been, what his parents did to him, even how his high school girlfriend lied and tricked him into killing her dad. If none of that had happened, he wouldn’t be in the position to meet Vanessa. He laughed to himself. What in the world would they tell people about their early dating life and how they met? Well, I was hired to kill her, but she was just too gorgeous and amazing, so I turned around and killed her ex instead. No one would ever know their real story, aside from those who already did.
Knowing that he now had the love of a good woman and the heart of a child gave him the strength he needed to do this. To sacrifice himself for their sake. He felt, for the first time in his life, that he had purpose and direction. He had a reason to exist, a reason to wake up and keep going every day. He had to make their lives safe and happy. No matter what his life looked like to make it happen. And that alone filled his chest with warmth. It gave him the reassurance that everything would be okay somehow, because she loved him. She’d saved him from a life of loneliness and without love, and now it was his turn to save her.
# # #
Vanessa paced in front of the door. She had to stay here with Nicholas. Hunter had to be alone to do this. She knew that. Jeremy wouldn’t think he was still on his side otherwise. But she didn’t like not knowing. When would Jeremy get there? What would happen? Would everyone survive? The questions plagued her. Her stomach turned and she looked over at Nicholas.
He sat with his hands between his knees, tapping them together in a rhythm as he also shook his leg. He might even be more nervous than she was. Though why, she wasn’t too sure. It wasn’t his child who was in danger. It wasn’t the love of his life about to walk into a situation that could end his life or land him in jail. What did Nicholas have to be nervous about? His job? Or did he know something she didn’t know?
Someone knocked on the door, and Vanessa jumped. She almost screamed, but caught herself at the last moment. She looked over at Nicholas who was staring back at her with wide eyes, face paler than it had been.
“Who’s that?” he whispered.
“I have no idea,” she hissed back.
“Pizza Warehouse!” came a voice from the other side of the door.
Her and Nicholas exchanged looks again.
“I didn’t order pizza,” she whispered.
“Me either.”
“No one ordered pizza,” she said loudly.
This could easily be a trick, and she wasn’t about to open the door to find out.
“What?” the pizza guy said.
She walked closer, but stood to the side of the door. “I’m sorry. No one ordered a pizza. There’s some mistake.”
“Are you kidding me?”
She wondered how old this guy was. He sounded like he couldn’t be past his teens. “Sorry.”
She listened as he grumbled to himself and finally walked away. She ran over to the window and carefully peeked out. After a minute, she saw a guy with a pizza get back into his car, talking on the phone as he did. There was no other suspicious looking vehicle parked down there.
“What do you think that means?” she asked Nicholas.
“I don’t know, and I’m afraid to find out.”