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But Hunter says nothing else, his face an unreadable blank slate.
And it’s in that instant the baby moves in my stomach for the very first time.
What have I done?
Chapter 15
Wake The Fuck Up
HUNTER
Work has always been at the center of my consciousness. I live, eat, and breathe it. My need to tame the Los Angeles underworld that once consumed me as a teenager is what motivates me. I never want to be that frightened kid who lost everything and everyone again.
Of course, I’ve allowed myself room for some vulnerability over the years. My longtime friendships with Vaughn and Christian are proof of that. And then there’s Megan.
I’ve never been in love before. Never. It’s not something I ever thought was in the cards for me. It’s not that I was even denying myself a relationship. I just never felt that “thing” you’re supposed to feel for any woman I’ve been involved with, at least not until I met her.
When I fuck her, hold her, or simply think about her, I feel exactly like I did after our first explosive meeting. If I had to explain it, I’d say it was more of a warm feeling in my chest that spreads deliciously to my fingertips, my dick, and my toes. A warmth that I never want to let go of. A warmth I would kill for.
That’s why I’m so lost right now.
How will I get that feeling back if she doesn’t come around? Why won’t she listen? Doesn’t she understand I have her best interest at heart and that I’ll always have the best interest of my child and Megan at the forefront of every decision I make?
“Hunt, wake the fuck up.”
Vaughn snaps his finger in front of me, jarring me out of my daze.
“What the hell were you so deep in thought about?” Christian adds from the back of the truck.
“Nothing,” I mutter.
The three of us are going to dinner at a restaurant that’s over an hour away on Friday night, Los Angeles traffic. Vaughn claims it’s one of his favorite spots, which is why we’re driving so damn far when Christian and I know this is more of a fact-finding mission. Vaughn’s wife is supposedly having an affair with the owner, and we hope to God that she is so that he can finally move on from her toxic ass.
It’s our first dinner together since the two of them decided to let Parker go. We’ve been at odds with each other quite a bit over the last few weeks, and I think we need this time to just eat, drink and talk about shit other than work like we used to.
“How much longer?” I ask.
“About twenty minutes,” Vaughn says. “They’re holding our reservation.”
Out of habit, I check my cell phone. The last text I received was from Vaughn telling me to meet them at the car. The text before that was from Lena. Another was from a work client.
Nothing from Megan.
“So what did you decide about Jack?” Christian asks out of the blue.
Vaughn purses his lips. “I thought we weren’t going to talk about work tonight.”
“I’m not sure I can eat a lobster tail and pretend that the shit isn’t about to hit the fanagain,” Christian says.
“He paid in full and on time, so I will schedule the meeting like I promised,” I tell them both.
“Fuck,” Vaughn curses. “Things were just settling down.”
“It’s a meet, nothing more.”
“If you think that I believe that you’re going to set up a meet between Jack and the man who kidnapped Megan and not a bullet between his eyes, you must think very little of our friendship.”
I anxiously tap my feet on the floor mats of the truck, daydreaming about what it would actually feel like to harm the man who terrorized my Megan.