Page 77 of Theirs to Hunt

“And then you grabbed me.”

“I did. Because the second I realized it was you, I couldn't let you take part. We tried to pull you out quietly. We didn’t want to scare you. But when you ran, we couldn't stay in the shadows.”

I swallow.

“Because of the kink?”

“Because of the obsession,” he says. “We’d already been watching you. That night sped everything up.”

I sit with that. Let it settle.

“She’s gone,” Brooks says softly. “Back in California.”

I grab my phone. Pull up Instagram. The screen is blank.

“She’s gone dark online,” I say, voice flat. “Was she hurt?”

I look up. Cold. Clear.

“I’m not okay with kidnapping women. I won’t be part of that. And I won’t stay with someone who thinks it’s okay.”

Brooks’s head snaps up. He sets his bourbon down on the side table, then drops to his knees in front of me. No hesitation. No pride. Hands open. Honest.

“Baby,” he says quietly. “Never. We would never do that.”

I don’t answer. Not yet.

He goes on.

“We put her on our private jet and sent her back to California. She still works for the company, but she has more oversight now. Less access. I can pull up footage of her walking into the office any morning last week, if it makes you feel better.”

He waits. Then adds,

“And as for the hunt…”

“If you’d stayed, you would have been called to a private room. Numbered. The number was on the back of your mask. You’d be offered ten grand after signing anNDA. If you were selected, you could run. If you got away, you kept the ten. If caught, and you chose to fuck your captor, it doubled. If you declined, you still walked out with a thousand. No names. No pressure. Just options.”

I grab his hand. He’s tense. Like he thinks this still might fall apart.

I glance at Grayson.

“I need full honesty going forward. And I’ll give you the same. If either of you break my trust, it’s over. No warnings. No second chances. I’d think it would be for you too.”

“It is,” he says.

“I don’t love that you’re involved in this. But if it’s the woman’s choice, I can live with it. If I’m being honest with myself and you, I don’t love that you participated.”

Both men grimace and nod.

“Because if this had gone the other way,” I say, voice cold and steady, “I would have destroyed you. Brick by brick. I’d have spent my whole life if that’s what it took. Whatever we do, we protect the ones without options.”

Grayson inclines his head. No excuses. Just agreement.

Brooks kisses my hand.

“Bambi,” he says. “I’ll never lie to you. And yeah, sometimes we work with people we don’t like. We make deals with shitbags to stop something worse. That’s the job. That’s how we kept each other alive in the Navy. And it’s how we still operate now.”

I nod. Just once. Then I slide the keycard into my back pocket.