Hunter, page 3
“Because you slept so long once I found you.”
She’s finally awake, and what a sight to behold.
The early morning sun’s rays pouring in from the wall of windows along the back of the house manages to accent every inch of her. Hard to believe, but she’s more stunning after a full night’s rest than she was when I’d watched her in my rearview mirror the entire time I’d driven us home. It’s a small miracle I didn’t wreck from my lack of attention on the road.
She struggles for a beat before finally sharing, “I remember being in the woods. There was someone there with me. Three others, I believe. One minute they were worried over keeping me safe, and the next... well, I don’t remember anything afterward. My mind is fuzzy. It’s frustrating.”
My brow wrinkles at her words, attempting to make sense of them, yet I can’t. Was she running from something? I found her alone, no others were around her. Were they really attempting to keep her safe? And why her?
“I woke up with your mouth on mine...” she trails off as the flush spreads over her throat.
She’s so sweet and innocent, it has every protective instinct in me rearing to the surface. “You weren’t breathing, and your heartbeat was nearly non-existent. I was, well, I was worried you’d die if I didn’t help you.”
“You were breathing air into me,” she states, almost making it sound like a question. Her naiveté is endearing, and she speaks almost formally. Could she have belonged to the upper class and left for dead? Perhaps it was a ransom gone wrong? I’m going to drive myself mad with all the possibilities.
“Yeah, I was giving you CPR. Thankfully, it worked, and you began breathing again. It sounds odd being that we’ve only just met, but something about losing you sends a strong pang to my chest,” I roughly admit and rub the spot above my heart. Pang is an understatement. When I thought she was dying, it felt like my heart was being ripped from my chest. Never have I experienced something so crippling in nature, especially since I don’t know a thing about the woman.
I continue, “One of the guys recognized some of your symptoms. You were in the middle of a serious allergic reaction. Thankfully, he had an EpiPen and let me have it. I was shocked with how quickly it took effect.” And grateful because I had no clue what was wrong with her. She’s a beautiful enigma, one I want to figure out but probably shouldn’t.
“Thank you for whatever you did to help me.” She offers me a kind smile. The fairness of her milky flesh and regality of her features is like no other. The only name that suits her is Sleepy Beauty or princess, but I don’t want to offend her by calling her pet names so soon. “What shall I call you?” she asks.
“It was my pleasure, and I’m Philip or Hunter, it’s a nickname of sorts. You can call me either.”
Putting my lips to hers was no difficult feat. I’d gladly do it again to see those enrapturing irises gaze at me full of gratitude. It’d be even hotter if I had her naked, pressed against a wall while I held her in place and tasted her mouth.
“My name is Aura. Will you tell me about finding me?”
I tip my head, drinking from my rich black coffee. “Nice to meet you.” I lift my near empty glass and gesture. “Would you like some coffee?”
She shakes her head. “Only to learn the truth.”
“All right then, come sit, and I’ll tell you what I know.”
Chapter Four
HUNTER
SO I DON’T KNOW MUCH, but I let her in on what I can. Her gaze fills with confusion when I mention Viking’s girl and how she was found. “You never saw anyone swimming or on the beach?”
She shakes her head. “No, I wasn’t allowed to leave the wooded area. It wouldn’t have been safe.”
“Never?”
She shakes her head again, teeth sinking into her bottom lip. She’s still a complete mess but gorgeous all the same. “I’m sorry, I can’t remember much right now. The memories are there, but it’s vague. I see images, but they don’t make any sense. I’m hopeless, no help for you or your friends. Maybe you should just take me back. I don’t want to displace you.”
“You’re not hopeless. You obviously went through a traumatic event, and your brain is either attempting to protect you or give you some more time to heal. I have a friend on the way to check you over. That island is the last place you need to be.”
Fear strikes her orbs, and I rush to soothe it away. “It’s just to make sure there isn’t anything wrong. I helped you yesterday, but we need to know if there’s more to it. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“But I don’t know this person. What if they’re the one who wants to harm me?”
She doesn’t know me either. If she did, she probably wouldn’t feel so at ease. “Are you afraid?” I’d think if she were scared of anyone, it’d be me, of all people. She knows little about the man sitting across from her, and it doesn’t seem to bother her, only the thought of someone else encroaching in our cocoon of quiet false security.
“I have to be careful. It’s the thing my mind keeps warning me about over and over.”
“I’ll keep you safe, that much I can promise you.” But maybe not from myself, that is.
Her head dips in submission. She whispers, “I remember three women. I don’t know who they are, but I think they may have helped me.”
“Three women. That’s a good start. Let the memories come back at their own pace, and please tell me about them whenever you’re ready. Don’t try to force anything, or it could take your mind longer.”
“Okay, I’ll try to let them come to me naturally.”
I offer her an easy grin, hoping it brings her some comfort. “Now, how about a shower and some clean clothes?” I rake my gaze over her dirty, torn remnants of a dress. It doesn’t cover much, and it’s had my mind running wild with the possibilities of all those curves underneath the material. “Do you need any help?” I offer because she has memory loss, not because I’m planning on seducing her in the shower.
She nods. “Please.”
“All right, follow me.” I stand and offer her my palm. She places her hand in mine, allowing me to tug her down the hallway to the bathroom close to her bedroom.
This house has two, but the other is connected to my bedroom.
I show her where the soap and shampoo are and offer to grab the clothes I’d set out for her last night. She doesn’t talk much, but I suppose with everything jumbled up in her mind, it’s going to make her a bit quieter than usual women. I take my time grabbing the clothes, giving her a few minutes of privacy with the mirror. She seemed completely gobsmacked when she saw her image, and I wasn’t trying to touch on that one. I have no clue what to say to put her at ease since she apparently wasn’t anticipating the reflection she received.
The poor woman, I feel for her not knowing where she came from or who she is aside from a few surface-level details. At the same time, I worry about her for when the memories do return. Will they give her the hope and answers she needs, or will they be a nightmare putting her through whatever hell had attempted to kill her? She was in the middle of an allergic reaction, but everything around where I found her points to her running from someone. There’s clearly more to her story than what I’ve discovered so far.
I head back to the bathroom. The door’s ajar, so I don’t hesitate to push my way inside. That’s the first mistake I make. The second is when I can’t seem to peel my gaze from her naked, lush curves. She stands before me, nude and unashamed about having every inch of her flesh on display for me.
“Oh shit,” I murmur, distracted by her full breasts and curvy hips. The hair between her thighs is wild and free, and something about her being completely natural has me aching to put my hands on her. I wonder if a man’s ever touched her before—pussy or otherwise.
“Thank you for the clothes,” she eventually says.
I give myself a mental shake, pulling my gaze up to meet hers finally. “The door was open, I wasn’t expecting—” I cut myself off and gesture to her body.
Her brows jump. “I left it open. Was that wrong?” she asks, so unbelievably innocent.
I swallow, my throat feeling dry. Who is this woman? And can I keep her? At least for a while? I could teach her so many things. I grit my teeth, the feeling of my hard cock clouding the rational thoughts from my mind.
With a gravelly edge to my voice, I reply, “Not wrong at all. I’ll leave these here. Take your time.” I set the clothes on the sink and tug a towel free from the rail. I push the material toward her, shielding her breasts. The moment she grabs it, I spin on my toes and hightail it to my bedroom. There’s only one thing I can do that’ll keep me from touching her like I want to—lube my right hand and use the mental image I can’t seem to smother of her nakedness.
She’s a fucking goddess.
SHE FINDS ME ON THE back porch, drinking another cup of coffee. I needed the hot, bitter taste to keep my mind from constantly thinking of Aura. My clothes have swallowed up her feminine figure, and I nearly miss the tattered and torn rags she’d had tied on before. Maybe it’s a good thing. I’m not sure I could handle her prancing around here in form-fitting dresses, the woman would drive me absolutely mad with lust.
“Do you know how long you were in those woods?” I start with, trying to put the important questions to the front of my mind. I need to figure out who this woman is and help her get back to wherever it is she should be.
She shakes her head, taking the seat next to me on the porch swing. “No,” she admits, then says in a whisper, “It feels like it was a long time. I have a few memories of people who I think were my parents, but they don’t make much sense.”
“What about a last name?”
“A what?”
“Your name, is it short for anything? Do you have a first and last name?”
“My name’s Aura. My father is Steven, and my mother is Lucia. I don’t have any other names. This is frustrating.” Her gaze clouds with tears, and I reach for her hand.
Giving it a tender squeeze, I relent. “It’s okay. We don’t have to push any of your memories. It’ll happen when your mind is ready. Those names are a good start.”
“Will you look for them?” Hope burns like embers in her irises, and the alpha inside me doesn’t want to let her down, nor does it want me to let her out of my sight, but that’s not realistic.
“Of course. Finding people is what I’m good at if you haven’t guessed as much by now,” I tease, making her smile through her few tears. My phone vibrates, drawing my attention away from the gorgeous woman at my side. I check the text, then stand and tug Aura with me. “My buddy, Briar, is here. He’s the one I was telling you about. He’ll check you out to make sure there’s nothing else going on with you, medically speaking.”
“Something inside is warning me to remain hidden. Should I be frightened?”
Pausing for a brief moment, I pull her to my chest and lightly wrap my arms around her frame. I murmur into her damp hair, “Remember what I said. I’ll always protect you. Loyalty and promises aren’t something I take lightly.”
She inhales a deep breath, sighing against my chest as she nods her head in agreement. She fits against me perfectly, and the last thing I want to do is release her, but I must. Briar won’t hurt her, he’s one of the few I’d trust with my life. It’s the same with all my brothers—they’ve proved their loyalty to me one way or the other, and the same goes for me with them.
I leave her to sit on the couch inside, staring out the large windows at the foliage behind the house. Something about it seems to calm her, which is exactly what she needs after whatever traumatic event she went through. I know there must be something, some sort of story behind what’s happened. I can feel it. I tend to be right about these things.
“What’s up, brother.” I shake my buddy’s hand and move back so he can step inside. “I appreciate you coming out here. I have a feeling you’ll be able to gauge her well-being much more accurately than I can. I’m worried she’s injured somehow and not telling me because she thinks it’s normal or some shit.”
“Don’t sweat it, man. I don’t mind the ride. It’s so fucking peaceful out here.”
“My castle in the hills.”
“Lucky bastard. I need to find a place somewhere in the middle of nowhere to call my own.”
I nod. “Aura’s in here. She’s nervous about being around other people. She doesn’t speak much, and you’ll have to pepper her with questions to get her to tell you anything.”
“I’ll go easy on her,” he promises.
I knew I was making the right decision by calling him. “Aura, beauty, this is my buddy, Briar,” I introduce them and assure her I’ll be in the kitchen if she needs me. I don’t want to distract them in any way since he may be able to get more information out of her than I can. He’s had a lot of medical and mental health training, which is one of the main reasons why I wanted him to help me out with my bounty-hunting business. You never know when someone may get shot or stabbed, and he’s the right guy to have on the job with you. He’s also one hell of a listener when you need to talk about anything.
I top off my coffee, adding in a bit of Baileys, and sit at the counter, wired from all the caffeine I’ve consumed today. It makes my hands feel a bit jittery with the need to be busy. I pull my phone out and do a basic search on those three names together. I may as well be staring off into space, as the only thing I’m concentrating on is quieting my heart and breath enough to pick apart whatever scraps of conversation from Aura and Briar I can manage to catch. His voice is easy to pick up, but Aura’s is the opposite—light and melodic.
I don’t pay attention to how long I sit, but it feels like a while by the time Briar makes his way into the kitchen with me. My brows raise, wanting whatever diagnosis he’s come up with. “Well?” I ask, picking away at a crack on the side of the countertop.
He heaves out a breath, moving to grab a bottled water off the counter. “Medically, she seems okay...”
“But? I can tell there’s a but in there.”
“Well, mentally, she’s struggling. There’s definitely some sort of trauma going on. I don’t know what it is exactly and if it’s the cause of her memory loss, but it’ll likely take some time. She has a small knot on her head as well. She must’ve banged it against something at some point, but she can’t recall when.”
“She told me she thinks she was on that island for a really long time. I have a feeling her idea of time is way different than ours.”
He nods. “I agree, based on the callouses on her hands and feet, she’s definitely been living a life of work and weather. If she was hiding out in those woods like you believe, then there’s no telling what she had to do to survive. Women like that appear weak, but it takes one helluva strong person to endure the elements, let alone whatever else she’s lived through.”
The theory makes my gut churn with unease. I despise the concept of her living through a life of struggle. She’s far too sweet and young to have experienced that sort of life already. At least now, I can somewhat take care of her. She’ll never have to go through whatever she did again as long as I’m by her side.
“I’m thinking she may have been kidnapped. At an early age, no less, her education seems almost nonexistent. She’s smart, but in a self-taught sort of way.”
I nod. “The thought had crossed my mind. I’m going to see what I can come up with on the kidnap end of things. It’d be a hell of a lot easier if I had a last name to go with, but I’ll see if I can discover anything else about her.”
“Keep me updated.”
“I will, man, thanks again,” I respond, already distracted by the search results pulled up on my phone with Aura’s name in the headlines. I wish I could say I’m surprised, but the twisted truth of the matter is, I’m not.
Chapter Five
AURA
WITH EACH PASSING DAY, I grow a little more used to my surroundings and miss my previous life less and less. I don’t know if it’s wrong or right to feel this way, but I do. Hunter tells me not to worry about it. He says I should only concentrate on getting better and remembering what happened to me before he found me.
For some reason I trust him almost immediately—there’s something about him that makes me feel safe. He’s the one who saved me, after all, but from what exactly? I still have no idea. Not to mention he’s beyond handsome and reminds me of the heroes in the books my father used to read to me. However, none of those heroes ever had any tattoos, scruff, or a voice that makes me clench with desire.
Eventually, I give in and begin to wear his clothes. They’re too big but soft and warm, perfect for when I’m outside exploring. The outdoors brings me peace in such a confusing time, so I stay outside as much as possible. Hunter doesn’t seem to mind either, as he’ll often come out to the table to watch me as I smell and tend to his roses.
I still don’t remember much of the events leading up to him and his brothers finding me, but I’ve managed to make some progress. For instance, now I can remember my three friends’ names. They were more than just friends to me, more like family. I was separated from my parents at a very young age, and those three looked after me, taught me what they knew, and kept me safe for as long as they could. I know I should tell Hunter about them, but I’ve held back, hoping I’ll remember details and more. I can’t stand to see the look of disappointment on his face when I tell him I don’t have all the answers. I know he wants to help me.
I’m grateful he stepped in and saved me but being so far away from my home is only making it harder for me to discover what I’m missing. I suppose I could panic over all of this, but that’s not the way I was brought up. Before coming here, it was just the four of us, and all we had was each other to confide in and rely upon. I know there were times we had to hide away and be quiet, but now that I look back, I have no idea what exactly we were hiding from. It was just the way we did things. It was our life.
