Moments of Malevolence (The Hunters Book 1)

SARAH ISN’T the smartest bitch in the world, that’s for sure, but I didn’t think she would be hard to find.

When I do find her, she’s sitting at a restaurant with the manager of the bar, Jeff. She leans in and reaches for his hand, gripping it. He smiles at her, and I wonder… No. He wouldn’t be that stupid.

Stepping up to me, the server takes one look and walks the other way. I make my way over to them, stopping when I reach their table. Jeff’s head tilts up when he senses someone next to him, and surprise is written all over his face when he sees me.

“Zuko.”

I nod to him and turn my focus to Sarah, who bites her lip as she avoids eye contact with me.

“Can I join you?” I ask, but I don’t wait for a reply as I pull out a chair and sit directly between them at the table. They are sitting opposite each other, and Sarah pulls her hand back and tucks it in her lap.

“How are you?” Jeff asks.

“Good. Actually, I just came from Alaska’s.”

Sarah tenses at my words and I don’t miss her body language, but I keep my eyes on Jeff.

“Oh, yes, how is she?” he asks. “I tried checking the cameras to find out who attacked her, and all I could see was someone wearing a black hoodie.” He shakes his head.

“She’s fine, resting at her place at the moment. Seems she got an unexpected visitor.”

Jeff looks at me, confused.

“Was the attack personal, you think? I mean, you do that stuff, right? Find people?”

“I do. Not many people have evaded me… Actually none.” I turn and look at Sarah while she chews on her bottom lip.

“Would you mind getting me a coffee, Jeff?” He stands without a second thought, pushing his seat back and walking over to the counter.

“Is she okay?” she asks, but there is no concern in her voice whatsoever.

“She will be,” I answer. Leaning forward, I place my hands on the table. “Do you really care?” I raise a brow at her and tilt my head.

Sarah chews her bottom lip again and looks past me, more than likely hoping Jeff will save her.

That’s not going to happen.

“Do you know who I am?” I ask when she doesn’t reply, and her eyes shoot back to mine.

“You find people. That’s what you just said.” Venom laces her tone, and I can tell she doesn’t like me.

“Have you heard of the Hunter brothers?” Her brows pinch together, and then her eyes go wide. “Yes, I think you have.”

Jeff walks back, and I stand and throw a twenty on the table. “Something came up, so I have to go. Enjoy the coffee.” I nod to him and turn to Sarah. “I’ll be seeing you real soon.” I wink at her and walk off.

Sarah goes back to her house, which is a stupid move. I watch as she locks the door and flicks on the lights. She proceeds to kick off her shoes as she makes her way to the kitchen, not once looking in my direction.

When she pulls open the refrigerator door, I say, “I’d like a glass of milk, please.” She freezes, her head spinning around until she finds me sitting at her table, a knife playing in one of my hands while the other rests on the table’s surface. Her snake-like eyes spot the knife straight away, and she quickly goes to her cutlery drawer to pull out one of her own.

“That’s what Alaska did, right?” I ask when she opens it and sees it’s empty.

Panic sets in, and she backs up until her ass hits the stove behind her. “Get out of my house,” she orders shakily.

I stand as my phone rings. Seeing my brother’s name, I answer it, but it’s Alaska’s voice that comes through.

“Where are you? I don’t want your babysitter anymore,” she whines into the phone.

“Give me my phone back.” I hear Kyson say.

“No, fuck off,” she screams, and I hear movement. “Where are you, Zuko?”

I put the phone on speaker and step closer to Sarah, placing the phone on the counter. Then I reach into my pocket and pull out a pair of gloves, slowly slipping them on.

Her eyes watch my every move as I carry out each one in meticulous slow detail.

“Answer me!” Alaska growls.

“Don’t you come any closer,” Sarah warns.

“Who was that? Zuko, so help me, God, you better answer me. Why is there another woman with you?”

“She isn’t with me. I came to show her who not to fuck with.”

“Sarah,” Alaska says.

Sarah’s eyes flick to the phone but quickly come back to me. “Tell your deranged boyfriend to get out of my house, you whore.”

“Like the way you got out of mine?” Alaska yells.

“At least be a woman and handle it yourself. Don’t get your fucked-up boyfriend to do it for you,” Sarah screams, backing away as I stalk toward her.

“He isn’t my boyfriend, you silly cunt.” Alaska grunts, and I know she just hurt herself.

“What am I, then?” I ask Alaska but keep my eyes on Sarah.

“This is not the time, and you are nothing but an annoying man who tries to kill me when you fuck me.”

I smirk at her words.

“And I plan to burn your house down,” she adds.

“You and burning my house down. I would have thought you would be over that by now,” I say.

Sarah’s eyes keep flicking between the phone and me like she can’t believe what we’re saying.

“You need to leave,” Sarah demands. She goes to run, but I manage to grab her. She erupts in a scream, but I shove a rag in her mouth, effectively shutting her the fuck up.

“What’s going on?” Alaska asks frantically. “Do you have her?”

“Yes.” I hit the side of Sarah’s head, and she drops like a piece of shit to the floor. I reach for the zip ties in my back pocket and tie her hands behind her. Rolling her, so she’s facing upward, I go back to my phone. “Trouble, I have to go now.”

“No!” she yells. “Do not kill her!”

“Goodbye, Trouble.” I whistle out a sigh.

“Fuck yo—”

I hang up, effectively cutting off her scream.