"The understanding that was shared with me before visiting the theater was that Miss Jones was the woman who might arrange the liaison," Hunter said. "With any girl."
How does she work it when we don't fuck them?I wondered. A deposit up front? Or does she trust them to pay up afterwards?
Does Mr. Reddy know?
"Lit—Hazel, forgive me, but...that night..."
The night we'd seen Beth's body in the street.
I spun to face him, and the worry creasing lines around his eyes softened the bitter edges carving through me. Hunter had thought this whole time that I'd been receiving money for fucking him.
I told him the truth. "I needed you. I wanted you that night, I still do, and I've never needed any money to—"
Hunter's arms wrapped around me, drawing me roughly to his chest. The rich scent of him eased the tightness in my chest, and I sagged in the embrace.
"I'm sorry for contributing to any deception against you little—Hazel, but this is an incredible blessing to learn," he said, arms squeezing.
Myra, how could you?I'd thought she was our advocate. I thought she was seeking better lives for the girls in her care, when really, she was mining monsters' pockets. I hurt for them too now. Hunter had believed I was entertaining him for my own profit. No wonder he'd been so cautious to push any little liberty.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and tried to grip him as tightly as he did me. He grunted, and I remembered the wound on his side, but he didn't let me release him.
"Fuck the jeweler's and shopping and dinners, and fuck the thirty pounds," I mumbled against his chest. I tipped my head back. "I'm here because you're here."
Hunter groaned, his yellow gaze shuttering briefly before opening again, a predator's stare hot and determined on my face. He ducked, lips latching to mine before I could think, tongue thrusting in and stroking, wrapping around my own. His arms around my waist lowered to my hips, lifting me from the floor and spinning me back toward the bed, my calves hitting the mattress with two long strides from him.
He dropped me there, lunging over me and pushing me onto my back. He bowed and I gasped as he licked a long stripe up my throat and then again, starting from the collar of my slip and my breast, his wet tongue dragging hotly all the way up to the lobe of my ear.
"And you are surprised that your company is a privilege to me, little one?" he rasped, lowering himself slowly down on top of me, grinding against my thighs. "That I'm grateful for such a beautiful woman to need me? Desperate to plunge my cock inside of her, to find her wet and wanting?"
His growl gave me shivers that transformed into licks of heat. Myra had denied him the truth and my god did it change everything. I gave him more.
"I'd thought I would go mad if you didn't fuck me that night," I said, marveling as Hunter groaned again, as if he were already inside of me, or like I was dragging pleasure from him with my lips wrapped around his cock, rather than only speaking honest words.
I reached up, combed my fingers through his beard and hair, smiled at the blissful droop of his eyes at the touch. Was this the reason for his reserve before now?
"And now?" he asked, a whisper, still nervous.
I spread my legs around his hips, and his hands pushed my slip up around my waist and then continued over my breasts, not hesitating. At fucking last.
"And now I believe you promised me your tongue on my cunt, sir," I said, smiling at his growl.
Myra was still there at the back of my thoughts, a traitor or a blessing or both, but I couldn't blame Hunter, not when the lie had hurt him too.
"I only ever wanted you for my own sake," I said before lifting my breasts and pulling the slip off over my head.
Hunter panted, his hands cupping around my back, holding me in place as he suckled on my breasts, gasping against my skin like he could feel my own pleasure. I tangled my fingers into his hair, sliding them around his braids.
"I want the kindness you've shown me," I said. "And I want your hunger and lust. It matches my own, Hunter."
And then I pushed gently, Hunter snarling as I guided him down my body, his tongue lapping eagerly like I was denying him the right to taste every inch of me.
This was my only defiance, I decided.
"You'll get your thirty pounds' worth like this," I said, my breath hitching as Hunter's hands slid up to grip my breasts. "With your mouth full."
Hunter growled and I lifted my head, grinning at the bright yellow of his gaze, glaring up at me in hungry approval. Then his tongue thrust in, as eager and hungry as it had been in my mouth, and I collapsed in the mattress with a happy cry.