To our readers... Thank you for continuing to support our little adventure in the Until Him/Her world. We’re beyond blessed to be a part of this series We hope you enjoy Hunter and Posey’s book as much as we enjoyed writing their story Let’s do this again next year
To Aurora Thank you These last few years working with you have been amazing Michele and I are eternally grateful to you.
To Michele Bitch, you knew this was coming lol You’re like the big sister I wished I had Thank you for being my bestie, my sounding board, and my venting ear. Being your friend is an adventure every day, even on the suckiest of them. I am so grateful I met you Even though I know you seriously second guess meeting me (I don’t blame you one bit lol) Let’s be friends for another twelve years, then we can be old biddies together
Hunter Banks, eldest brother, consummate bachelor, and family protector. When Cobi Mayson shows up at the shop, needinghis help, Hunter agrees He’ll do whatever ittakes to keep his familysafe Includinggoingundercover and backto whereeverythingstartedforIreland LuxAutomotive.
When she arrives at Hunter’s home, Posey’s ready to tear Hunter apart. Until she meets the Viking-God in person and everythingelsedisappears Unfortunatelyforher,Hunterisofflimits Shehasajobtodo,protectDestinyatallcosts
Musicblaredthroughthestereointheshop.Itwasweirdbeingtherealone,leftwithmythoughts,asmysisterandher new husband went ontheir honeymoon Wouldn’t sayI was jealous of them Nothingabout gettingmarried or settling downappealedtome.Now,Jackson,ontheotherhand,thatboywasgettingintoitdeepwithWaverly.Helandedthegirlof hisdreams,andIcouldalreadyseethelittleheartsinhiseyes.
Mystomachdropped “Notthebestwaytostartaconversation,allthingsconsidered” He rubbed the back of his neck and lines of stress and exhaustion crisscrossed his features before he motioned to the womanwhostoodbesidehim.“ThisisDetectiveAvaSt.James.ShejusttransferredintoourdivisionfromNewYork.Isthere someplaceprivatewecantalk?”
OncewesettledandI’dclosedthedoor,Icrossedtothedesk Somuchhadchangedinsuchashortamountoftime We expanded the business a little, considering once word got around about our prices and quality, we were more in demand. Whichalsomeantexpandingtheofficespaceinsteadofushavingtousetheshittylittledeskoutfront
“You’re not recognizable” Cobi bent forward, folding his hands in front of himas he braced his elbows on his jeancoveredthighs.“Look,acall cameinfromadistributor.Theyobviouslydidn’tgetthememoabouttheoriginal raid,sothey wanted to bringa shipmentofcars into chop The auctionhouse would be a suitable cover for them Ifwe cantracktheir moves, perhaps we can shut down the remaining armof Edgar’s operation and add more charges to the asshole’s already lengthycase”
Well,shit.NotanythingI’dbeenexpecting.
“So,wesetupthebusinesslikenothingeverhappenedandgowiththeflow?”Iassumed,cuttingmygazetoDetectiveSt. James Iwasn’tsureifshe’dbeentheretoruninterferenceor ifshewasacasual observer All thingsconsidered,itkindof unnervedme.“HowdoweexplainEdgarnotbeingthere?Orthefacteverythingisdifferent,andI’mrunningtheplace,notone ofEdgar’smen?”
Reminded me ofthe old days, to be honest, before we knew whatEdgar was doingto Ireland. “Whatdo Ido aboutthis place?” Ireland was gone for two weeks. Landondid better ontransmissions and exhausts. Our real bread and butter came fromIreland’senginerepairs
“Skeleton crew until Ireland gets back?” Cobi cocked a brow. “I know it’s not perfect. We have four days to move everythingintoplace Iwouldn’tevenask,butyou’rewhotheyknow”
“It’s beena longtime,” Isaid witha shrug. The desperationseepingfromCobi showed me how muchofa tightspothe reallywasin.“Fuckit.Fine.I’lldoit.Icanclosetheshopdownforafewweeks,notmuchgoingonasitis.I’llletLandon knowtotakeahikeaswell.”
WhenIrelandmetEdgar,wewereallinanawfulplace Ourparentshadjustdied,andwewereresponsibleforasixteenyear-oldboy.EdgarofferedIrelandandLandongoodjobswithenoughmoneytomakeendsmeetwhilealsotakingcareofour baby bro as our parents’estate went through all the proper machinations of the court system. However, the longer Ireland stayedthere,themoreIrelandlostherselfinthebusiness.LandonandIletsomebadshitslide.Saw stuffweshouldn’thave andkeptourheadsdown.I’mnot that self-absorbedtonotbeabletochidemyselfforalltheredflagswe’dignoredalongthe way
Lux Automotive Auction was one of the biggest auction houses in Nashville. At one point, Edgar had over a hundred employees,doingthree-quartersofamilliondollarsinprofiteveryweek,ifnotmore.Therewerepeopleintitles.Mechanics. Car washers. Receptionists and contractnegotiators who did all the bindingpaperwork. How Cobi and Detective St. James plannedonbringingtheplacebacktolifewasbeyondme
Drivingthroughthe gate, Ispotted the cars I’d picked outto workonalreadyonthe lifts. Across fromwhere Istopped werethreerowsofhigh-endmodelcarsawaitingbuyers IfIhadn’tknownthetruth,I’dhavesworntheplacewasstillopen forbusiness.Cobiwasn’tkiddingwhenhesaidtheywouldgoallinforthisbust.
Iclimbed offmybike after parkinginthe designated spotand pushed into the mainpartofthe business Freshpaintand sparklingfloorsgreetedme.Allthescuffmarksandchippedwallshadbeenfixedfromwhereallhellhadbrokenloosewhen Edgarrealizeditwasallover,andthepolicehadcrashedhislittleparty Thefrontofthebuildingwasawashinactivity,while others stood around talking. There was even a faint scent of food cooking from the cafeteria down the hall. From the appearanceofthings,thiswasafullyfunctioningauctionhouse.
Mygaze bounced fromPedro to Hope. She was too good for him. Too sweet. Too soft. Icould see itwiththe wayshe smiledatPedro,indulginglyandalwaystouchedhimrightoverhisheart.ShefanciedherselfinlovewithhimifIhadtoguess, andboy,whenshefoundoutthetruthofwhatwashappeninginsidetheauctionhouse,itwouldbreakher.
Ifshedidn’talreadyknow
There was somethingelse there inPedro’s amber-colored eyes. Determination. The need to prove himself. I’d seenthat samesparkoflightbeforeinIreland’seyes Whenshedugin,gettinghertobackawaywasimpossible ThedayMackshowed upattheshopandrelayedIreland’sshenanigans,i.e.;goingintoLuxtofindallthestolencarsherself while Edgarwasthere. I’dseenjusthowfarshe’dbeenwillingtogotocatchthesonofabitch.Thatsamestubbornsetinherfeaturesmatchedhow themanstandinginfrontofmelooked.OnlyPedrowantedtoprovehimselftoEdgar,andIrelandwantedtonailthatbastardto thewall.
“And inother news ” the reporter said, drawingmyattentionas Icarried MackJr into the kitchenfor breakfast “The fieryaccidentyesterdayafternoonatthe ShelbyRoad exitofInterstate 24 is still under investigationafter a wild chase throughNashville lead to the deathofboththe passenger and driver ofthe vehicle. Local authoritywon’trelease the namesofthesuspects,onlytheywerewantedinconnectionwithastringofcartheftsaroundthearea” Iglancedatthe screenandshookmyhead.“That’s whywe don’tchopcars,little dude.” Ikissedthe side ofMackJr.’s head
Sure, we shut down the organization for good, but the two people who knew more about Edgar’s business than those arrestedwereinthewind.ThesecondNashvillePDandfederalagentsbustedthroughthosedoors,PedrograbbedHopeand theywereontherun Sofar,theyhadn’tbeenfound Ifiguredthey’dgonebacktoMexicotohideoutwithEdgar’sfamily OrmaybetheyheadedbacktoNewYork.
Either way, theywere onNashville’s mostwanted listand eventually, bothwould fuckup. The idea bothered me. Hope wasinnocentinmybook.Shehadpersonal problemsouttheass.Shehadajuvierecordamilelongfor pettyshit.CPShad beenonhermom’sassformostofHope’slife.Theoddswerestackedagainstherandwhenshecouldhavefoundabetterway, PedroshowedupandsweptHopeaway
Sometimes, Iwished Icould have saved her. Maybe, ifIhad giveninto the temptation, Icould have gottenher away. I wasn’t sure, but I knew the wives and girlfriends of the Broken Eagles MC could figure it out Theyall did some kind of charityworkorwhatever.Plus,Mackhadpeopleonspeeddial.Ifshewantedout,Icould’vemadeithappen.
I should’ve been more commanding More authoritative when I said, “Anywhere but here” Instead, I whispered those words, and the wellingofsadness consumed me. Ihad the chance to save one person, and she slipped away, determined to followhermanintotheunknownseathatwouldalwaysbetheirlives
MackJr.’ssoftcoo,thensob,broughtmebacktoreality.
“You can say that again,” I replied, rubbing his back. The car on the screen looked new, which meant it should have absorbedtheimpact However,wrappingitaroundanofframppoleatahighrateofspeed,notsomuch Thatwasnottheway anyoneshouldwanttodie.Especiallynotforboostingcars.
Openingthedoor,theairwassnatchedfrommybody. Boom. Awomanwithcurvesinalltherightplacesstoodbeforeme, withlong,unrulycurlyblondehair.Big,beautifulblueeyesandfulllushlips.Iwonderedhowthey’dfeellikewrappedaround mydick. Speakingofwhich, the aforementioned appendage thickened to the pointofpain, pressingagainstthe zipper ofmy jeans,cuttinga trackintothe length.There was a dustingoffreckles across the bridge ofher nose andfuckme ifshe didn’t stealmysoulwithherbrightsmile Thiswoman,Ididn’tknowwhoshewasorwhyshestoodonmydoorstep,butIwashappy shewastherebecauseshewasmine.UntilIsawthebabycarrierinherrighthandandfocusedonthenotebookinherleft. The fuck?
Iglancedatherperfecthandfultitsandsawhernametag, Posey Roberts.Damn,evenhernamehadanice,cutesyringtoit. Then I read the rest of it. Department of Children’s Resources–Davidson County “Hi, does a Hunter Banks live at this address?”
IglancedfromhertothebabyinthecarrierandbacktothewomanI’dratherbefuckingthanstandingonmyporchtalking to “That’sme”
Sheexhaled.Herexpressionfilledwithdisappointment.Likesheregratedcomingtomydoor.WhatthefuckcouldIhave done to make her see me insucha light? “Great Well, could Icome in? Idon’tthinkyouwantyour neighbors to hear our conversation.”
before Cobi and St. James could find them. Whatdid she have to do withthis... Oh fuck. I stared at the little girl, evenat whateverthebaby’sagewas,Ishouldhaveseenit.“AreyoufuckingtellingmethisisHope’sbaby?”
Thefuckshewas.HopeandInevermessedaround.Sure,theofferswerethereandtrustme,I’dbeentempted,butInever fuckedHope Ever Besides,she’donlybeensleepingwithPedro Wait Ineededtoslow downhereandthinkthisthrough TherewasareasonPoseywashere.Ihadtofigureitoutandnotgiveanythingaway.IfHopeputmeonthebirthcertificate, she had a reasonto Fuck Still, she wasn’tpregnantwhile she was atLux, was she? Damnit, theyspentalmosteveryday together.Itriedmydamnedesttogetheroutofthatsituationandintoabetterlife.Hadherpastfinallycaughtuptoher?Butthat didn’texplainwhysheputmedownasthefatherofherbaby.
Was Poseyso blind to see we looked nothingalike? Come to thinkofit, Destinydidn’tlooklike Pedro either Whatthe fuckwasgoingon?WhywasthiswomanherewiththekidbesidesthefactHopeputmeasthebabydaddy?Noneofitmadea lickofsense “Couldyourepeatthat,MissRoberts?”Ihadn’tseenaringonthewoman’sfinger Eveniftherewasonethere, I’dfindthefuckerandremovehimfromherlife.Shewasmine.Shejustdidn’tknowityet.
Poseygave anexasperated sighbefore rollingher eyes It was obvious I’d offended her somehow “Ifyouwould have answered your phone one of the several times, I’d been trying to call you, this situation would’ve been resolved had you answered.Perhapsyoushouldcallyourwifeorgirlfriendsoshecanbeapartofthis.”
“You’veseenthenews,correct?”Sheliftedherchintothekitchen,wherethemorningreportsplayedout. “Honestly,” Istated, crossingmyarms, “it’s background noise. Whatdoes thathave to do withwhyyou’re sittinginmy livingroom?”
Sheexhaledagainandopenedthefoldershe’dhadinherarms.“YesterdaytherewasasinglecaraccidentonI-24.Hope was inthe vehicle I’msure yousaw the high-speed pursuit?” She glanced up atme, and for the second time since meeting Posey,theairrushedoutofme.“Yeah,that’swhatIthought.”
“Wait.AreyousayingHopewasinthatmangledcar?” Fuck Fuck!Ifailed.ItoldHopethiswaswhatwouldhappen.She didn’tlisten ShewasinlovewithPedro,andthatmotherfuckergotherkilled Killedthebastardtoo,hopefully Would serve him right.
“Yes,”Poseyanswered
“Howisshenotallbangeduptoo?Howdidthiskidsurvive?”ButHopedied.Ididn’taddthatlastpartasIstaredatthe littlegirl What the fuck, man? What The Fuck? The babygirl’s bigbrowneyes stared into mysoul She reminded me so muchofHope.Didn’tmakeapeep.Watchedeverythingandeveryone.Hopeputmynameonthatbirthcertificateforareason. Shehadtohave.WhichmeantIwasgoingtohavetoclaimDestiny,evenifshewasn’tmine.
Dammit
“Shewasn’tinthevehiclewithMissVeracruzorMr.Garcia.Wefoundherinahotelclosetowherethevehiclecrashed.” The heaviness of her words landed on me like a ton of bricks Hope left her behind I couldn’t say whether that was because she was trying to protect her daughter or there were more nefarious ideas at work. Either way, the situation was messedup “Oh”
“Oh? That’s all youhave to sayaboutyour daughter beingfound ina hotel room?” Again, exasperationfilled her tone. “Don’tyoucareaboutyourkid?”
“DidyouknowshewasmarriedtoMr Garcia?”Poseyquirkedabrow “Nope.” If Hope got married to him, she’d done so when I hadn’t been around. The operation only lasted a couple of weeks PedroandHopewereattheauctioneveryday Mostofthetime,Hopewasinmyofficetalkingaboutlife,stayingoutof theway.Shewas agoodkidinamessed-upsituation.Couldshehavebeentellingmethewholetimeshewas pregnantand lookingforawayout?
Shit
Guessnoneofitmatterednow.Hopewasdead,andsowasPedro.Theotherswereinprisonawaitingtrialiftheyhadn’t pleaded outalready Cobi had texted the other dayand reminded me pre-trial was comingup and the DAwould contactme abouttrialprep.Seemedlikealifetimeago,now.
“Sure.Icandothat.”Iglancedaroundthehouse,completelyoutofmyelement.TheMaverickstillneededwork.Landon wasgonetowork.WhichmeantIhadtowaitforhimtoreturntomakearunfortheshitI’dneed. What the fuck do I need? My mindwasgoingamillionmilesanhour TryingtoformulateaplanwhilealsonotsureifIshouldtellanyoneaboutDestinyleft medrawingablank.“Whoisworkinghercase?Hope’sImean?”
“I’ll needtheir phone numbers sowe canspeak.” Poseypulledouther notebookonce more andgrabbedher phone.The ideaofherwalkingthroughourplacesetmeonedge Theitchbetweenmyshoulderstoyellathertoleaveeverythingalone grated on my nerves. More than half of the stuff in this place belonged to our dead parents. Sure, we changed out some furniture,butthiswastheirhome,justadifferentlocation.
IstaredatDestiny,whocontinuedtolookatmewiththosewideeyes Thiskidhadbeenthroughtheringer,andshewasn’t evenayearoldyet.Thedayoftheraid,I’dhadanuneasyfeelingallmorning.Somethingbadwasgoingtohappen.Icouldn’t shakeit Itwasn’tanythinglikewhenMackandIrelandworkedtogethertotakedownEdgar Thiswasmoreofanirritant Like Icouldn’tquitegraspwhattheproblemwas.Theplanwassimple.Allthepieceswereontheboardandinplace.
Untiltheyweren’t.
Whentheraidhappened,PedroandHopewerealreadydrivingoff,andacopcarwaschasingafterthem Cobihadn’ttold us they’d gotten away until a couple of days later. The raid was a success. They shut down the remaining arms of the organizationandoncetheyhadHopeandPedroincustody,theycouldclosethecase
For months,they’dbeenontherun.Isuspectedtheygot“lost”onpurposed,butfindingoutHopeandPedrohadbeenin Nashvillethewholetime?Mymindwasreelingandtheonlypersonwhocouldfitallthescatteredpiecestogetherwasdead.I stillhadtimetotellPoseythetruth.Icouldexplainthesituationtoherandwhat?Putthekidintofostercare?Perhaps,withthe resourcesfromthestate,shecouldfindHope’sfamily.
Damn it.
Icouldn’tdothattothisbaby.Shedeservedsomenormalcy.ExplaininghowDestinycametobe,tomyfamily,wouldbea wholeotherkettleoffish Irelandwouldn’twanttoleavewellenoughalone She’dalsoridemyassabouthavingakidwith someone,afterpreachingtoLandonandJacksonaboutusingprotection,butalsoaboutnotknowingHopehadbeenpregnant. The worstpart? Iwouldn’tbe able to tell Ireland the whole truthbecause ofthe ongoinginvestigationand the comingcourt case.
Talkaboutcompletelyfuckedup
When Posey came back to the living room, she had a list of things that needed to be fixed in the house. Destiny was crawlingnow.Ineededbabygatesandallkindsofbullshitthataddedtomylistofthingstodo.Justlisteningtohergavemea headache,nottomentionmademyballsblue
“No, I’ll bringitin, Mr. Banks. Youhave two childrenunder the age ofone inyour home. Your attentionshould be on them.”Sheturnedandwenttothedoor.“Iknowthisisn’thowyouexpectedyourdayoryourlifetogo,butthosewhoplayfast andloosealwaysendupgettingcaught”
Istaredafterher. Bitch.
Chapter 2
Posey
“W
ell,thatwentlovely,”Igrumbledundermybreathbeforeyankingopenthedoortomytrustyandslightlyrustysedan. AsIgotintomycar,IglaredupatthehousewhereHunterlivedandwhereI’djustleftDestiny Theyhadmoney Had tohavetoownthelittlehaciendainaquietMurfreesboroneighborhood.
The reactionIhad to Hunter was... Odd. The smugbastard behind thatdoor irritated the fuckoutofme and caused my stomachto do a funnylittle flip whenhe opened the door Get it together, girl He’s the enemy Plus, there was the facthe pretendedlikehedidn’tknowwherebabiescamefrom.
Myreactiontohim,bothphysicallyandmentally,gavemepause Ilikedtogiveeachparentorguardianthebenefitofthe doubt whenit came to their children. However, withHunter Banks, Ifelt openlyhostile toward himand did somethingI’d neverdoneinmylife
What happens when we assume, Posey? I’dmade anass ofmyself.The childI’dpresumedwas his turnedouttobe his nephew Hunter also seemed genuinely surprised to find out about Destiny Because of the investigation, along with other related cases to Pedro and Hope, Cobi was beingtight-lipped aboutitall. Onlythatthere was a case comingup withinthe federalcourtandifIneededmoreinformation,Icouldattendthehearing Ishould’veheldmytonguewithHunteruntilIknewthefulltruth. Instead,Iwentwithmygut.
Now thatIcould breathe and feel like myinsides were goingto melt, or I’d ruinmypanties beingso close to Hunter, I couldthinkclearly.Whichmeantmyactionsjustcompoundedthesituation.Insteadofcompassionandunderstanding,Iledwith disdainandself-righteousanger Itappedintomyabandonmentissuesandtookthemoutonhim
NoonewascomingtotakeDestinytogivehimabreather Fromnowon,he’dhavehishandsfull Thenthere was the fact we hadn’t ended the introductions inthe most pleasant ofways, either. Goingbackup onto his porchandknockingonthedoorwastantamounttowalkingintoadenoflions Hunterwouldeatmealive Not a bad way to go. Be honest with yourself, girl. You want to ride that Viking God dick?
Instead of contemplating my inner hussy’s question, I started the car and hit the map button on my phone to load the directionsbacktotheoffice.Oncemyphonestartedtalkingtome,IpulledawayfromHunter’shouse.Workwasstillwaiting tobedoneattheoffice.Icouldwallowinself-pitylater,afterIfolloweduponmypendingcases.
Hunter hadtobeatleastsixfootthree Wouldn’tyouknow it,Ihada thingfor tall guys? Evenifthefew dates I’dbeen luckyto have inmylife were shortcompared to Hunter. He was also barrel chested and broad shouldered, fillingup every spaceheoccupiedtothepointofsuffocation
Theyweresafe.TheynevertoldmeIshouldnotbeeatingthepastaIorderedfordinner.Or,betteryet,Ishould’veordered a saladinstead Thathadhappenedtome twice The lasttime ithappened,itwas whenIswore offdating Mensaw a slim waist,bigass,andbreasts,andthoughtsomehow,Ieitherwaisttrained,orIgainedintherightspots.Iwasgeneticallyblessed, likesomesaidIwasorgeneticallycursed.
It wouldn’t have been the first time someone attempted to assault me. As a social worker, I didn’t always get to see everyone attheir best.Yes,some people were justassholes,butoccasionallytheywere downontheir luck.I’dbeencalled some trulyhorrible names inthe years I’ve worked atCPS Yet, there were always the few who came backlater as better versionsofthemselvesandapologized.
Ididitforthekids Theoneswhotalkedandtheoneswhoweresilencedortryingtofindtheirvoiceoncemore Ifought for thembecause everykid deserved to grow up ina safe and stable environment. Childrenshouldn’t have to worryabout whenthey’dgettoeatnext,oriftheyrememberedtolocktheirbedroomdooratnighttokeepoutapredator.Theysureashell didn’tneedtowonderifthey’dbesoldbytheirmothersorfathersforafix,either
The kids labeled as troubled were also assigned to me
Most times, the labeled kids didn’t give me any issues They recognizedlikeforlikeratherquickly.Icouldhashoutthesametirednonsensetheycould.Thedifferencebetweenus?Imade itout.I’dbe their role model iftheyletme.However,Iwas onlya guide.Icouldshow themthe rightpathtotake.How to harness their anger and resentment and do good in the world, but they had to make the conscious decision to do better I couldn’tdecideforthem.
Whiletheyworkedonthemselves,Imovedmountainsandcutthroughalltheredtapetogetthosekidsoutofunsafehomes andintogoodones.Families thatshowedahistoryofabuse?Iworkedharder toremovethemfromthefosteringsystemand made sure they’d never abuse another child. Ifthatmeantgettingthe police involved, so be it. Istill had a longwayto go, becauseIcouldn’tweedthemalloutorhelpeverykid,butIwasdeterminedtonotgodownwithoutafight.
You need to apologize to him, Posey. It’s the right thing to do.
IknewdeepdownDestinywassafewithherfather Hewasoneofthegoodones Hehadafamilyhelovedandsupported Duringmyquickwalkedthrough,I’dspottedfamilypictures oneverywall.All their smilingfaces expressedtheir love and happiness Eventhesmallmemorialofhisparents,tuckedawayatthecornerofthelonghallway,showedbettertimesamong thebitternessofloss.
Hunter Banks had knownwhatitfeltlike to lose his parents. Inhis grief, he’d stepped inand takencare ofthe younger siblings whenhe could’ve washed his hands and walked away Thatstrengthand dedicationshone brightlyina red-headed boy’s graduation photos. He was an admirable man. Those pictures should’ve told me everything I needed to know about Hunter
Still,I’dbeenadicktohim.
Destinywassafe,andHunterhadasupportsystembehindhim Shewouldgrowupwithatleastonecousin,nodoubtmore The lackoffood,andthe horrible neglectshe experiencedfor one soyoung,wouldn’tevenbe a memory.Iwas grateful for that.Contenteven.
Myrelationship was unique withDarcywhile atwork. Whenwe stepped throughthose doors and clocked in, we were supervisor and case worker I appreciated her not babyingme AlthoughDarcyhas never shownme favoritism, and never would,thisjobwasn’teasy.IfIhadmyco-workersatmythroat,whiletryingtodealwithirateparents,I’dneversurvive.
Like with every other call we had to discuss business, my adoptive momand boss cut through the formalities and got straighttothepoint.“Destinyarrivedsafelyatherfather’s?”
Other thanI’dlike toclimbDestiny’s dadlike a tree while beratinghimfor notknowingabouthis daughter? Absolutely not.Iclearedmysuddenlydrythroatandcroakedout,“No.Everythingwentwell.Ididaquickhomeinspection,gotalistof names ofwholives there,andwill follow upwithanother visitintwoweeks.” How I’dbeenable tosayeverythingwitha straightface,Icouldn’tsay “However,heseemedtakenaback WemightwanttoscheduleaDNAtesttoprovehe’sthedad Hedidn’tknowthemotherwaspregnant.”
“Didhesayhewasn’t?”
IthoughtaboutmyinteractionwithHunter,andrealizedheneversaideitherway.Itwasalmostlikeheacceptedeverything Ithrewathimastruthanddidn’tbothertoquestionme “No,hedidn’t Itwashowhewordedsomethings Likehereferredto Destiny as Hope’s baby. After I told himHope had passed away, he admitted he was Destiny’s father. It was just an odd interaction.”
IfIdidn’tknowbetter,I’dswearDarcysomehowknewaboutthecontemptuousmeetingbetweenmeandHunter er Mr Banks.Ineededtokeepthingspurelyprofessionalwithhim.Referringtohimbyaformalnamewouldbethestart.
Icouldn’thelp myself Ismiled Another reasonIrespected Darcyas a boss She never demanded anyofus to take any case.Sheaskedandalwaysgaveusanoutifwechoosenottotaketheassignment.IalsoknewDarcywasmethodicalinhow shereviewedacaseandassignedthemtous.Herreasonswerealwaysthecorrectones.
ThenIhadtomeetthechild.Itwasneverfunformetovisitaschool.One,parentswhoweretheresometimesgotparanoid andtwo,thechildrenwereoftenafraidofme,especiallyiftheyknewIwasthereforthem Thechildinquestionthistimewas a fourteen-year-old girl. After readingover her case, I knew who did most of the abuse, and Iunderstood before Ileft the guidanceofficewhatIhadtodo
Bright lights peppered through the windows around the buildings, as people were in various stages of their nights. I yawned,notfightingit Iwasdog-tired,butItookamomentortwotogoovermyhecticafternooninmymind Lunahadn’tcometoschoolthatmorning.Itwashappenstanceapoliceofficersawherwalkingthestreetswhensheshould have been in class. He brought her back as a truancy, and that’s when everything came out. The machinations of her case weren’tusual,anditdidn’tstopmefromtalkingtothescaredgirltheentiretimeshewasinmypresence Norhadthewaythey hadfoundher,either.
BecauseoftheseriousnessofLuna’ssituation,sheandanysiblingsshehadwouldbecomewardsoftheJuvenileCourtof Tennessee After securinga spotfor her and her siblings ina house where she’d be safe, Igrabbed themsome clothes and groceriesforthefamilywherethey’dbestaying.
Thememoryofherfearfulvoiceandtear-streakedcheekswouldhauntmeforever. “You’re just going to drop me here and make me someone else’s problem.”
“I’m not. I’ll be back to see you tomorrow morning around ten.” I’dalreadymarkedthetimeinmycalendarandplanned
Once steamflowed outofthe shower, Ipinned mycurlyhair up ina bunand stepped into the spray Along, tired moan escapedmeas themuscles inmyshoulders relaxed.Usingmyfavoritescentedsoap,Ithoroughlywashedmybody,moaning when the washcloth brushed across my nipples. I blamed the excess arousal from meeting Hunter for the cause of my sensitivity
Growingup, privacywas a privilege. I was ina group home or one of the manyhouses where I didn’t feel a hundred percentcomfortableenoughtoexploremybody Thankstomystintofbeingingrouphomes,I’dheardaboutthesexualassault thatoccurredwithboththeboysandgirls.Iwasoneoftheluckyones.
Outofdesperation, because Ididn’tlike the stigma attachedto notbeingable to pleasure myself, Iboughta vibrator, or four Yet,Icouldnevermakemyselfcome Evenafterseveralattempts Afterawhile,Ijustkindofgaveup
Ishudderedasintensepleasurewashedoverme Myclitthrobbedinneed Whoknew,maybewithHunterinmythoughts, maybeIcouldfinallyachieveaclimax.ThenIgroaned.Usinghimasspankbankmaterialwouldmakeituncomfortableforme tolookhimintheeyethenexttime,Isawhim Chidingmyselfforbeingstupid,Ifinishedmyshower,thengotout Tonight,wasgoingtobealongnight.NomatterhowmuchItriednottothinkaboutHunterorhowhemademefeel,hewas attheforefrontofmymind,invadingmythoughts. Damn it, why did I have to meet you now?
Chapter 3 Hunter
“H
unter...” Iclosedmyeyes,knowingjustwhatshe saw the minute she steppedintoMackJr.’s room,aka Ireland’s old bedroom “What’sgoingon?”
“Can you be more specific?” I tilted my head, hoping not to engage in a round of twenty questions Ireland’s favoritegame.
Iexhaled,runningmyfingersthroughmyhair.“It’sbestyoudon’tknowfornow.”Whensheopenedhermouth,Iheldupmy hand “SomuchhashappenedoverthelastfewmonthsthatIcan’ttalkabout”
“Does this have anythingtodowithwhere youwere slinkingoffto ” She frowned.“Ofcourse,itdoes.Thatlittle girl can’tbemucholderthanMackJr.Where’shermother,Hunter?”
Igrittedmyteeth WhydidIthinkanyofthiswouldbesimple?WhydidIbelieveIcouldgoundercover,helpCobi,and comeouttheother sidewithoutbeingtaggedbysomethingelse?“Ireland,IwishIcouldexplaineverything,butIcan’tright now AllyouneedtoknowisDestiny’smydaughter,andI’mtakingresponsibilityformyindiscretions”
“Becauseyouneverforget,”sheanswered,hertonetingedindisappointment “Notevenintheheatofthemoment Ordid youforgetwetalkaboutall thatshit?Or thatI’dforgethow manytimesyou’vetoldJacksontokeepcondomsonhim,sohe doesn’tdo somethingstupid to ruinhis life. You’re goingto tell me youplayed the hypocrite card and jizzed ina woman’s pussybecause,frustration?”
In a word, yes. I did. If that nosy damn caseworker came back to this house and we weren’t all on the same page, everythingCobiandIworkedsohardonwouldcomeundone Itwouldputalittlegirlontheradarofsomebadpeople,andI couldn’thaveherdeathorkidnappingonmyconscious.Itwasbetterthisway.Forall ofus.“Yes.Ithappened.Iwasdrunk, okay?IwasreallyintoherandjealousofyouandMack IdidsomethingstupidandnowI’mpayingtheconsequencesformy actions.CallitmyFAFOmoment.”
FuckAroundandFindOut,indeed.
“Idon’tbelieveyou,”Irelandsnapped “There’ssomethingelsegoingon” “Likewhat?”Iprodded,needingtoknowhowcloseshemightbetothetruth. “I’mstill trying to put the pieces together to see the picture clearly,” she snapped, her gaze not leaving mine “I can’t believeyou’djustejaculateinsomewoman’svaginaandwalkaway.That’snotthebigbrotherI’veknownallmylife.” Well,itwasthebigbrotherIhadtobecometokeepDestinysafe Whichremindedme,ifMackJr wasawake,LittleMiss wouldbetoosoon.“I’msorryI’vedisappointedyou,Ire.Ireallyam.ButDestinyis herenow andI’mgoingtodomyvery bestto make sure she’s takencare ofand loved.” Ididn’thave to lie aboutthat. Once thatcaseworker ladyleft, Istared at DestinyandmadeHopeapromise Herdaughterwouldwantfornothinginherlife I’ddomylevelbesttogivehereverything she’deverwanted.
“Butwhere’shermother,asshole?”Theexasperatedwayshesighedsliddownmyspinelikedisgustingblacktar,covering me in her disappointment. Why the fuck couldn’t Miss Roberts show up any other fucking time and not when I’d been babysittingMack?Icouldn’tevencomeupwithaplausiblestorytotelleveryonebeforetheystartedshowingup “Idon’tknow,”Iforcedoutbetweenclenchedteeth.“Anoseyfuckingsocialworkerdroppedheroff.BitchthoughtMack Jr.wasmyson,too.”
There,directtheattentionawayfrommeandbackontosomeoneelse,likePoseyfuckingRoberts. “What?”Again,IknockedIrelandspeechless.Atleastfor now,Iwaskeepingher offbalance.Givenenoughtime,she’d startdigging Whenshedid,thiswholethingwouldblowupinmyface Ijusthadtohopethetrialscameandwentwithnoone gettingoffona technicality. “Whatdo youmeanyoudon’tknow where her mother is? Or the state doesn’t? How is...” She lickedherlips,shakingherhead “Thisisn’taddingup,Hunter AreyousureDestiny’syours?”
“Yeah,Ire.She’smine.Ifuckedup,okay?IdidsomethingstupidandnowI’mpayingfortheconsequencesofmyactions.I don’tknowwhathappenedtohermother,butsheputmedownasthedadandthecrazyfuckingcaseworkerbroughtherhere” Thenshetemptedmewithallherlushfuckingcurvesandcaustictongue.Iwantedtobendheroverthecouchandfuckthesass outofher.Learnifshewasascreamerorifshewasshyandwouldwhimperforme.Iyearnedtoseeheronherknees,staring up at me while I fucked mycockbetweenher poutylips and downher tight little throat Fuck! I needed to stop My dick twitchedtolife,pressingagainsttheflyofmyjeanspainfully.
Still, as Itold myselfto thinkofPoseyRoberts as the enemy, Icouldn’t She was a perfectfitfor me IfIdidn’tgetmy thoughtsundercontrol,Iwasgoingtoslipandblabeverything,destroyingCobiandthegovernment’scaseagainsttherestof Edgar’smen HopenamedmeasDestiny’sfatherforareason Whatevercausedhertochooseme,Icouldn’tletherdown “Thisisridiculous,Hunter.”Irelandplacedher handonmychest,andIhatedtheconnectionwehad.Surely,shefeltthe rapid beatofmyheart. The waymybreathcame insoftpants. She was like a humanlie detector. “I’mgoingto regretthis because Iknow you’re nottellingme everything” Her tone was droll, lackinganyemotion “Whatdo youneed me to do to helpyou?”
Iexhaledanunsteadygustofair “She’sgoingtocallyouIreland Shemademegivehereveryone’sphonenumber Just ” Whywasthissofuckinghard?“TellherI’llbeawonderfuldad.ThatI’mnotsomepieceofshitoffthestreets.”
“There’ssomethingelseatplayhere.Whatitisorwhyyouwon’tletmeinisyourfirststrike.Youcan’texpectmetojust buythisshitshowastruth,bigbro However,youhavealwaysbeeninmycorner,evenwhenyougotpissedoffatme So,Ican dothisforyou.”Sheglancedupatmewithfireinheremeraldeyes.“Butdon’tthinkthisisover.Iknowyou,Hunter.Iknow when you’re not being honest and when you’re hiding something big. You’re doing both right now, with me. Don’t worry, though, I’ll figure this shitoutand whenIdo...” She sighed. The darksound filled withreckoningand venom. “Your ass is grassandI’mgoingtobethefuckinglawnmower.”
“Don’tusemynickname,Hunter Ifthisishowit’sgoingtobe,thenIshouldgettoknowmyniece” Iglanced atMackJr. who stared atme withthe brightesthazel eyes, more greenthanblue as he grinned. The little shit knew his momma was rakingmyass over the coals. “Fine. I agree. She’s inour lives permanentlynow. She should know everyone”
Ireland’s words were so soft, Ibarelyheard them. Ithad nothingto do withtrustand everythingto do withthe ongoing investigationandthe subsequenttrial Iwouldn’tdoanythingtofuckthis upfor the feds or the state “No,sis It’s notthat I wishIcouldtellyoueverythingthat’shappenedinthelasteighteenmonthsorso.ButIcan’t.Whenthetimeisright,though,I will”Iswitchedkidswithher,DestinyintomyarmsandMackJr intohers “Shewasn’tamistake,Ireland Okay?I’mgoing todorightbyDestiny.Giveherthelifehermotherwantedhertohave.”
The next week went by faster than I’d been prepared for I had the Maverick street legal, so I didn’t have to use my motorcycleforthetimebeing.TheroutineI’dbeenafraidwouldn’tcometogetherquicklyhad,andbyFriday,Destiny’sfirst doctor’sappointment,she’dalreadygainedapoundandeightounces Perfectprogressionforamalnourishedbaby
Istrode through Flame withDestinyonmychestina wrench-buddycarrier Iabsolutelyrefused to call themslings or snuggliesorwhateverthefuckIrelandsaidtheywere.IraisedDestiny’ssunglassesoffhereyesandfixedthemonthetopof herhead,thendidthesameformyself
“Mr.Banks,”Mindy,Ithoughthernamewas,saidwithasmile.“Mr.Redmanwillbewithyouinasecond.Hesaidhehas a table prepared for you and your little guest.” She ran the pad of her index finger over Destiny’s fist and grinned. “Congratulations.”
“Thankyou.” The praise was oddtome.Here Iwas,pretendingtobe the father ofa babywhodidn’tbelongtome,but neededme
“Great.Wehavecrunchybreadsticksifsheneedsanythingtochewon,”Mindyadded.“Mylittersisterwasaterroratthis age Alwaysteething Alwayscrying Earinfectionswhileteething?Theworst”Sherolledhereyesandmadeasourface Hadn’tthoughtaboutthat.Destinycamefullyequippedwithfourteeth.Twoontopandtwoonthebottom.Ididn’tnotice anyothers,butnowthatMindymentionedit,Destiny’sdiaperswerealittleonthelooseside “It’sbeenalongtimesinceI’ve beenaround a baby. It’s a lot like ridinga bike. Once youstart moving, your memorykicks inand everythingis instinct.” Exceptwhenitcametoteeth.MomandDadworriedaboutthataspect.Notme.
WhenMackjoined me, IputDestinyinthe highchair thenplaced a few ofher toys Ireland insisted her niece have. The waitertookourorderandwhenheleft,Ifoldedmyhandsonthetable “Ineedyourhelp Ofallthepeoplewho’llunderstand whereIaminallthis,it’syou.”
The onlyreasonI sat there withMackwas because of everyone, Mackknew Cobi and the Mayson’s the best. He also wouldn’tgoblabbingeverythingtoanyone who’dlisten “Iwentundercover withCobi while youandIrelandwere onyour honeymoon.”
“Areyoufuckingwithmerightnow?”Thelookofstunneddisbeliefetchedintohisfeatures,causingmystomachtoturnas heleanedin “Howthefuckdid that godown?”
“Let’s do this on the sly. I don’t want to alert Destiny’s social worker or the state. Nor do I want anyone who could jeopardize the case to find out, either Until we’re sure aboutHope’s family, the truthstays betweenus” Itwas bad enough PoseywouldeventuallyfindoutIliedwhenIacceptedDestinyintomyhomewithoutsomuchofapaternitytest.
“That’sagoodstart.”Mackplacedhisnapkinonhisnowemptylunchplate.“Ihavetogetbacktowork.I’lltalktoIreland. ButI’mwarningyou,this could goone oftwoways Either she’ll listento me and understand more is goingonthancanbe said,orshe’llbeasquirrellookingforhernuts.”
Fuck me Ireland’s tenacitywas legendary. She could squeeze blood froma turnip, givenhalfthe chance. It was whyI neededMack’shelp “Well,dowhatyoucan Whatevercomesnext,I’llhavetofaceit Ijustwantedalittlemoretime”
BythefollowingWednesday,Istillhadn’theardawordfromMack,andIwasworried.Regrettably,Icouldn’tcontinueto dwell onthe situation. Poseywas onher wayto the house for our two o’clockappointment. Landonwas at the shop with Ireland while Jackson was at work I wished she would have done the courteous thing, which was choosing a time more convenientforeveryoneelse.
Nothinglikesomekidpukingonathree-hundred-dollardress.MackJr.hadalreadydonethattoIreland.Alldownherback andsomeinherhair Thememoryknockedawaysomeoftheirritationsurroundingme “Goodafternoon,MissRoberts” Shegavemeaonceoverwithherheatedgazeasshetuckedhernotebookclosetoherchest.Yeah,Ibetshedidthatinhigh school, too Shy, quiet girl, catching glances of the popular guy Probably a quarterback or something equally as preppy Jealousyreareditsevil headasIscowledatthethoughtofherlookingatanyoneotherthanme.“Mr.Banks.Itrustsincethe lasttimewetalked,you’vemadeproperlivingarrangementsforDestiny.”
Goddamn, she had a whippishtongue. She could flayme openwithouteventrying. “Ihave. Ifyou’ll come this way, I’ll showyoutoherroom.”
IpushedopenthedoortoDestiny’snewnursery I’dspentsomemoney,butintheend,itwasworthit Thiswasherroom, andsheneededsomethingcomfortingafter everythingshe’dbeenthrough.Thereweretoyshelves andaglider.Books anda softrug Hercribwasoneofthoseconvertibleonesthatmadeatwintodoublebedconversion Onthewallswerephotosof myfamilyandacoupleofcartoonstickers.“Asyoucansee,I’vedonetonsofworksinceyouwerelasthere.Ialsoagreewith you about the blood test. I’ve worried about the same too.” Then I hurried to add, “not that I’ve seen anything out of the ordinary,butIcan’tstopthinkingaboutthewayyoufoundher”
“Hope’s autopsysaid a lotofnothing.” The disappointmentinPosey’s tone shocked me. “NotthatIwas hopingto find anythingsignificant Otherthanshewasafewweekspregnantatthetimeoftheaccident”
Myguttwisted. Damn it, Hope. What the fuck were you thinking? “Youwereassumingbecauseofthescene?”Ishookmy head “Hopewasn’tlikethat AtleastwhenIknewher Shedidn’tdrink Didn’tevensmoke Shewassupersweetandwanted tobecaredfor.”
FuckifIknew Shesleptwhenshewastired Atewhenshewashunger,andpissed,andshitonscheduletoo AsfarasI couldtell,the little girl was rightontrack.Butsomethingtoldme thatwasn’tthe questionPoseywas asking.She wantedto know if Destiny exhibited signs of having nightmares Is it possible for babies to dream about bad shit if they didn’t understand what happened?
“They’re good. She naps two or three times during the day, but her pediatrician said because of the trauma and malnourishmentthatwas to be expected, for now She has putonalmosttwo pounds ina shortamountoftime Ithinkshe’s happy,too.”Ifrowned.“Shealsoteethingagain,Ithink.It’sbeenawhilesinceI’vebeenaroundababyfulltime.”
Poseylaughed The melodic sound wentstraightto mychest, mule kickingme withpleasure Icoveted hearingher joy “Sheisalmostsevenmonthsnow.Cuttingteethisanever-endingcyclefromnowuntilsheturnsthree.”
“Happydays,”Imumbled
Aknowingsmirktugged at the corner ofher mouth. “Are there anyconcerns youhave about her healthor anythingyou mighthavenoticedsinceDestinyhasbeenwithyou?”
She nodded. “Yes. Imeantto apologize for our briskfirstmeeting. Imayhave made some assumptions and treated you unfairly Icanseenowyoumeanteverywordyousaid Thisismymeaculpatoyou”
“Waverly’s inside, Hunter Everythingis so fucked up We’re takingJacksonover there Youshould be there too We’re familynow.”Mack’stonewashollow,filledwithsuchdeepemotion,mystomachbecameagiantknotofanxiety.“I’llletCobi andFranksknowyou’reontheway.”
“Yeah, sure man Of course I’ll be there as soon as I can” I ended the call, dropping onto the couch as the reporter describedwhathappenedinsidethehospital thenightbefore.AfatherhadtakenthewholeLaborandDeliveryfloorhostage afterhiswifetragicallypassedawayinanaccident “Posey MissRoberts,canIaskyouforafavor?”
Posey held up her hand “Yes, you don’t have to ask I’ll stay and help with Destiny Your family is important to you, Hunter.Willyoursisterneedsomeonetowatchoverhersonaswell?”
She waved me off. “Yougo help your family. Icanbe here todayfor you.” She picked up myphone, thenasked me to unlockitforher.WhenIdid,sheputhernumberintomydeviceandaddedittospeeddial.“Keepmeintheloop.We’llbefine here.”
Hunterhadbarelypulledoutofthedrivewaybeforemyphonedinged.He’dtextedmeanabbreviatedversionofDestiny’s schedule. IfIhad to adjustanything, he said notto worryaboutit. His familywas dealingwithenoughstress. Afussybaby wasn’tsomethingelseIwasplanningonleavingathisfeetwhenhecamebackhome Ineededtofigureoutaworkaroundwithmyboss,however.
Thankfully,Ihadlittlescheduledfortheafternoon.Justfileworkattheoffice.BeforeIcouldtalkmyselfoutofit,Ishota textofftoJenna,lettingherknowIwasn’tfeelinggreatafterIvisitedwithHunter,andIwasjustgoingstraighthometorest. Liar, liar, pants on fire
Lucysnorted.“He’sagrown-ass man,Pose.I’msurehehasalistofgirls.Excuseme women justwaitinginthewings toswoopinandhelphimwiththebaby.”
“He panicked Iwas here, itmakes sense,” Ithrew out, knowingfull well Hunter had a babysitter for Destiny Onlythe situationwasmessedup,andheprobablycouldn’tstringtwothoughtstogether.
I bristled a little. I wasn’t a fan of lying. I’d grown up being lied to by adults I was supposed to trust. It was deeply engrainedinmypsychethatlyinghelpednooneandjustmadethesituationworse Istrivedtonever doit “Fibbed,Luce I fibbedalittlebecauseI’mdoingwhatIthinkisbestforDestiny.”
Leaveittoyourbestfriendtocallyouonyourshit,eveniftheyweremessingwithyou.IrecognizedIwasmakingexcuses for my actions. Knew it the moment I sent the text out. I also knew the next time I saw my boss, I’d come clean on my transgressions “I’llaskforforgivenesstomorrow Rightnow,Destinyisimportant”
Drinkingcold formula never hurta baby, and consideringhow Destinywas found, the babyhad mostlikelynever had a warmedbottlebeforeHunter.Ifheevendidwarmit.Aglancearoundthekitchendidn’trevealabottlewarmer.
After a snack for both of us, I sat down on the living roomfloor, reading and playing with Destiny until dinner time. Feedingababywasn’taseasyasitlooked.ItseemedDestinyworemoresweetpotatoesonherfacethanwhatIgotintoher mouth Butafterabath,Iputherinfreshpj’sandrockedher,whileshetookherfinalbottle Hunter didn’tseemlike the type to rockDestinyto sleep, so once Ifinished the bookand Destinyfinished her bottle, I placedherintohercribawake Ikissedher,andshegavemeatiredsmile,followedbyayawn “Sleeptight,sweetgirl,”IsaidasIlefttheroom,bringingthemonitorwithmewhileclosingthedoor.
“Eitherit’sreallyearlyorverylate Youcandecideforyourself” Ismiledbecausewakinguptoseeinghimover mewasbetter thanwakingupalone.“Areyouhungry?”Hunter cockeda brow, and an odd expression passed across his face. One I didn’t recognize, because I didn’t know him well enough. “I orderedextrapizzas.They’reinthefridge.”
Herubbedatthebackofhisneckwithhisrighthand.Themusclesinhisupperarmflexedandpressedagainsttheseamsof hist-shirts.NodoubtifHunterwantedto,he’dhavenoissuepickingmeup. Stop it, hussy He’s had a very traumatic night “Itisnow.”
“Thanks,” Hunter said before easing back onto the coffee table in front of the couch where she was currently sitting Withouthesitation,hetuckedintothefirstpiece,eatingitinacoupleofbites,beforehefocusedbackonme.“Anyissueswith Destiny?”Hepickedupthesecondandgroaned Hemusthavebeenstarving
Hunter picked up the napkingivento himwithhis plate Iwas never more grateful for beingwrapped ina blanketas I watchedhimwipeathis mouth.Mynipples ached,andIshiftedonthecouch,attemptingtoeasethepressurefrommyjeans pressingagainstmythrobbingclit
Clearingmythroat, Igripped the blankettighter inmyhold. WhatIreallywanted to do was runmyfingers throughhis messymohawk Focus “Youhaveheronascheduleandbabiesthriveonschedules” Hegrinned.“That’swhatIrelandsaidtoo.OnceshecalmeddownandstoppedwantingtokickmyassforfindingoutIhad akid”
I smiled, knowing if that happened, I’d like a set of front-row tickets to that event. Considering I’d meet with Ireland Redmanlastweek,I’dthinkshe’dhaveachanceofwinningtoo “You’resister ” “Iscrazy?”
“Nothing.” Ismiled, hopingto deflecthow Iwas feeling. Those eyes ofhis watched me wearily. Almostlike he didn’t believeme,soIliedagain Itwas becomingahabit OneIdidn’tlike “Juststill a littlesleepy How’deverythinggoatthe hospital?”
Good job changing the subject
Hunter ranhishanddownhisfaceinexhaustionandgavemearundownofwhathadhappenedatthehospital overnight. Thenthe bombshell Waverlyhad a child and Jacksonwas the father Hunter ended his explanationwithWaverlygoinginto surgeryandJacksontakingAlandria,hisdaughter,home.
“Fuck,”Hunterhissedoutinfrontofme,thenstoodabruptlybeforeheadingintothekitchenwithhisplate Okay. Thatwas odd. Butbonus, since he gotup, itallowed me to getoffthe couchand make mywayover to the chair whereI’dleftallmystuff.WhenHunterreturned,Iwasbusyputtingonmysneakers.Iglancedup.Hunterstoodinthedoorway betweenthekitchenandthelivingroom Moneyinhishand
“If you have any blowback fromyour job, I want you to let me know,” he said, his voice gruff, like how I imagined characterssoundedlikewhenIreadwhenthehero’sdialoguehadawhiskeytonetoit Smokywithabitofruggedness “It shouldn’t cause me an issue,” I said, before sticking the book I’d been reading into my bag. “I just asked for the afternoonoff”
Hunter reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet He tucked the hundred-dollar bill in and pulled out two twenties,whichheheldouttome.“Fortyshouldmakeuseven.”
“Perfect,” Itold himbefore slippingthe moneyfrombetweenhis fingertips, makingsure to nottouchhim. Otherwise, I mightnotbeabletocontrolwhateverthehellisgoingoninmybodyandclimbhimlikeatree.
