“And were you ever planning to fill me in on this? Or just romance me and use me?”
He didn’t answer.
“I need a minute,” I said, overwhelmed. I didn’t know what to think. Clearly, Hunter was an even bigger ass**le than I’d imagined, which was impressive, considering his track record. I felt him stand up, and then the bed sank next to me and his arm came around my shoulder. I threw it off as water filled my eyes. Shit. I hate crying and the last thing I needed was to show him how much power he had to hurt me.
Unfortunately, my nose betrayed me and I sniffed.
“Fuck,” he muttered, and then he grabbed me, pulling me up and onto his lap as he leaned back against the headboard. His arms came around me and he pressed my head to his chest. I burst into tears. It felt good. Cathartic. Everything had fallen to shit and yet, for reasons I couldn’t quite fathom, having him hold me felt good.
Eventually the crying storm died down, and I forced myself to pull it together. So I had a moment of weakness. It happens. Didn’t mean I was going to give him any information about my dad or my club. No matter how nice it felt to have his hand rubbing my back softly.
Finally I spoke.
“So you’re seriously telling me you were prepared to be my old man indefinitely, all to get my dad behind this truce?”
“No.”
I sat up and turned toward him.
“Could you be more confusing?”
“I was prepared to take you as my old lady so I could f**k you whenever I wanted, keep you around, maybe make something together. I also needed to get your dad behind this truce. Multipurpose plan.”
“Are you crazy?”
He shrugged, eyes impossible to read.
“Burke wanted leverage and I wanted you. Have ever since I first saw you. We made a deal and that was the end of it, at least until Toke lost his shit. Now it’s all falling apart, which is why I’m heading out to meet your dad in ten minutes. I’m not just trying to save Clutch, I’m trying to save all our asses. I wish to f**k you’d give me something to work with.”
I shook my head.
“I don’t know anything, Hunter,” I said carefully. “But you got one thing right—I know what club life is like. And that’s why I’d never tell you shit, even if I knew anything.”
He smiled at me. Actually smiled, proving my theory that he was batshit insane.
“Fuck, I knew you’d make a good old lady. A woman who knows how to keep her mouth shut.”
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine, because he hadn’t f**ked with my head enough already. I tried ignoring him, but he nibbled just right and this wasn’t like our other kisses—it wasn’t desperate and wild and fueled by adrenaline. Nope, this was just sweet and beautiful and perfect. Here was the Liam I thought I’d known before . . . How was this the same guy who’d taken those horrible pictures of me?
I sucked his lower lip into my mouth and he groaned. Then he pulled away and leaned his forehead against mine.
“You really want to catch my dad’s attention, take me and Sophie with you,” I whispered. “Give us back.”
“Then I’ll end up dead.”
I pulled away.
“Liam, you’re gonna end up dead anyway,” I whispered. “But if you bring us back, I promise I’ll fight for you. Tell them why you did it, explain what’s going on.”
“We’re all dying, babe,” he said. “Some faster than others. But I’m not giving up. It doesn’t matter if Toke was acting under orders or not, he’s still wearing Reaper colors. Your guy started it, and unlike him, we aren’t shooting yet. There’s still time to save the situation.”
I pulled away.
“Take me back to Sophie?”
He sighed.
“Sure.”
• • •
My talk with Hunter left me confused as hell.
It was shitty to learn he’d plotted out my future without even considering what I wanted. And he still insisted caring had nothing to do with our relationship.
I wasn’t sure I believed him, though. In fact, I didn’t. He definitely cared about me. I knew it. Maybe not in a romantic, lovey kind of way. But he’d held me while I cried, and that kiss had been sweet and gentle. Not about sex at all. My cynical brain told me it was just one more attempt to get me to soften up and give him information.
But he hadn’t asked me for anything after he kissed me.
It felt more like a good-bye.
Shit.
I glanced over at Sophie. We were stuck together on the bed again, each of us cuffed to the top by one hand. She didn’t ask me what had happened while I was gone with Liam, which I appreciated. No way I wanted to explain that one.
“He’s going to go meet with Dad,” I told her.
“Why?”
“I think he’s trying to save the situation. I think he actually cares about me, Soph.”
She looked at me like I’d gone nuts.
“You can’t be serious. He wants to screw you—I get that, he’s a guy and you’re hot. But a man who cares about a woman doesn’t kidnap her.”
The roar of a Harley outside the house cut the air, and we heard the sound of someone riding away. Hunter leaving.
“If I get away and Dad finds out I’m safe, he’ll kill him for sure.”
The thought made me sad. Yes, he was a dick. And he was definitely a liar and a user and worst of all, a Devil’s Jack.
That kiss, though . . .
“Don’t you dare have second thoughts,” Sophie hissed, seeing through me. “This guy is dangerous and we’re going to get seriously hurt if we stay here. We’re going to escape. In fact, we’re going to escape soon.”