Moments of Malevolence (The Hunters Book 1)

“WHERE ARE WE?” I ask, glancing around.

It’s a warehouse, not one I am familiar with or seen. Zuko gets out and shakes his head as he comes around to the driver’s side and pulls open the door.

Why does that one subtle gesture cause flutters in my stomach. I’ve said this before but there’s something about him.

I’m not really sure how to put my finger on it just yet.

It’s not just that he’s good-looking because anyone with a set of eyes can see that. It’s how he carries himself. It’s that one single glance from him that contains so much more than he can promise, Or maybe he can.

If he ever does promise things, that is.

He stands there, his sunglasses covering his eyes as he stares down at me. I feel his gaze hot and directed at me. He holds his hand outstretched, waiting for me to take it. I clutch the keys tight, unsure if I should or not. He’s patient, though, and doesn’t rush me or push me.

A loud honk makes me jump, but he doesn’t even seem to notice.

“You can stay in the car if you wish,” he finally voices after a few moments when I still haven’t moved.

“Who are you?” I whisper, placing my hand in his. He pulls me out and shuts the door behind me, then cages me against the car, his arms on either side of me. He leans forward, and his breathing tickles my neck as he takes a deep inhale and whispers, “Whoever you need me to be.”

I laugh.

I can’t help it.

Who even says something like that?

He ignores my laugh. For long moments he doesn’t move, and then his lips smash into mine and he kisses me, effectively cutting off anymore thoughts of laughter.

At first, I don’t kiss him back. His body is pressed against mine, and I can feel every inch of him all over me. The outlines of the hardness of his body. The strength ever-present in his lean muscles. Does he even have an inch of fat on him?

I’m jealous.

I know I have a little extra cushioning—this girl right here loves sweets. Brownies, cheesecake, you name it, I love it. And right now, he tastes like my favorite cake.

A big slice I want to devour, so I do.

A single, loud honk comes from somewhere nearby, but neither of us pays it any real attention. My hands reach out and grip the sides of his dress shirt, clinging to it as he presses in closer. And now I can feel a different type of hardness, and it’s pushing on all the right areas.

Fuck me.

How can he do this to me?

Another honk, but this time it’s more persistent. Louder. And it won’t stop.

He swears, his lips still bruising mine, as his tongue, which was devouring mine, pulls back. I notice his lips are a darker shade of pink as his body leaves mine.

“Fucking shut up, Kyson.” He steps back from me fully and stalks away without even a backward glance. I stand there, stuck to the car, unsure of how to even function.

That was, without a doubt, the best kiss of my whole damn life.

From a man I barely know.

Who just so happens to be filthy rich—sorry, wealthy—and has given me so much already.

With only one ask.

No one has ever treated me the way he has.

“This your new plaything,” the other voice says, loud enough for me to hear. “Hope she can swim.” He chuckles. When I check over my shoulder to where they are standing, they’re both watching me. Intently.

Managing to get myself together, I stand taller and step over to them. “Swim?” I ask.

The newcomer, Kyson, who I saw at the bar, smirks. “Yes, our boy Zuko here has a habit of drowning his fucks.”

“That was one time,” Zuko grumbles, then looks at me. “She lived. I gave her mouth-to-mouth. She appreciated it.” He still has his sunglasses covering his eyes, so I don’t know if he winked at me or not, but I have a feeling he is not that type.

“I can swim,” I say to Kyson. Then I turn to Zuko. “Are we fucking anytime soon?”

“Naked, remember,” Zuko reminds me, not even caring that his brother can hear us. “I didn’t get you a condo,” he adds.

“Speaking of,” Kyson says and hands Zuko a piece of paper. I take no notice as they start to move to the trunk of his car. I stay where I am as it opens, and they start talking. Two shovels are thrown near my feet, and I step back in my designer heels as I stare down. “What the?”

“Does she not know who you are?”

“Kyson,” Zuko growls.

Kyson shrugs and grins. “I think she should.”

Right now, I should be terrified.

It’s a normal reaction, right?

To want to run the other way.

I mean, I’m alone with two men in the middle of nowhere, with nothing close by but an old, rundown warehouse. And for reasons unknown to me, they have shovels.

They could do anything to me.

And I was stupid enough to come out here with Zuko and not think anything of it.

“Oh, she looks scared,” Kyson notes. “You know how to dig?” he adds.

“What?” I ask, confused.

“Dig.” He nods to the shovels.

“Why the fuck would I dig anything? Do you see this dress?” I ask heatedly, pointing to my incredibly expensive designer brand dress. “No way am I getting it dirty.”

Zuko’s mouth twitches at my words.

“You should tell her who we are,” Kyson says to Zuko.

“I’m good. I don’t want to know.”

“You aren’t the least bit curious about how we earn our money?”

“Nope, as long as I get to spend it, I couldn’t care less,” I reply, with more confidence than I feel.

“That dress you’re wearing, that car you’re driving, are paid for by greedy billionaires who want their competition killed.”

“And?”

“Who do you think did the killing?” Kyson smirks evilly.

I watch Zuko and wait for him to tell me Kyson is joking.

He doesn’t.

“I don’t care, and I’m leaving now.” I turn around and start walking back to the car. I hear a loud thump and try not to check what it is as two more blacked-out cars pull up. I stop halfway to the car as someone gets out. Neither of the men I was just with even look my way as they reach into their trunk, pull something out that appears a lot like a body bag, and hand it over. I watch as Kyson grabs the shovels and issues them to the men. Then all eyes turn to me. I freeze, unsure if I should move or stay still.

I see Zuko’s mouth move before everyone’s focus turns back to him. But even with the glasses on, I know his eyes are still on me. He says something, and before I know it, he’s coming my way. Finally, I make my feet move, but as I get to the driver’s side door, he shakes his head and holds out his hand.

“I’ll drive,” he says.

I pass him the keys and walk quickly around to the passenger side. He pushes the door open from the inside before he reaches over me as I sit down and grabs my seat belt. It slides over my chest, and he pulls it tight, so it cuts into my waist.

“Can’t have you escaping now, can we, Trouble?” He smirks and buckles me in, lingering longer than necessary before he pulls away and places both hands on the wheel, then drives off.

I don’t check behind me. I look down at my hands. My whole body feels like it’s shaking on the inside, but my hands are so steady I could probably do brain surgery. I’ve already established I don’t really care what Zuko does for a living. If I’m honest he doesn’t really look like a CEO or broker, but I do want to know. I pin my gaze on him. “What do you do?” I ask.

His fingers tap the steering wheel, and I get the idea he won’t answer me, but then he says, “I’m a hunter.”

“A hunter?” I’m somewhat confused by his answer.

“Yes, exactly that.”

I nod. Right, that makes more sense—he hunts wild animals. Is that what that was? I wonder what animal was in that bag. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a card. When he holds it out to me, I take it and then scan the wording.

“A condo,” I say looking at the picture on the card.

He smirks. “Your very own.”

“I’m confused. I said I wouldn’t sit on your cock until I got a condo, you think this,” I hold up the card, “is a condo that counts as payment?”

“Yes. You didn’t specify the condo had to be a physical place. So your condo is the picture. Now, where can we go so that I can fuck you?” This time he does look my way. His sunglasses tip down, and I see the raised brow as his lips set into a thin line.

“Is that all you want to do? Fuck me?”

“Yes.”

“And that’s all? Nothing more after this?” I ask.

“Do you mean will I want to fuck you again, Trouble?” He scrapes his teeth along his bottom lip as he stares at me.

“Yes.”

“Yes. I need to fuck you from my system.” His brows slide up his forehead as his eyes dance with mischief.

“You’re a charmer. Just what every girl wants to hear,” I mumble. I see his mouth fighting a smirk, and he shakes his head.

“Where do you live?” he asks.

“Nope. You want to fuck? You’re getting a hotel room. You are not welcome in my home.”

“Who is welcome in your home?”

I turn to him. “My husband. If I’m lucky enough to get married.”

“You want to be married?” He glances my way again as he changes lanes.

“Yes, when I’ve done all the things I want to do.”

“And what all do you want to do?”

“Whatever the fuck I want.” My hand falls to my lap as the car slows, and he pulls up in front of the Four Seasons. He hands the keys to the valet as he gets out. My door is opened, and the valet nods to me as I slide out. Zuko waits for me on the sidewalk as I stroll around to meet him. He steps up to the registration desk and hands them another black card, and we are told a room number.

I wonder what sex with him includes.

Will he be rough?

And why the fuck did I agree to any of this?

How stupid am I?

Oh, that’s right, I’m horny. And my vibrator just isn’t cutting it the way it has for the last few years. I need the heat of a body.

A hot body.

The elevator dings, announcing its arrival, and we both get in it. Neither of us says anything, but I can feel his eyes all over me. Tracing my body and waiting for me to turn to look back at him. I focus on the floor indicator, and when it comes to ours, I don’t move. His hand finds my lower back, and he leans over my shoulder, his breath tickling my ear.

“Step out.”

My feet move at his command, his hand hot on my lower back as I go.

“Where did that confidence go?” he whispers into my ear, his front hitting my back as he urges me closer to the door.

I’m not sure where it went—out the front door is all I can think of because I am a confident person, sassy, ruthless, and independent. But this man makes me feel vulnerable. And weirdly, sexy too. I’m not going to lie, it’s a nice change to not be the one in control. It’s heady and a huge turn on.

Huge.

“Cat got your tongue?” He puts the keycard to the door, and my hands reach out to stop myself from moving forward, but the door opens, and his breath tickles my ear. “Trouble, Trouble, Trouble…” He steps in, and I follow. The door swings shut behind us, and I manage not to jump at the sound of it closing.

Damn, I’m hyper aware.

While I take a moment to get my breathing under control, I scan the lush hotel room. Damn, he spared no expense just for a room to fuck me in. I would’ve been okay with a standard room and a queen bed. This looks like a luxury apartment. Two elegant wingback chairs in a deep purple two shades deeper than royal purple compliments the contemporary light gray studded couches. Egg-shell drapes blow in the warm breeze whispering through the white-paned windows open to a terrace with a panoramic view.

I step into the bedroom and gasp at the French blue walls with a cream and bronze Damask wallpaper behind an oak four poster bed with sheer curtains tied to each pole by velvet ropes. Zuko walks to the bed, sits down, and kicks off his shoes. Then he leans back and flicks a look to his crotch then to me. “You owe me if I remember correctly.” He motions to the card still in my hand. “I got you a car and a condo.”

I can’t help the laugh that bubbles up from inside me.

This man in front of me sees no humor in his words, he just sits there resting back, waiting for…

Me?

I’m not even sure what. But it’s a time for me to take advantage of what’s essentially laid out on a silver platter.