Poison Ivy

by Jessica Dawson

  She wondered why he was single. It bothered her slightly that he wasn’t attached to a woman. As she noticed early into this screwed up relationship, he was very attractive not only by his looks but his actions as well. Men like him didn’t come without a price. It could take her pride or something else that she didn’t want to give up to be with him, or at least she thought so as the thoughts of the other women that he had slept with entered her mind.

  He said he never fucked the same woman twice. Was that because he ran before there was any more sex? It wasn’t like he could run from her. Or was that just a line to sweeten the lust that was already suffocating her? She watched his eyes while she searched for the truth as she tried to push away the bad thoughts that could ruin the possible relationship before it began.

  Finally, his tongue swept over her pudding-coated lips while wiping away all of her thought process with it. Ivy was relieved that he saved her from her jealous mind as he pressed his lips to her moist ones. With a content sigh, she opened her mouth to welcome his tongue while he deepened the kiss. The gentle strokes of his tongue and soft suckling of his lips made the world around them disappear.

  Ivy was content for the first time in her life. It was a scary thought since she wasn’t the type to slow down and enjoy moments long enough to make a memory. That’s when her bad luck kicked in overdrive.

  She opened her eyes as the kiss stopped when a gun was cocked back. She lifted her eyes to look at the young man holding a gun to Hunter’s head.

  “I thought more of you, Hunter,” the young, blonde man said with a smirk.

  Hunter kissed Ivy’s lips one last time before slightly cocking his head to the side to speak. “I’m surprised you can actually think, Bobby.”

  The smile fell from Bobby’s face before he tapped the gun harshly against Hunter’s head. “Get out of the fucking seat,” he growled while he stepped back while holding the gun to Hunter’s head.

  Ivy looked around at the people in the diner to see a few families. She frowned as the children held onto their mothers. It was a dangerous place to start a fight and she wondered if Hunter noticed the conflict of respect around them.

  Hunter scooted out of the seat to turn and face the smaller man. “Let’s take this outside,” he said as he glanced at a child crying.

  “No,” Bobby answered as he took the hand that wasn’t holding the gun to motion for Ivy to get out of the booth. “Come on, princess.”

  Ivy did as she was told only to hold her hands up with a frown. Bobby pulled a set of handcuffs from his pocket. With one swift motion, he cuffed one of her wrists before jerking it over to the other.

  Hunter snarled at the young hunter as Ivy hissed when the last cuff was latched around her tender wrist. It made her sick as he pulled her against his chest while he smirked at Hunter.

  “Thanks for warming her up,” Bobby said while one of his hands ran over her breasts before he stopped to pinch one of her pebbled nipples.

  His eyes narrowed while she watched him as an angry blush covered her milky, white skin. Her nostrils flared with hatred while the young man refused to move his hand away from her breasts. She frowned at Hunter as he gave her a small nod before he grinned at Bobby.

  “Be careful, that angel has horns,” he said calmly before lighting a cigarette. “If I were you, I wouldn’t get too close to her.”

  Ivy noticed that he was trying to get the young man out of the diner when he nodded. When Bobby stepped back from her, she ran for the door. The bell to the door dinged seconds after he heard the sound of her boots hit the floor as she ran from the diner.

  Ivy felt a hand on her shoulder. She entwined her fingers together to make one large fist. When the hand turned her, she smacked the man up the side of his head with the fist without looking to see who had grabbed her.

  “You bitch!” Bobby screamed as he dropped his gun to grab the side of his head.

  Ivy stumbled backwards before slipping to her knees on the gravel parking lot. She watched as Hunter flicked his cigarette to the side before grabbing Bobby by the shoulders. Hunter tossed his hair back out of his eyes before he grinned at the younger man. She cringed as Hunter’s fist made contact with the young man’s face. He held Bobby still by the collar of his shirt as he punched the man again. The sickening pop of the bone breaking in Bobby’s nose could have been heard for miles as Hunter’s massive fist hit the younger man over and over.

  “There are rules to hunting,” He growled as Bobby’s head rolled on his shoulders. “Rule one; don’t start a fight in a place with children. Rule two; never try to steal an experienced hunter’s bounty. Rule three; pay attention to the relationship between a hunter and his prey. Rule four; if there is more than money involved, stay the fuck out of it.”

  Ivy wrestled to her feet only come around to stand behind Hunter. “You can add a few more rules to that list, baby,” she said over his shoulder.

  Hunter held Bobby still as he glanced over his shoulder at her. “What would they be, angel?” he asked.

  “Never underestimate a woman with reward on her head. If she was an easy find, they wouldn’t need to hire guns to bring her back. That brings me to my other rule, never touch a woman that hasn’t invited the touch. I should kill you for touching my tits,” She growled before advancing toward the scared young man.

  Hunter put one of his hands out to stop her. “You have already killed Skinner and Charlie. Bobby isn’t made from their mode. I think it is safe to let the boy go,” he said sternly while he looked at her coldly.

  Ivy shrugged. “If you think that he should then I guess I could grant that,” she said as she glared at the blonde man. “But don’t expect me to like it.”

  Hunter chuckled. “I wouldn’t dare,” he said before shoving Bobby away from him. “Give me the keys to the cuffs,” he ordered with his hand out to him.

  Bobby cupped his nose before pulling the key from his pocket. “Here,” he said before he threw it at Hunter.

  Hunter released her hands before tossing the key and cuffs at Bobby’s feet. Ivy snuggled up against him as they walked past the young man and to the GTO.

  Chapter Four

  They drove all night and half of the next day. They were close to her hometown. Ivy smiled sadly as the hills blocked out the morning sun. She loved the countryside but was never able to enjoy it. Her father controlled every bit of free time she had with work that was made for a man. She looked at Hunter before turning to face him.

  “What is your family like?” she asked, trying to take her mind off of the hell she was returning to.

  “They are a normal family,” he said, glancing at her.

  “Come on, tell me something. You already know all about mine,” she said with a frown.

  “I don’t know that much about your family,” he said, avoiding the question.

  Ivy crossed her arms in front of her and turned to look out her window with a frown. She felt foolish for thinking he liked her for more than just sex.

  “My father is an ex-hunter. My mother is a southern queen and my two older brothers chose different paths than I did,” he answered softly while he watched the two-lane road ahead of them.

  Ivy grinned softly at him before turning back to face him. “How did your mom and dad meet?” she asked.

  “My dad was hunting down a drug lord’s shipment that went missing when he met my mom at one of the bars he was searching. She was a waitress and from what dad told me, she was mean as hell. Well, they flirted then he had to leave after the payday,” Hunter said then he laughed. “Dad still blushes to this day as he confesses that he ran after her when the job was done. He beat up her boyfriend, fought her father, and almost killed her brother. The only one who liked him was her mother. Mom still giggles like a school girl when he tells the story.”

  Ivy grinned as Hunter smiled at her. “That is wonderful,” she said.

  “Angel, I know a lot about your father but nothing about your mother. What is the deal with that?” he asked,
glancing at her.

  “Mama died about eight years ago from cancer. Daddy loved her more than life itself. When she passed, he went crazy and forgot that I was a part of mama. Since that time, he has gotten worse and worse. See, mama was the light of our family. She kept daddy grounded. Their romance was not that of lovers but that of a savior. It was messed up but beautiful all the same,” she said with a frown. “Before she passed away, she spoke to me alone. She begged me not to kill him. She knew that he would go off the deep end. But she never said anything about setting him up.”

  Hunter frowned at her. “That is sad,” he said softly.

  “Tell me about it,” she said as she shrugged away the uncomfortable feeling that it brought back within her. “What do you want out of life, love before your golden days, Hunter?” she asked while she tried to forget the pain of her mother’s death.

  “I don’t know,” he answered with a shrug. “I guess I want to find the one woman who loves me for what I am. I may want at least one or two babies when I am done doing this. I could handle living on a farm or ranch away from everyone. But other than that, everything is sort of clouded and uncertain.”

  “What do you think about me?” she asked, slightly afraid to know the answer.

  Hunter pressed his lips together before taking a deep breath. She squirmed as he glanced at her then back at the road while he stayed silent for longer than she liked.

  “I think that if you were to do me wrong after this, I would never be the same again. I’m not easy going or an understanding type of guy. Once I lay claim to something, it belongs to me. No one else can have it. I have addictions that you may not like and I’m not about to change. The question is—do you really want me? Be truthful, could you really give me all of you?” he asked her, his eyes never leaving the road ahead.

  “Will you ever hit me or degrade me? Will you fuck around behind my back or expect me to join in on some kind of nasty orgy that forces me to watch you pleasure another woman? Are you willing to love me when I pick a fight with you when I feel threatened? Can you give me love and passion till the day I die?” she asked while a sickening fear crept up that he would come up short with all the wrong answers.

  “I guess you didn’t catch the claiming part of my speech. I’m a jealous man. I would never touch anyone other than you and I wouldn’t stand back and let anyone touch you. My father taught me to set a woman up on a throne and to treat her as if she was as precious as the air that I breathe. I can give you all that I can. I can’t promise that every time I touch you that it feel like the first time but will try my damnedest to make sure that you are satisfied before the night is over,” he answered truthfully.

  Ivy grinned at him. “Well, then I can safely say that I want more than this little bit of time with you. I’m willing to let this attraction grow into something more and I have no desire to change my mind.” She placed her hand on his thigh.

  Hunter chuckled before putting his hand over hers. “Well, then I guess I’m fucked. Not that I really mind it.”

  Ivy giggled as she relaxed. “I need you to stop by a little bar on the outskirts of my hometown,” she said happily.

  “Why?” he asked with a frown.

  “I need to talk to a man,” she said calmly.

  Hunter glared at the road ahead of them. She saw the jealous snarl the graced his lips before he spoke to her.

  “Who is this man?” he growled hatefully.

  Ivy glanced at him with one of her eyebrows arched. “His name is Roger and he is my uncle. His wife is Sarah and they are the ones who helped me hide all that money. I haven’t checked in since you captured me,” she explained coldly even though she was thrilled to know that he possessive of her.

  “Oh,” he said in a hushed tone.

  “Hunter?” Ivy asked sternly.

  “Yeah,” he answered with a faint grin.

  “If you ever question me with that tone again, I will kick your ass,” she said slowly and harshly with a hint of anger after she thought of the bad outcomes that could come with his jealousy.

  Hunter nodded before ramping off to the main road that led to her hometown.

  The rest of the ride was quiet as the sun set in the clear sky. She gave him directions to the bar while the stars lit up the night sky. Next to a crossroads in the road was a bar simply named Crossroads. The old bar was packed as she made him pull around back.

  “You don’t have to worry about anyone seeing us here. My daddy and Roger don’t get along. None of daddy’s boys can make it past the front door. But just in case, we are taking the back way in,” she informed him while pointing at the metal door. “When the door opens stand behind me. If they see me first then he won’t shoot, got it?”

  “What kind of people do you come from?” he asked with his eyebrows arched.

  “Cautious people,” she answered while hiding a giggle at his serious tone.

  Hunter followed her only to watch over his shoulder for trouble. She knocked on the door and waited for only a matter of seconds when the door swung open. It was no surprise how fast an old man pulled her in the door then pulled a gun on Hunter. He held his hands up as Ivy grinned at him.

  “I know you,” the old man hissed before pressing the gun to Hunter’s temple. “You’re Mason Masters’s brat.”

  “That I am sir,” Hunter said cautiously.

  “You’re a head hunter. Well, I will tell you right now, Ivy is not a fucking payday,” he growled.

  “Uncle Roger, let go of my man right now,” she snapped at him.

  “Do what?” Roger asked as he looked over his shoulder at her.

  “My man…let him go,” she snapped.

  “I don’t think so little girl,” he growled at her.

  “I guess I will have to go get Aunt Sarah,” she said before turning to leave.

  “Here now, there is no need to involve Sarah,” the old man said. He removed the gun from Hunter’s head as she looked over her shoulder at him. “See,” he said before pulling Hunter into the storage room. “We are best friends. It is all good, isn’t it, son?” Roger asked cheerfully while he patted him on the back.

  Hunter arched an eyebrow at the older man. “You gave in awfully quick.”

  Roger leaned in to whisper to him as Ivy walked toward the door of the storage room. “All the women in this family are fucking crazy. Ellie, god rest her soul, was one of the meanest women ever born and her sister is a demon. You’re a brave man to take on that little girl. She comes from a long line of hellcats.”

  Hunter laughed before he patted the older man on the back. “You don’t have to tell me, I already know,” he said, the two men following her out of the room.

  Ivy grinned while she listened to the quiet conversation before she ran down the hall to her aunt in the office that was near the storage room. She smiled at the older woman who was curled up in the chair reading a book while she smoked a cigarette.

  “Hey,” she said to get the woman’s attention.

  Sarah looked up from the book to smile at her niece. “What are you doing here, sugar?” she asked.

  “I was caught by a hired gun. Then I kind of fell for him and now we are here to take daddy down,” she confessed before she sauntered into the room to sit at her aunt’s feet.

  “Honestly, child, why are you here?” she asked, frowning at her.

  Ivy giggled at her aunt’s disbelief in her truth. “No, seriously. I am here with a bounty hunter. One that daddy hired,” she said with mirth.

  “Where is this man?” Sarah asked while she looked around the empty room.

  “Right here, dear,” Roger said, walking through the door with Hunter.

  Sarah smirked at Hunter. “You’re one of the Masters boys. Well, I hope you’re as sweet as your father,” she said with a wink.

  “How do you know my father and how do you know that I’m a Masters?” he asked her nicely.

  “Sugar, you look just like your father,” she said as she wiggled her eyebrows at him. �
�Not only do we know your father but we know your mother, too. She was working here when your father met her.”

  Ivy looked at Hunter as he smiled at the older woman.

  “Well, that is a pleasant surprise,” he said.

  Roger huffed. “Not that I’m not happy to see you but why the hell are you here?” he asked Ivy.

  Ivy stood up and walked over to the notepad on the coffee table. She picked up the pen to scribble down a few things.

  “This is where my car is. Since it belonged to mama I thought you would want it,” she said as she tore the piece of paper out of the notepad. “I don’t know when I will be back by this way. So I will contact you when I can to let you know where I am.”

  “You be careful child,” Sarah said before turning her attention to Hunter. “I would give you the speech about being good to her but I think Ivy can handle that.”

  “You don’t have anything to worry about; I am cut from the same mold as my father,” he said with a grin.

  “God help us all,” Roger snapped at him.

  “We need to be heading out. Midnight is the end of the double pay,” Ivy said before taking Hunter by the hand. “Love you all.”

  Hunter followed her out of the back door to the bar. It wasn’t until they sat down in the car that she could tell something wasn’t right with Hunter.

  “You alright?” she asked as he stared out the windshield.

  “I can’t give you back. Money or not, I can’t put you in that position,” he said, starting the car.

  Ivy eyes widened as he turned the car around to head in the other direction. Quickly, she grabbed the pistol that he hid in the console of the classic car.

  “Well, then we will do it my way,” she said while she held the gun to his head.

  Hunter stiffened before turning his head to look down the barrel of the gun. “What do you think you’re doing?” he asked.