“You have done enough, Hunter. Go quiet your mind,” Allison said. “Now go on.”
Hunter just smiled at her and took off. He grabbed a taxi and headed straight for Jody’s apartment.
Chapter Nine
Jody carried a handful of files as she took the elevator up to her apartment. She was surprised to see Hunter sitting by her door.
“Hunter?”
“About time you came home.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see you.” He smiled at her. It wasn’t completely a lie--he did want to see her. But seeing what she knew about Zoltan topped the list.
Jody fumbled with her keys and finally opened the door.
“Here let me help you.” Hunter took the files from her arms. He couldn’t help but notice Zoltan’s name on the top file.
“Come in.” Jody went inside her apartment. She did a quick scan and was relieved to see all her stuff still in place. What Linda said earlier bugged her all day. “Hunter, how did you know where I lived?”
“I did an Internet search. You really need to be more careful. If I found out where you live, anyone could.”
“Oh, I better look into that.”
“Why is Zoltan’s name on this file?”
“I have to follow all leads. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“Leads?”
“I don’t want to talk about work.” Jody turned and looked at him. Allison must have told Zoltan about her stopping by. “Zoltan sent you, didn’t he?”
“What do you mean?”
“I remember Allison telling Jenna that Zoltan was coming by today. She must have told him about me asking her questions, and since you are Zoltan’s friend.”
“Damn, you’re good.”
“So that is why you are here?”
“Partially.”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. I just find myself thinking about you a lot.”
“You don’t have to go through a song and dance to find out why I’m investigating your friend. I will tell you if that is what you want.”
“I do want to know why you are investigating Zoltan. I will be straight about that. But …” Hunter sat down on her sofa. “I can’t get you out of my mind. And believe me, this is not a position I want to be in. I hate relationships. I never planned on having one and I sure as hell never wanted to let a woman get into my mind. I really don’t care whether you believe me or not. So you can stop looking at me that way.”
Hunter was surprised when Jody broke down and started to cry. He hurried over to her and tried to take her into his arms.
“Don’t!” she shouted as she pushed him away.
“I’m sorry if I said …”
“Don’t say anything. You know, I didn’t want to have feelings for you either. But I find myself thinking about you all the time. Linda warned me not to fall in love with a dancer. And yet, that is exactly what I did. I knew I should have never gone to the club with her. What Derek did to me, no woman should have to endure.”
“He hit you?”
“No, that pussy wouldn’t even think about it. He knew I could whip his ass. I wish he had hit me then I could have kicked his ass.”
“Jody, what did he do?”
“He took my heart, made me believe that we would love each other forever, and then proceeded to stomp all over my heart. And like a fool I allowed him to. I let him lie to me, cheat on me, pretending that none of it happened, that he loved me. I took his lying and cheating for years then he left. He told me that he didn’t love me anymore, that he found a woman who showed him what love really was. All that pain, loneliness, all of it was for nothing. He never did love me.”
“Jody.” Hunter tried to touch her again.
“I don’t want to love you! I can’t go through that again.”
“I will leave you alone if that is what you want.”
Jody sank to the floor and wept uncontrollably. “It’s too late. If you stay or if you go, it will hurt me.”
Hunter came down to his knees and pulled her into his arms. His heart ached for her. Zoltan wept like this when Debbie left. Hunter’s father wept like this when his mother left. And now he has caused this pain to bubble up inside Jody.
He felt her arms wrap around him, pulling him closer. He held her as tightly as she held him and allowed her to cry. He said nothing as he held her to him. After a little while, she stopped crying.
“I can’t promise you forever, Jody. To be honest, I really don’t know how to give my love to a woman. I have shut off my feelings for so long. I do like being with you, but if it is too much for you I will leave you alone. It will suck, but I don’t want to cause you any more pain.”
“I want to be with you,” she said quietly. She nuzzled his hand as he wiped the tears from her cheek. “I need some time to think.”
“I will give you all the time you need.” He helped her to her feet. “I will leave you my number.” He turned around and wrote his number on Zoltan’s file. “Call me when you want to see me again.” He turned back to her and caressed her cheek, then headed for the door.
“Hunter, thank you.”
He just smiled then left the apartment.
Jody felt as if a weight had been lifted from her. She never allowed herself to cry like that and releasing all those pent-up feelings felt good. She looked at Hunter’s phone number on the file. A swirl of feelings engulfed her. There was no turning back now, she loved him and you can’t undo that. Then a sinking feeling overtook her as she looked at his number and Zoltan’s name.
“No …” she flipped open Zoltan’s file. Allison saying that Hunter and Zoltan helped with funding for the children repeated over and over in her mind. She read everything in Zoltan’s file--he had never been in trouble with the law before. She called the station.
“Give me any info you have on Hunter Getz. Fax it over to me.”
She poured herself a cup of coffee as she waited for the file. Her heart pounded as the fax roared to life. Slowly she walked over to it. Hunter had been arrested for shoplifting when he was sixteen, assault when he was seventeen. Then it was like he didn’t exist anymore. There was nothing more about him anywhere. She called the station to make sure what she got was accurate. Tax records, employment records, licenses, all of this stuff was available for anyone, but not for Hunter.
“What the …”
She called Linda and asked her about computer glitches.
“There would be something. I can see if maybe he didn’t have a driver’s license or even if a computer screwed up an address or two, but not a person’s entire history.”
“What about the police record?”
“It’s from a juvenile file. Look at the ages. So I’m guessing is that someone went into the computer system and erased Hunter’s existence, except for the juvenile files. Those would be sealed and impossible to get into.”
“Why would someone erase Hunter’s existence?”
“Who knows? Maybe he did it himself.”
“Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know, but you might want to find out.”
“Thanks Linda. I will see you at work tomorrow.”
That sick sinking feeling wouldn’t go away, and it worsened when she saw the deed to Allison’s new home. “How could you afford to pay for that house in full like that?” Jody put the files down.
“Hunter … no, he can’t be Black Velvet the thief … no …” she pushed all of this to the back of her mind when she heard the doorbell ring.
“Damn it.” She hurried to the door and was surprised to see Melinda and Adonis standing there.
“Well, well, I half-assed expected to see Hunter here.”
“What do you want?”
“Now, that is just rude.” Melinda pushed her way into Jody’s apartment. “What a dump,” she said as she looked around Jody’s apartment.
“What do you want?” Jody repeated.
“Adonis’ cock is hungry and we we
re hoping Hunter was here to watch.”
“To watch what?”
“Adonis fuck the hell out of you.”
“Like I’m going to let that happen.”
“I didn’t say you had a choice in the matter, did I dear? But since Hunter isn’t here I doubt Adonis wants you now. Do you sweetie?”
“No … I wouldn’t fuck such an ordinary woman as her without some extra incentive.”
“Get out of my apartment. How did you know where I lived anyway?”
“Hunter left his search up on his computer. Where is my prize stallion anyway?”
“How would I know?”
“Don’t even think about messing with me, bitch. I smell his cologne in the air. I know what that man smells like. Now where is he?”
“He left awhile ago.”
“Adonis, sweetie, fuck this bitch up the ass, make her scream so I can tape it for Hunter. He will learn that his cock belongs to me. I tell him who to fuck and when to fuck them.”
Jody prepared herself to attack Adonis. The moment he got close enough, she sprang at him, knocking him to the ground. She pinned him to the ground with her knee positioned right at his crotch.
“Now unless you want me to hurt him so badly that he can’t dance tonight, I suggest you get the hell out of my apartment.”
“Well, now isn’t this a surprise. Let him up.”
Jody quickly got off of him and hurried over to her purse. She pulled out her gun and pointed it at Melinda.
“Get out of my apartment.” Jody should just arrest them for this, but she didn’t want to hurt Hunter in any way.
“Feisty isn’t she, Adonis?”
“A fucking bitch is what she is.”
“We will go. But remember you little bitch, Hunter is mine.” Melinda stomped out of the apartment with Adonis right behind her.
Jody slowly set the gun down. She debated whether or not to tell Hunter about this, and then decided not to. What an awful woman Hunter worked for. No wonder Zoltan wanted out of there.
She went over and locked her door. She had to take a nice long hot bath and try not to think about anything else. She didn’t want to believe that there was a possibility that Hunter was that damn thief. But the cop in her told her to follow this lead. That gut instinct of hers was kicking in.
Chapter Ten
Melinda called all the dancers to the stage.
“I’m glad to see everyone is here.” She glared at Hunter. Oh that man was going to pay one way or another.
“Maxim, you will not let another client spend the night with you again.”
“Or what?”
“You want me to fire your ass.”
“I don’t fucking care. Do it I dare you,” he hissed.
“You are lucky that my clients like your big cock. We will talk more about this later. Anyway, Zoltan your ass is on the line tonight.”
“What?” Zoltan asked.
“Why?” Hunter added.
“You need to learn a lesson, Hunter.”
“Then leave Zoltan out of it.”
“I will do as I please. Zoltan if you don’t bring in at least a seven thousand dollar bid you can pack your bags.”
“You fucking bitch,” Hunter growled.
“The rest of you, I suggest you work on your routines. That’s all.” Melinda grabbed Adonis and left the room.
“There is no way I will bring in that kind of bid. I better go look for another job,” Zoltan said.
“We aren’t letting that bitch win this. I will dance with you tonight.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Yeah, I do. Besides it would be fun. Let me think of a routine and I will let you know. And when you bring in ten thousand you can laugh at that bitch.” Hunter smiled at Zoltan and left the room. He went back to his room. He had to think of a really hot routine to do with Zoltan--one that would showcase just how sexy Zoltan was. He was startled when the phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Hunter.”
“Jody …”
“I want to see you again. I’m coming to the show tonight.” She felt a little awkward, especially after what happen last night.
“I look forward to it.”
“What’s wrong? Don’t you want me to come?”
“Of course I do. It’s just that … Melinda has threatened to fire Zoltan if he doesn’t bring in enough money tonight.”
“Oh that bitch. I thought after last night she … never mind.”
“What about last night?”
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Jody wanted to kick herself for mentioning Melinda to him.
“Did she hurt you?”
“I told you it’s nothing.”
“Tell me what she did to you. I won’t stop bugging you until you do.”
“She and that Adonis stopped by my apartment last night.”
“Damn it. Did he touch you?”
“He thought he was, but I put a stop to that.”
“I’m going to beat the hell out of him.”
“Hunter, don’t. I can take care of myself. It’s you I’m more worried about. I think that Melinda is obsessed with you.”
“She is just pissed that she can’t control me. Don’t worry about me.”
“I got to go. I will see you tonight.”
“Why don’t I come to your apartment after the show? I don’t want you around Melinda.”
“I want to see you dance.”
“I will do a private dance just for you.”
“That would be hot, but … I love watching the women react to you.”
Then an idea popped into Hunter’s mind. “Jody, would you help me with my routine tonight? I have an idea that might make Zoltan the hit of the show.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“You will be a prop of sorts. Will you help me?”
“Of course I will.”
“Wear something sexy. I will take you out of the audience when the time comes. Thank you, Jody. I look forward to seeing you tonight.”
“I can’t wait to see you, too.”
Jody hung up the phone and just stared at it. She had all intentions of getting into Hunter’s room somehow and seeing if there was anything that might tie him to the Black Velvet robberies. But the second she heard his voice, all those thoughts left her mind. All that mattered was seeing him again. And now this thing with Zoltan … she wondered what Hunter had planned. To be honest, she was aroused just thinking about Hunter dancing with Zoltan. Normally she would push these thoughts quickly from her mind, but since being with Hunter she allowed herself to enjoy these erotic thoughts.
* * * *
Hunter looked out into the audience and smiled when he saw Jody sitting there with Linda. He couldn’t really see what she was wearing, but it really didn’t matter for what he had planned. He glanced over and saw Maxim looking out into the crowd as well. This was unusual for him.
“Maxim what’s up?” Hunter asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You never check out the crowd.”
“I’m looking for … ah there she is …”
Hunter walked over to see where Maxim was pointing.
“That little woman with the long brown hair who is sitting next to your pixie ... see her?”
“What about her?”
“That woman knew how to fuck me. I want some more,” Maxim said as he licked his lips.
“You think Jody is a pixie?”
“Yep … I would probably break her if I fucked her.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t break her little friend.”
“That woman is sturdier than she looks.”
“Let me guess, that’s the guest Melinda got all pissy at you about.”
“Yep.”
“I hope she bids on you.”
“I don’t care whether she does or not. I want some more of her.” Maxim looked at Hunter. “You got something hot planned for Zoltan, right?”
�
�Oh yeah.”
“Good. I would hate to see him get fired.” Maxim walked off stage and straight to one of the guards. Within moments Maxim dropped his pants--the guard did the same, then he lifted her up and fucked her hard and fast against the wall. Melinda would have a shit-fit if she saw that. Hunter knew why Maxim was fucking that guard, and he wanted her to bring Linda to him.
“Hey, come here for a second.” Hunter motioned to another guard.
“What is it, Hunter?”
“Bring me the woman with short blonde hair who is sitting at table twenty.”
“I can’t do that.”
“I need her for mine and Zoltan’s dance.”
“For your dance? What?”
“Trust me, these women will love it.”
“All right. I will get her since it’s for your routine, but you better not be lying to me.”
“Maxim wants something,” Zoltan said as he walked onto the stage.
“I think the big guy is in love.”
“With that guard?”
“No, with a client.”
“That would be a first for him.”
Hunter looked at Zoltan. He wore a black pair of jeans that matched what Hunter was wearing. Zoltan’s hair looked really good.
“You look great.”
“Geez, thanks.” Zoltan smiled at him. “I’m going to feel weird during parts of this dance. I mean we have been friends forever and not once have I thought about kissing you or touching you like that.”
“Oh you gonna hurt my feelings. You don’t think I’m sexy,” Hunter said jokingly.
“I don’t think any guy is sexy. I don’t swing that way.”
“You are trying to excite the woman, well, Jody, to more exact. Remember you want her, so you are trying to get her attention. You have to outshine me.”
“Like I can do that.”
“Why not, you are a very sexy guy. You really have to believe just how hot you are, Zoltan. This will shine through your dance. Imagine you are dancing for one special woman. You want her so badly your balls ache. You want to see that look of lust in her eyes. Come on picture it.”
Zoltan closed his eyes.
“I know dancing for strangers makes you very uncomfortable. Even still the women love it when you are out there. You can’t tell me you can’t hear their cheering. But tonight you are dancing for that one woman. Picture her in your mind. Your perfect woman. You see her?”
Black Velvet Page 8
