Lucas: The Hunter Brothers Series

by L. J. Dee

  Jess was hardwired to protecting the one thing she loved above all else and that inner strength and determination only made me crave her more. She was inexperienced, young and naive in many ways, but in others she had a maturity that belied her age and the heart of a fucking lion.

  I smiled. At one time that had been my main concern; that she wouldn’t have what it took to take me on and that I’d crush her under my will like a fragile butterfly in a grip that was just too strong. What a fucking joke. I was the butterfly, caught in the jar by her tender hand and flapping aimlessly in a glass prison, waiting for a sign. The only freedom I needed was the one that would come with eternal capture.

  I wanted to fix every problem she had, protect her and cherish her. I wanted to hold her as I slept and kiss her when she woke. I wanted all of her, not some compartmentalised half existence, limited to three times a week at the club and the occasional fucking sleepover. She came as a package and I wanted in, but I’d handled it all wrong. I’d reverted to type and used every weapon in my arsenal to force my hand. I’d demanded, thrown money at it, persuaded, encouraged and pushed for closure, angry when I didn’t get my way. It was the only way I could deal with the uncertainty.

  It was only now I was starting to realise that my complex little enigma was actually the simplest puzzle I had ever tried to solve. Outside the bedroom she wanted to be asked, not told; needed to do things on her timeframe and not mine.

  Jess wasn’t trying to manipulate me, it was the other way around, and she wasn’t the only one in this relationship who needed to learn patience.

  Last night I’d lost mine. I get what I want and I push for it always. That will never change, but this beautiful girl had pushed back. She didn’t need force, but to be cared for and cultivated, nurtured and cherished, rewarded for her trust, reassured about her insecurities and allowed the time to grow. She’d thought I was fucking jealous of Max and the way I’d responded I wasn’t surprised.

  I didn’t enjoy seeing his hand on her arm, but it wasn’t that, it was what he said. “Let me know when you tire of her.” I’d been raging, wanting to annihilate the man whose reputation preceded him and gave people the right to say that. Maybe I deserved it for the way I went through submissives, but I hadn’t turned that anger inwards. Instead, like Jess with her jealousy, I took it out on the very person who deserved it least.

  I wanted everyone in that club to know that Jess wasn’t just a temporary fling, and destroying that list had been cathartic. Only later when the anger started to subside did I realise I might have destroyed her, or us. Christ, I should have just called her, but I hadn’t. It wasn’t enough. I needed to show her, demonstrate just what her and her son meant to me, give the grand gesture after the presentation and leave her in no doubt. I wanted them in my life and I wanted them there permanently. They’d liked it, but that was hardly the point.

  Tonight wouldn’t be about grand gestures. I needed to be honest and tell her how I felt. From there it would be her choice to do whatever she decided with that information. I hated being out of control, but I had to be. With Jess there was no other way.

  I would utter those three words, take a risk and await the fallout.

  I lifted my head, standing and walking over to her as she exited the bathroom, trying to read her expression. I’d pushed it for the last time with the girlfriend comment. I ran my hands over her body, needing to feel her as she clung on tight.

  I traced my way up her smooth thighs; lifting the sheer silk negligee and feeling the buds of her nipples tighten against my chest, sucking her bottom lip as she pouted. There was sympathy for my loss etched in every feature of her face and there was pain in her eyes, hurt and fear, for everything she’d had to endure and for me. All I wanted was to take it away.

  Jess would ease my pain with her body, and I would ease hers. When we were done, she would know how I felt. She’d have it all and I was giving it to her, however much she protested. She may not be ready to return it completely, but I knew she felt it too. It was there in those dark brown pools, open and honest, gazing up at me as she tentatively ran soft hands across my body that was radiating the same intense heat it always held for her.

  She had that look tonight, the one I loved, as though I was some fucking deity, not just a man, and the swell in my heart was indescribable. She always told me with her body what she couldn’t with her lips and with that silky, pale porcelain skin, she never held back. Physically she gave me everything and always had.

  Tonight I didn’t want to dominate, just lose myself in that tender flesh and accept the unique comfort that she offered with her honesty and openness. I didn’t want to fuck, I wanted to make love; give the affection and take it, accept her into my soul as I possessed her body and she possessed me.

  I watched her fall under my spell as I fell under hers, drowning in her soft, compliant lips as I lifted her backwards onto the bed, discarding my shorts and burying myself inside that hot, tight pussy that was as wet and ready for me as it always was and it felt fucking heavenly.

  My cock was harder than it had ever been as I felt her clench and tighten around me. Sweet, breathy moans escaped her mouth, like a siren’s call to my rawest primal self, making me drive faster and deeper inside her, claiming every inch of her and making her mine.

  Right now there were no words, just feelings enveloping me as I bathed in the comfort and pleasure that she offered. I ran my hands over smooth, perfect skin, letting out a deep carnal groan from low in my throat. I felt the affection, warmth and the divine beauty as she squeezed her pussy around my throbbing cock, driving me fucking insane with need.

  I knew she was close as the familiar flush crept across her chest, her neck and over her cheeks as I claimed her harder than I had ever done before. There were no tricks, no toys, but the indescribable meeting of two minds, bodies and souls to the exclusion of all others and it was the purest, deepest connection I had ever felt with anyone. It was adoration, affection and the most demanding of needs, wrapped in an insatiable desire for her, for more, for everything.

  I was drowning in the silky velvet of that delectable pussy, wetness sliding across my sensitive nerves as I moaned deeply, rocketing towards the blissful explosion that would signal my release.

  I tasted her neck, that incredible sweet scent like a call to my senses, driving me on as I kissed that special spot, feeling the delectable shivers it ignited through her skin and loving how I affected her that way. She was like an exquisite instrument, responding to the touch of my lips, her little moans betraying her pleasure.

  “Lucas,” she gasped as that incredible bliss raced through her, milking my cock with gripping muscles as I stilled, awash with need as ecstasy consumed me. My cock jerked inside her, unable to hold back, filling her in an enormous rush of love that I felt in my very soul.

  She lay back like a goddess, her blond hair falling across the pillow as she gazed up at me with those beautiful big eyes. She had no fucking idea just how much I needed her as those soft pink lips opened, words tumbling out as sweet as treacle and blasting through my haze like gunshot.

  “I love you, Lucas Hunter.”

  My stomach tightened, my heart clenching in a grip so powerful it stole the breath from my lungs as I stared into her face, my stunned brain unable to take in her words. My beautiful Cinderella had blindsided me once again as raw emotion gripped my being, cutting through the blind mist in the fog of grief like a slither of sunshine.

  It was all I needed to expel the anguish that was haunting me.

  Heaving sobs wracked through my body. I was wrapped in the arms of love, cocooned in a blanket of warmth and devotion, and for the first time in a long time, I could drop my guard, open my heart and know that there would be no judgement of my weakness. I could finally let it go and it felt so fucking good.

  I could release the hurt, the loss, and the crippling devastation with the one woman who made me feel stronger and more alive than any other. There was the funeral to organise,
the estate and business to divide up, the dawning realisation that my father had gone, and the overwhelming fear that my younger brother was lost to us forever. I had to get him back, heal the rift between him and Charlie before it destroyed us all. There were enemies and threats closing in from every angle, and those were set to intensify.

  We needed to stick together, to determine our fate and defeat those demons as a family. Things were changing quickly and irrevocably, the future more uncertain than it had ever been, but they weren’t thoughts for now.

  Even in the midst of despair, her light shone through the darkness like a beacon of brightness, giving me a new cause to fight for and with it, a surge of renewed hope. “I love you too, baby,” I whispered, holding her gaze as she gripped me tightly and we curled up together and cried long into the night.

  Tomorrow I’d be strong for my brothers, but tonight, my beautiful Jess was the strength behind me.

  ***

  ROMAN

  BOOK#2 THE HUNTER BROTHERS SERIES

  When the mysterious Roman returns to the family estate in the aftermath of his father’s funeral, his revelations threaten the very foundations of the Hunter family, shaking it to its core. Secrets are revealed and histories unravelled, turning fact into fiction and changing the course of the future.

  He isn’t there to grieve the man that despised him, and his stay will be short lived, but lured back to face his past by the beautiful Chastity, Roman is determined to take her into his bed. The attraction is instant, the chemistry electric and he knows if he can get her alone there will be only one outcome.

  Chastity Evangelista usually lives up to her name, with a list in place for the ultimate prize she’s determined to secure, but she doesn’t count on her dangerous and immediate response to the prodigal brother, riddled with complexities and sizzling with sex appeal.

  He’s an unknown quantity and she doesn’t do those. He’s a weekend hook-up and she doesn’t do those. He is also the brother of the man with whom she hopes her future lies. But when an unforeseen twist changes Charlie’s outlook irrevocably, Chastity is left with a choice to make.

  ‘Roman was an enigma, a puzzle; wrapped in a hot hard body, tormented eyes and a soft full mouth that screamed pure sin. Even here, where the love for him was so palpable you could feel it; he was distant. Unfortunately, he was also captivating, compelling and impossible to ignore.

  I was here for Charlie.

  Roman had other ideas.

  This was going to be one hell of a weekend.’

  ROMAN

  Chapter One

  I hit the sat nav twice, eventually pulling it from its little sucker and hauling it across the car. “Why now, you clapped out piece of shit?” I shouted at it, huffing and puffing, pulling the car to a stop at the side of the country road and checking my watch for the umpteenth time. Why on earth I’d turned down Charlie’s offer of a driver was beyond me. It was a momentary flash of insanity that I was paying for now.

  Patrick’s niece’s car was as temperamental as that stupid sat nav and Jess was going to go apeshit. I’d promised her faithfully I’d be there on time, wondering why I was even bothering.

  It wasn’t as if I knew Silus Hunter. I wouldn’t have liked him if I did, after the whole ‘bastard’ comment; but she wanted me there and so did Charlie, so I’d agreed. At least I’d get to spend some time with him, so it wasn’t a complete waste of a long weekend off, but as I looked around at field after field of rolling green, I doubted I’d make it anyway.

  I hated the country. There were no road signs, no landmarks and absolutely no way I’d find this elusive church in the twenty minutes I had before the service started. It wasn’t as if I could turn up late, just waltz in when I got there. Funerals were like weddings and there was a certain amount of etiquette involved. My best hope would be to hover in the churchyard, waiting for them to bring the body out. That way, I could slip into the following crowd, pretending I’d been sitting in the back all along. I spotted what looked like a spire in the distance, wondering if I might actually make it after all.

  I could make my way on foot, cut across the fields, but I’d be knee deep in cow shit by the time I arrived. That would be less acceptable than being late. I slammed the car into first and drove in the direction of what I hoped would be the church.

  It wasn’t. A least not the church I needed, and I trudged back down to the car, red faced and swearing under my breath. Who the hell got the wrong bloody funeral? That could only happen to me, although these villages all looked the same. They might be chocolate box pretty, but there was no one around to ask for directions. It was the kind of place where people who tended their gardens religiously, came to retire. I imagined they were all inside watching TV with a cup of tea and a chocolate digestive, or napping with their legs covered in thick tartan blankets. Even the damn Post Office was closed.

  Two hours later I’d finally made it, getting out of the car and tentatively checking the wheel tread for fur and innards. Oh God, the very thought made me want to heave. The thing had come from nowhere; speeding across the country lane like some crazy kamikaze mutant mammal. I’d slammed on the brakes, swerved and tried to avoid the little fucker, almost landing myself in a ditch. They were lucky I was here at all; two more feet and I would have been going in that ground alongside Silus Hunter. I couldn’t even be certain I hadn’t damaged the car. There were so many dents and scrapes it was difficult to know for sure.

  I scanned the road. Two cars and one Ducati; this wasn’t looking promising. I could see the flowers at the far end of the graveyard surrounding the large rectangular hole and made my way towards it. There were no sounds of chatter or organ music coming from the ancient church, only a pure silence, interrupted occasionally by the faint sound of bird song in the low afternoon sun. I had definitely missed it.

  I leaned over, peering into the gaping ground, seeing the walnut coffin at the bottom before I crouched down to read the notes on the beautiful bouquets. I’d got the right funeral at least.

  “Sorry, Silus,” I said, sad for the brothers as I worked through the messages of love and condolence and the enormity of the day finally hit me. I wasn’t good around death. It was an unhappy reminder of my own mortality and simply served to remind me of all the things I hadn’t done yet. There were dozens and dozens of bouquets, beautiful, colourful and artfully arranged and I was happy that the boys had so much support. It had been a different story for me and Jess when Mum died.

  “He can’t hear you.”

  I jumped out of my skin, stumbling backwards and landing flat on my arse, frightened out of wits. My head snapped to the right to see a man leaning casually against a huge oak tree, chuckling gently as I dusted myself down and scrambled to my feet.

  “It’s not funny, are you trying to give me a damn heart attack too,” I snapped, turning to glare at the impudent stranger. My breath hitched as I caught sight of him properly for the first time while he just stood there, watching me curiously and smirking. I was still furious, trying to calm my breathing and steady my heart that was practically vibrating through my chest.

  He was dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, with a deep tan and a muscular physique that led me to think he was probably a grave digger. Well, that and the huge spade that was leaning against the opposite side of the tree. He certainly looked like he spent a lot of time outdoors and that was not a body that had been cultivated at the gym. He looked more like a prize fighter, rugged and dangerous with thick solid muscles and my heart stopped dead when I took in his face.

  His dark hair and shaded jaw set off the most fabulous bright blue eyes as I cast my glance over a full mouth that was still smirking at me. There was a small scar at the side of his eye and he wasn’t perfect, but imperfection suited him. His nose looked like it had been broken before, which just added to the danger that emanated from his gaze. This man was hot and I was trying desperately to stifle my reaction.

  “You scared the life out of me,” I stuttered, bl
owing out in a long deep breath.

  “Yeah, I got that,” he smiled and I wasn’t sure whether to be annoyed or amused. Either way, it was clear I’d be getting no apology.

  “How did you know him?”

  My brain raced for a moment, trying to figure out the question as I followed his eyes to the grave; suddenly realising he was talking about Silus. I was so stunned by his presence, I’d almost forgotten about the body in the ground, only feet away. “I didn’t,” I mumbled, assessing his face and looking like an idiot as he threw me a bemused frown. Normally I was sharp with instant wit or a feisty retort, but I was having trouble functioning, realising immediately that my answer made me sound like a bit of a fruitcake. I mean, who crept around in graveyards, talking to dead people they’d never met?

  “I promised a friend I’d come,” I said quickly, trying to justify my strange answer. He tilted his head slowly, and the fact that he seemed quietly amused at something had me filled with disquiet and uncharacteristically off kilter.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Chastity,” I said, feeling the moisture evaporating from my mouth as he flashed a wry smile.

  “And does it suit you?” He quirked his eyebrow as I stared at him mutely, wondering what the hell was wrong with my brain.

  I had a hundred, probably a thousand comebacks for that question. I’d been asked it so many times over the years that I had the response off to a tee, but right now when I most needed to, I couldn’t think of a single one. “Yes,” I muttered, almost inaudibly as the smirk returned and I swallowed hard.

  “We’ll see,” he smiled and my heart was racing. The hot gravedigger was flirting with me and if he asked, I’d have probably got low down and dirty with him right here in the graveyard. It was out of character and a fundamentally bad idea, but my reaction was physical and immediate and something I’d rarely felt before. I wasn’t certain what was wrong with me. Apart from hotness, he ticked absolutely no other boxes on my list. He was a manual labourer in the least elegant of professions, and as cock sure of himself as anyone I’d ever met. You could tell at first glance he wasn’t marriage material and about as far from my ‘prize’ as it was possible to get. That said, there was definitely something undeniably captivating about the man. Perhaps it was because I was surrounded by death today that by brain had switched itself to some kind of ‘Live for the moment’ mode’. I’d been reminded twice of the fragility of life in as many hours and it was messing with my head.