Hunter (Revenge & Legacy Book 1)

by M. C. Cerny

  His lips pursed and when he turned to look at me with his green eyes that made me think of a jungle cat looking to pounce. He smiled suggestively, and I felt the heat of my cheeks deepen. Memories of last night, my body sprawled over the bed making inhuman sounds as he wrenched orgasm after orgasm out of me made me shudder. Adam certainly had ideas about consummating a marriage. I bore the humiliation with my head held high. It might have shocked some that not a mark discolored my skin. Instead, I felt the brand soul deep.

  The sex between us wasn’t conventional. I knew this, but it also connected me to him in a way I couldn’t verbalize. I didn’t know myself that intimately yet to understand it all. He taught me about pleasure. He taught me about the exchange of give and take. He taught me how to use my body subjecting himself to my lure.

  He continued his work looking the elegant business man. To anyone on the outside, a busy CEO taking a brief brake to indulge his wife as he sat next to me typing away on his phone comparing notes on his tablet. I listened as he spoke in several languages, I had no idea he knew. Every now and again his hand would stray to mine and he would squeeze it gently as if to remind one of us that he was there. His fingers traced my wedding ring and the band it joined. His ownership was clear subduing me.

  The flight was surprisingly short. Two hours at most telling me we must have been somewhere in the Caribbean. All those geography classes at the fancy school he sent me to helped considering Adam Huntley was more of a need-to-know sort of guy then a full disclosure. We’d been married less than a week, but I’d been in his pocket for years.

  We landed at a small airport on a tarmac that was wet from rain and summer sun. Squinting my eyes, I could see New York City and the highway that buzzed by with large tankers and commuter traffic.

  “Teterboro?” I turned to him and asked. We were so close to home. To Newark. To everything that once felt familiar and now seemed disjointed at best. I was years and miles removed from it and I rubbed my wrist attempting to calm down. The pill he popped in my mouth preflight had worn mostly off.

  Adam nodded and brushed a loose curl off my cheek. His lips pursed like he wanted to say more, instead he cupped my cheek and I leaned into it, misguided in his affections.

  “I forget how smart you are sometimes.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. He pulled back his hand and guided me to the exit of the plan where our entourage waited for us.

  “And easy to insult this early in the day.” He chuckled grabbing my hand to lead me down the stairs to the pavement. I turned back to look at our sleek plane. White with silver striping, the logo of his company, Huntley Holdings, Ltd. was painted on the side. I had a lot to learn if I was going to get myself out of this mess.

  The muddy haze of valium subsided as he guided me to the running vehicle. The expensive SUV oozed privilege with its black paint job, tinted windows, chrome features and leather seating. The inside was icy cold as I shifted to sit in my seat. Adam walked around the back letting one of his guys drive that I’d never seen before. Petre got into the front passenger side his, huge body blocking out the view up front. My arms folded over my chest trying to ward off the chill.

  “Put this on.” He shrugged out of his Armani jacket and settled it over my shoulders pulling it close. It surrounded me in his warmth and the scent of his cologne. I snuggled into my seat and leaned my head back.

  “Flight wasn’t so bad.” He said.

  I grunted my response unsure how I wanted to answer his assumption. Not bad for whom came to mind. He drugged me and I went along like a limp rag doll. Today had been devoid of the typical threats, but it didn’t take the edge off completely. I doubted anything would.

  “It will get better.”

  “How does it get better?” I snapped, my mood running my mouth.

  “With practice.” His hand reached for my knee drawing lazy circles and trailing higher to slip under the jacket. Any more teasing, and I might not need his jacket inside the car with how hot I was feeling.

  “You expect me to travel with you often?”

  “As my wife, of course. I have needs only you can fulfill my lovely bride.” Adam pinched my chin pulling me closer to him. I could only move so far seat belted in next to him. Who knew that would save me from a backseat mauling. I eyed the driver who peeked at us in the rearview mirror. His eyes snapped back to the road. Clearly wasn’t get help from the peanut gallery up front.

  “Adam.” I pushed him back but he didn’t budge.

  Adam reached to his side and pressed a button. The soft click engaged the partition window giving us a modicum of privacy. Another click. He spoke out loud, “Petre take us to Starbucks.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Once again, we were alone heading toward a drive thru for coffee as if we were normal people doing normal things.

  “If we weren’t in rush hour traffic, I’d take your ass right now in this backseat.”

  “Stop it.” I deflected his comment feeling embarrassed to be in a car with more than just my husband. “I doubt Petre wants to see that.”

  Adam laughed throwing his head back hugging me to his side.

  “I think Petre and Ben wouldn’t mind, but then I’d have to gouge their eyes out for looking at you.” He kissed me cupping the back of my neck. I gave into the kiss and pretended it was a faceless man who actually cared about me, loved me, wanted me. A silly thing to dream about but it got me through the moment as Adam’s mouth moved over mine. He kissed my lips raw and distracted me that I hadn’t realized we’d reached the drive thru and Adam lowered the partition to place our order.

  “Have a sip.” He handed me a large cup of coffee that warmed my fingertips and scalded my throat in a pleasing warmth. The fuzziness of flying wore off and I handed the coffee back to him to place in a cup holder that was out of my reach.

  “Thank you.” I said, my throat not used to speaking on demand since the wedding vows.

  “We’re headed home. I’ll drop you off and then I must go out again.”

  “Leave me?”

  “You’ll be fine. Nelson will get you settled and the dogs will have missed you. I have a meeting.”

  “A meeting?”

  His finger tapped my nose playfully.

  “Yes, my adorable parakeet.” He moved in and kissed the end of my nose before resuming work on his phone and tablet leaving me in the dark. Definitely a need-to-know guy.

  I wondered if this was to be my existence. Weird sex, travel all the time, and a big house that felt like a mausoleum to the dead then it did to the living. It would be a lonely existence for sure.

  “What will I do all day?” I asked. I hadn’t been back to the house since I graduated because Adam put me up in a secured penthouse suite as the wedding planning commenced. I slept alone, but clearly not anymore. My education was more deportment and husbandry of the elite kind then actual skills.

  “Bear, Beau, and Gus missed you. You’ll have plenty to do with walking them, and the greenhouse I’ve built you.”

  “My secret garden.” I murmured having almost forgotten the gesture he made me four years ago with the book and asking me to pick out flowers during my holiday breaks.

  “All for you, Mrs. Huntley. Where do you think your wedding bouquet flowers came from?” He grinned and I shook off the weird feelings of pleasure. Surely, I wasn’t feeling that toward him, but could I?

  He might have been a need-to-know guy, but I was determined to figure him out.

  Information was survival.

  12

  Adam

  “This better be good.” I rocked on my heels and strode up to the warehouse. I would have preferred settling in my wife for the night, but here I was brokering another damn deal. Those MC’s were really getting on my nerves and if the Russians fucked up this shipment of guns all hell was going to break to lose. I had Italians crawling up my ass and if it weren’t for the pesky issue of dealing with dear old dad, I could have been enjoying a nice drink in front of a fire place w
ith my dogs at my feet and pink lips stretched wide around my cock.

  Nights like this had me considering going legit. I had the holding company I just needed to wrap up a few loose ends. Namely, offing a five star General under the radar. Typical shit for a Saturday.

  “Mr. Huntley, we’d like to renegotiate the terms of our deal.”

  “Would you now?” I don’t know who the fuck these guys think they are, but I was out of patience and lithium to regulate my mood.

  I looked over and Petre and Ben and nodded for them to come closer. This was going to get messy. I would have to bring the Italians in and placate the Bratva. It would piss Nikolai off, but it couldn’t be helped. Too much was spinning out of control and I needed to be the one regulating the speed or I risked losing it all.

  “I need to double my shipment.”

  “Fine.” I grumbled.

  “I will pay you half now. Half on delivery.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “It’s fair, Huntley.”

  “Why? You planning on jacking the shipment and stealing it for half of what you owe me. I’m not running a chop shop.”

  “Rumor says your empire is weak and you married a girl barely out of her plaid knickers. Doesn’t make you legitimate in our world.” He snarled and the threat to my wife was real. I could hit him back where it hurt or cut the head the off the snake.

  I preferred to be direct in my messages.

  I pulled out my gun and set it on the table next to me. His eyes widened as I stood up and took my jacket off. Things were definitely going to be a strip in the mud room kind of night when I got home.

  I rolled up my sleeves and prepared to grab him. Petre and Ben followed suit and fist flew. I took several jabs in the gut that didn’t help things but this had to be done. Messages had to be made clear. No one. Absolutely, no one would fuck with Adam Huntley now or in the future. I was paving the way for my legacy no matter the cost.

  13

  Elizabeth

  That in which time heals, it also destroys.

  Six months in and I was still knocking on Adam’s office door, I peeked in with every intention of interrupting him. His office remained much the same as always. Wide dark cherry wood desk, heavy leather chairs and floor to ceiling bookshelves filled with boring books I’d never touch in a million years. Economic tomes and political thrillers with a Machiavellian flavor.

  “I’m going out.”

  His eyes barely left the computer screen he furiously typed on. Usually, my petulant attitude would get me punished, as this had pretty much been my existence the past three years. I pondered that married life had been good to us both, through a desert dry sarcasm. I coughed, but he doesn’t deviate from that fucking computer.

  Tap.

  Tap.

  Tap.

  The lingering effects of being repeatedly ignored made my skin flush and I tapped my fingers against my thigh in beat to his incessant typing. I’d bite my nails but the stupid gel manicures prevented that. It was like Adam knew exactly how to declaw me, turn me into a purring, but petulant housecat keeping me from tipping over into insanity. Just sprinkle catnip and a ball with enough string to hang myself. I wasn’t sure if that was good, or something else. Clearly, Adam’s needs were met and mine were… well, they were managed. I loved him the way a rodent loves a cactus. Reluctantly and out of necessity. I needed every bit of water to survive.

  As per those lovely wedding vows we exchanged.

  It wasn’t hard to notice that something kept him occupied this week and it wasn’t just the nightly dinners he attended without me or the way he’d wake me in the middle of the night pacing the bedroom covered in sweat. I hadn’t left the house in a while and the boredom of shopping online made me itch sitting inside these walls. There were only so many designer shoes and handbags I could buy without throwing up. Once I filled the closet, I donated everything and started all over again. The local women’s shelter was probably the best dressed in the state at this point. I needed fresh air and sunshine, or I would stay a depressed wilted flower forever.

  Adam ignored me, so I tried another tactic.

  “I went over my Barney’s and Tiffany limits online. So, I’m gonna need the black Amex card.” I blew out a breath, that was harder to say than one might imagine.

  Nothing.

  “I took the Bentley and made doughnuts in the driveway.” I walked over to the window and peered outside pretending to wave at no one. “Petre is raking them out but I might do it again, for funsies.” I smacked my lips. Oh hell, he could drive a nun to kick out a stained glassed window with his apathy.

  “Aliens abducted me and gave me multiple mind-blowing anal probes.” I might not mind that one.

  Adam made a non-committed grunt, and I perked up like a damn dog waiting for a treat. I moved over to his desk and leaned in close brushing my lips close enough to his ear I could feel his body heat. “I’m running away to the circus.” My hair slid forward and curls danced in front of screen and still not a single infuriating reliable reaction. My breath fogged the lenses of his glasses and not a damn thing changed. I wasn’t going anywhere today if he kept this up.

  I sighed and leaned back. Managing his mercurial moods was a full-time job. The bastard heard every word I said. He was intent on emotional torture and my itch to act out intensified.

  “Do I need a bodyguard?” I bit my tongue cursing my impetuous mouth. I knew better. I needed one. When had I ever not needed one out of his sight.

  He looked up for once, his head cocked to the left as his eyes coldly calculated something. He could have been drawing physics calculations in the air the way his eyes narrowed, hyper focused on something across the room. His tongue clucked against the roof of his mouth as he regarded me up and down. He whipped the glasses off his angular face, and I took a step back bumping into the wall behind me. Was I wearing an appropriate outfit? Would I embarrass him? I looked down. No, I looked perfectly fine and styled. Would I be punished later for some unknown offense? Absently, I rubbed the back of my ass hoping he wasn’t going to do that other thing he liked. I shivered under his scrutiny no matter how hard I tried to stand up to him in private.

  He took a deep breath releasing the air slowly. Painfully slow. A balloon leaking air from a pin prick would have deflated faster.

  “Take Nelson with you and be back before dinner.” His hand waved me off. My eye twitched. That was it? No bodyguard? Not even my tar and feather friend Petre? I took a deep breath relieved and irritated to be so easily dismissed. My anger simmered to a cool fire knowing there was nothing to be done as I backed out of his office slowly reaching the door. My clammy hand reached for the door handle slipping around the metal casing holding still as stone.

  I stood there a moment longer when he slapped his papers down to actually look at me. I straightened up. Nobody liked a slouchy girl as the nuns in Vermont used to say.

  “Is that all?” I asked, my shaking hand turning the knob of the door behind me. If I tried to run in the house, he would send the dogs to sniff me out before catching me.

  He always caught me.

  “No.” He rocked back in his chair. His hands folded over his trim waist smirking. I waited for an agonizing minute for him to speak again. Instead, he patted his knee, brow raised and I came over as he expected. Dutiful. Obedient. My micro-rebellion crushed as I sat down slowly on his knee. His hand slipped between my legs petting me, stoking the fire within.

  He leaned into me caging me in his arms as he shifted me over the center of his lap. I squirmed once and felt his arousal. My lids fluttered shut and I swallowed back my retorted as heat bubbled up my core, well trained and responsive to his dancing fingertips.

  Adam mocked me, his tongue tasting my neck in a slow lick under my ear biting me enough to bring a sting. “My dick is bigger than an alien probe, and the circus wouldn’t want your useless bedroom tricks.” He chuffed. “Now, be a good girl and maybe I won’t fuck you in the ass raw for dessert.” He
picked me up and placed me a foot away from him before resuming his work.

  I hissed.

  He demeaned me every chance he had with a model perfect smile. “I do so love tasting your cherry filling and savory tears, darling wife.”

  Dismissed he returned to his work leaving my blood simmering with rage. He heard me the first time. He always did. He waved me off. I left before he could change his mind and call me back to explore my useless bedroom tricks in his office against whatever piece of antique furniture caught his fancy. I could have cried about it, but the real strength lay in getting up and shaking off the humiliation.

  Again, and again.

  I would like to take the paperweight from his desk and smash it into his face repeatedly until there was nothing left but pulp and bone ruining his perfect nose. The mind was a powerful tool keeping me sane or as sane as a captive could be within her gilded cage.

  Arousal flooded my loins and I forced my mind to blank. He taught me that too.

  I wasn’t born this way. I grew up witnessing violence, but the hatred festering within I certainly learned from Adam. The darkness within me craved it because in those moments, I didn’t have to feel weak and I could justify the chaos swirling within me like a smothering dark oil.

  It took everything within me to not slam his door. I headed to the kitchen where my stalwart babysitter sat at the table nursing a cup of tea. I had my very own Mary Poppin’s with his hawkish nose and watery soulless eyes under his lank hair. For a moment, I closed my eyes taking in a deep breath of the Earl Grey brew wondering if you could taste a bitter poison in the unsweetened cup of hot tea. My thoughts were decidedly dark today. Two metaphoric kills in a span of five minutes. I was breaching new records this morning.

  The dogs filled the kitchen, large bodies lounging on the tile. Gus wiggled when he saw me and Beau picked up his head, eyes wise and watchful. Bear tracked my pacing waiting for the moment to sidle up next to me, calming me down with his heavy lean into my legs. They were my good boys. I gave them gentle pats and promised treats and a walk in the yard later.