Page 40 of Hunt

I watched him go, and when I realized he wasn’t coming back, I stood up and ran after him. Once I caught up, he wrapped his arms around my body and pressed his lips against my temple. “This is not easy for me, Riley,” he breathed against my skin.

“I know, but rules are made for breaking,” I challenged him to see what he’d say.

Teasing, flirting, and feeling like a desperate girl eager for his attention. It was an act, of course. Yes, I did want his affection, attention, and sex, but I needed to break the shackles of the prison I’d been placed in by Bitchtective even more. That was my priority. My freedom. Everything else paled in comparison. This was Annika acting her part in this fucked up drama.

He dropped his arms away, slightly annoyed by my pressuring him as he was so close to surrendering to his desires. The intensity and his inner battle against himself were off the charts. It was enlightening that my presence weakened this handsome, beautiful man, my vulnerable body aching for him.

One touch. One kiss. One lick will snap his inner restraints, surrendering to my wily womanly ways.

“Not these rules, Riley,” he stated sternly, straightening his back and keeping his gaze off me.

He might not have caved this time, but at least he’s weakening bit by bit. Eventually, he’ll be putty in my hands, where he trusted me enough to tell me his secrets while I recorded his words and then gave the information to Bitchtective.

Then I’ll finally be free.

16

Where the fuck have you been?” Gunner swaggered to my table in the empty bar and pulled up a chair. It’s after 10 PM, Ronan was up in his office working his ass off, while this guy just walked in like he fucking owned the place.

“Didn’t realize I had to check in with you,” he snarled and I cooled my shit realizing I was taking my foul mood out on everyone around me.

I took a pull of my cigar and blew the smoke out, realizing that I was taking my foul mood out on him and Ronan, Betty, and Freddie. It’s no wonder that no one wanted to come near me tonight, and there was ample empty space circling me that no one dared enter.

Calming my shit, I replied evenly, “You’re on the payroll, Gunner. That means that you still answer to me.”

He took a deep breath, “I need a drink,” then got back up and strolled to the bar, messing his black hair up with his fingers as he did so. I wondered what was making him so uptight. I couldn’t be as bad as rats, and the toymaker tied the bed and left it for dead.

“Mikky?” Freddie carefully approached my table, leant down, and whispered, “The girl has been waiting in the hotel room for the last two hours.”

“Ah, I forgot about her,” I flicked my hand at him. I was in the mood when I asked him to organize it, but after seeing rats run across my red wool carpet, I lost my mojo. “Pay her and send her on her way.”

“Yes, Mikky,” Freddie replied as Gunner returned with a full glass of whiskey that he had helped himself to behind the bar since I had given the staff the night off.

“What’s going on around here?” he asked, frowning.

“Rats, but they’re gone now, and we had to delicately deal with a health inspector who mysteriously turned up,” I snarled, in between taking strong pulls of my cigar, then swallowing it down with whiskey. “It’s all sorted now, thank fuck.”

“Jeez, Ronan mentioned it, but I thought he was taking piss,” he grunted as his eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Got to be an organized hit.”

“No doubt,” I replied as my mood lightened up a little, because despite Gunner’s sullenness, my nephew was good company.

“Anyway,” relaxing in his chair, “I visited Mom.”

I almost spat out my whiskey. “What? In Larsson? Fuck, please don’t tell me she’s here in Gothenburg.” I glanced behind me, almost feeling those suspicious eyes drilling into the back of my skull.

“Nah, in Larsson, but she’s planning a trip here soon,” he mumbled in his usual monosyllabic, depressing tone.

I shuddered and made a face behind my glass, “That’s the last thing I need.” I emptied my glass, stood at the empty bar, reached over the counter to grab the whiskey bottle, and returned it. Something white caught in my peripheral vision, and I thought it was another rat, but when I looked properly, I saw a white apron on the floor that had fallen from the hook above it.

When I returned to the table, I refilled my glass as the alcohol did its work of bringing life into perspective. “She’s been threatening to visit for a while to see her neglectful son and probably to snoop around.” I unbuttoned my cuffs, then took another pull of my cigar. Hopefully, your visit to her will delay her coming here.”

He groaned, “Yeah, maybe.”

“Why did you go there? Was it to get her off your back for a while, since she kept calling you because you weren’t calling her?” I mocked him.

“I didn’t know I was going there. Danny Lam set me up,” he explained dryly.

“Danny Lam? He took you to see your mom? I didn’t realize I was paying him top dollar to take you to see your mom,” I snarled. “Did you fly or drive. Oh wait. You must’ve flown and missed a day of school.”

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