Yeah. He’d been willing to give his life, if required. But Savannah hadn’t signed up to be terrorized by a madman, her life torn to shreds.
Hunt toyed with the hem of her T-shirt. He felt her stiffen, then slowly, purposefully relax.
Her hand moved down and she lifted the soft fabric up, inch by inch.
He pulled in a breath, honored by her trust.
She sucked in a sharp breath. He explored the thin ridges on her belly, rage welling. The bastard had used a knife on her. The scars weren’t bad, but he knew she felt the weight of them.
“You could have them removed,” he said.
“They remind me. Every day.” Her voice was a whisper. “To never relax my guard.”
He nuzzled her hair. “Tell me.”
“I had a showing. Amelia was there and caused a scene. She was jealous of my success. I didn’t care. I was on cloud nine. I’d sold a ton of pieces, and not even a creepy fan like Andrew Walkson could darken my day.”
“You knew him.”
“A little. He was always at my showings and he’d bought some of my art. The first piece he bought was a painting of an endless forest of trees, done in my signature style. I’d called it Infinity.” She dragged in a breath. “He asked me out for coffee a bunch of times and I always declined. He…stared a lot. He unsettled me.” She shifted, lost in the memories. “I never imagined that he was dangerous. Then Amelia went missing.” Her voice turned dull. “The next night, I stopped by the gallery. I got a message from the owner about a piece.”
“But it wasn’t the owner.”
“No.” She bit her lip, and her hand fisted.
Hunt caught her fist and uncurled her fingers. “You’re not alone. I’m here.”
“Walkson was waiting. He dragged me into the back room. He’s stronger than he looks.” She shuddered. “He tied me up, then cut off my dress. It wasn’t sexual, per se. I don’t think he could—” she gestured with her hand “—but he enjoyed my fear, my pain. He toyed with me, sliced me up. He was angry that I kept turning him down. He said we were meant to be together.” She shuddered again. “There was so much blood, and it hurt so much. I screamed, but no one heard. He told me in excruciating detail what he’d done to Amelia.” Savannah’s voice hitched. “For me. He said that he’d killed her for me.”
“No. That’s him trying to get in your head. He did it for him.”
She swallowed. “When the sun rose, he left. He’d loosened the ropes and I got free. I was in a bad way, and ended up in the hospital. My mom and brother were frantic when I hadn’t come home. My father had died the year before. Heart attack.” A faint smile hit her lips. “That man had loved his bacon.” Her smile faded. “Mom was super-protective, and she was beside herself. My best friend, Saskia, had spent the night looking for me.” Savannah rubbed the fingers of her free hand against her temple. “Then the police came, but instead of listening to my story, they questioned me about Amelia. They’d found her body, and a knife with my blood and fingerprints on it.” She started shaking. “It was horrible. They accused me of working with Walkson to kill my rival.” Tears flowed down her cheeks. “I was so scared, and in so much pain. They accused me of working with my attacker. I was terrified that they were going to arrest me.”
Hunt stroked her hair. “They were doing their jobs.” But he realized how traumatizing it must’ve been for her.
“They were relentless, even after I was released from the hospital. They couldn’t find Walkson. Then…” She pressed a hand to her belly.
Hunt tensed and knew there was more to come.
“Walkson sent me a note. It included photos of mom and Ezra. He promised to kill them if I didn’t go to him. I couldn’t let that happen. I ran.”
And she’d been running ever since.
She tipped her face up and he carefully wiped away her tears.
“No more running,” Hunt murmured.
She bit her lip.
“Promise me, Savannah. Trust me. We can stop him, and give you your life back.”
She closed her eyes. “I want to believe.”
Hunt pressed his lips to her temple. “Believe.”
He peppered kisses down her face. She made a needy sound, and then turned and pressed her lips to his.
“Hunter.” She slid her hands into his hair. Their tongues stroked.
Fuck, she tasted so damn intoxicating. She moved on him, setting his already-hard cock throbbing. He gripped her thigh. “Savannah—”
“I want you. I want you inside me, filling me up.”
Hunt groaned. This was pure torture. “I’m not fucking you tonight.”
She frowned. “Why not? I want you. You want me.”
“You’ve had a rough day and night.”
“Hunt—”
He squeezed her hand. “Hear me out.” He slid his fingers along her jaw. “You’re tough. I know that. But you’ve dealt with a lot of stuff tonight. I’m not taking advantage of that. When I finally have you, we’ll both be focused solely on that.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Guess it’s my own fault for lusting after a slightly uptight, do-gooder cop.” She put her hand over his. “And a good guy.”
“If you knew exactly what I wanted to do to you, you might not say that.”
She shivered.
“The other reason is, I don’t have any condoms, and I’m guessing you don’t, either.”
“You don’t?” There was surprise in her voice.
“Haven’t needed any lately. I’ve had no time to date.” He ran his thumb over her lips. “And no one caught my eye, until my annoying, sexy, new neighbor played her music too loud.”
She nipped the end of his thumb, and Hunt felt it deep, his gut tightening.
“Well, we could do other stuff,” she murmured.
“Savannah—”
She sucked his thumb into her mouth, gray gaze locked on his. “Please, Hunter? I want to pleasure you, feel connected to you. I want to touch you.”
Fuck.
He felt his control crumbling. She bit his thumb again, giving him ideas of exactly what she wanted to do.
When he didn’t respond, she smiled.
Her hand slid down between them, and she palmed his erection.
He groaned. “I feel like I should say no.”
“Don’t say no.” She fumbled with the waistband of his shorts, then shoved them down. “I want—”
His large cock sprang free.
She stared. Hunt tried to think, but his brain was scrambled. He loved seeing the absorbed look on her face. “Baby, I—”
She dropped to her knees between his thighs, and leaned forward and licked the head of his cock.
He bit back a strangled curse and curled a hand in her curls.
She looked up, a faint smile on her face. “You were saying?”
“Nothing.” He nudged her.
Her smile widened, then she sucked him deep. She licked, sucked, and found the perfect suction.
Hunt groaned and kept his gaze on her. On that pretty mouth stretched around his cock, and on the hunger written all over her face.
She made a sound, and the vibration on his cock was almost too much. His climax was drawing closer, and he felt everything in him tightening. She kept bobbing her head up and down, and Hunt was incapable of talking, could only manage wordless grunts.