Lawful: Gia ~ Hunter ~ Julian ~ Jarrod

Reaching out, Hunter takes my hand from his knee and kisses my knuckles. “I think that can be arranged. We always said that we’d take our honeymoon later when things calmed down, and we still haven’t been anywhere…I should have made the time.” His shoulders slump slightly.

“Hey.” I sit up and grab both his hands into mine. “Don’t say that. I’m not blaming you. I have loved every minute of being your wife. Every second. After what happened last night I just want to be selfish and have time away from everything and everyone.”

“Let’s get this bastard back behind bars and then I’ll arrange the perfect honeymoon.”

I raise a brow.

“Do you trust me?” he asks, a serious expression on his face.

“With my life.”

“Then trust me to make everything perfect. Let me show you how much you mean to me.”

“I see how much I mean to you every time you look at me.”

He smiles softly. “As do I.” He spreads his thighs on either side of mine, trapping me in the warmth of his strong sexy body. He laughs. “I see where your thoughts have gone.”

“What do you expect? I think I’ve been permanently wet since I met you.”

His eyes widen before he closes them tightly as he groans. “I need to work and you’re making it hard.”

“I see th

at.” I brush against his erection when I climb onto his lap. “Tell me what you’ve been doing. It might help.”

“Nothing will help while you’re sitting on my dick.”

“I’m not exactly on it right now, so get your mind off my naked body and tell me what’s held your interest over there.” I indicate his laptop on the kitchen table with a wave of my hand.

“Okay, but, if I’m going to concentrate then you need to sit your perfect little bottom”—he places me back on the couch—“there.”

Hunter stares and caresses me with his eyes whilst licking his lips. I smile knowing just how turned on he is.

“My aroused sexy body is way over here, so talk,” I tease.

He meets my gaze, shaking his head in playful irritation. “I was reading the statements and reports from last night that Colin emailed to a newly set up account. His tech guy has hooked me up with an untraceable IP address. Sumo has just disappeared. I’m presuming he’s gone to ground just like Abatangelo has.”

“So my father is about to have more guests, huh?”

Hunter runs his hands up my legs to my hips, leaving a trail of goose bumps. “Your father’s house is like Fort Knox so it’s the safest place I can come up with.” His gaze wavers and that lets me know I’m not going to like what he says next. “I also trust him to look after you if I have to head out for a short while.”

Even though I had a feeling that was coming, I feel my lip wobble and tears hover on my lashes while my heart pounds. I know he has a job to do, but after last night I don’t want to leave him for even a minute.

“If we get a lead in the area then I have to check it out, Gia. I can’t not,” he stresses with urgency. “I’ll do anything to keep you safe even if it means us having to separate. I know I promised otherwise, but nothing can happen to you.”

My tears finally fall as I shake loose of him and stomp toward the windows that have an amazing view of snowcapped mountains. I’m upset as I look out but I’m also angry with him. I whip around to face him when I feel the heat from his body surrounding me. “Everything,” I shout, “is all about keeping me safe. What about you? How the hell do you think I’m going to feel if something happens to you? I love you and don’t want to go on without you.” I poke him in the stomach with my finger, which he captures, tugging me into his embrace.

“I’m sorry.” His arms tighten around my waist. “I am thinking about me. I’m thinking that I won’t survive if something happens to you. So by wanting to keep you safe, I’m thinking about myself as well. That might even sound selfish.”

“Ugh, I can’t win with you, can I?” I groan.

He tilts my face up to his and softly kisses my lips. “I love you, Gia. Everything I do, I do for us.” He kisses me again while carrying me through to the bedroom.

17

Hunter

“I’ve never seen my daughter like this?” Jarrod comments, and I’m surprised that he hasn’t mentioned anything sooner.