Hunter's Fortune (River Jewel Resort Series Book 2)

by Madison Sevier

  “Of course you did. Because you are that damned important, right? In the grand scheme of the universe, the focus is on you.”

  ‘Why are you being like this?”

  “Just keep watching.”

  The scenes played in front of her like a movie on a screen. She’d clearly treated Lee like garbage. Her heart broke as she watched the way she’d behaved. How could she be such a bitch? Why was she like that?

  “How about this one?”

  Now, the moments of her childhood and adolescence passed in front of her. The day her mother had walked out, when she was too young to speak up. Later, when her father was too busy to come to her school functions, birthday parties and of course, the many Christmas mornings she’d spent alone or with the maid.

  Tears were steadily streaming down her cheeks and she let them flow. “Why did they leave me alone? How could they do that? I was just a little girl. I just wanted them to love me, to be proud of me.”

  “Of course you did.”

  “Is it any wonder I turned out the way I did?”

  “Is it? Could you have been any other way?”

  Hunter didn’t know. She’d spent years telling herself to be strong like her father. Who would want to be like a mother who’d abandoned them? Hunter had no choice. She had to be tough and she had to guard herself.

  “I didn’t want to hurt anymore. So, I stopped allowing it to happen.”

  “Yes, you did. How has that worked for you so far?”

  She wiped her tears and smirked. “Obviously, not well. I’m alone. I’m hated and I’m miserable. The only happiness I’ve had in years happened a little while ago. Sitting with Lee and watching Morgan eat her marshmallows was amazing and I screwed it up.”

  “No, my dear. You didn’t mess anything up. It was destined to happen. This moment is the one you were meant to arrive at.”

  Hunter stood there, listening as Scarlet explained.

  “Now that you know who stole your money, do you feel any better? Did it fix everything? Will you be happy to just go back to the company and continue on?”

  No. Hunter had never really wanted the company. She’d loved the money and even the power, but she wasn’t happy. But what else did she have?

  “I think you need to go back to your suite and figure some things out, don’t you?”

  With a wave of her well-manicured hand, Hunter once again found herself standing in the elevator. Scarlet was gone.

  “Seriously?” Hunter threw her hands up. “You show up out of nowhere, take me on some kind of time-travel trip, rip me a new one and then you disappear? Nice.”

  The elevator doors slid open and Hunter headed back to her suite.

  “If there were ever a day for drinking, this would be it.” She went to the gourmet-style kitchen, poured herself a hefty serving of red wine and leaned against the granite countertop as she sipped.

  “This has to be the weirdest day on record! Maybe it was all a dream? How the hell could I have gone back in time? Christmas is over. I’ll say one thing for this resort, it’s unique.”

  She pondered all that had happened throughout the day and knew there was more to it. She was missing something and Hunter hated not knowing all of the facts. A few moments later, she grabbed her diary out of the nightstand drawer in her bedroom of yesteryear. It was time she faced whatever was in it.

  Hunter sipped her wine and flipped through page after page of journal entries, finding nothing remarkable about them at first. However, half-way through her fifteenth year, she found it.

  Dear Diary,

  My life sucks! I have one friend and I think she only hangs out with me for my daddy’s money. Daddy is never around and he couldn’t even be bothered to put up a Christmas tree this year. All I want is a normal family. I have no mother, which you already know. But, what you don’t know is how much it hurts.

  I hear everyone at school talk about how great their families are and I hate it. I hide my tears because I know they’ll make fun of me if they see me cry. Hunter Golde is supposed to have everything and I know if I complain, they’ll call me horrible names and treat me even worse.

  Daddy has managed to scheme his way through the town. They hate him. They hate me. I’ll never be like him! I don’t want anything to do with his horrible company. He can have it. I wish he’d had a son. Daddy could give the company to him.

  When I get married, I want a hard-working husband who showers me with hugs and kisses when he comes home... I’ll be the best mother. And if I ever have a little girl, I’ll devote my life to raising her. I’ll never leave them. We’ll have holiday traditions and there will be Christmas trees in every room. All kinds. And a ton of presents. Even if they’re little presents, that way we can spend hours together, laughing and enjoying Christmas morning together.

  I don’t care if I’m poor. This house, these expensive clothes…none of it matters. I just want a real family.

  How could she have forgotten that? Hunter remembered wishing every night before bed, praying her mother would come home, hoping her father would be the kind of dad she needed. Eventually, she gave up. She stopped believing in wishes, magic and prayers. All of the money in the world couldn’t make every wish come true, so she gave up.

  She wiped the tears from her eyes and placed the book back in the drawer.

  “Where are you now, Scarlet? Show yourself! Use your fancy magic to turn back time! I want to go back. I don’t want this stupid company. I never did! This isn’t how it’s supposed to be. I made wishes, I was a good girl. I did everything right and I still have nothing. I’d give anything to have a man like Lee. I’d walk away from the money, the company if I could have a family, a daughter to love.”

  Hunter ranted and raved until she passed out from exhaustion and when she awoke, it was with new purpose. She located her cell phone and found she had twenty missed calls from her lawyer.

  “Sam? What’s wrong?”

  “I’ve been trying to reach you for two days, Hunter! We got the money back. Every damn dollar! As soon as they were arrested, Jason and Giles confessed and gave up every account number they had. Jason swears your family had it coming to them after the way your father supposedly destroyed his father. Giles, on the other hand, committed the felonious act because he’s in love with Jason. Though I must add that I am not entirely sure Jason feels the same about him. The detectives are trying to get more information as we speak. They’ve been in cahoots for years. However, the money was wired back into the company account yesterday. So, my dear, your company is saved. You’re rich again!”

  “That’s great. I really don’t care, Sam. Let them be together, let them be whatever they want. Thanks to my father’s stellar reputation, I was reeled in by a gold-digger Hell-bent on revenge and the people who work for me have had a lousy Christmas. How am I supposed to fix that?” She was such a fool. Jason had been after her money all along. He’d obviously never loved her.

  “Look, I know this has been hard on you and your employees, but you should be doing cartwheels and celebrating. You got what you wanted.”

  But had she? Hunter certainly didn’t feel any better. In fact, getting the money back didn’t ease any of the pain she was feeling. Christmas had come and gone while her employees and their families were screwed out of their bonuses because she’d been blind to the scam committed by Jason and Giles... It was too late. Sure, she could make sure the families would have a better Christmas next year, but that wouldn’t fix it. Their children went without presents and her drivers hated her. How could Sam expect her to be happy about that? The money had brought nothing but sadness to so many people and she no longer wanted anything to do with any of it.

  “Sell it, Sam.”

  The thud of a phone being dropped echoed through the speaker. “What? I didn’t hear you.”

  “I said, sell it. I don’t want it.”

  Hunter might not be able to go back in time, but she was damn sure going to get that money to her employees. She wasn’t goi
ng to spend another minute trying to run a business she never wanted.

  “You can’t be serious. This is your father’s legacy you’re talking about. You just want to sell it?”

  “I know exactly what it is and yes, get rid of it. Call the stockholders and have them buy me out. Include my father’s house as part of the package but leave the cabin out of it. They don’t want me around anyway. Get it done immediately and call me back.”

  She hung up the phone and waited impatiently for Sam to call back. Two hours later, it was finished.

  “I hope you’re happy, Hunter. You’ve taken a huge loss by selling out this way.”

  “I’ll be fine. Thank you, Sam.”

  “Whatever, Hunter. I think you’ve had some sort of mental breakdown. Maybe we should check you in somewhere, get you some help.”

  “I’m almost exactly where I’m supposed to be, Sam. In fact, I get closer by the minute.”

  “Are you coming back?”

  “I don’t know. Withdraw all of my money from the bank and write checks for each of the employees. One hundred thousand dollars each.”

  “Hunter, that will leave you with virtually nothing.”

  “Good. I didn’t earn it, they did.”

  “But, Hunter…”

  “Do it, Sam. Please, just do it.”

  “Alright.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Sure thing. Talk to you soon.”

  “Goodbye, Sam.”

  For the first time in years, Hunter felt relief. She spent the rest of the day shopping online and having gifts delivered to her former employees.

  “I still wish I could travel back in time and fix everything else. If I could, I’d take back every bad thing I ever said to Javier, Dave, Lee and anyone else I’ve wronged. I’ve been an absolutely horrible excuse for a human being.”

  She perused the many Christmas sites, searching for the perfect pre-lit tree. Once it was ordered with instructions for immediate delivery, she headed to her favorite room in the suite.

  “A long, hot soak is just what I need.”

  Once Hunter was immersed in the satin warmth of the copper tub, she felt the last bits of stress leave her body. People probably thought she’d lost her mind, but she no longer cared. She’d rather be thought of as crazy. It was better than everyone hating her.

  “Damn. I forgot a towel for my hair.”

  She hopped out of the large basin and in her haste to get back into the warm haven, she lost her footing on the heated floor. Hunter’s attempt to brace her fall was futile and she cursed the slick wooden floor as her forehead connected with the beautiful, copper tub. Her last coherent thought before slipping into the darkness, was one of loneliness.

  “There’s no one to help me.”

  * * * *

  Hunter drifted in a sea of warmth as thick but smooth hands caressed her.

  Soft lips kissed her neck and whispered into her ear, “You taste of vanilla and honey.”

  Whimpers and moans escaped her as the man’s capable fingers slid in and out of her slick core, playing her like a soft ballad that only the man could hear.

  “Do you know how beautiful you are?”

  Though Hunter could feel and taste him, she couldn’t see his face. She knew his voice and his familiar touch. He’d visited her dreams before, but never like this. Hunter melted into his touch as his soft strokes carried her over the edge. She wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled against the rough but comforting whiskers on his jawline.

  She trailed kisses down his neck as he pinched her nipples, making them ache with need when he let go of them. The burning sensation lit her from the inside out and she craved more. Placing her palms against his chest, she rolled him over with ease. Straddling him, Hunter flicked her tongue across his chest, kissing licking, teasing. He wrapped his hands in her long, dark locks as she slid down the length of his body.

  “How did you find me?” She kissed one muscular thigh and then the other.

  “I’ll always find you. You call to me every night.”

  “Who are you?” Hunter wrapped her lips around the tip of his hard shaft and suckled.

  The man’s breathing became labored, she felt him tense up as she inched closer to the prize. “You know who I am” he whispered. “You wished for me.”

  Hunter’s mouth enveloped the man’s cock, her throat relaxing as he slid inside with ease.

  “Ohh…”

  Hungrily, Hunter sucked and licked him as if she’d been deprived for years. Devouring every inch of him as she felt him grow harder and harder. Cupping his balls, she knew how close he was to the edge and that knowledge sent rivulets of ecstasy through her as wave after wave of her orgasm rocked her body. The man beneath her thrusted and moaned with pleasure. Suddenly he shifted, heaving her up and flipping her onto her back.

  “But I…”

  The man silenced her with long, passionate kisses as he slid into her, their bodies becoming one. Hunter raked her nails across his broad back and he plunged deeper and deeper inside her, filling her hot, throbbing corewith every inch of his thick shaft. His passion was contagious as it rolled over her like a warm ray of light and they regained their rhythm. Their bodies mingled and rolled over and over as they made love for what felt like eternity. Never had any man touched her like he did. No one had ever made her feel as safe as she did in his embrace.

  “Oh God!”

  His thrusts became rapid and she met his hips with her own.

  “Faster, please!”

  He obeyed her wishes and sent them both over the edge of ecstasy. They held each other until the last bit of their climax was over. Depleted, the man eased himself out of her before moving to lie beside her on the bed.

  “I wish it had been you. All of those years I wasted, I wish I had spent them with you instead. If only I’d met you years ago. Please stay with me. Don’t leave me again.”

  Tears slid down her cheeks and he pulled her closer to him until she rested in the crook of his arm. The man stroked her hair, soothing her. “Ssh. Sleep now.”

  Content and safely wrapped in the arms of the faceless man, for the first time in a very long time, she truly slept.

  Chapter Six

  “Good morning, gorgeous. Merry Christmas.”

  Hunter opened her eyes in disbelief. “What!”

  “Do you plan on sleeping the entire morning away? She’ll be up soon. We need to be ready.”

  “What are you talking about? Who? Why are you here? What’s going on?”

  “Okay, that’s the last time I let you drink that much eggnog. Are you still a bit loopy? You were the life of the party last night, my darling wife, at least until you whacked your head on the kitchen cupboard door. You’ve been passed out ever since. But now...”

  The man proceeded to kiss her neck and the roughness of his beard was a shocking, but welcome, feeling.

  “Wife?”

  “Are you still upset about my family showing up? I thought we were past that?”

  “Family? What are you talking about? I don’t know who you are, but you need to get off of me right now, mister!”

  Hunter rolled over to face the man behind the voice and to her surprise, Lee stared back at her. “Lee?”

  “Hunter.” He smiled and leaned in to cover her mouth with the most incredible kiss she’d ever had. It all came flooding back to her.

  It was Christmas morning and she had a ton of things to do! There were presents that still needed wrapping and she had to hide the cookies that Santa was supposed to have eaten.

  “The reindeer food! Oh my gosh! Move! We need to get everything ready.”

  “Hunter.”

  “Come on, Lee. Get moving! I can’t believe I almost messed up Christmas! Let’s go!”

  “But, Hunter,”

  She’d already thrown on her robe and raced down the stairs ready to get everything done.

  “But, how?” The scene that awaited her was breathtaking. Everything was perfect! Light
s were strung wall-to-wall, wrapped presents adorned every surface, Christmas music played softly in the background and through the window, and she could see a light covering of snow on the ground.

  “I tricked you. But it was for my benefit. I wanted a bit of alone time with you before we came down to begin the festivities.”

  “How did you get all of this done?”

  “My mom helped and we stayed up to get it just the way you described.”

  Hunter found herself overwhelmed with emotion as she gazed around the small cabin. It was just as she’d pictured it! Ornaments and pine branches hung from each rafter and beam, glitter was sprinkled around the floor to prove Santa had indeed been there. His cookies were half-eaten and the mug of milk was empty. Amazingly, there was even a letter from the entire Claus crew.

  She buried her face in her hands and wept.

  “Babe, are you okay? Did we mess something up? I’ll fix it, just tell me what to do.”

  How had she gotten so lucky? This man was everything she’d ever wanted. Lee had made her every wish come true and she couldn’t stop crying.

  “Sweetheart?”

  Hunter collected herself and threw her arms around her husband. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”

  “Well, sure. So, it’s okay?”

  “It’s more than okay. It’s absolutely fantastic. I’ll call your mom later and tell her how much I appreciate her helping you. I love you, Lee. I hope you know that.”

  “Well, I did marry you, so I think it was sort of implied.”

  “Mewwy Cwistmas!” The tiny voice rang out from the stairs, cutting their kiss short.

  “Merry Christmas, Morgan. Looks like you had a visitor last night.”

  Morgan? Her daughter Morgan? Hunter’s mind was reeling. Could it be true?

  The angelic girl hopped down the stairs and ran right into her mother’s arms. “Mownin’ momma! Mewwy Cwistmas!”

  Hunter pressed the tiny girl tightly to her body, inhaling the beautiful scent of innocence and love. She ran her hand through her daughter’s dark curls and found herself crying again. Hunter could never have imagined her life would be so perfect. If she’d taken over her father’s company, she would’ve missed out on so much. Too much.