by Nicole Fox
It was all country where they were and not many roads. She kept her eyes peeled for a place to turn around.
Hunter shouted, “Duck!”
Seconds later, she heard several loud clanks of metal.
“What is that?”
“They’re shooting at us. Keep your head down.”
She tried to put her head down and still see enough to drive. She ended up sliding down in her seat, but that wouldn’t let her look in the rearview mirror. From her side mirror, she saw someone hanging out of the passenger’s side of the car, aiming a gun at them.
Hunter already has his gun out and was lowering the window.
“What should I do? Stop?”
“No! Drive! I’ll handle it.”
He stuck his head out and fired several shots. Several more came back at them, one shattering the back window. She screamed at the sudden loud noise, and the car swerved.
“Keep it straight!”
“I’m trying!” The fear and adrenaline raced through her. She tried to stay down but still drive straight. Her head spun and her knuckles were white bumps.
She looked over at Hunter again. He kept ducking in and out of the window, shooting his gun, then coming back in to reload. The scene was like something out of a movie. This highly-armed man, sitting in her car, firing at the car behind them. This could not be her life. Hunter looked every bit like the dangerous hit man he was.
She’d forgotten for a minute that he was hired to kill her. That he made money and killed people for a living. She let that sink in. She couldn’t imagine ever actually killing someone, as many times as she’d wanted to kill Jeremy. The idea of pointing a gun at him and pulling the trigger gave her a small measure of comfort, but she feared if it came to that, she wouldn’t be able to go through with it.
But here was Hunter, firing round after round, hoping to kill someone. Trained to kill someone. How he didn’t get caught, she had no idea. Unless he did. Maybe he’d spent a lot of time in jail. Suddenly, she felt like she didn’t know him at all. And she’d slept with him. She’d let this man into her house, this trained killer. She’d slept beside him when he had been paid to kill her.
Was she nuts? How could she think she was safer with him? Jeremy might have money and connections, and he was decent with his hands, but he’d never killed anyone that she knew about. How many people had Hunter killed?
As she kept gripping the steering wheel, jumping at every shot that was fired, one thing ran through her mind over and over. He was far too dangerous for her. She could not have a man like him in her life, around her daughter.
# # #
Hunter aimed again and fired. The man behind the wheel slumped forward. Finally. He had to have taken a few hits, that tough bastard. The shooter in the passenger seat had been much easier. Two shots to take out the window, a few missed shots as Vanessa swerved all over the damn road, then two more to drop him.
He would have been much more efficient if he had a skilled driver. Her screaming had thrown him off, too. It wasn’t the conditions he was used to working under, but she was handling it well, given the circumstances. After her one big swerve, she’d at least kept the car steady. She didn’t slow down or speed up too much. She had instinctively known what distance to keep between the cars. A little practice and she could become a fine driver for this sort of thing.
The van stayed straight on the road for a few moments, then veered off as the road bent. He kept it in sight, watching as it hit the grass going too fast, flipped over once, then again, before finally settling. A few moments later, he heard the loud boom of the explosion and felt the car swerve slightly as Vanessa jumped. When he looked back, he saw only flames.
“Guess that took care of them,” he said.
“What just happened?”
“I shot the driver, then the van flipped and blew up.”
The car sped up as the wreckage grew farther and farther away.
“Nice driving,” he said, turning back around in his seat and reloading his gun. Who knew if there were other vehicles in the area or someone else who might come after them. He needed to be ready at all times.
He looked over at Vanessa. Tears rested low in her eyes, but didn’t stream down her face. Her hands were still tight on the wheel, and she glanced continually in her mirrors.
“It’s okay,” he said, reaching out to brush her hair back.
She flinched at his touch.
“Vanessa, calm down. It’s over.”
She clenched her jaw and refused to look at him.
“What’s wrong? You that freaked out?”
She swallowed hard and glanced over at him. “I…” She watched the road again, then seemed to work up courage to ask, “How many people have you killed?”
“Where is this coming from?” Of all the things he expected her say, this was not it.
“Answer the question.”
“I’m not sure exactly.”
“Guess!”
“Whoa, calm down,” he said. “What’s this about?”
She pulled the car over, stomping the brake heavily, and screeching to a halt on the side of the road. She turned to face him, her eyes wild. “Ten? Twenty? A hundred?”
“Closer to twenty. Why?”
She closed her eyes, finally sending the tears down her cheeks. “I can’t believe I slept with you,” she whispered. “You get paid to kill people. I never should have let you into my house. I have a daughter, Hunter. And she needs a father, not a trained killer in the next room. I need someone in our lives who will be there for us. To do things like cook dinner or take out the trash, to mow the lawn and go to the movies with. I don’t need someone who owns more guns than pants, and who pays the bills by ending lives. I’m sorry. I let this go much too far.”
“You’re telling me,” he snapped back.
He knew this was a mistake. Hadn’t he thought that earlier? That getting too close to her was a mistake? That having feelings for her would only cause problems? And sure enough, now she was flipping out on him for not being the family man he never claimed to be.
“If you can’t trust me, then don’t go to the farm,” he said.
“I’m not saying that I can’t trust you,” she said slowly. She seemed to be calmer now. Slightly. “You’ve proven that much to me. And you’ve protected me. I’m not saying I don’t appreciate all you’ve done for me, for us. I do. I just can’t…” She bit her lip and looked away. “I just can’t.”
“Fine.” A new plan came to his mind. He needed to do what he’d promised and get on with it. No more time to mess around. “I have a new plan. Take me back to my hotel.”
She pulled back onto the road and drove at a normal speed. Their silence spoke volumes. There was no way they could ever have a relationship. No matter how much he wanted her or she thought she had wanted him, it would never work. He wasn’t the kind and loving office worker who’d go off to the job all day and come home and be Daddy and Hubby. This was who he was. If she didn’t like it, fine. He knew she wasn’t his type from the start, and this was just his confirmation. Further proof that it wasn’t worth it to fall for someone. In his line of work, getting involved only meant trouble. He didn’t have time or patience for trouble. He had a job to do.
Chapter Fifteen
Vanessa
“So, what’s this new plan?” Vanessa asked when they pulled up to the hotel.
Hunter opened his door. “Inside.”
She followed him and sat on the bed, watching him. He gathered the clothing lying around and stuffed it into his bag.
“I’ve been thinking about this wrong. I kept thinking that I’ll protect you and Opal. That if Jeremy shows up and threatens you or tries to hurt you, I’d take him out. But that’s not going to work. It’s a defensive move, and we need to go on the offense.” He zipped up the bag and unzipped another bag, then began taking out the weapons. “I’m going after him. I’ll lure him in and take him out. We’re not going to sit around and wait. I’m go
ing to kill him, and then you and Opal will be safe and all your problems will be solved.”
And his biggest problem would be solved, too. He’d be finished with this job and could get away from Vanessa before things got any worse. Now he knew for sure that nothing could happen between them, that they wanted two very different things. He needed to be rid of her. Being around her might only make him want her more. And worse, it might make him fall for her more.
“So, what exactly are you going to do?” she asked. Her expression was somewhat hesitant. Like she didn’t think this was the best idea.
“Tell him the job is done. I’ll take a photo of you looking dead and one with me with Opal and send it to him. Then meet him to collect payment and take him out.”
“Just like that?”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “I guess if you want to look at it that way. Just like that.”
“How could you just kill someone like that?”
“Are you serious? After all he did to you and Opal?”
She raised a shoulder and looked away. “I know, but it’s murder.”
“Do you really think he deserves to live? He’s hurt you so deeply, and he’s hurt Opal. Who hits a child? Their own flesh and blood? He doesn’t deserve to breathe.”
“I don’t think we can be the ones to decide that.”
Hunter picked up a gun and opened the magazine to reload it. “Well, that’s what I’ve always done. I don’t just take any job. I only kill people who deserve it. People who do awful things like beat their wives and children.”
“So, a murderer with a conscience?” She tilted her head at him.
“Exactly.” He slammed the magazine back into place and tossed the gun onto the bed with the others.
“I was being sarcastic.”
“Well, it’s true. I can’t think of anyone who deserves a bullet in the head more than Jeremy. You don’t agree?”
“I don’t know.”
“If he was in a car accident and died, would you be sad?”
She thought for a moment. “No, but that would be an accident.”
“Then just pretend he accidentally fell into my bullet.”
She rolled her eyes. “Right.”
“Think about the alternative, Vanessa. He hired me to kill you. Do you think that me failing to do so is going to stop him from wanting to kill you? He’ll just hire someone else. He won’t stop. And then he’ll have Opal. It’s your life or his. That’s how you have to look at it. You might not like the idea of murder, but you’re only going along with it to protect your daughter.”
“I guess that’s the only way I can look at it. Any other way, and I can’t stomach it.”
“Then do that. It’s like self defense, really. He’s after you, so you’re going to have me kill him first, before he can kill you and take Opal.”
She twisted her face to the side, looking confused.
“What’s that look?” he asked.
“Well, you do this for a living. People pay you to kill for them. So, if you’re killing for me…”
“I don’t expect you to pay me.”
“Why not? This is what you do.”
“You didn’t hire me. Jeremy did, and technically, he already paid me half. So I am getting paid. Let’s just call it a discount job since you’re so pretty.”
She gave him half a smile. “Good looks come in handy sometimes.”
He winked and dropped another newly-loaded gun onto the bed. “Good looks also cause me to get handy sometimes.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“Don’t act like you didn’t like it.”
“I did, but Hunter…” She tucked her hair behind her ear and looked away.
“I know.”
She met his eyes for a moment, and he wished he could read her mind.
# # #
She looked deep into Hunter’s eyes. How could she tell him there could never be anything between them when she wanted there to be so badly? She was so torn. It was like being back in the days when she was still with Jeremy. Then she’d been torn, too. Torn between wanting so badly to leave but still wanting Opal to have a family. It had taken seeing Jeremy hit Opal before she changed her mind. Would there be a moment like that with Hunter, too?
She wanted him and saw good in him. She wanted to feel safe and protected, especially after feeling so unsafe for so long with Jeremy. But the violence and the danger were too much for her. And it put Opal at too much risk. Maybe he’d hurt her and prove he was no protector after all, and she would be able to leave him like she left Jeremy. Or, there was the possibility he might turn from his hard life. If she provided him a sort of safe place, a real home, a family. Would he ever change his killer ways?
She stood and walked over to where he was messing with his guns. “Why do you need so many guns?”
“Some are better for concealing. Some are better for distance. Some have more rounds if there are many people. I need to be prepared for any situation. And not run out of ammo in the middle of a gun fight.”
She reached out and gently took the gun from his hand. It was lighter than she expected. It felt almost like a toy, it was that weightless.
“That one’s better for carrying,” he said. “Nice and light and small.”
She put the gun down and looked over his small artillery. “I don’t want you to have to kill Jeremy. You’ve killed too many people already. You’re better than that.”
“I’m not.” He pulled his mouth into a half smile. “I’m doing this for you, though, so you won’t have to worry.”
“I know.” She stood facing him, and put her hand on his chest. “Yes, you are better than that. I know you like to think of yourself as a bad man, a hard ass, a tough guy. But you have far too much compassion for any of that. Real killers don’t have consciences. They don’t change in the middle of a job, because they realized the person they were hired to kill wasn’t who they thought they were.”
“You think far too much of me.”
“You’d kill for me. Not for money. Not for any reason but to protect me and Opal, and really, now you’re saying you’d do it just to make our lives better.”
“It’s still to protect you.” He covered her hand with his.
“But you’re going after him, not waiting until he attacks us. And you’re doing it for me.”
“I am.”
She looked into his eyes and knew she’d never let him do it. She couldn’t live with the guilt of knowing he’d murdered for her. But just knowing that he would, that he cared that much about her and Opal, made her warm all over.
She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Even though they couldn’t have a relationship, even though he wasn’t what she needed long term or for Opal, he was what she needed right now. This man who would end a life to save hers. Who cared that much about her and her safety. She’d never had anyone care about her like that.
Hunter’s arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. She pressed her body against his, feeling his hardness press into her. She liked that he wanted her, and it made her damp with desire.
She broke from the kiss suddenly and turned. With one sweep of her arm, she knocked all the guns and his bag to the ground. The weapons tumbled over each other with a clatter and when she looked back at him, he gave her a raised eyebrow and an unamused look. But when she threw herself backward onto the bed and motioned to him with her finger, his expression changed to raw hunger.
As he climbed over her, she pulled his shirt over his head. Her fingers tangled in the hair at the top of his chest and she pulled him down to kiss him again. His hands found her breasts roughly, pushing aside her bra so he could squeeze and pinch her nipples. He bent down to suck on one, then the other. Each suck or pinch sent a fresh wave of wanting through her.
Vanessa wiggled up and out of her pants and yanked her shirt and bra off. They hit the floor beside the guns. Hunter pushed her legs open and slid down to put his tongue in her.
She grabbed t
he pillow, gripping it hard as he pushed his tongue inside her and around her lips. He flicked her clit and slid a finger inside her.
“No,” she said, pulling on his hair to get his face away from her.
“What?” he asked breathlessly.
“No. Not your finger.”
His eyes grew dark with desire and he slid her bottom over to the edge of the bed. The rough motion of it, the harsh possession by someone who she wanted to want her, electrified her.
Hunter knelt in front of her and thrust inside her in one deep movement. She cried out as he filled her, and it took a moment to stop the room from spinning.
