Hunter could see that his words had sunk in, and he pulled me into a deep embrace. “I’m sorry, Sarah… I’m happy to see you here. Thanks for coming, Princess”
I nodded softly against his chest. The familiar, subtle scent of his natural body musk, mixed with the worn leather, filled my lungs. I loved the smell of him, but this new layer – the biker leathers – invaded the happy memories.
It was a sign of how things had changed.
“You joined the club,” I noted sadly, pressing my face deeper into his chest.
“You know I had to,” Hunter replied softly, his fingers stroking my hair. “I gave them my word, and I abide by that.”
“There could have been another way – something else you could have done,” I started rambling. “There must have been something, anything–”
“It was my choice,” he reiterated firmly.
“I… but why?”
“My sister,” he said. “The Devil’s Dragons found her, just like they promised. They saved her before she disappeared into the sex trafficking circles down south. She’d be some rich asshole’s plaything if it wasn’t for the Dragons. I have to pay my dues…”
“There’s got to be another way,” I pleaded. “My dad has some money… I could steal his checkbook.”
Hunter lifted my chin with a finger. “You’re not going to do anything sweetheart… It’s not as bad as you think Sarah. Sure, they do some rough stuff, but you know that I can handle myself. They wouldn’t have accepted me if they didn’t believe I could.”
“I believe you,” I responded quietly… But that was a lie.
The Devil’s Dragons had a reputation:
Living fast.
Riding hard.
Leaving plenty of crime in their wake.
It was a wonder how the police hadn’t torn the club apart. Maybe they were just too powerful, or maybe they were just goddamned lucky. My father had always had a bone to pick with the Dragons, and as Sheriff of these parts, it was only a matter of time before he had the enough evidence stacked up to put an end to their freedom.
I didn’t want Hunter caught in the crosshairs when that trigger was finally pulled.
“Listen, Sarah,” Hunter began, his chest heavy with a deep sigh. “You know we can’t keep this up forever.”
Wait, what?
“Hunter…” I tentatively began.
“No, you need to listen to me,” he replied, facing me down sadly but firmly. “This life – I don’t want you dragged into it. The last thing you need is to get swept up into this world. I chose this, but you don’t have to… you’ve got a bright future ahead of you. I can’t let you throw that away.”
“Hunter, that’s my choice,” I insisted.
“You say that now… but you’ll regret it.”
I shook my head defiantly.
“No, Sarah, I know you,” he continued. “I’ve known you for years. If you follow me down this road, you’re not going to like where it goes. Maybe not for a few months, or a few years… but eventually, you’re going to see where you went wrong, and you’re going to blame it on this decision. I’m just saving you the pain.”
I bit back the tears.
“No, Hunter, you don’t get it: I don’t have a choice. Whatever comes, whatever happens, it’s going to be you. It was always going to be you. Wherever you go, whatever you do… I always want to be by your side. No matter what.”
Hunter swallowed. I could see how his jaw set, how his iron defense was beginning to rust. He didn’t want to do this, and that only encouraged me further.
“Sarah…”
“No, you listen to me. You need me. Do you know why? Do you understand why?”
He shook his head softly.
“Because you’re a great, big block of ice.”
He smiled, shaking his head again. “A block of ice, huh? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
I grinned back. “You have this icy wall around you, Hunter, keeping everything out – everything but me. But if you throw me away then you won’t have anything to warm you. Like a shifting glacier, you’re going to carve your way through the world… but what happens if you drift the wrong way?”
“I don’t understand.”
“You need me to keep you on the straight and narrow,” I told him. “You need someone like me who understands you – someone you can depend on to keep you on track.”
“You’re not very good at metaphors,” he grinned. “You think I’ll stiffen up and descend into the world of drugs and whores, huh?”
“It’s inevitable,” I answered. “Surrounded by that, without any good little angels on your shoulder to keep you safe…”
“And is that what you are?” He asked wistfully, gazing upon me with reflective, thoughtful eyes. “My good little angel?”
“Something like that, yeah.”
“You know what I think?” he said, taking a step toward me menacingly. I backed away until I felt my shoulder blades pressing against the wall. “I think you’re the addict…”
“I don’t do drugs,” I whispered back.
“I’m not talking about drugs,” he said, moving in closer. “You’re addicted to the things I do to you, princess… You’re willing to throw everything away to get another ride on my dick.”
Hunter shook his head. “If you’re my angel… I’m your devil. I can’t let you join me in this life. This world isn’t for you, Sarah. I have to do this alone.”
“Do you really believe that?” I asked, my fingers lighting across his shoulder. I could feel his warmth, even through the black leather. Hunter always put off a lot of heat.
“The longer we speak, the less I do,” he admitted. “But I can’t let you make that kind of decision.”
“I’m eighteen, and that means I’m old enough to make my own damn choices,” I replied, staring up into his eyes with whatever hellfire I could muster.
“The last thing you need is a bad boy,” he murmured, his fingers under my chin again. I could see the inhuman restraint in his eyes; he was wrapping his soul in chains to keep himself from separating the layers from between us.
“You’re wrong, Hunter” I told him, a little kinder. My eyes were still firmly locked onto his, underlining the point as strongly as I could. His restraint visibly and completely collapsed with my next six words.
“I’ll always need a bad boy…”
Chapter 33
There was no gentleness in what we did then – only furious, crippling need. We were doused in kerosene, and the burning embers in our hearts were ready to set us ablaze.
And ignite we did.
Our clothes were an afterthought, a barrier, a feeble obstacle to our needs. His rough hands shredded, tearing fabric and spraying buttons across the floor.
My needful hands stripped him of his leathers, casting the tough material to the carpet beneath us.
Without the leather covering his chest, he was my Hunter once more – strong, defiant, and as loving as ever.
The center of the private room was a rounded sofa that receded into the floor. Hunter pushed me down to this surface and followed with the full intensity of his lust.
His lips found my neck – aching, tasting me, pressed against my throat with the kind of desperation only our love could muster. Hunter’s presence was equal parts hunger and compassion. He was willing to bend me, willing to bruise me, but never willing to break me.
Rough hands clasped over my shoulders, pushing me down further. I was forced from the couch and down onto my knees as Hunter spread his ankles across the floor, still wearing his jeans and the biker boots.
“You know what I want,” he murmured, his fingers intertwining into my hair. “Don’t keep me waiting…”
The lust lacing his voice only pushed me onward, and I eagerly met his request. Stripped down to just my bra and panties I got comfortable on my knees, unzipping his pants and tugging the black denim down his hips.
That familiar cock sprung to life in an instance, bouncing into view.
Already, I could see a twinkle of precum, beaded at the tip of his scepter. My mouth watered, savoring the gift as I descended, licking it gently from the slit before engulfing his thick rod with my warm mouth.
“Oh fuck, Sarah…” Hunter murmured with groaned passion, his fingers threading deeper into my hair. “You don’t know how bad I needed this…”
It had been awhile since the last time I’d been able to meet up with Hunter like this. Half the police force had it out for the guy who was “corrupting” the Sheriff’s daughter, and I’d been practically on house arrest for months now…
None of that mattered… We were together now.
Hunter’s patience began to wear thin. I always loved teasing him, dragging my tongue slowly, gradually up his rod, flicking the sensitive glans to spur him towards the edge, but never far enough to seal the deal…