Insatiable: Moon Tide Book 6

by Rice, Rachel E.

  Haley turned her back and took out five packs of one hundred dollar bills containing two thousand dollars each. She dropped them on the seat next to the driver of the big rig, and he took off.

  It was ten am when the driver dropped her off at the Hotel after giving her a lecture about getting into cars and trucks with strangers. She had gotten that lecture years ago from her father, but it didn’t cover everything, because she made a mistake by getting into Brian’s limo, and she suspected she would have more mistakes to learn from, and more mistakes to make.

  She sauntered up to the desk and said, “I’m a guest of Mr. Samsa. He said that he will be out of town for a few days and that I’m to stay in his suite until then.

  The clerk a young man, heavy built, with stocky arms and wide chest, and long legs had a look of constant hunger. “What is that I smell?” Haley asked.

  “It’s breakfast coming from the restaurant. I usually get my breakfast about this time. He appeared distracted by the smell of scrambled eggs, ham and bacon. My replacement isn’t in yet.”

  “What if I get you a plate with that delicious food, and you have my key waiting for me when I return?” The young man with red hair and a pale complexion agreed.

  Haley sauntered into the restaurant and asked the cook to give her the plate for the man at the front desk, and he handed her a warm plate covered already prepared. The smell of food had her mouthwatering.

  She left early from the Samsas’ ranch. It was dark and around six am when she climbed into the limo and around six thirty when she met the plane and it took off and landed an hour later at a private airport in San Francisco.

  It was now after ten on a Sunday morning when she said that she didn’t need anyone to see her to the suite. She could find it herself. The red headed clerk had his face in the food and didn’t look up to see her enter the elevator.

  She put the key in the door and pulled it out and it opened. “Wow. This is nice,” she murmured. Haley dropped the backpack and found the phone near the sofa and ordered a breakfast of ham and eggs, English muffin, and strawberry jam. She wasn’t allowed to drink coffee. But what the hell. She had no one to dictate to her what she could and couldn’t do. She needed a lift after realizing that Hunter no longer wanted her. She even considered having a drink of wine, but it was too early, she thought.

  He waited until after he fucked me to decide that I wasn’t what he wanted, from now on it will be humans all the way. But he did have a large cock, she thought. “I could fall in love with him just from him filling me up every night,” she murmured cracking a small smile and falling back on the sofa.

  “I should be ashamed of myself. No I shouldn’t. I have no one to tell me how to behave. Just look what it got me being nice. Nothing,” she said as she dropped her clothes and walked to the shower. When she exited the shower she grabbed a robe and placed it on her body.

  She was out just in time for the waiter to deliver the breakfast. He rang the bell and she sauntered to the door. There stood a tall young man with dark hair and grey eyes. He had a muscular built and he looked more like a model or athlete. The kind of face and body that’s on a GQ magazine, but without the suit.

  “I have your breakfast, Miss,” he said with a pleasant easy voice. And he opened the lids keeping the food warm to give Haley a look. But she was looking at the young man from his back up to his wide shoulders then to a mane of thick dark hair. He felt her looking and he turned.

  “Will that be all?”

  “Not really. Yes.”

  He turned and was ready to walk out the door and then he turned back to face her. “Would you like to go to a party tonight? I mean if you don’t have to go to work or school.”

  Before Haley could consider she answered yes. “Yes. I’ll be glad to go to a party. I’ve never been to a real party before.” She had never been anywhere before. She had been the only child living with her protective father in a rural small town.

  How could she turn down a chance to go out on a date? Her only date was with Hunter. Her first sexual experience was with Hunter, and her first disappointment in a man was with Hunter the werewolf.

  She thought she might fare a little better with someone like herself. “My name is Haley Redmond.”

  “My name is Jack.”

  “Okay Jack you have a date.”

  “I’ll pick you up about nine tonight.” Haley smiled and Jack showed himself out and Haley sat down to eat. Then she forgot to ask what kind of party and what she should wear. Her close were limited but she was sure she would fit in.

  A little dancing and a lot of drinking and no one would care what she had on or didn’t have on. She smiled at the thought.

  Chapter 29

  Hunter decided to forgo Christine’s apartment, instead he spotted a restaurant. He knew that it was once the local café, which used to be small. But now it looked different. It had expanded so much that he didn’t recognize it, or the humans and shifters ambling along the sidewalk watching curiously at him when he entered the restaurant.

  Before, the structure was a small diner with a large picture window to look out at the people milling about. It served breakfast and lunch to mostly humans, with four booths and an equal amount of tables and chairs, and one large bar where you could eat and have a drink before going home. You could find families who worked for the Samsas sitting in those booths on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

  Now it resembled one of the expensive restaurants found in the Hotels in downtown San Francisco. It had the fancy white table cloths on the tables and booths which were more elaborate than before. It had a two large chandeliers and the ceiling had been raised.

  Hunter couldn’t imagine who had remodeled the restaurant. Looking around it wasn’t very busy when he walked into it. His first thought is that someone must be losing a lot of money on it when he took a look at the prices on the menu. Those were prices for the rich. Samsaville was a town of middle class humans and shifters.

  He sat at a table and a blond woman in her thirties came over immediately. She was dressed immaculate. An expensive black and white uniform, mid heel shoes. Her hair was in a French bun and her face was flawless. She had a round face and prominent nose, small mouth and beautiful blue eyes. Her smile was enchanting because of a full mouth of gleaming white polished teeth.

  “Would you like something to drink first, sir?”

  “No. Just a large rare steak and a glass of water. Before you go, could you tell me who owns this place?”

  “You must be a stranger in town. Why the Samsas bought the owner out a year ago. Devin Samsa one of the Samsa sons. I hear they are overrun with males. I just came here about a month ago, and the manager hired me for weekends because it wasn’t busy on Saturday evenings or Sundays. The family owns most of this town. Heard Devin got married and will be back in a month. Maybe I’ll get to see him.” She said shifting her weight. “Until then the manager runs it. He’s a shifter by the name of Dean.”

  “Do you know the kind of shifter he is?” Hunter asked her.

  “No. I’m not in to them,” she said passing her hand over her hair. “I like to stick with my own kind,” she said looking around. The restaurant had a man and woman sitting at a table in the back. It was all but empty. Maybe it was because of the prices, Hunter thought.

  The waitress, brought him a bottle of water and after putting in the order came out with a rare steak. “Sorry but the cook left it on the grill too long. He’s afraid of the health department coming around, you know how that is.”

  “No problem.” Hunter inspected the silverware and it was monogrammed with a large S.

  Looking around the place, he realized that Devin had been investing in too many businesses with the Samsas’ money without knowing anything about the investments. The way he was going, he could be broke, but if he was using the Samsas’ money, there wouldn’t be anything left for another generation of Samsas.

  Hunter planned on having a talk with him, but he would have to wait until D
evin and Katie came off their honeymoon. Katie had wanted to see Italy and they would be there for a month. The thought gave him indigestion or was it the stake?

  The waitress sensing Hunter’s impatience after eating, handed him the check. He remembered that he didn’t carry any money or credit cards. “I’ll sign for the food.”

  “I don’t know. The prices here are steep and if I don’t account for the money, Dean will take it out of my pay. You know how ruthless some of those shifters can be?”

  “No, I don’t know, but tell Dean I’m Hunter Samsa, and if Dean has a problem he can find me at the Samsa ranch, or he can call my father Wilder Samsa.” He signed the check and gave her a large tip. She smiled at him embarrassed by her obvious objection to shifters.

  Hunter strode to the door as the waitress watched with interest.

  He’s a handsome shifter. Maybe she wondered why he was eating alone. After he closed the door behind him, he came face to face with Claire the panther detective.

  “I was wondering what happened to you. I rode out to the Samsa ranch two days ago to see you and asked you some questions, and your mother said that you were in San Francisco. She was making plans for your brother’s wedding and couldn’t talk.”

  “I didn’t think I had to tell anyone but my family where I had gone.”

  “It was because you were a person of interest. And maybe I was a little interested as well,” Claire said with a faint smile then meeting Hunter’s dark blues.

  Her onyx eyes locked with his. He knew what she had in mind. It was mating season for the big cats and she was feeling the urge, but Hunter wasn’t the one. They wouldn’t make a good match.

  He was in the dog family and she was a cat.

  Hunter was in between deciding whether he wanted to mate with Katie for life. He didn’t know if he could handle sharing Katie with Devin. He just didn’t think he was strong enough mentally where he could stand thinking about Devin making love to her and then he would wait his turn, and he wasn’t ready to give up his independence. He had been too long in the wild.

  Silence was heavy between them until Claire said, “The killings stopped when you left. Imagine that.” She raised her eyebrows. “We haven’t had a clue since then.” She paused to study his face. “But we know who killed those girls, but we can’t prove it.” Claire smiled.

  “It wasn’t me,” Hunter said not breaking his stoic expression. His face didn’t move, only his mouth and it showed no indicator of his innocence or guilt.

  “We know it wasn’t you. When I observed your motorcycle in town, I had to tell you. I didn’t want you to go around worrying about if we would pick you up.”

  “I don’t worry. Not about something like that,” he said staring at her.

  Silence grew between them again. “I guess I’ll see you,” Claire said looking over Hunter. His body hard and his jeans tight showing his incredible muscular body from his wide shoulders and chest down to his thighs.

  She turned hoping he would stop her, but he didn’t. He jumped on his bike turned it on, and revved it and zoomed off.

  When he reached home he came in from the kitchen, and walked to the hall and saw Adrienne walking back and forth carrying one pup. Drayton’s pup had been crying and she was trying to pacify him. Drayton came bounding down the stairs with a pleased smile.

  “I found it. I found his blanket. Maybe tonight we can get some sleep.” He nodded at Hunter and took the pup from Adrienne. She watched as Drayton wrapped him in it and walk cautiously up the stairs singing to the pup.

  “Hunter, I’m glad you’re back. It’s about Haley.” Adrienne grabbed his hands as if to look at him. Do you ever eat and change those jeans?”

  “All the time, mother, now what about Haley? I hope you’re ready to tell me where she is.”

  “She’s in San Francisco.”

  “Oh no. Of all the places for her to be.” He put his hand to his head and his eyes blinked.

  “It’s worse than that. I flew her there on your father’s jet, and then let his limo driver take her to this private college. She ditched him.” Hunter’s eyes closed and opened instantly. “I gave her some money and a phone, and Drayton had someone track her phone and she’s at the Millennium Hotel.”

  Adrienne didn’t tell Hunter how much money she had given Haley.

  “Not there? What am I going to do with her? She’s causing me all kinds of problems. I can’t take care of my business for her. She won’t give me peace and she won’t listen. What should I do, mother?”

  “Marry her. Then you won’t have to wonder where she is.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Why? Because you still think you love Katie. Trust me you don’t. You’re clinging on to something that doesn’t exist. That link you thought you had with her was that of a love sick pup. You’re full grown and it’s time to put away childish things and childish feelings.” He never heard his mother speak that way.

  “I have to go. I need to go now. It’s a three hour ride on my motorcycle.”

  “Why don’t you take it on the jet with you? You can be there in a half hour. And your clothes came just a few minutes ago. You don’t have to walk around with those tight jeans.” Hunter ran two stairs at a time. Threw some things into a knapsack and was downstairs and on his bike heading for the air field.

  When the jet landed at the air field outside of San Francisco, the driver of the limo was the same man who had driven Haley. “I would like to apologize Mr. Samsa for losing the young girl. I didn’t think she would...”

  “Yes, I know what you mean. She doesn’t look the type. I won’t need the limo. I have my motorcycle. I like to travel that way. When I’m in need of a limo, I’ll contact you.”

  “Very well, Mr. Samsa. If you need me, I can assist you. I work for the Samsas. Your brother insisted that your company have us on call when he visits San Francisco for business.”

  “And how are you paid?”

  “I don’t understand?” The driver questioned.

  “Are you paid by the job?”

  “The contract states that the fleet is paid even if we don’t work.”

  “A fleet of limos?” Hunter shook his head. Devin is burning through money. Why is he doing that? He would have to talk to Wilder, but now Haley and her safety is more important, he thought.

  After reaching the hotel, he parked his motorcycle with the attendant. The young man was new. He kept his driver on call, but that was one limo not a fleet of them. And it was with his money not the Samsas’ money. Money that was left to him by his grandfather, and he would give to his children if he had any.

  By now the people working at the hotel were used to seeing Hunter come and go. He reached for his bag and headed through the door held open by a doorman who promptly nodded at him. Hunter rushed for the elevator. Deep in thought, he banged into a man getting off the elevator.

  The man was no man but the lion shifter. The shifter who gave the impression of a sophisticated business man, but in truth, he was anything but that.

  “I didn’t think I would see you again. But then I knew I would sooner or later because you have something of mine,” the distinguished looking lion shifter said. He smiled. Wilder had said they were most dangerous when they smile. But he wouldn’t give his cover away by shifting in the hotel lobby for the humans to see. His greatest strength was because the humans didn’t know what he was. And some didn’t know that there were shifters.

  “If you mean the company I just bought, you can’t have it.”

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about. The woman, she’s mine. I can buy a company every day of the week, but the human female is once in a life time.” Those were Hunter’s sentiments, too.

  They stood glaring at each other measuring each other. The lion shifter was so sure of himself. He was in no hurry. He thought he could wait. He smiled and stepped aside for Hunter to step into the elevator.

  “I’ll give you a week to bring her to me, or I will go down to Sa
msaville and take some of my young lion shifters with me, and clean out that town of yours. I will leave nothing standing and not a shifter left alive.”

  Hunter looked at him. His eyes were cold and dead. His voice icy. His tone frightening.

  Hunter didn’t doubt him. Wilder had warned him about how two lion shifters had managed to kill a pack of werewolves. Hunter was now in a dilemma. How could he sacrifice the life of many shifters and his own family for one stubborn obstinate young girl who never listens and doesn’t care about her own safety?

  He was relieved when he reached his floor, but became angry when he opened the door of his suite and saw a table of breakfast food and no Haley. It wasn’t any use in looking for her. She was probably somewhere she shouldn’t be. He thought it best to wait on her.

  His only hope was that she didn’t run into the lion shifter coming in the hotel. And the shifter didn’t suspect that she would be that close. He must be distracted not to get her scent.

  Sitting on the sofa, Hunter fell asleep, and then he heard the key in the lock. He stood and faced the door.

  Chapter 30

  Haley backed into the room and didn’t see Hunter standing waiting for her. She wore a pair of jeans that had holes in the knees and a tee shirt. She wore a black leather jacket but it wasn’t his. It belonged to the young dark haired man standing in front of her. Haley saw the young man’s grey eyes widen and she jerked around.

  “Who is this Haley?” Hunter said annoyed.

  “I can speak for myself. My name is Jack.”

  “Well Jack, I think you should leave.”

  “Just who are you?”

  “I own this suite.”

  “But you don’t own her.” He glanced at Haley and she smiled at him.

  “I intend to date Haley as long as she lets me.” Jack takes her hand and she stands near him. Hunter scowls at them.

  “Do you know who I am?” Hunter says.