Snow & Her Huntsman Page 10

  “So, is this it? Will I see you again?” She loved him and wanted him in her life.

  Hunter tightened his arms around her. “We’re business partners.”

  His answer tied her heart in knots. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “Yeah, I know. I want you, Rylee, back in my life. Not just a partner.”

  “As my Dom?” He’d proven to her yesterday she was his sub. His very willing sub.

  “That and more.” Something in his tone sent threads of unease snaking through her belly.

  Rylee turned her head, then shifted to stare into his shadowed eyes. She didn’t regret her marriage and life to Jerry but couldn’t help wondering how different her life might have been had Hunter not ended things between them before they even got going. “Hunter, why did you contact me six months ago?”

  She was glad he’d wanted her enough to trap her into this weekend. That gave her two wondrous weekends with this man, but she wanted tomorrow and the next day as well. She yearned for her happily-ever-after.

  He pulled her hair free and finger combed the shiny strands. “I wanted to see you again. I’ve never stopped thinking of you.” He bent his head and kissed her, his lips a gentle brush. “I never stopped loving you.”

  Rylee frowned. “Then why did you blow me off? I fell in love with you that weekend.”

  “I fell in love with you, too.” Hunter shifted her closer, needing to feel her heart beating. Her warmth flowed into him, and he drew in her sweet scent. Staring into the mesmerizing fire, he knew the moment of truth was upon him. His dad always said the truth set a man free, but in this case, the truth might destroy what they’d found. He didn’t want to be free. He wanted to tie himself to this woman and never let her go.

  He’d planned to tell her the truth this weekend, before he’d fallen even deeper in love than before. He loved Rylee Kincaid. How could he risk losing her again?

  “Hunter?”

  “I put family first, Rylee.”

  “I don’t understand. They didn’t know me. Or did they have someone else in mind for you? I knew you came from money. Was I not good enough for your parents?”

  “My mother would have loved you had she been alive, and so would my father. They weren’t the problem.”

  “Then who?”

  Hunter took a deep breath. “My dad remarried when I was in college. His new wife also had a son going to college. I welcomed him as a brother, but he never accepted me and neither did his mother, but dad was so damn happy. I did everything I could to keep tensions down.”

  “What does that have to do with me? With not seeing me again?”

  Hunter shifted her and held her gaze. “My stepbrother found out I’d spent the weekend with the girl he had his sights on—you. He’d gone on a couple dates with you, and he accused me of trying to take you away from him. He caused a lot of trouble with my dad and my stepmother. To avoid the family drama, I stepped away.”

  Rylee’s jaw dropped. She scooted onto her knees and stared at him, anger and indignation coming off her in waves. “That’s crazy! Who was the guy? I hope I didn’t give him the time of day.”

  Hunter smiled sadly. “You married him. Jerry was my stepbrother.”

  Rylee jumped to her feet as though something stung her in the ass. She stumbled, nearly fell backward into the fire, but Hunter stood and grabbed her arm. She shrugged him off. “That’s not true. Jerry only had his mother. No siblings or father.”

  Jamming his hands in the pockets of his tux, Hunter felt his stomach clench and burn. “Jerry never considered me a brother. The marriage between our parents didn’t last but a few years. Shortly after Jerry graduated, they divorced and by then, you and Jerry were married. There wasn’t any reason for any of us to have any more contact.”

  And he’d sacrificed his own happiness for nothing.

  Rylee couldn’t breathe. Hunter not only knew her husband, but the two of them had been related. Stepbrothers. She paced, unable to wrap her head around the information. She’d known her mother-in-law had remarried while Jerry was in college, but not once had he mentioned a brother. Even in college, while they dated, he’d never told her that Hunter was his stepbrother or that he’d known of their shared weekend.

  Her husband’s betrayal burned like a red-hot poker through her heart, destroying her image of him, of the life they’d built. The foundation of that life crumbled beneath his deception. He’d married her knowing she loved another. Not only had he kept the truth from her, he’d been the reason Hunter ended things.

  Tears of fury stung her eyes. She’d always known her husband was a bit spoiled, being an only child, but to manipulate Hunter in order to get what he wanted was too much. “I don’t believe this.”

  Hunter’s decision affected her life as well. He’d lied to her, hurt her horribly, and left her vulnerable to a man who’d gotten her by foul means. It didn’t matter that Jerry had been good to her. He’d deceived her, and now she couldn’t vent her anger on him. She whirled around and jabbed her finger into Hunter’s chest. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Rylee. It’s in the past. Jerry was a good husband. I don’t want to destroy what you had, but I can’t keep the truth from you if we are to have a future.”

  “How do you know he was good to me?” And what kind of future did he think they had?

  “I checked up on both of you over the years.”

  “Jerry’s been gone two years.”

  “I gave you a year to mourn and six months for me to get my courage up.”

  “And stayed away another six months.” Deep inside, she wept. It didn’t matter if her marriage was good. She’d been deceived. By both men, her choices cruelly ripped from her.

  Hunter betrayed her when he let Jerry have her—giving her no choice—and Jerry’s silence was worse. He’d come to her falsely and built their marriage on a foundation of lies. Not once had he even tried to tell her the truth, not even when he’d been dying.

  He’d acted like a spoiled boy, thrown a tantrum, and gotten the prize he wanted—her. And she’d lost, first Hunter, then later, Jerry. And now, in the space of a heartbeat, her fond memories of Jerry were gone and her wonderful, happy weekend with Hunter crashed down around her.

  She fought tears. “You should have told me. Ten years ago. Six months ago. The day I stormed into your office.” She turned her back on Hunter, desperate to hide the tears and pain from the man who was breaking her heart all over again.

  Hunter forced her back around. His eyes were dark shadows with hints of light from the fire. His finger dug into her shoulders. “You didn’t give me a chance six months ago.”

  She glared at him. “Bullshit. Four little words: Jerry was my brother. I’d have been pissed. Maybe I wouldn’t have listened, but I’d have had the choice.” She kicked a loose stone. It pinged against the rocky fire pit.

  “Dammit, Hunter, you and Jerry deceived me, took away my choices ten years ago, and you lied to me with that ploy of saving my business. You didn’t let me decide whether or not I wanted a second chance with you. You finagled things so I’d spend the weekend with you and fall in love all over again.”

  Hunter met her gaze squarely. “Yes. I couldn’t risk you refusing me again. What we had was special.”

  “Yet you tossed it away.”

  “Because I was trying to do the right thing. I was wrong. I admit that. I should have been a selfish son of a bitch and claimed you instead of letting Jerry have you. Is that what you want to hear?”

  “Yes, Hunter. That’s what I want to hear. That’s what you should have done.” She stared at the man who’d secretly held her heart all these years. With a deep breath, she weighed her options. This time, the choice was hers.

  All her life, people made her choices for her. First, her controlling military father and a mother who had her own ideas of what made a perfect daughter, then Jerry. Oh, her husband had been a good man. He hadn’t been domineering or even bossy or controlling, but if he didn’t get hi
s way, he sulked and made her life difficult until she gave in.

  While she had no problem giving control to others, to her employees, to Hunter in the bedroom, she was not going to be bullied or guilted into doing what someone else wanted. He made the choices for them years ago. Today, she made hers.

  She walked away.

  Chapter Eight

  Rylee, seated at her desk, faced Glorie. The woman had come to deliver the final contract. Instead of meeting her in the conference room, Rylee had chosen her office. She wanted the seat of power. Since returning from that wonderful, magical weekend that had ended in a total disaster, she needed the confidence booster.

  Realizing she was twisting and turning a pen with nervous fingers, she set it down and folded her hands on top of the desk. “I assume Hunter isn’t back yet, or did he send you?” Was he back and didn’t want anything more to do with her?

  Glorie leaned forward and covered Rylee’s hands with her own. “I’m sorry your weekend didn’t work out.”

  Rylee sighed, her shoulders sagging. So much for being in control. She fought her tears and wished she could do over the ending. She made her decision. Too bad it was the wrong one. “It was the best weekend I ever had,” she confided. “Until the last night, anyway. I wish now I’d stayed, but I was angry. And hurt.” Instead of staying with the man she loved, trying to work out her feelings of hurt and betrayal, giving them both permission for a second chance at love and a future, she’d spent the night in a limo heading home with her bitter feelings.

  “Understandable. No woman likes to be manipulated.” Glorie released Rylee’s hands and sat back in her chair and crossed her legs.

  “Exactly.” Rylee smacked her palm against her desk.

  Glorie lifted one arched brow. “But that’s not much of a consolation, is it, Ms. Kincaid?”

  Rylee’s anger deflated. She shook her head. “No. And considering what you saw of me, I think you can dispense with the formalities.”

  Glorie smiled gently. “Very well, Rylee. Now, what are you going to do about Hunter?”

  Rylee stared at the other woman. Even dressed business professionally, the woman’s commanding presence, her aura of power, was unnerving. She shrugged. “Not much I can do. He didn’t call or send any texts or even one stingy email for the last three weeks.” And she’d ignored him as well. She covered her face with her hands, unable to stem the tears. “I blew it.”

  Gentle hands drew her up and over to a small sitting area near the window. “Dry those tears, my dear. You know Hunter loves you.”

  “He has a funny way of showing it.”

  “I know my partner well. He was devastated after you left. He doesn’t believe he deserves you, pet.”

  Startled by the name a Dom calls his or her sub, Rylee lifted a brow. Glorie shrugged. “Habit. I admire you, Rylee. Consider it a term of affection.”

  “I suppose you know he was right about me. I am submissive by nature.”

  Glorie nodded. “In the bedroom, perhaps, but not in business. You’re a strong woman. If you want Hunter, take charge.” She narrowed her dark eyes. “You do want him, don’t you?”

  Rylee nodded. “More than I’ve ever wanted anything.”

  “Are you going to let pride stand in your way?”

  “No. But what can I do?”

  Grinning, Glorie moved closer and outlined her plan. Rylee’s jaw dropped. “Has anyone every told you that you are one sneaky, devious, woman?”

  Glorie lifted a brow.

  “And a scary Domme besides?”

  “Better.” Glorie stood. “I’ll leave you to get ready. This is one show I’m going to enjoy.”

  ****

  “For such an intelligent man, you are an idiot, partner.” Glorie crossed one leg over the other and admired her new red heels.

  “Not helping, Glorie.” Hunter glanced around his spacious office, ignoring his luggage in one corner. He hadn’t been back an hour before his partner strolled into his office with the look of a woman intent on punishing him. He half expected to see her pull a whip out of thin air.

  Tired and heart-sore, he wasn’t in the mood to face anyone. He should have gone home. Everywhere he looked, he saw Rylee—bent over his desk, her ass wiggling, on the couch, her legs wrapped over his shoulders as he hit her G-spot and made her cry out, on the floor beneath the window, on her hands and knees, rocking back against him, and full circle, back at his desk, between his legs, swallowing his cock, taking him hard and fast as she’d done that first night at Pleasure Manor.

  “Shit, there go my fantasies,” he murmured, forgetting he wasn’t alone. “And hers.”

  Glorie glanced around. “You do have a nice office. Perfect for a bit of playtime. No spanking bench though.”

  He started, unaware he’d spoken aloud. Then her words sank in. “Fuck, Glorie. Don’t tell me you have one in your office.”

  She stared at her nails. “Okay, I won’t. So what was her fantasy?”

  He sighed. “Spread out on my desk, at the mercy of the boss when someone walks in—you, the big, scary Domme.”

  Glorie chuckled. “Ah, an exhibitionist. Perhaps the two of you might like to star in our next production?”

  Remembering how excited she’d been while watching Red and her Wolf, he rolled his eyes. “In case it has escaped your notice, partner, Rylee ran from me.” And now he’d never get to explore that part of her sexuality.

  “So what are you going to do about it? Have you called her?”

  Exasperated, Hunter glared at Glorie, hating those cool assessing eyes that didn’t miss a thing. In business, it was an asset, but when she focused her attention on his personal life, not so much. “No. I couldn’t bear it if she sent me to voicemail. I waited until I got back. I plan to go see her tonight.”

  “You really should have called her, Hunter. Three weeks is a long time to be ignored.”

  He got up and threw his hands in the air. “I blew it. Ten years ago, six months ago. Hell, the minute I knew Jerry was gone, I should have found her and told her the truth. And I wanted to call. Every day.”

  Glorie shook her head and stood. “Well, it’s a good thing one of us can think and plan when life goes to hell in a hand basket.” She glanced at the slim, gold watch on her wrist. “I hope you’re not planning on leaving anytime soon.”

  “Got an appointment with Rodgers in a couple hours.”

  “Mmm, I’ll take it. I think you’re going to be too busy.”

  “Doing what?”

  She studied her nails again. Blood red, to match her fuck-me heels. “If you were my sub, you’d be crawling on your hands and knees and eating crow.” She checked her phone when it signaled a text message. She stood, smiled, every bit the scheming, wicked queen.

  Hunter narrowed his eyes. He recognized that pleased as shit expression. “What are you up to, Glorie?”

  “Now, Hunter. I’m just being my normal, sweet self.”

  Choking on swallow of coffee, Hunter glared. “There’s a reason why you’re always the evil queen, Glorie.”

  “Yeah, I’m a real bitch, aren’t I?” She sounded pleased. At the door, she hesitated. “Seriously, Hunter, I’d get on your knees.”

  ****

  Rylee didn’t bother to stop at the admin’s desk to request a meeting with Hunter.

  “Excuse me, Miss. You can’t just go in there.”

  She swiveled her head, wishing she were Carrie so she could freak out the admin who’d jumped to her feet. “It’s Ms. Kincaid, and you’re not going to stop me from seeing that slimy snake. I’d hate to knock you on your ass and run over you.”

  Reaching out to shove open the door, she startled as it opened, then closed. Glorie stood there, her back to the door, one delicate brow arched.

  “I’ll go through you, Ms. Amadori.”

  Glorie chuckled. “Ah, Ms. Kincaid. Had a feeling you might show up.” She stepped forward, patted Rylee’s cheek. “Nice acting,” she whispered. Now go in and make him beg, p
et.”

  “Beg hell, he’s going to bleed. You’re going to need to call 911 when I’m done with his sorry ass.” She bit back a grin at the look of outraged shock on the admin’s face, then entered the office and slammed the door.

  Standing in front of his corner window, Hunter stared at Rylee. She stood, back to the door, glaring at him. Regardless, his heart jumped with joy. The last three weeks seemed a lifetime. She’d been so angry when she left their camp, walking back to the mansion. He’d let her go, following, staying in the shadows to be sure she was safe.

  That had been the hardest thing he’d ever done—let the woman he loved walk away from him when he wanted to grab her and make her understand, to take her back to their bed and show her they were meant to be together. So he’d given her time and space. Unfortunately, his two-week trip had become three. He’d planned to go to her tonight. Instead, she’d come to him.

  His gaze swept over her, taking in the furious flush to her cheeks and the sparks glittering in her eyes. She had a pretty impressive mad tucked around her shoulders like a cloak. So much for time calming her.

  “This is getting to be a habit, Ms. Kincaid,” he said, remembering how she’d burst into his office before. There was no heat in his voice. Just wariness. And hope hovered close to the surface.

  She stormed over to him. For the second time in his office, she tossed his contract at him. Papers whirled around him like a snowstorm. “You traitor. You bastard. How dare you change what we agreed on? Fix it. Fix it now, and give me what you promised.”

  The spark of fury in eyes was more violet than blue, and they were just a bit too bright. She was close to tears. He put aside his desperate need to pull her into his arms and convince her that she was his. “What are you talking about, Rylee?”

  “You changed the deal. Again.” Her voice rose.

  He lifted a brow and frowned, all business. “No. It’s precisely what we agreed upon.” He crossed his arms. God, she was all fired up, spittin’ mad with claws out, ready to scrape him raw. And he rather liked seeing her so out of control. Like when she’d submitted to him totally, giving him everything, gifting him with her trust and allowing him to love her completely.