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14
HUNTER
T he vision of her races to the forefront of my mind, it’s as if it haunts me every minute of every fucking day. The way she stood by the window, thinking of pleasing only me. The man who saved her that torturous night, I rewarded her. I gave her something she craves, but then it wasn’t enough. My mind kept telling me that she was merely a child when I rescued her, even if she is a grown woman now, the feeling is sick, depraved even and this is why I need to watch her from afar and can’t get near, even if every inch of my body aches for her.
Yet, whenever I think that I know her. She does something which completely surprises me. For instance, going to a therapist. I don’t understand how she could speak to one, let alone think that she can trust one. It should be the last place she would want to go. What’s even stranger, is the resemblance between her therapist and her aunt. When I first saw the therapist profile, I noticed the likeness to her aunt, they could easily be sisters.
Why does my butterfly want to talk to someone who looks like the woman who allowed men to rape her?
As soon as I told Noah he could go, he didn’t pack up his bag, well he didn’t need to, because we’re always prepared to be on the run. Our things are always packed. We always have a plan A, B, C and D.
“You know how to find me. I’m going to grab a flight for me and Molly, too.”
Then he jumped out of his chair and was out the door. He didn’t even take a coat. My heart sank as he left and casually said her name like that. Molly. His woman. His love.
I’m not completely useless like he thinks I am when it comes to technology. I knew her name was Molly Sullivan, and it didn’t take long to find out more about her.
It was on her social media. I checked out her profile. She has a normal life—one that both Noah and I wish that we had when we were younger, or even now. Her parents own a bar in downtown Manhattan, passed down from his parents, and they have a moderately sized house. She has a sister and a brother; she’s the eldest and works at the bar. She’s a couple of years older than Noah, but she seems grounded—she doesn’t even have a DUI. Nothing on her profile. Squeaky clean.
They’re going to be soaking up the sun in the Bahamas.
Good.
Noah deserves it.
I head out, to follow my butterfly to her therapy session. All the while, I imagine whisking her to the Bahamas and us soaking up the sun. I put sunscreen protection on her body by rubbing my hands and then tracing it all over every inch of her. If I don’t distract myself and think of something else, I’ll be storming into the offices, dragging her out of there and doing all the nasty things I’ve been dying to do for the last few years, as I’ve watched her grow. I shouldn’t be thinking of her that way, sure she’s a woman now, but I knew her as a kid.
She bought a gun when she hit eighteen . I used to go to the shooting range with her. Not in the same car, but I would follow her. Sometimes I would shoot beside her. One time I even gave her a tip on how to aim. Her eyes lingered on mine a little longer than they should have done, but I didn’t take off my goggles. Her fragrance filled my nostril, and invaded my thoughts., and then I promised myself not to get too close to her again.
But it’s hard. So damn hard being so close to a beautiful creature like her, and having to be so far. I don’t want to cross the line and get close to her again.
No.
So, I did it again—on Halloween. But that night was different, because I did it to protect her from some asshole who didn’t know how to take no for an answer.
She never had to worry about him again. But the last time…the night she left the door open—not for anybody, but just me.
She let me in, silently, without words. Her skin an invitation, her breath a dare.
And it drove me fucking insane.
I wanted all of her—her heat, her hunger, the way she trembled under my touch.
But I didn’t take it. Something held me back like it always does.
She has been through so much, but the more time I spend with her from afar, the more I realize, she’s not the little girl I rescued, now, she’s far from that little girl.
Penelope enrolled in self-defense classes.I nearly signed up to be an instructor, once again to be close to her and I had to stop myself. Every time I want to break a rule, I have to stop myself.
Maybe Noah is right, after tonight, I’ll follow her for one last time and move on. We’ve rented a house not a hideout nor do we live underground like before. We’ve been here for over a year acting as if we’re father and son. One time I saw Noah chatting to a neighbor, and I was worried about him getting settled, but then I realized we’re not under threat. Not like before.
No one knows about the underground technology center and gun storage we have in the basement. No one really cares because there’s nothing unusual about what we do—or rather, what I do. We don’t go out at night. Penelope is tucked up in her bed by nine, and I’m in the house just after that. Sometimes, through the window, you can see Noah eating pizza and watching a game. He even has friends. I don’t even know how he met them, but they are his friends. If anything, he has more of a life than I do.
So much of a father figure I am.
Noah has closed down a few suspicious sites and leaked to the police any therapists who are doing more than just therapy. They’ve been arrested, but this is the problem, Noah has been doing all the work from the touch of a button, whereas I’ve been doing what exactly…
Stalking my butterfly has become my full-time job, I don’t even call any of my one-night stands or even go on the hook up app like I used to do. If anything, my butterfly has become my one and only fantasy, it’s as if no one else comes close.
No one can make me come like she can.
No one could turn me on with just their scent.
No one could melt my heart with their eyes.
It’s as if my butterfly has put a spell on me, one that I can’t erase and I need to keep my distance just to make myself have some sort of sanity. My obsession is turning me insane, or maybe it has already done that.
My phone rings, as I stand as I have been doing for the last half-an-hour by the tree, not directly looking at the building where her session is being held, but I’m fairly close.
“Hunter!”
I know that voice anywhere, even if I haven’t heard it for months.
“Frank. How are you doing?”
He chuckles. “Better than you. I hear that you’re out stalking Penelope. Why not come on a break like Noah and come visit me? I’m tired of inviting you, but Noah says you need it.”
“Noah has a big mouth,” I slur.
So, Noah was on the phone to Frank as soon as he left, he is worried about leaving me by myself. I should be grateful. I never felt as if anyone did worry about me.
“Well, someone has to look out for you. Seeing as you don’t want to look out for yourself. Besides don’t blame the kid. He’s in love,” Frank says.
“Love?” I question.
“Oops, he never told you. Then again, I don’t blame him. Yeah, why else do you think he’s flying her to the Bahamas?”
Frank has completely lost me now. Why else is Noah going to the Bahamas, but to go on holiday. I don’t say anything, so Frank decides to fill in the gap.
“He’s going to propose to her.”
My heart damn near explodes in my chest. Frank’s words echo in my head like a gunshot, rattling every nerve in my body. The phone nearly slips out of my hand and alls on the ground. I force out a breath, but it doesn’t do a damn thing to steady me. What the hell did he just say?
“What?” I shout so loud a passerby walking their dog grinds to a halt.
“Shit. I thought it was obvious. Anyway, the invitation is still there. One of the kids is calling me. Got to go,” Frank says before hanging up.
It dawns on me, what will I do if Butterfly gets into a relationship with someone. If she even thinks about dating or anything like that. I won’t have anyone fucking touching her. Not on my watch.
Noah.
Proposal.
I can’t stop thinking about her. I’ve given up trying to make sense of this obsession—it’s past that now. It’s a need, a sickness, something that coils around my spine and refuses to let go. And I know this much: if I don’t get a grip soon, this addiction is going to swallow me whole—just like the predators devoured those kids. Piece by piece, until there’s nothing left of who I was... only what I’ve become.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15 (Reading here)
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44