Page 47 of Regret

“We’re not taking the bike.”

Hunter stopped in front of a big black Hummer, and Scarlet paused. “Your wheels?”

“Yup. Get in.”

Scarlet rushed around the Hummer and jumped in the passenger seat. Although she had never been in one, she loved those damn big-ass wheels. And when she turned to look at Hunter in the driver seat starting the ignition and pulling away with screeching tires, Scarlet felt the most intense attraction toward him stir inside her while she pictured herself straddling him, taking him, and riding him like her fucking Kawasaki.

Hunter reached for his phone and started dialing.

“Who are you phoning?”

“Shhh.”

“Did you just shush me again?”

“Adam? Dude, where are you? I need a favor, man. We’ll be there in twenty.”

Scarlet stared at him, wondering what the hell he was planning. “Why are we meeting Mr. Underwear Model?”

Hunter glanced at her. “Mr. Underwear Model?”

“Yeah.”

Another glance from Hunter. “You think Adam is hot?”

She shrugged. “If you’re into that whole pretty, blue-eyed boy with chiseled features type, then yes.”

“Well, are you?”

“What?”

Hunter glanced at her again before turning his attention back in front of him. “Into the whole pretty, blue-eyed boy with chiseled features type?”

This time it was her turn to shoot him a sideward glance. “Why do you want to know?”

“No particular reason.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “No, I’m not.”

The tiniest hint of a smile crept up on his face. If Scarlet wasn’t watching him so intently, she would have missed it. She suddenly had the urge to smile as well, especially when she could still feel the warmth of his lips on hers.

Just as they drove out of the undercover parking, Scarlet glanced in the side mirror and saw three guys trying to run after them.

She sagged into the seat and placed her hand on her forehead.

“Hey, you okay over there?”

Scarlet shook her head. “It’s never going to end. He will never stop until…”

“Until what?”

She opened her eyes and saw him staring at her, waiting for an answer. If there ever was a time she wished she would get a bad episode of verbal diarrhea, it was now. Everything inside her was screaming for her to tell him. But she just couldn’t get herself to do it, to let the words come out. Talking about it was just as good as reliving it. To not talk about her past made it feel like it never happened, as if it was just a horrible nightmare. Unfortunately for her, she wasn’t so fucking lucky.

She looked away and at the road in front of them. “Just drive, Ace.”

It wasn’t long until they came to a stop in front of a huge black iron gate. On either side of the gate were white pillars with statues of gold lions sitting like they were staring out over their kingdom. They looked more like beasts than lions to her.

Hunter pressed the buzzer and stared straight into the security camera. The gates slowly opened and they made their way down the driveway. While she stared at the landscaping, the beautifully manicured lawn, flowers, and trees, Scarlet thought back to a time when she used to live on an estate. When she used to sit in the backseat of her mom’s car, staring out at their gardens while they drove to church on Sundays. Her sister would sit next to her and Scarlet would envy her in her beautiful church dresses. Because Willow was older, she got to wear make-up and knee-length dresses long before Scarlet was allowed to. Her sister’s hair would always be loose, curls hanging down her shoulders. Scarlet’s hair, which was just a shade darker, would always be tied in a ponytail since it would annoy the crap out of her hanging all around her face.

---