He enjoyed my body. Reveled in my flesh. He took his pleasure from me, as I did from him. And then he left. And he hasn’t contacted me since. Of course, I don’t have his number, either. And I’ve resisted trying to get it from Zara.
I held off for three full days—if you don’t count the stalking of his social media—all of which remains silent. There’s no press coverage, and no media commentary about him. It’s like he fell off the face of the earth. Which is why I’m standing outside Zara’s office now.
I push the door open and walk in, then pause when I find Hunter and Zara kissing. It’s only been a few days since they got married, so of course, it’s not unusual. Still, it’s such an intimate moment that I turn to leave. "It’s safe. There’ll be no more kissing from us," Zara calls out from behind me.
I stop, but don’t turn.
"I promise," she says on a laugh. "You’re going to behave yourself aren’t you, Mr. Almost Prime Minister."
"Not if you say that in that tone of a voice,” Hunter replies in a husky voice.
I sense movement, then she protests. "Hunter, honestly, we just met up a few hours ago, and you’ll be seeing me again at home very soon."
"Not soon enough," he growls back. I hear them kissing again, then Zara gasps. "Okay, that’s it, out with you. I have work to do."
Hunter laughs. Then footsteps approach me. "She’s all yours." Hunter smirks. The man who always looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders seems so much younger. His hair is mussed, and his eyes shine. He flashes me a grin dripping with that charisma that’s helped propel him all the way to the head of the polls in the race to be the leader of the country, then walks out.
Of course, he’s not as attractive as Cade. Hunter is more polished, while Cade? He has that unleashed, uncontrollable feel about him. A dark, edgy echo that mirrors the one hidden inside of me and accompanies him wherever he goes. That feeling of a man who cannot be caged, who’ll do as he likes, and who wears a mask of barely-there politeness to fit in with society’s expectations. He also gives the impression that he gives zero fucks about what people—including me— think of him, in general.
At least, I thought so. Until he revealed the vulnerable part of himself to me that night. And the way he made love to me? It must have meant something. He looked into my eyes and made it his mission to ensure I would never forget him. As if I could. And then, he dropped off the face of the earth. Why would he do that? Why would he—
"Abby, you okay?" Zara’s voice cuts through my thoughts.
I turn, then walk over to take the seat on the other side of her desk. "I’m good. Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you."
"You mean Hunter?" She laughs. "Don’t worry. You weren’t interrupting anything. He was missing me, apparently, and has a meeting nearby, so stopped in to...you know—" She flushes a little, which, in itself, is a surprise. My boss is a ballsy woman, but clearly, Hunter knows exactly how to get through those barriers she’s put up against the world and turn her into a quivering mass of femininity.
"No explanation needed. Being in love and married and pregnant is a great look on you."
She blinks, then shakes her head. "Imagine that. Me, not only married, but pregnant. I never thought that’d happen to me, and certainly not before I turned thirty, but enough about me. What did you want to see me about?"
I lock my fingers together. "Uh, I wanted to ask you something. I was wondering if—"
"You want Cade’s number?"
I nod.
"He didn’t give it to you?"
I shake my head.
"You realize he’s away on tour?"
My heart flutters like the wings of a butterfly. "He…he is?"
"He’s on tour with the cricket team."
"Uh, but doesn’t the season begin in March?" Yep, I’ve been researching cricket to understand the game that’s so important to Cade. Somehow, it makes me feel closer to him. I was sure I’d see him again soon, but if he’s away on tour, then—I shake my head. "When is he back?"
"He decided to take part in exhibition matches in the US and Asia; he should be back, hopefully, by the time I give birth, I think."
I stare at her in horror. "You mean, he’s going to be away for eight months?"
"He didn’t tell you anything, huh?"
My nose tickles, and a pressure building behind my eyes. I glance away, then back at her. "Not that there was any reason to. It’s not like there’s anything between the two of us."
"Rubbish. Clearly, there’s something between the both of you. When I see the two of you together, there’s enough chemistry to spark a fire. It reminds me a little bit of me and Hunter, actually."
I swallow down the ball of emotion that clogs my throat. "You’re mistaken. There really is nothing like that between us. And definitely, not like what you and Hunter have.” I try to curve my lips into a smile. “The way Hunter looks at you, it’s clear he worships the very earth you walk on."
Zara’s features soften further. "He loves me. He was the first to admit it, you know. You wouldn’t think it possible for an alpha male like him to wear his heart on his sleeve. But he didn’t hold back. He knew what he wanted and went after it." Her smile widens. "It wasn’t always all fun and games. I made him work for it; I promise. Not to mention, the number of disagreements we had when we first met. I had such a strong reaction to him; I was sure I hated him. I didn’t realize the emotions he evoked inside me meant something else altogether."
"It sounds like it was a very eventful courtship," I murmur.
"You can say that again. Man went out of his way to get my attention, and did he succeed. He wore me down, as I’m sure you will with Cade."
"Oh. I don’t know about that." I fold my arms across my chest. "Your brother doesn’t make things easy."
“That’s an understatement.” She scans my features. "Listen, I don’t know what history the two of you have…" I open my mouth, but she shakes her head. "No, it’s none of my business, but you should know that Cade hasn’t had it easy. I’ve had my share of challenges"—her features turn contemplative—"but he’s had to grapple with a completely different set of circumstances, and—"
"I know," I say softly.
She blinks. "So, he told you about his past?"
"You mean about being expelled and everything that followed? He shared that with me."
She seems taken aback. "I wasn’t expecting that. His past is not something Cade speaks about to many people. He’s made sure to erase it from his online profile, so the very fact that he told you, is significant." His gaze intensifies. "You understand what I’m saying?"
I frown.
She snatches up her phone and her fingers move over the screen. The phone in my bag vibrates. "I sent you his number." She rises, then walks around and leans a hip against the table. "He feels something for you, I promise. There’s no other reason he’s revealed his secrets to you. It’s also why I think he’s now running scared."