HUNTER

It’s been three days and her vanilla scent no longer fills our home. Mark claims she’ll be at the event tonight, and she needed to take care of some personal business. I call bullshit. When Jax came by yesterday he told me how fucked up I was, and we brought the skank home for a little fun. It’s weird how she always shows up when I’m at my lowest. My stupidity may have cost me the woman I'm so desperate for.

I only remember bits and pieces of the night. But what keeps repeating in my mind is her crying and the squeal of her tires as she pulled out of the driveway. She was pissed. I can’t blame her; it was a douche move. Bringing someone else into our home while she was here, it was out right wrong. But I was proving a point.

Since then she hasn’t called, texted or returned any of my messages. Regret, ashamed and heartbroken are the best words to describe me as I stare out the bay window. How the hell am I going to fix this? I glance down to the beach and watch the couples walk along the shoreline. The day we were out there, it was as if we were in our own world, our oasis. Nothing else mattered.

With her everything felt right. Simple and pure. No false acts, no pretending to be someone else. With her I was me, Hunter Marshall. I never had to try with her. It all fell into place on its own. Our flirty banter and sexual chemistry is what I’ve been looking for all this time and I didn’t even know it.

Warren walks in, “It’s time to get ready.” I glance at the clock, “I’ve got time. Can you do me a favor?” I fill Warren in on how I’ll do anything to get her back. He’s not happy but it’s not his happiness I care about. When the conversation is over, I take the stairs two at time and get ready for the night. Warren orders the Limo to take us to the pre-charity meet and greet. When Mark arrives in a tuxedo and states he’ll be joining us, my heart plummets. I thought she’d be here.

DANICA

I pull up to the house and everything is dark. Mark texted to confirm Hunter and Warren left in the limo fifteen minutes ago and he is riding shotgun. They’re on their way to the pre-charity event. The main event will start in two hours.

Once I get to the walkway of his house, I feel off. I miss it, but it’s more than that. Something’s not right. I pull back and draw my gun. A Ducati is parked to the side near the bushes. The hair on my neck stands as the front door comes into view and it’s ajar. When I step inside something shatters on the hardwood floor in the hallway.

As I round the corner, a petite shadow scrambles around knocking things over. “Don’t move.” I shout and flip the light switch which blinds me for a moment.

A sudden push and my body lurches to the side. I reach out and grab the intruder, slamming her to the ground. With a quick slap the cuffs are on and I search the room to make sure we are alone. I listen for movement and step into the hallway. But the place seems empty. 

I pick the woman off the ground and place her on the kitchen island stool. The whole time she calls me names, bitch, whore, tramp. I pull the mask from her face, and to my surprise it’s the blonde bimbo. I message for backup and look her over.

“What are you doing here? Do you know what, don’t say a word. I don’t want to hear your voice.” The night with her, Jax and Hunter invade my mind. I don’t want to be reminded. Instead I grab a pen and paper from the top draw and place it in front of her on the marble counter. “If you have anything to say write it down, if you know how.” I wait as patiently as I can and remove one cuff from her hand.

She sighs after a few moments and opens her mouth to speak. I stop her. “Write. Don’t say a fucking word to me.” She reaches out and takes the pen. Chief walks in and pulls me to the side. I explain who she is and what happened the other night. Not sure if she is friend or foe, I’d say foe after how Hunter treated her.

The Chief reads blondie her rights for breaking and entering, she snarls at me. I lean over and pick up the piece of paper. Jotted down is one word, but it’s enough. “You illiterate stupid bitch,” I step toe to toe with her.

“What’s wrong you couldn’t keep your man so you make threats, you put a target on my back to try and what? Scare him back into your arms?” The anger in her face just pisses me off more.

“Fuck you, he was mine, he always comes back to me,” she spits out.

“Yeah maybe before. But not anymore. Now he wants me. Just like while you were sucking him off he was thinking about me. You bitch.” I go to punch her and am yanked back by another officer. “Get her the fuck out of here,” I shove the paper towards the chief and he looks down at it. She wrote on: hor in the same print as the brick.

If you think I’m pissed, you’ve never seen an Irishman turn so red. “You hurt my niece, you threw the brick, admit it and I may take it easy on you.” He pulls at her hands cuffed behind her back.

“Fine, I did it. I saw how they looked at each other, the way he dotes on her every move. It makes me sick. What do you have that I don’t?” The bimbo screams out.

“So you admit to throwing the brick and the pictures?” I’ve got her, just say the one word I need to hear and this could be all over.

“Yes, I threw the brick. You were here in his home. I couldn’t handle it, so I wanted you to get scared and leave him. But you didn’t.” She says defeated, tears streaming down her face.

“Sorry sugar, I don’t scare too easy. You want to know what I have that you don’t? I have a heart, I care enough about him to let him go if that’s what he chooses. But first I’m going to give him the option of having me, which I couldn’t do while I had a target on my back.” We got her. This could almost be over.

My phone chimes and I pull it from my pocket, “Mark, yeah. Listen stay with him. Don’t say anything but I think the job’s over. I’ll be there.” I throw the phone on the table and take a deep breath. It’s over. He’s not my assignment any more or at least he won’t be soon. I need to go to him and claim him, if he’ll still have me.

“Uncle Lenny, this is clear right. It’s done?” By using his name he knows I’m asking for personal reasons.

“She confessed. You love him?” he asks, my heart rate increases, “Yeah, I do.” He reaches out and pulls me into a hug. “Then go get your man.”

My happiness has always been Uncle Lenny’s priority. With his blessing I take off to my car, speeding down the highway. I make it back to my apartment and get ready for tonight.