Page 71 of Moments of Madness (The Hunters)

The women jump out of the tub and run out of the room, leaving just us men. I smirk, knowing I don’t have to do anything. Grayson could kill them all by himself. But it’s Kenzo who is thirsty, his head dropping to the side as he watches them.

“We’ll leave,” the one cradling his injured shoulder says as he looks at Kenzo, terror in his eyes. “We’ll leave. We only wanted to have some fun.”

“Now would be a good time to go,” Grayson says, stepping out of the way so they can walk down the stairs. They hurry past us, grab their clothes, and are out the door.

“I’ll follow to make sure they leave,” Kenzo says, trailing behind them.

Grayson turns to face me. “Met your new woman the other day. Avanti said she’s nice.” He leans down and presses a button, draining the tub. “Is she another Lilly?”

“Absolutely fucking not.”

“So, she’s an Avanti.” He smirks. “Makes you crazy and insane, but you couldn’t imagine your life without her.” He chuckles. “Be prepared for the non-stop headaches and the trouble that follows them around. They know how to grab their men by the balls and take control.”

“She left,” I tell him.

“So? You’re Kyson Hunter. When haven’t you gone after what you want? Why are you still standing here talking to me? I ain’t gonna suck your dick.” He chuckles at his own words before he saunters out of the room, leaving me standing in the blue room alone.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and press call.

She doesn’t answer.

She hasn’t been replying to my text messages either.

Did she forget that I can find her, no matter where she is, no matter if she is in hiding?

Jumping onto the airline website, I book the next flight out.

I guess it’s time to meet the parents.

What the fuck is she doing to me?

Grayson is partially right, apart from the fact that she might be crazy or trouble. I think she’s more sane than anyone gives her credit for and more put together than anyone of her age, but that doesn’t surprise me with everything she’s been through.

She is strong, that one, and it makes me want to…

Oh, fuck—love her even more.

Twenty-Eight

Kalilah

I’m not sure that I ever really want to leave here again, but I know that I must. I’m an adult now, and I have a job that I like and an apartment that I haven’t fully settled into quite yet. And a man who I have news to tell.

When I first saw my parents again, we cried, and it felt like the tears would never end. They wanted to know everything, but I could only give them so much. Some things are better left unsaid. But the pieces of me I was willing to share with them, I did. About Kyson, and how he saved me, in ways that would put a parent at ease; how he was willing to help me when I was at my rock bottom. I skipped over a lot of the bad with Tony, but I think that’s for the best. Of course, they asked me about him, and I told them I was glad he was no longer in my life, and when I did my mother touched my hand and squeezed it.

She knew, she always knew, he was never right for me.

But young love is hard.

Especially when that person knows how to control you.

My father, well that was a different story. He had to walk out of the room when we spoke of Tony, and I could tell the topic of my husband upset him greatly. And I don’t blame him. When he would come back into the room he would walk over and kiss me on the top of the head and tell me how much he loved me.

It’s nice to know that no matter what, they love me.

We went to my first ultrasound to see how far along I was. The sonographer asked me why the father wasn’t there, and I wasn’t quite sure how to tell her that I hadn’t told him yet.

If I am being perfectly honest with myself, I am afraid of Kyson’s reaction.

---