Hunter’s Revenge: Willow Harbor - book 3

by Juliana Haygert

  He gripped my shoulders. “And who makes sure you are okay? I can’t focus on what I have to do when you’re around. The need to make sure you are safe is overpowering. I can’t …” He took a deep breath. “I can’t take it. If you get hurt, I can’t take it.”

  I stepped into his space and looked up to him. “Then you know how I felt when I woke up alone in your bed. The thought of you coming here alone drove me crazy.” I reached up and cupped his cheek. “I’m sorry I scared you, but I’m glad I came.” Otherwise, he wouldn’t be here with me right now.

  He dropped his head, resting his forehead on mine, and blew out a breath. “Thank you.”

  I rose to my tiptoes and brushed my lips onto his. “You’re welcome.”

  Landon stepped back, looking everywhere but at me. “Hm, it’s late and the day has been exhausting. We should go home.”

  Coldness bloomed in my chest, a coldness that came from him. Why was he shutting me out now? Why had he pulled back when I tried to kiss him?

  But my pride kept me from asking. Instead I lifted my chin and stared at him, even though he was still avoiding my gaze. “Right. Home.” The manor. It wasn’t my home. It was his. It had been my father’s. But apparently, it would never be mine. “I’ll … talk to you later.”

  The coldness in my chest mixed with hurt, and I climbed in my car and sped away before I could give too much thought to it.

  * * *

  I sat crisscross and touched the smooth gravestone with my fingertips. “Hey, Dad.”

  It was so odd to call him dad, but right now, it felt right. He might not have been as present as I had wanted him to be, but now I knew why. I knew his reasons, and even though I didn’t agree with them, I understood.

  After leaving that house last night, I drove back to the manor and stopped by the kitchen for a middle of the night snack, even though it was almost five in the morning. And in the thirty minutes I stayed in the kitchen eating, Landon never made it home.

  Tired from waiting and from the fight with the demon, I made my way to the guest bedroom and threw myself in the bed. I tried to sleep, but all I did was to stare at the ceiling and think about Landon until the sun came up.

  Sighing, I shoved those thoughts out of my mind. I was here to make peace with my father, not to dream about Landon and to wonder why he was avoiding me again.

  I took a deep breath and ran my fingertips over my father’s name one more time. “I’ll come visit you soon.”

  My legs felt stiff as I rose and turned around—and I saw Landon walking toward the grave, wearing dark jeans, a button-up shirt, and dress shoes. So gorgeous, so hot. My knees wobbled.

  He halted several feet from me. “Hey,” he mumbled, glancing from me to the grave.

  “Hi.” We stood there in silence for ten long seconds. “Did you have a good rest?”

  “No. Just showered. Before resting, I wanted to come here and … tell him I got the demon. We got the demon.” He cocked his head to the side. “And you?”

  “No. I just showered and ate a quick breakfast. I wanted to tell him goodbye before I drove home.”

  Landon frowned. “Right. Home. Yes, you should go home.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Before you go …”

  Hope sparked in my chest. “Yes?”

  “I wanted to say thank you. I was a little rude last night, but I have to admit, you helped. If it weren’t for you, the demon would have killed me too. So, thank you.”

  “Oh.” My hope vanished. “Right. Yeah … You’re welcome.”

  More silence.

  Before it got more awkward than it already was, I waved at him as a manner of goodbye and walked past him, toward my car parked across the street, in front of the town’s square.

  I had taken four steps when he called my name.

  “Tessa.”

  My heart skipped a beat. Holding my breath, I turned around. “Yeah?”

  He rubbed his neck. “I—” His phone beeped. He fished it from his pocket and glanced at it. He shook his head, and then looked at me again. “I just wanted to—” His phone beeped again. He groaned and peeked at it. He let out a long sigh. “You should kn—” His phone rang. He cursed under his breath. “I need to take this.”

  A sad smile graced my lips. “Of course you do.” I waved at him again, and then walked away.

  Though my instinct was to run, I forced my steps to be firm and normal, so he wouldn’t see the pain he caused me. However, by the time I reached my car, two tears had escaped and my breathing came in hard.

  I slipped into my car and took several deep breaths. I looked out the window, to the big willow tree at the side of the square. Landon had told me it was magical and it helped keep the townspeople protected.

  “Keep him safe,” I whispered to the tree, before turning the car on and peeling away.

  Away from Willow Harbor and toward whatever place I called home.

  Twenty-Two

  LANDON

  * * *

  Two weeks. Thirteen days to be exact. It had been thirteen days since Tessa left, and I was losing my mind.

  I tried keeping occupied by going over cases with Aidan or Nathan or Douglas. Cole took pity on me and showed me more police cases, wondering if they could be supernatural. Even Ash, who I wasn’t too close with, stopped by my bedroom several times to ask me what I thought of certain clues. I knew he didn’t need my help, not with these smaller cases, but I wasn’t that much of a prick to slam the door in his face. I knew all of them were just checking on me, making sure I was all right. This job, this life, wasn’t an easy one. It took a big emotional toll on us. I wanted to tell them all to back off, but I reminded myself of how many times I had done that for others, so I let them come.

  And bother me.

  Though I appreciated their concern, my patience was running thin.

  The final straw was when a suited man calling himself Attorney Rhodes showed up at the manor and handed me an envelope.

  “From Ms. Ford.”

  Then he left, without answering any of my questions.

  I opened the envelope. There was a short note and a check inside.

  Landon,

  I believe you were more of a son to him than I was his daughter. I don’t need all the money, so here’s half of what was in my father’s bank account. I’ll put the cabin in the mountains for sale soon and, once it’s sold, I’ll send you another check with half of whatever I get for it.

  Take care.

  Tessa

  What the hell?

  I ripped the check, grabbed my jacket, raced to the underground garage, and slipped into my car. Without thinking, only raging, I drove to USC and went to her dorm.

  I banged on the wall, but she didn’t answer.

  “I think she’s in class,” a girl said, peeking from another room across the hall.

  I turned to her. “Until what time?” I frowned and thought hard. “I know her schedule. Biology class and it goes until four thirty.” I glanced down at my phone. It was almost four o’clock.

  “Yeah, but she has been going to the library after class every night,” the girl told me. “Something about catching up on the work she lost a couple of weeks ago.”

  “Thank you.”

  The girl said something, but I was already running to the stairwell and out of the dorm. Using my phone, I looked at the school’s website and located the biology building. I marched across campus, looking side to side, searching for her in everyone that walked by.

  I halted in front of the main building’s door at four twenty and waited.

  At four thirty, I tensed as students emerged from their classes.

  But not Tessa. I glanced at my phone. Fifteen minutes passed. Then another ten. Another fifteen.

  Where the hell was she?

  My phone beeped with a message. I checked it—a quick text from Aidan asking about the details of a case we worked on over six months ago. I shot him a quick answer. Holding my phone up, I thought about calling Tessa and fi
nding out where she was.

  I preferred talking to her face-to-face, but since I couldn’t find her, I would have to call her first. Holding my breath, I called her. And she didn’t answer.

  What the hell?

  In my experience with the other hunters, one of us didn’t pick up the phone because we were either in deep trouble with some demon and couldn’t get the call, or busy with a girl, trying to blow off some steam.

  Fear and jealousy gutted me. Hell, I didn’t know what was worse. Tessa being attacked by a demon, or being with another guy.

  I groaned and decided to check the library. Maybe she had left the biology building through another exit and was already there, studying in peace, with her cell phone muted and inside her purse. Yes, that was it, I told myself as I walked to the library near the center of campus.

  Panic replaced the jealousy in my gut when I trailed the entire library and didn’t find her. I tried calling her again, and again she didn’t answer.

  Shit.

  Feeling like a lost lunatic, I made my way back to her dorm. I knocked on the door again and waited. Nothing.

  Shit.

  I sat down beside the door, my back against the wall, and closed my eyes, trying to calm down my panicked heart and my over-imaginative mind.

  Tessa is okay.

  Tessa is okay.

  She has to be okay.

  “Landon?” Her sweet, sweet voice snapped me from my concentration, and I jumped to my feet. She climbed the last step of the stairwell and stared at me with her big, blue eyes. “What are you doing here?”

  Damn, she looked gorgeous in cropped, skinny jeans, an off-shoulder red blouse, and flat sandals. Her brilliant blond hair was loose, but pulled to one side, over her shoulder. No makeup on her pretty face, and only small earrings adorning her small ears. She was a welcome sight.

  I could wrap my arms around her, pull her to me, and kiss her until we were both breathless.

  But that wasn’t the reason I was here.

  I stretched my arm and showed her the envelope. “I don’t want this.”

  A frown marred her forehead. She took the envelope and peeked inside at the ripped check. She let out a sigh. “I want you to have it.”

  “But I don’t want it!”

  She cringed. “Landon, don’t make a scene.” She reached for the knob and unlocked her dorm’s door. “Come inside so you can yell at me without anyone calling the police.” She pushed the door open and disappeared into her dorm.

  With a sigh, I entered the place and closed the door behind me.

  She threw her tote on her bed, and then turned to me, her hands on her hips.

  “So, continue yelling at me,” she said, her defiant eyes fixed on mine.

  “I don’t want to yell at you. I just want to understand why the hell you sent me this check? I don’t want your money.”

  She shrugged. “It’s not my money.”

  “It is.”

  “Well, it wasn’t my money. You get half of it, or I’m donating it all to some charity foundation.”

  “But … why?”

  She paused, staring at me for a long time before finally answering. “It doesn’t feel right.”

  “He left it all for you. He wanted you to have it all.”

  “I’m glad and relieved that he felt that way, but I don’t want it. I don’t need it. I already told you. I’ll keep half if you take the other half. Or it’s all going away.”

  I groaned. Damn it. Could this woman be any more infuriating? And beautiful? And hot? And perfect?

  If she didn’t look like she would kill me on the spot, I would have attacked her. Kissed her until she was begging for more.

  “God, you know how to push my buttons,” I growled.

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “That you’re your father’s daughter.”

  “And that is good or bad …?”

  “A little bit of both.”

  She sucked in a sharp breath and lifted her chin. “So, do we have a deal?”

  Did we have a deal? I didn’t want that money. I didn’t need it. Not that I had a lot, but with the lifestyle I led, I didn’t need much. Isaac had kept Tessa out of this life for a reason. To keep her safe. And if the money helped her with whatever she needed—tuition for a master’s degree, the down payment on a house, an expensive trip, or her future lavish wedding—so be it.

  “Yes. I’ll keep half.” And I would not touch it. I would keep it for her. If I died in this job, she would get her money. And probably mine too. If we both died around the same time, I would make sure her future children got it all.

  The air left my lungs as if I had been punched. Tessa. The future. Wedding. Having children. With some other guy.

  That thought hurt more than I would ever admit. However, it was harder to admit, even to me, that I wanted to be that guy.

  But I had to honor Isaac and his wishes. He wanted her out of this life, and that was exactly what I would do.

  “Good.”

  I sighed. “Goodbye, Tessa.”

  I turned and walked away from the only woman I had wanted to share my life with.

  * * *

  TESSA

  * * *

  I gaped at his retreating back.

  That was it? Landon came all the way from Willow Harbor to return to me a ripped check? Bullshit.

  “So that’s it?” I asked in a loud tone as his big hand closed around the door’s knob. “You didn’t just come here to tell me you didn’t need the money.” His back snapped into a straight board and his shoulders squared, but he didn’t turn. “You could have sent a text, or called, or even hired a courier, like I did. But no, you came here. Why?”

  Landon’s head dropped and he let out a long breath. “This is hard, Tessa.”

  “What? What is hard? I don’t get it.”

  He glanced over his shoulder, those hazel eyes smoldering. “Don’t make this harder, please.”

  I took a step toward him. “What are you talking about? What is hard?”

  He shook his head, but finally turned to me. “This.” He pointed at me. “You. Us. It’s hard to walk away, so, please, just let me.”

  “You want to walk away?” I asked, my tone softer.

  “I have to.”

  “That wasn’t what I asked.” I took another step closer. “Do you want to? Do you want to walk away?”

  He groaned. “Tessa …”

  I was only three feet from him now. “What? Tell me.”

  He locked his hazel eyes on mine. “Damn, I want you. After that night … I just want you more. But I can’t. I shouldn’t.”

  “Why? Are you afraid of rejection, because …” I stepped into his personal space and looked up at him. “Let me tell you. I want you too.”

  Another groan. He let his head drop, his forehead against mine. “Don’t do this to me.”

  “I’m letting you know I want you too. Why is that a bad thing?” I reached to him and splayed my hands on his stomach.

  He caught my wrists and pulled my hands away, but he didn’t release my wrists or push me back. “Because I can’t have you.” He closed his eyes for a second, then pulled back and looked at me. “Because your father denied himself the right to be with your mother and you to keep you two safe. He loved you both so, so much, but he endured the loneliness and the longing, because he knew it was the best for you. I can’t … I can’t love you. I can’t drag you into this life. It’s dangerous, creepy, and downright messy. Your life will be in constant danger, and I’ll always know it’s because of me.”

  I leaned into him and brushed my lips on his. He let out a shaky sigh. “I’m an adult now. I think it’s time for this to be my choice too.” I brushed his lips with mine again. “And I choose to be with you, no matter the risks.”

  With a loud groan, he wound his arm around my waist, pulled my chest flat on his, and captured my mouth with his. My lips parted instantly.

  He spun us around and pushed me against th
e wall. Landon stopped kissing me long enough to say, “I love you.”

  I smiled, my heart warming as much as my body. “I love you too.”

  Then, his lips were on mine again, and we didn’t stop kissing—and loving—for a long, long time.

  Three Weeks later

  LANDON

  * * *

  “When will this end?” Tessa asked, looking around at the busy townspeople running around the town’s square. It was Sunday morning, and soon the Sunday on the Square would begin.

  Like two fish out of water, Tessa and I navigated the crowd, going toward the side of the square.

  “Only a month more, I think.” I squeezed her hand. It was like I had to make sure she was really here with me, that we were a couple and I could hold her hand any time I wanted. I could touch and kiss her several times a day.

  Her summer classes had finally ended, and this was Tessa’s official first day as a Willow Harbor resident.

  We had talked a lot about us and her future, our future. I suggested she stayed at USC and completed her degree, the one she had to declare soon, but she insisted that wasn’t what she wanted.

  “I don’t want you to give up college for me,” I insisted.

  “I won’t,” she assured me. “I’ll take classes online.”

  At first, the thought of having her with me all the time both exhilarated and scared me. What if she regretted leaving college? Even if she was taking classes online, that wasn’t the same thing as being there and talking to professors and having a real college student experience.