I freeze just long enough for his warm fingers to wrap around my bicep. He spins me around, pinning me to the wall with a force that knocks the breath out of me. My eyes widen as I stare up at him, taken aback by the intensity in his gaze.
His jaw is clenched, his expression a mix of anger and concern. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
I swallow hard, my heart pounding as he steps into me, his body pressing against mine. My eyes flick down the hall, noticing a small crowd led by Oliver, doing everything they can to give us space. Oliver kicks the ground and looks up at the ceiling,humming a random tune, trying to pretend he’s not witnessing this.
My eyes snag on Hunter’s abandoned cane. I chuckle softly, but the sound dies on my lips as he wraps his hand around my throat, tilting my head back so I’m forced to look up at him. The pressure is firm but not painful, a reminder of his strength, his control.
Holy shit. That should not be so damn hot.
But it is. And the fire it ignites in me nearly makes me forget why I’m angry in the first place.
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing?” Hunter growls, his voice low and dangerous. “Do you have any idea what’s waiting for you out there?”
I open my mouth to argue, but he presses closer, his thumb brushing over the pulse in my throat, and the words catch in my throat.
“Augustus’ men could be waiting, searching, looking for any opportunity to snatch you up,” he continues, his breath hot against my skin. “And you want to just waltz out of here like it’s nothing?”
“There will never be a safe time to leave,” I shoot back, finding my voice despite the way he’s affecting me. “And the longer we wait, the more time we’re giving Gus to prepare his men. More time he could be hurting the guys.”
Hunter stares at me for a long moment, his jaw pulsing with barely contained frustration. His thumb continues to stroke my throat, and I swallow thickly, my mind spinning from the mixture of fear, anger, and undeniable attraction swirling between us.
“You are my life, Isabella,” he says, his voice softening, but the intensity in his eyes never wavers. “You are my world. My reason for breathing.” He closes the distance between us, bringing hismouth inches from mine. “You are precious to me. Do you understand that?”
I exhale shakily, the weight of his words pressing down on me in a way that makes my heart ache. “Hunter…”
“No,” he interrupts, his voice firm, unwavering. “Do you understand me?” Each word is punctuated, driving the point home with a force that leaves me breathless.
I nod.
“Words, my love,” he murmurs. “Give me your pretty words.”
“I understand you, Hunt,” I agree breathlessly.
He holds my gaze for a moment longer, searching my eyes for any hint of hesitation. When he finds none, he presses his lips to mine, kissing me hard, regardless of the eyes on us. The kiss is desperate, a fierce reminder of everything we’ve been through, everything we still have to face.
He shoves his knee between my thighs, pressing me harder into the wall, and I gasp against his mouth, my fingers curling into his shirt as I cling to him. When he finally pulls back, I’m dizzy, my heart pounding in my ears, my body trembling with the force of my emotions.
“Then stop treating my world like it’s disposable,” he says, his voice low, but there’s an edge to it, a raw vulnerability that cuts straight through me.
With that, he steps back, shooting me a sharp look that’s as much a warning as it is a plea.
“If you want to go to the house and search the computer, we’ll go. But you’re not going alone. You’re not going in unprotected with some half-assed scheme. You’re going in with a mafia’s worth of protection. Guns, vests, a backup plan, an exit plan, and me.” He smirks, the intensity in his eyes softening just a fraction as he adds, “Your knight.”
I stare at him, still catching my breath as I process everything he’s just said. The reality of the situation, the danger we’refacing, it all crashes down on me at once. But so does the certainty that I can’t do this without him. Without any of them.
“Okay,” I finally whisper, nodding as I let the tension drain from my shoulders. “Okay, we’ll do it your way.”
Hunter’s smirk widens into a genuine smile, and he steps forward, pulling me into his arms. The warmth of his embrace is a stark contrast to the coldness of the compound around us, and I let myself melt into him, taking comfort in his strength.
“We’re going to get them back,” he murmurs into my hair. “And we’re going to end this. Together.”
I nod against his chest, knowing that he’s right. We’ll do this together, and we’ll do it the right way. Because there’s too much at stake to let emotions cloud our judgment, too much to lose if we’re not careful.
Hunter pulls back just enough to look down at me, his hand cupping my cheek as he leans in to press a soft kiss to my forehead. “Let’s get ready. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat as I let him lead me back down the hall. The urgency is still there, still burning in my chest, but it’s tempered now, tempered by the knowledge that I’m not alone in this. That I never was.
As we walk, my mind races with thoughts of what’s to come, of the dangers we’ll face, the risks we’ll take. But beneath it all, there’s a quiet determination, a resolve that solidifies with each step. We’re going to find them, and we’re going to bring them home.
