Page 43 of While She Sleeps (The Hunter and The Thief #1)

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

ORION

T he shower flicks on, and I drop the pretense of cooking breakfast.

I am actually going to make sure she eats, because I get the impression from her fridge that she forgets to do such a simple task, but first, I need answers.

Without hesitation, I cross back to the bedroom and pick up her phone from the bedside table.

The code is easy to guess, her brother’s birthday, and I quickly move through the steps of installing the software to access her call and text logs, hiding it in one of the folders I’m sure she doesn’t use often. Something tells me she has little use for the compass.

Once it’s installed, and I’ve checked it’s working, I click into her texts and find the messages she shared with Lucas last night, and each word has me bristling.

That motherfucker’s days are numbered if he keeps talking to her like this.

Lucas: Don’t forget to get payment from your little boyfriend for this little date you’re on.

Ember: What the fuck are you talking about?

Lucas: Moving your dates from the club elsewhere isn’t going to save moneybags any cash. I expect payment in full before the end of the evening.

Ember: You’re certifiable. I’m not a prostitute, and I’d appreciate you stop treating me like one.

Lucas: If I tell you to fuck him, that’s exactly what you’ll do, right up until the last dollar of your debt is paid.

I have a lot of questions as I read through the thread, but when I hear the shower turn off, I quickly click out of the texts and put the phone back where I found it.

Once I’m back in the kitchen working on breakfast, I consider my options.

Lucas is beginning to wear out his usefulness, as well as constantly questioning me and going behind my back to try to take me out.

I could just kill him.

That would solve a lot of issues, but it would leave room for someone who’s worse to step into his place.

Lucas may be a fucking asshole, and he may be trying to unmask the Hunter, but at least I know what I’m getting with him.

What I’m sure of is that I need to find out more about this debt he mentioned.

What could Ember possibly owe him? And why?

Regardless, I’ll more than happily pay whatever it is to free her from his clutches before he can hurt her. His intentions have never been pure where Ember is involved, and I’m not willing to risk her when I have more than enough money to clear whatever the debt is.

The question is, do I pay it as Orion Henderson? Or do I do it from the Hunter?

It will probably pack more of a punch if it comes from my alter ego, but it also might lead him closer to finding my true identity, and I’d rather not help him along with his vendetta.

The bathroom door swings open, and Ember steps out, her hair wrapped in a towel on the top of her head and a short, fluffy robe wrapped around her body.

Fuck, she’s beautiful. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of seeing her in her own space. I just can’t wait for that to be my home.

Soon.

“I want to talk about Lucas,” I say, making sure there’s not a hint of anger in my tone.

“What about him?”

“From my more recent interactions with him, it seems as if he’s getting more…aggressive when it comes to you. Would you agree?”

She nibbles at her bottom lip, the only tell that she’s uncomfortable as she takes a seat at the dining table. “Maybe a little since the night you first came to the club,” she tells me honestly. “He’s always been an asshole, but recently it’s like someone shit in his morning coffee every day.”

I choke on my laugh as I plate the omelets I’ve made before crossing to the table and dropping both plates to the worn surface. “That’s a visual.” I chuckle.

Ember smirks and reaches for the fork I got out while the eggs were cooking, taking a bite of the cheesy eggs. A soft groan escapes her throat, and I shift slightly to give my hardening cock room. At least I’m only in my underwear because a hard on against a zipper hurts like a bitch.

I have to assume that Lucas’s sudden change in behavior toward Ember is because of my interest in her, and knowing that he wants her for himself is really all the confirmation I need of that.

But I need to figure out how I’m going to approach this without having to kill him and also without tipping him off as to who the Hunter is.

I have my work cut out for me.

I leave Ember’s apartment after breakfast, so she doesn’t have to try to think of an excuse to get rid of me. But I’ve made myself clear that things will continue to progress between us, and if she wants to delude herself into thinking that I’m going to let her go, that’s her prerogative.

As soon as I’m behind the wheel of my car, I dial Killian’s number and pull away from the curb. Now I can track her calls and texts as well as her location. I don’t feel the need to follow her today, although I may change my mind once there’s some distance between us.

“Hey, boss,” Killian answers, his mood lighter than I’m used to.

“Any luck tracking who hired the guys last night?”

“None,” he tells me. “The guys he hired are low-level criminals with no allegiance to anyone. They take cash jobs doing shitty jobs, like staking out people of interest and rummaging through their garbage, but as far as I can tell, the job last night came from an anonymous site they get jobs through.”

I sigh and head toward The Velvet Room. “What about Lucas? Any sign that he was the one to hire them?”

“He was at the club all night last night and didn’t leave until three in the morning with some girl on his arm. Honestly, not sure how she could stand having that sleazeball touching her.”

He can say that again. Lucas is a piece of shit, and he doesn’t even have looks going for him. All he has is his perceived power, something I can take away without even blinking.

“How’s Ember?”

“She’s pushing me away.”

“Are you surprised?”

“No. I knew she would. But that doesn’t mean I’m not frustrated as hell.”

He chuckles. “That’s women for you. It’s why I prefer one-night stands with no names. Saves on the complications.”

I shake my head at his naivety. It’ll only be a matter of time before he finds his Ember, and then all bets will be off, but I don’t bother telling him that. I’ll allow him to believe he’s incapable of falling for someone because it’ll make his fall all the more amusing.

“Do you know anything about a debt Ember and maybe Travis owe Lucas?” I ask.

He’s quiet for a moment. “No, I don’t think that’s come up in my research.

But it makes sense. Why else would she still be working for him?

She’d be making bank if she did freelance work.

It doesn’t actually make a lot of sense for her to work for him, all things considered, especially knowing he got her brother killed. ”

“Well, she blames the Hunter for that,” I remind him.

“She can blame you all she wants, but that’s only because she doesn’t know the truth.”

I run a hand down my face. I want to go and confront Lucas, but it will show my hand, regardless of who I go in as.

So instead, I turn around and head toward my apartment building. I need to get the penthouse ready for Ember’s arrival, because if I have in my way, she’ll be moving in within the week.