The anger was palpable on his tongue, and I shrunk inside. I’d been stupid and selfish, impulsive, and he had every right to be angry…
What was I thinking?
Hunter could see that his words had sunk in, and he pulled me into a deep embrace. “I’m sorry, Sarah… I’m happy to see you here. Thanks for coming, Princess”
I nodded softly against his chest. The familiar, subtle scent of his natural body musk, mixed with the worn leather, filled my lungs. I loved the smell of him, but this new layer – the biker leathers – invaded the happy memories.
It was a sign of how things had changed.
“You joined the club,” I noted sadly, pressing my face deeper into his chest.
“You know I had to,” Hunter replied softly, his fingers stroking my hair. “I gave them my word, and I abide by that.”
“There could have been another way – something else you could have done,” I started rambling. “There must have been something, anything–”
“It was my choice,” he reiterated firmly.
“I… but why?”
“My sister,” he said. “The Devil’s Dragons found her, just like they promised. They saved her before she disappeared into the sex trafficking circles down south. She’d be some rich asshole’s plaything if it wasn’t for the Dragons. I have to pay my dues…”
“There’s got to be another way,” I pleaded. “My dad has some money… I could steal his checkbook.”
Hunter lifted my chin with a finger. “You’re not going to do anything sweetheart… It’s not as bad as you think Sarah. Sure, they do some rough stuff, but you know that I can handle myself. They wouldn’t have accepted me if they didn’t believe I could.”
“I believe you,” I responded quietly… But that was a lie.
The Devil’s Dragons had a reputation:
Living fast.
Riding hard.
Leaving plenty of crime in their wake.
It was a wonder how the police hadn’t torn the club apart. Maybe they were just too powerful, or maybe they were just goddamned lucky. My father had always had a bone to pick with the Dragons, and as Sheriff of these parts, it was only a matter of time before he had the enough evidence stacked up to put an end to their freedom.
I didn’t want Hunter caught in the crosshairs when that trigger was finally pulled.
“Listen, Sarah,” Hunter began, his chest heavy with a deep sigh. “You know we can’t keep this up forever.”
Wait, what?
“Hunter…” I tentatively began.
“No, you need to listen to me,” he replied, facing me down sadly but firmly. “This life – I don’t want you dragged into it. The last thing you need is to get swept up into this world. I chose this, but you don’t have to… you’ve got a bright future ahead of you. I can’t let you throw that away.”
“Hunter, that’s my choice,” I insisted.
“You say that now… but you’ll regret it.”
I shook my head defiantly.
“No, Sarah, I know you,” he continued. “I’ve known you for years. If you follow me down this road, you’re not going to like where it goes. Maybe not for a few months, or a few years… but eventually, you’re going to see where you went wrong, and you’re going to blame it on this decision. I’m just saving you the pain.”
I bit back the tears.
“No, Hunter, you don’t get it: I don’t have a choice. Whatever comes, whatever happens, it’s going to be you. It was always going to be you. Wherever you go, whatever you do… I always want to be by your side. No matter what.”
Hunter swallowed. I could see how his jaw set, how his iron defense was beginning to rust. He didn’t want to do this, and that only encouraged me further.
“Sarah…”
“No, you listen to me. You need me. Do you know why? Do you understand why?”
He shook his head softly.
“Because you’re a great, big block of ice.”
He smiled, shaking his head again. “A block of ice, huh? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
I grinned back. “You have this icy wall around you, Hunter, keeping everything out – everything but me. But if you throw me away then you won’t have anything to warm you. Like a shifting glacier, you’re going to carve your way through the world… but what happens if you drift the wrong way?”
“I don’t understand.”
“You need me to keep you on the straight and narrow,” I told him. “You need someone like me who understands you – someone you can depend on to keep you on track.”