Lulu

“Has he contacted you since he ran?”

I stared across the desk at Tomas and shook my head. “No.” I’d told him everything he wanted to know. I had no reason not to.

I’d been here for about an hour and, surprisingly, Tomas had kept his word. No one had hurt me, not yet anyway. He’d offered me food and drinks then had proceeded to ask me questions about Pierce. What I knew, places he frequented, people he associated with . . . and all the while Tomas’s extremely dark eyes had been locked on mine, like he could gage whether or not I was lying just by looking at me.

Tomas was a little older than Van, I guessed. Tall and built. Dark skin and hair and a wicked-looking scar on the side of his face. He was intimidating without even trying; I knew this because he wasn’t trying. I could tell he was purposely attempting to put me at ease throughout my interrogation.

He sat back, those eyes still drilling into me. “How old is your son?”

I stiffened.

“I won’t hurt him, Lulu. I would never hurt a child.”

“But you said . . .”

“Sometimes I have to say things I don’t mean to get what I want.” He shrugged. “It’s all part of this business. I’m sure you understand.”

I wished I didn’t, but Pierce had trained me well.

“I have a niece a who’s two, a similar age, yes?”

I nodded. What the hell was this? He’d threatened my aunt, grilled me about Pierce, and now we were going to chat about his niece?

A shout from the hall, just outside Tomas’s office, made me jump in my seat.

Tomas chuckled. “Sounds like Hunter’s come to collect you.”

“Fuck,” a deep voice growled from behind the door. A smack and crunch, which sounded a lot like someone getting hit, followed by another smack, this one wet. Next came a crash and a heavy thud.

I spun back to Tomas. He seemed unperturbed, relaxed even. He was a man that knew the power he wielded. Knew he was untouchable. The door swung open, and the first person I was the body builder. His big frame was writhing on the floor, hands clutching his nose, blood gushing through his fingers like a geyser, cheek split open.

I looked up, and relief hit me with such force I gasped from the strength of it. Hunter stood over him, fists clenched at his sides, breathing heavily. Van and Zeke were at his back, along with some other guy I didn’t know. Then Hunter’s eyes shifted to me, the blue so dark, it almost looked black.

Everyone else’s eyes came to me as well.

I knew he’d find me.

“You want to explain,” Hunter said to Tomas, voice low and deadly calm as he walked in. “Why my woman is here . . . without me?”

Tomas stood. “I just wanted to ask her a few questions, nothing more.” His head tilted to the side. “You know I’d never harm her.”

Hunter looked like he wanted to shoot him. “You want to talk to Lulu, you ask me. From now on, she doesn’t exist for you. You come near her again, we have an even bigger problem than we do now.” He took a threatening step toward Tomas. “Do you understand?”

Tomas dipped his chin. “You know why I did it,” he said, eyes sliding to me then back to Hunter. “I didn’t want her to censor her answers. I know how much you want Pierce for yourself.”

Van cursed. “I told you we’d deliver him to you after we were finished with him.”

Tomas shrugged again. “I don’t like to share.”

Hunter’s fingers curled into tight fists. “How the hell did you know she was with me?”

Tomas looked to the body builder, who’d climbed to his feet. His eyes darted to Hunter then back to Tomas.

Hunter was on him in a split second, shoving him against the wall, got in his face. “How?”

The guy scowled. “I got eyes and ears all over this city.”

Hunter shoved him. “Who was it?”

“One of Raul’s dancers, Cassie, called and told me where to find your woman. Overheard something at the club, was happy to give up the info.”

Hunter growled.

The stripper he’d been seeing. That bitch!

“I’ll talk to Raul,” Van said, voice vibrating with anger.

Hunter turned to his brother. “I better not see that bitch there again.” He pulled back, taking the body builder with him, and shoved him away. The guy limped off. Hunter’s eyes never left him, burning into him like he wanted to cause a lot more damage than he already had.

“Um . . .” I piped up. And all eyes slid back to me. “I’d like to go home now.”

Hunter strode over, jaw tight. “You’ve got some fucking explaining to do.” he growled under his breath. “What the fuck were you thinking, running off like that?”

“I had no . . .”

“You’re lucky it was one of Tomas’s boys and not one of Pierce’s.” His expression was hard, terrifying. “If it was Pierce? I wouldn’t be taking you home, I’d be tracking down what was left of you.”

My entire body lurched back.

Hunter turned to Tomas. “I’ll be back. This isn’t finished.”

When I stood, I stumbled a little, my legs feeling shaky from first fear then relief.

Van’s arm shot out, snaking around my waist. “I’ve got you, sweetheart.”

That got Hunter’s attention, and he shoved forward, dragging me from his brother’s arms—and without another word, strode from the room.

Hunter

I led her out of Tomas’s holding room and through his compound, Lulu almost jogging to keep up.

Jesus.

When I thought about what could have happened? Fuck. Pierce was still in town. The guy was unstable, desperate. The only reason to stick around was Lulu. If he’d gotten to her first . . .

I’d never wanted to do bodily harm to a woman in my life. I wanted to strangle Cassie, wring that bitch’s throat.

I led Lulu to my SUV and opened the door. She climbed in and I secured the seatbelt around her. She stared at me, eyes wide.

I wanted to pull her back out, shake the fuck out of her, make her promise to never pull shit like that ever again. I’d never been so terrified in my life. Instead, I shut the door, walked around to the driver’s side, and climbed in.

Shadows cut across her precious face, and she had her eyes closed. Did she think I’d let her shut me out?

Fuck that. I wasn’t letting her do that, not now, not after the breakthrough we’d had. Not when she’d begun to let me back in.

“You fucked up tonight,” I said into the silence. “What were you thinking, Lulu?”

She clenched her fists in her lap. “He threatened to hurt Sara. What else could I do?”

I bit out another curse. “What about Josh? You think about him when you ran off?”

She drew in a sharp breath. “He was safe, he was with Jude.”

“No. Did you think about Josh?” I gritted out. “Did you think what would happen to him if anything happened to you?” What would happen to me? How I’d fucking survive without you? I felt like an asshole. She was already shaken up, but I needed to get through to her.

She straightened in her seat. “I was thinking about Josh. He comes first always . . .”

“I’m not on his birth certificate, am I?” I fired at her.

She bit her lip then shook her head.

“He’s mine, babe, but you and I both know it might not be my blood running through his veins. Anything happens to you, best-case scenario, they’d let Sara take him. Worst? He’d end up in the system, shoved from one home to the next.”

Her fingers curled into fists. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

“How about think before you fucking act? That would’ve been a good start.” Shit. I reached out for her, but she jerked back. I dropped my hand, put both on the steering wheel and gripped it tight. “You don’t trust me.”

She scrubbed her hands over her face. “I’m tired. I feel like shit. I can’t deal with this right now.”

I stared at her through the shadows. “We are going to deal with this, right motherfucking now.”

She stared straight ahead. “You may think I’m stupid for doing what I did . . . but I’d do it again. If there’s a threat to someone I care about, I’ll do whatever I must to keep them safe.”

I knew that first hand. She’d done the same for me. Fuck. I felt close to launching out of my goddamn seat. “What about me?” I yelled. “Someone threatened someone I care about. Did you think about that, about how I’d feel about you risking yourself like that?”

She bit her lip.

“Babe, I gotta tell you, that you didn’t trust me with this, that you didn’t pick up the phone and call me as soon as you finished talking to Tomas? Jesus fucking Christ, that shit pisses me the fuck off. What do you think I do for a job, Lulu?”

She spun to me, eyes flashing. “I didn’t think I had another choice!”

“I could have sorted this. No one would have touched a hair on Sara’s head. You wouldn’t have been in danger for one-fucking-minute. No, Tomas wouldn’t hurt you, but you had no way of knowing that. All you had to do was fucking trust me.”

“It wasn’t that goddamn simple.”

“Bullshit. And after everything we’ve been through? This does not make me feel good. Makes me think you aren’t ever going to open up to me, or lean on me when things get tough. And you’re sure as fuck never gonna drop that guard. First sign of trouble, instead of coming to me, you tried to sort shit on your own, shit you had no hope in hell of getting yourself out of.”

She unfolded and shifted her body toward me. “I’m sorry . . . I just . . . I . . .”

“You decided to go it alone.” I shook my head. “You’re not alone anymore, Lulu. When are you going to let that sink in? I’ve been patient. Shit, I’ve got all the patience in the world for you, but not in this. Not when you could’ve gotten yourself killed. You either trust me or you don’t. I’ve told you what I want with you. I’ve laid it out, time and again. You made the right noises, made me believe you were right fucking there with me, but you didn’t mean a goddamn word.” Then it hit me. I didn’t want to believe it, but I knew, I fucking knew the truth. “You never planned to stay,” I rasped.

The deafening silence that followed said it all.

Fuck. “You were going to leave.”

Lulu

I stared across at his hard profile, teeth clenched so tight that the muscles in his jaw jumped. I didn’t know what to say, how to answer him without making him even angrier. Yes, I’d planned to leave in the beginning, I couldn’t see any other way.

So I didn’t answer. Telling him the truth then would be a phenomenally bad idea.

The drive home was ominously silent. Finally, he pulled into the parking garage below his building, shut off his car, and climbed out. I thought he might keep walking, but he strode around to my side, yanked the door open, and waited for me.

He took my hand and led me to the elevator. I risked a glance up at him as we got in and he punched the button for his level. His gaze was trained straight ahead. Not once did he look at me.

“Hunter . . .”

“Unless you’re going to tell me I’m wrong, don’t say a fucking word.”

“But I . . .”

“I mean it. Do not test me, not after today.”

Shit.

The door slid open and we walked to his apartment. Ruby and Jude were there, waiting for us. Jude gave Hunter a chin lift then turned to me. He did not look happy. “Shit, woman,” was all he said before he stalked to the door and left.

Ruby on the other hand, ran to me, pulling me into a tight hug. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I squeezed her back.

“God, I was so worried.” Then she squeezed me tighter. “I’m so pissed at you.”

Hunter walked to the door and held it open for my friend. “Thanks for watching Josh.”

Ruby released me. “No worries. He’s had dinner and he’s out for the count.”

She gave me a sympathetic look, followed by a “will-you-be-okay” eyebrow lift. I nodded, though I had no idea if that was true. I got the feeling if I gave her any indication that I wasn’t okay, she’d be hatching my escape the minute she left the apartment. Seemingly satisfied, Ruby gave me a low wave and hurried out.

Hunter slammed the door behind her and stalked out of the room. The bathroom door shut a second later.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I didn’t want to leave it like this. The urge to follow him, make him listen, explain, was overwhelming. But I knew Hunter well enough to know I needed to back off for a bit. He wasn’t in the mood to listen. He needed time, away from me. That hurt, more than it should under the circumstances.

But he was right. I should have gone to him. No matter how scared I was for my aunt. I was so used to only having me to rely on, I’d acted without thinking. I’d fucked up big time, running off like that.

As soon as he knew the truth, the real reason I’d done what I had, why he’d gone to prison, he’d been 100 percent there for me and Josh. He hadn’t doubted my word, had moved heaven and earth to keep us safe.

I knew this. I hadn’t missed it. And he was wrong. I did trust him. I’d trusted him with my life today, had trusted him to find me.

I went to the bedroom and folded back the covers. I didn’t know if he wanted me in his bed tonight, but I planned to be here, waiting. I heard the bathroom door open and close, then the sound of his footsteps retreating. The TV came on a minute later.

I padded out of the room and hit the shower. I needed to wash off today in a big way. I towel dried my hair, finger combed it, pulled on one of Hunter’s shirts, and, fighting to get my nerves under control, headed to the living room. Screw it. What I needed to say was churning inside me. I couldn’t wait any longer.

I wrapped my arms around my waist and moved farther into the big room. Hunter had a beer in his hand, feet on the coffee table and eyes on the TV, watching a game.

I moved closer. “Baby?”

He stiffened and his jaw got tight again. “Not now, Lulu.

I’d scared him tonight. Going by how tight his jaw was, he still wanted to strangle me for it, but I wanted to make him hear me out. I hated it, hated the way this felt. I felt helpless. I fucking hated feeling helpless. Which meant I was pissed off as well. “Just let me explain.”

His jaw ticked, but he didn’t look at me. “I said, not now.”

I waited, but he didn’t say anymore. “You’re so goddamn stubborn,” I fired at him then turned and strode back to the bedroom, climbed under the covers, and forced my eyes closed.

Surprisingly, I fell asleep, despite the way my belly churned and my mind raced. I didn’t know how long for, but somehow I knew it had been a while. I also knew I wasn’t alone in the room anymore.

I opened my eyes, watching Hunter move around. He tugged his shirt off and dropped it on the floor, then his hands dropped to his jeans.

“You’re wrong,” I said into the darkness.

He didn’t answer me.

“I knew you’d come for me,” I whispered. “I made a mistake, Hunter, I’ll own that. But you’re wrong. I trusted you to come for me.”

He stilled. Even in the shadowy room, I could see he stood completely frozen. Then he moved suddenly. The bed dipped and he was beside me. His hands came to my waist and he rolled us, so he was on his back and I was on top. The tee I was wearing was lifted up and off and flung onto the floor. He rolled again, taking me to my back.

“Hunter?” I whispered.

“I’m still pissed at you, Lulu. Fucking pissed. I thought I’d lost you today, thought I’d be collecting your body, not finding you in one piece. I’m fucking over the moon that you knew I’d move heaven and earth to get you back. But whatever you’ve got planned in that head of yours, whatever shit you’ve convinced yourself is a good enough reason for you to leave me? I won’t fucking allow it.”

Relief near overwhelmed me. I’d been terrified I’d irreparably broken us. But here he was again, fighting for me. Letting me know he wasn’t letting me go. His hand moved up my stomach to my breast. His fingers got to work on my nipple, pinching and gently tugging. I gasped.

“You and Josh belong here with me. You leave, I’m coming after you again, and I’m dragging your ass back.” He nipped my lower lip. “And I’ll keep doing it, you fucking hear me?”

I reached up and ran my hands over his chest. “I was going to leave,” I admitted. He sucked in a harsh breath, big body going rock solid. “But I changed my mind.”

He didn’t move, just stared at me through the darkness.

My hands continued to roam his chest. “The night I came out and found you on the couch, Josh asleep on you. That was the night I decided to stay.”

He dropped fully on top of me and I wrapped my arms and legs around him, hanging on tight. His mouth came down on mine. He kissed me deep, tongue hot against mine, cutting off anything else I wanted to say.

He pulled back a little. “I need to fuck you, babe. Now,” he said against my lips. “You ready for me? That pussy nice and wet? Cause I can’t wait.”

“Yes.” I was always ready for him. Always.

That was all he needed to hear. He tilted his hips back, thrusting his hard cock deep inside me. My neck arched, fingers digging into his muscled back, and I cried out. He started to pound into me instantly, relentless, hard and fast, no warming up. Perfect. I hung on, absorbed every thrust, took what he needed to give, and loved every minute of it.

His grunts were deep and raspy, filling my head. God, I loved it. Loved the way he sounded when he fucked me. Like nothing could be better than this.

He sat back, and I wrapped my legs around his waist tighter. Hunter watched me, watched where we were joined as he drilled into me.

“I’m close,” he muttered. “Play with your tits.”

I slid my hands up to my chest.

He moved one hand down between my legs and dragged his thumb over my clit, setting of sparks, making me groan. He applied a little more pressure, and then I was coming. Hunter cursed, reared back, both hands going to my hips, and pulled me down on his cock as he thrust in. Then he stiffened, planted deep, and came hard inside me.

When he finished, he dropped down, still buried inside. I wrapped my limbs around him tight as he continued to glide in and out, mouth against the side of my neck, setting off little sparks of pleasure inside me.

Finally, he looked down at me. “Lulu, I’m on top of you,” he rasped.

He was on top of me, and I hadn’t freaked out.

I smiled, and wetness hit my eyes again. “You make me feel safe,” I whispered back.

I knew he got what that meant, how big it was, when his eyes drifted shut and he buried his face back against my throat.

“Fuck, Lulu, baby.”

I’d just shown him the level of trust I had in him, without even realizing I was doing it. I ran my hands over his smooth, inked skin. I kissed his shoulder. “I’m sorry for scaring you like that.”

He lifted up to his elbows, one hand threading through my hair, the other at my temple. He slid his fingers down the side of my face, thumb brushing my cheek and across my lower lip. “Promise me you won’t leave again.”

“I promise.”

He leaned in and kissed me. I forgot everything else but the way I felt wrapped in his arms.