Blindsight: The Series (Complete Erotic Suspense STANDALONE) (11 page)

A painful knot choked my throat. I felt like I’d become my own mother, trapped by circumstance under the thumb of a man. I felt the slow numbing crawl of my old familiar defenses climbing up my body. My eyes failed to focus on the blinding car lights rushing by, my thoughts shutting down while I wished frantically for my own cool bedsheets against my skin to soak up my hot tears.

I thought I’d been safe with Hunter. I hadn’t questioned anything otherwise—I saw it in his eyes, felt it in my veins, but apparently his eyes had lied and his veins had pulsed with deceit more than love.

Hired to watch your husband.
I couldn’t even fathom why. Brant travelled too much and worked too much, but he was safe and law-abiding—why on Earth would he need watching?

The cab finally pulled to a stop and I thrust him a few twenties, stumbling out into the night. Closing the door behind me, I sucked in every stubborn breath I had and stomped my way on confident steps into O’Hare.

Fifteen minutes later, I was shuffling up the line to the counter and cursing the ticketing agents for taking so damn long. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hunter was already close to finding me. He would check my house first without a doubt, so I calculated I had at least half an hour. And if maybe he thought I had family and friends in the city that I’d never mentioned, then I probably had plenty of time.

“Follow me,” a voice hummed over my shoulder before fingers wrapped around my elbow. I tightened my jaw and my eyes fluttered closed, an involuntary reaction, like Pavlov’s dog to the bell. But this time it wouldn’t work—it couldn’t work. He’d hurled my biggest secret straight in my face and then expected me to stay?

“Let go of me,” I gritted through an aching jaw.

“Not a chance. Follow me and we can talk this out, but there’s no running, Erin.” Hunter’s last words resonated the truth of this through me, coupled with the tough grip his hand pressed on my arm.

“Get your hands off me.” My body shook as I stood rooted to the spot despite Hunter’s palm pressing into my elbow. “Let go or I’ll scream,” I seethed, fury flashing in my eyes. I wasn’t some little pussycat to be cosseted and managed; I was a grown woman, and I may have globe-trotted with him, but he was a beautiful lying bastard and I wanted no part of it.

“You’ll be in danger if you leave the city,” Hunter said softly, his lips whispering across the shell of my ear. “I’m sorry.” His tone deepened before he clasped my hand in his own, his fingers tightening with a vice-like grip so I had no choice but to be dragged behind him. His strong jaw clenched with a determined ferocity I hadn’t seen before.

“I can’t walk in these heels,” I muttered and tugged at Hunter, forcing him to slow down.

“Fuck the heels.” He slipped them off my feet one by one and tossed them directly into an oversized trash bin before hauling me over his broad shoulders.

“Those are designer!” I seethed. “And put me down!”

“Leave ’em, Princess,” Hunter said as he walked through the doors to find his driver locked in a shouting match with a parking attendant. Hunter opened the back door of the dark car and slid me in, before pulling a bill from his wallet and shoving it at the attendant.

“Take me home,” I grunted and eyed the driver before rattling off my address. Hunter’s eyes narrowed and his gaze crawled up my legs one slow inch at a time as if taking me in, daring me to disobey him when he knew the power he exerted over me.

Hunter’s eyes finally softened before nodding to the driver. I hadn’t expected him to cave; I’d expected to have to fight for even that freedom.

“Where did you think you were gonna go, Princess?” Hunter’s hand landed on my thigh, his amused grin grating my last nerve.

“Hadn’t decided.” I crossed my arms and yanked my legs out of his reach. His grin curved and only made my anger burn hotter.

“Just the first place that took your fancy?” His laugh filled the car. “You need me more than I thought.”

The space filled with silence as I turned my gaze out the window. “I have friends! A sorority sister in Florida, my cousin in Austin! You don’t know everything about me, Hunter, despite what you may think,” I ground out and twisted away when his palm slid over my elbow. “Stop touching me,” I raged. “Did you know I was married the whole time?" My eyes peered up under watery lashes feeling so betrayed. So violated.

He only nodded in response. More tears surged down my cheeks, betraying me as his words had.
Your husband.

“Why did you do this? What were you thinking?”

"That I had to keep you safe," came his simple answer.

I clenched my jaw as my patience with his half answers bubbled over. “Stop fucking putting me off,” I gritted, trying not to alert the driver before he could get me home.

“Your husband’s been stealing from JW to the tune of millions.” Hunter’s green eyes held my own with startling austerity.

“Wh-wh-what?” I stuttered as the puzzle pieces slowly aligned in my head. The long nights, the expensive trips, the luxury spending. How had Brant managed to acquire all of that in just a few short years out of college? It hadn’t rung any bells back then—we were blessed, living the dream without a care in the world. Or so it had felt.

“I returned from my last deployment in December. Within weeks JW was briefing me on a case. It was yours.” Hunter’s eyes turned to me as they shone with sympathy. “I worked Special Forces in the military—acquired a lot of skills and contacts JW found useful. I tried to tell him I was out of the game. No more jobs for me. I’m focused on photography full-time, but he kept on me. Said no one else could do it. And that’s the thing about JW, once you’re in, you’re in. There isn’t any getting out; he’s a master at holding an arsenal of obligation against you. The last guy that tried to get out of the game,” Hunter’s eyes averted. “Disappeared.”

My heart hammered as anxiety gripped me. I wanted to scream and run, lock myself away from this man and all the horrifying chaos he brought into my life.

“The more I looked over the file,” Hunter continued as I tried to focus on the words spoken in his haunting cadence, “the more I was drawn to you. I couldn’t understand why so much of the file contained information on you, and more than that, why he was so fucking intent on me doing the job.” He pushed a hand through his golden strands before turning to look out the blurred window. “I told him I’d do it to get him off my back, and the paycheck was good.” He turned and flashed an impish grin. “But I knew I had to do it because of you. I had a feeling you were blind to all of it,” he said when his eyes caught mine again. My stomach swam with his revelations as my eyes flared with violent frustration.

“You’re in danger because your husband wronged JW, and JW doesn’t play fair.” His eyes hardened on the last words. “JW believes in street law—guilt by association. If you weren’t with me, someone else would have eyes on you. Someone who cared less. There came a point where I thought it was more dangerous for you to be alone, and that bastard leaves you alone all the time, Erin.”

My heart thudded at his words and my stomach rolled, threatening to heave right here in the backseat. “No. No, that’s not true. I was never in danger before I met you.” My mind refused to believe it, even though it all made sense. The clues added up.

“’Fraid that’s not true, Princess.” His eyes glazed with empathy. “I can’t save your husband’s ass, but I’m doing my best to save yours.”

“Why?” I croaked, afraid to utter anything more.

“Because I don’t believe in coincidences, and you’re my silver lining, baby. We’re intertwined.” His hand tightened around my own in a reassuring squeeze.

It wouldn’t be long before I realized just how intertwined Hunter and I were. As if from the start, fate had put two strangers on the same course despite every wrong turn, bad decision, and bump in the road.

Hunter would save me but only after he ruined me. It would be the nature of our course.

two

“THANKS FOR THE RIDE,” I blurted before barreling out of the car and shutting the door on Hunter a few minutes later. I was running up the front steps as the car pulled away. I sighed with relief before fiddling on the front step with my keys in the lock.

“Let me.” A heavy palm pulled the quaking metal from my fingers.

I screeched and turned to find Hunter waiting patiently, big, sad puppy dog eyes and a charming little half-smile on his face.

“You’re lucky I don’t send your balls into your throat,” I spit and yanked my keys from him, jamming the correct key in the lock. “Go home, Hunter. Or should I call you Clu?”

“I can explain, ask me anything.” Hunter burst through the door behind me, hot on my heels, not letting up. No chance for escape, no leaving—he’d really meant it.

“Your explanations lead to more questions, so thanks, but I’ll pass.” I trudged up the stairs to my bedroom, thankful again to be back in my own space after the clusterfuck of explaining I’d heard tonight.

“Leave, Hunter!” I called from the walk-in as I was pulling my dress over my head.

“Not a chance,” Hunter said and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I turned to find him resting against the doorjamb of my closet, that same amused grin still dancing on his face. I narrowed my eyes, recognizing the look in his. I recalled his eyes crawling up my legs earlier, the hand on my thigh. Power turned Hunter on; he loved the chase. Adrenaline fueled his sex drive, and I was his target. Fuck, he had my thighs tingling and shifting with just that one look.

“Please leave. I just want a bath and a bed.” I pulled a silky robe over my shoulders and walked around him and back down the hallway, intent on the kitchen and wine. I should be pushing him out of my home, but the truth was I didn’t know if he was right. What if I was safer with him? And the other hard truth was that Hunter was the only person that held the answers.

I was walking back a minute later with wine in hand, thinking I could get him to open up just a little more if I let him stay, when I heard water turn on in the tub. I entered to find it steamy and foggy, bubbles frothing at the edges, and Hunter plopped directly in the center, his golden skin highlighted against the stark white bubbles. He was startlingly gorgeous and any woman’s dream, but instead…instead he was my nightmare Romeo, luring me into his net of passion and deception until I was caught and flailing.

“Don’t use that smile on me.” I turned and sipped my wine. “And get out of my tub.” I stood at the counter and rinsed off my makeup. Two days ago I never would have dreamed of taking a slice of cosmetic magic off of my face in front of him, but I hoped he’d leave after seeing me in all my dark circled and freckled glory.

“I’m not leaving.”

I caught his glance in the mirror and couldn’t help the small grin that turned the corner of my mouth. I went back to removing makeup and tried to hide it. The sight of him here in my bathroom, in the home I shared with Brant, filled me with mixed emotions. I held no emotional connection to this house anymore, at least not as the happy home I shared with my husband. He had become my roommate for all intents and purposes, leaving me alone for weeks on end. I’d thought about divorce, but the fear of leaving him, the fear of his reaction left me at a standstill. I’d hoped that once he established himself in his career the stress would subside. I’d hoped that if I hung on a little longer everything would work itself out. But if anything, the bumps had turned to road blocks. We didn’t even talk regularly anymore, much less spend time together in any meaningful sense. It’d broken my heart when it had happened, until we’d settled into a cold and distant disconnection. I found my place was to be seen and not heard, and even then only when called upon. I was paraded at fancy evenings out here and there, only a warm body meant to satisfy his needs, until I assumed, he started taking his needs elsewhere. It was then I subjugated to a
thing
and fear of his fiery temper and fists kept me quiet.

“I need time to digest all of this, Hunter.”

“I’ll give you whatever you want, and plenty of it, just not time alone.”

“What? Are you insane?”

“You’d better get used to me,” he said, before adding in a deeper tone, “Princess.” That tone, that tone that shot straight between my legs and had me wanting nothing more than to be with him, naked and now.

“I’m not getting used to you at my place, in my bathtub, drinking my wine,” I snatched the glass from his pesky hands but wasn’t fast enough. His strong arm wrapped around both of my bare thighs and hauled me into the hot water with him. I shrieked before settling with my calves around his waist. I felt him everywhere. Every long, hard, raw inch of him.

“Hunter,” I whispered, defeat softening my muscles as I melted into him. I needed support, from anyone, someone’s arms around me was better than no one’s, but if I was being completely honest with myself, it was him. Deep down in my belly, it was his arms I craved. His arms that made me feel safe despite everything.

three

“I’VE BEEN DOING SOME digging on Brant and JW,” Hunter said a while later while he kneaded my shoulders into a relaxing pulp. “It’s dicey, I can’t do too much without setting off some alarm bells, but from what I can tell, JW and Brant connected while Brant was still in college. JW offered Brant a job at InteliCorp for enough money to convince Brant to quit school and cash in on the paychecks. JW knows money talks.”

My thoughts swirled like the fragile bubbles floating around us. I was confused and needed answers. “I remember when Brant was offered the job. We’d been married for a year and living in a tiny apartment. We talked about whether or not he should take it for days, but I could tell Brant already had his mind made up. I kept telling him to get his degree first, but he was so adamant. It was the first big fight we had.” I thought of Brant wrapping his fingers around my neck that night four years ago, insisting I shut up and support him. One of the other shameful secrets of my marriage, something I could hardly bring to admit to myself. Brant had been physical on more than one occasion. Never enough to leave marks or bruises, but enough to scare me into staying.