His Every Move (For His Pleasure, Book 9)

By Kelly Favor

© 2012 All Rights Reserved

Kallie sat in the car, frozen.

She’d seen a woman in Hunter’s house, and the face had been instantly recognizable to her.

It was the woman from the restaurant, the one she’d caught Hunter talking to in the parking lot. That memory was burned into Kallie’s brain and she
could still vividly recall the woman’s beautiful face, haunted eyes, even the way she’d held her cigarette.

She’d looked young but somehow world-weary and hardened—yet vulnerable—all at once.

What a combination.

Perhaps that was why she’d received the honor of being in Hunter’s house right now, while Kallie had been banished as if she didn’t even matter.

The more Kallie thought about the way Hunter was treating her, the angrier she became. She looked once more up at the window where she’d seen
the woman, and even though the blinds were now closed, Kallie could still imagine her behind them.

Perhaps she was undressing while Hunter watched.

That thought was too much to bear. Without even thinking about it, Kallie opened the car door and got out, walking with determination toward the
front door. She began pounding at the door with her fist.

A moment later, it opened and Hunter came outside, forcing her backwards with his mere physical presence. “I told you to go home,” he growled.

“No,” she said.

His eyes widened, then just as quickly narrowed. “Be careful what you say to me right now.”

“Why should I?” she said, her voice rising. “You don’t care about me. Why should I care about you and your stupid rules?”

He folded his arms and looked at her with little emotion on his face. “You signed the contract.”

“Blah, blah.” She was having a tantrum and didn’t particularly care. “I don’t give a shit about the contract. You have another woman in your house
right now, Hunter.

How is that supposed to make me feel?”

“You need to trust me.”

“I don’t trust you, not at all. And clearly I have no reason to, based on what you’re doing behind my back.”

He grinned, but the smile was cold and angry. “There’s nothing going on behind your back. You aren’t entitled to know my business or why I have a
guest in my house right now.”

Kallie laughed shrilly. “Oh, so she’s a guest now? Is that it? And what am I, an intruder?”

He shrugged. “Right now you’re behaving like a child. I think you should leave and we’ll discuss it another time.”

“No.” She stared at him, her entire body and soul defying his wishes.

“Kallie, you have no idea what you’re doing.”

“I have every idea, Hunter. I want to know who she is and what she’s doing in your house.”

He shook his head slowly side to side. “I’m not going to play this game.”

For a brief second, she considered slapping his arrogant face. And then, in a flash, she realized it. “You’re not even worth it,” she told him, and spun
around, walking quickly back to her car. She got inside and started the engine, making sure not to look up and see what Hunter was doing.

As she started to pull out of the driveway, she heard the front door slam again and knew he’d gone back inside.

She was shaking as she drove home—shaking and crying. She was more furious than sad—furious mostly at herself for letting this come to pass.
“You knew he was bad news,” she said aloud. “Everyone told you to be careful but you wouldn’t listen.” She shook her head, trying to breathe and
calm down.

Danielle had warned her repeatedly, and even if Danielle was a bit of a snob in some ways, she’d been right. He was a dog, he was a player, and
he’d never really pretended to be anything else.

Kallie even laughed a little, amidst the tears.

How easy it was to see the truth, now that she was gaining some mental and physical distance on the situation. Especially now that she’d caught
him red-handed, involved with another woman—probably doing all the very same things and saying the same words that he’s spoken to Kallie
dozens of times. None of it meant anything to Hunter, it was just a game, and Kallie was just another conquest.

I haven’t even put up a difficult chase, she thought. He had his way with me from the very beginning and I made it as easy as possible for him to get
what he wanted.

Pathetic. In a word, that’s how she’d behaved. Kallie found herself slowly growing more cold and detached, more committed to her new course of
action. It was time for a change.

***

Before Kallie arrived home, she made sure to dry her tears and fix her makeup so that she didn’t look like a wreck.

Once inside, she intended to go straight to her room, but she found Red eating in the kitchen, alone. He turned to look at her. “Hi, Kallie. Nicole said
she gave you the rest of the day off.”

“Yeah.” Kallie shrugged, making it clear she didn’t want to get into the fact that she was home so early from her big day out.

“Want some steak?” Red asked, gesturing to the stove. “Made it myself. Not as good as Chef Roland, of course…”

“Isn’t Nicole having any?”

Red’s expression shifted to one of puzzled concern. “She’s not feeling one hundred percent. She was sleeping when I came home, and said she’s
not hungry.”

“I could go check on her,” Kallie offered, knowing the reason Nicole wasn’t feeling “one hundred percent.” However, there wasn’t much Kallie could
do to help her, because all answers lay in the DVD Nicole had gotten from Red’s mother.

He shook his head. “I took her blood pressure and she’s okay. Doesn’t feel like she has a temperature, either. I think maybe she’s just tired. After
all, she’s been working hard for when Riley comes home.”

She couldn’t possibly tell him the truth, so instead she decided to focus on the positive. “You must be so excited.”

He smiled, and his eyes positively lit up. “I can’t wait.” He took a forkful of steak and smeared it in A-1 Sauce. “Honestly, Nicole and Riley are the
only things keeping me on my feet right now. I’m exhausted myself. Work has been insane.”

Kallie nodded, knowing how much stress Red took on in his day-to-day life.

It actually felt good to think about someone else for a moment. Hunter had been occupying so much mental energy that she’d barely given anybody
else a thought lately.

“Just let me know if there’s anything I can do to help make things easier,” she told him.

Red grinned. “You can eat that last piece of steak so I don’t have to wrap it.”

She grinned back. “If you insist.”

“That I do.” He got up—over Kallie’s protests—and put the steak and some mushroom flavored rice on a plate, and carried it back to the table,
setting it down in front of her.

She felt strange sharing a meal with her boss—and Nicole’s husband—but it actually wasn’t that bad. They mostly talked about his earlier days in
New York, founding Jameson International and then she asked him to tell her how he’d met Nicole.

Red smiled at the question. “How I met Nicole?” He wiped his mouth with a napkin and sat back in his chair. His eyes were turned soft and it
appeared as though he were looking into the distance. “She was one of many applicants for an internship with the creative group at my agency.
When she’d passed the first round of interviews with flying colors, they sent her up to meet me.”

Kallie smiled, picturing him seeing his future wife for the first time. “Did you know the moment you saw her that she was the one?”

Red snapped to attention, looking at Kallie intently. “I knew she was special. It was as if she was literally glowing—it was that obvious to me that she
was like nobody else I’d ever met before.”

Kallie thought of Hunter and the way he’d reacted to her the night they met. She wished that someday he’d tell their story the way Red was telling his
and Nicole’s, but Kallie knew it was impossible.

There would be no cute retelling of their story, because they no longer had a story.

“It’s nice that you say it that way,” she told Red softly.

“It’s just the truth.” He shifted in his seat and thought for a moment. “Not that I really understood what it meant at the time. I was an idiot when she
came into my life—

and each day I spent with Nicole I got a little bit smarter.”

“You must be a genius by now.”

He laughed. “She’s the real genius. She’s the reason for everything I do now.”

“But it wasn’t always easy between the two of you, was it?” Kallie said. “There must have been hard times.”

Red nodded. “Of course. We had our share, as you well know. You were even around for some less than stellar moments.”

She’d almost forgotten the night that Nicole accused her of sleeping with Red.

“Yeah, unfortunately—I suppose I’m the cause of at least one problem.”

“You weren’t the cause, Kallie. You were just collateral damage, unfortunately.

The way I lived my life up until I met Nicole has been the cause of the majority of the issues we’ve experienced. And I don’t intend to let my past
become an issue anymore,”

he said. “I straightened up and got my head right,” he said.

She wondered if he’d still say that his past wouldn’t become an issue anymore, if he knew about the DVD his mother had sent along.

Kallie moved her fork around her plate absentmindedly. “So maybe guys can change.”

Red laughed again. “Anything’s possible, Kallie. I’m living proof of it. But then again, it takes an awful big anvil to fall on your head sometimes
before you wake up.

And some people stay asleep their whole lives.”

She nodded, wondering which type of person Hunter was. Sadly, she thought she knew which type he was. No anvil was big enough to wake him
up. Or maybe she was just the wrong girl for him. What were the chances that he would tell someone she glowed when she walked into a room?

Maybe he thought that girl outside the bar was his soul mate. Maybe that’s why she was in his home right now, while Kallie listened to Red Jameson
talk about falling in love.

Red got up and brought his plate to the sink. “I need to go do some more work in the study,” he said.

“Thanks for dinner,” she told him.

“Thanks for talking,” he smiled.

She watched him leave the kitchen, and thought to herself how lucky Nicole was to have someone who cared that much about her.

***

It was a few hours later when Kallie heard the knock on her bedroom door.

“Come in,” she called. She put down the laundry she’d been folding and looked up to see Nicole entering with a strained look on her face.

She was carrying the envelope that had been sent from Erica Jameson.

“I need your help,” Nicole said.

“Sure. What is it?”

“I can’t stop thinking about this damn thing,” she said, holding the package aloft and shaking it. Her eyes were intense, almost wild.

“Maybe you should throw it out, Nicole. Don’t play her games.”

“Don’t you think I’ve considered that?” Nicole said. “But she’s not going to stop, Kallie. The woman is vindictive and she’s got nothing better to do
than try and ruin our lives.”

Kallie considered it. “You haven’t watched it yet?”

Nicole shook her head. She was shaking slightly, as if the house were freezing inside instead of a comfortable seventy-two degrees. “I can’t do it by
myself. I need you to watch it with me.”

“Okay.” Kallie stood up. “Come on, let’s go watch it.”

“I’m going to get my laptop and then I’ll meet you in the furthest guestroom next to the gym.”

Kallie nodded and Nicole turned, left the room. She looked like a woman about to go to court for something that might land her in prison.

Kallie sighed. This was going to be very tough, she thought. Whatever was on that DVD was going to be nasty, and she didn’t know if watching it
was really such a good idea. Then again, what was the alternative?

As Kallie left her room and went to the guestroom that Nicole had specified, she considered what strange creatures these wealthy, powerful men
were. They had so many secrets and hang-ups, so many people who wanted to hurt them.

This was yet another reason for Kallie to stay far away from Hunter. Even if she could somehow have gotten him to change for her, she would
always be dealing with his past and his secrets, just as Nicole was always going to have to deal with Red’s.

It just wasn’t worth it. And of course, in Hunter’s case, Kallie wasn’t even getting any of the good stuff to compensate for the bad.

She entered the guestroom and sat down on the bed. The room smelled slightly stale, but not overly unpleasant. It had a very unlived in feel to it,
much like Hunter’s house. Everything was nice and tidy and clean, but there was no personality to it.

A few minutes later, Nicole entered the room carrying her laptop under one arm and the envelope in her other hand. “Could you get the door?” she
whispered.

They were far away from Red’s study and there was no way he could hear anything they said, but Nicole clearly wasn’t taking any chances. Kallie
got up and shut the bedroom door, while Nicole set her laptop on the nightstand, shoving aside an alarm clock and a tiny lamp.

Nicole’s hands shook as she opened the envelope and removed the DVD case.

“You’re sure you want to do this, Nicole?” Kallie asked, suddenly feeling that whatever they were about to watch was going to change everything—
and not in a good way.

“I have no choice.” She opened the case and popped the DVD out, holding it gingerly in her hand. “Moment of truth.” She looked at Kallie and
forced a smile, then inserted the DVD into the laptop.

Seconds later, it started to play.

At first the screen was dark. And then it started. There was no introductory scene, no titles or credits. It just began, a home movie that was pretty
obviously some kind of sex tape.

The camera appeared to have been held on a still shot. All that was in view was a large bed, all black silk and softness, with a very pale naked
woman sprawled across it.

Her arms and legs were outstretched in a position all too familiar to Kallie. The nude woman was waiting for something or someone.

And she was blindfolded.

Kallie was briefly transfixed by what she was seeing onscreen. It was as if someone had decided to make a film of her own recent activities with
Hunter, and they’d used some actress to play her.

But this isn’t about me, she thought, and glanced over at Nicole.

Nicole was staring at the screen with a fixated look, her eyes burning. Kallie had never seen Nicole look that way before, and it shot fear through her
belly. “Nicole—“

Kallie started, but Nicole held up her hand.

“Wait,” she said softly.

A shadow fell across the bed and then a man in a dark suit bent over the naked woman and began affixing scarves to her wrists, tying them tightly.
At first, only see the back of the man’s head was visible, but then he turned and Kallie glimpsed his profile.

It was Red Jameson.

Kallie put a hand to her mouth. “Oh my God.”

But Nicole didn’t look at all surprised. Her lips were tight, almost white from pressing together so hard.

On screen, Red had tied all four of the woman’s limbs to the bedposts. The beautiful naked woman had light brown hair and a nearly flawless body.
She was moaning without even having been touched up to this point, other than when Red had tied her wrists and ankles.

Red disappeared from view for about ten seconds. When he reappeared in frame, he was holding a lit candle.

“You can leave now, Kallie,” Nicole said, her voice thin and cold and terribly strained.

“I don’t want to leave you alone right now,” Kallie said.

“I can’t have you seeing him this way.”

Kallie nodded. “Of course. Should I wait outside?”

Nicole wouldn’t take her eyes off the screen. From the laptop came rousing moans from the woman, as Red began to drip wax onto her bare
stomach. “Wait in the kitchen and I’ll be out when it’s done.”

“Okay, I’ll—“

“Just go. Go now.” Nicole’s voice was choking and almost sounded like she was about to sob.

But Kallie knew she shouldn’t be seeing what she was seeing, and so she practically ran out of the room. The moans followed her into the hallway
as she shut the door behind her and started for the kitchen.

She felt sick to her stomach. Her mind was racing.

What the hell had she just seen? A sex tape with Red Jameson, cheating on Nicole? After all those nice and beautiful things he’d said about their
relationship just hours previously?

Kallie couldn’t believe how disgusting these men were. They thought they could just do anything they wanted—treat women like trash, without any
repercussions. And to do it to such a beautiful person as Nicole, who was only good and supportive and kind to him!

Kallie wiped the tears from her eyes as she entered the kitchen, only to find Red was pouring himself a glass of wine.

He looked up at her as she came in. “Hey, have you seen Nicole around?”

She stuttered. “Just a few minutes ago she came by my room. Ummm…”

“Oh.” Red looked at her expectantly. “Where is she now?”

Kallie shrugged. “I’m not sure. Maybe she went for a walk?”

He frowned. “I hope not. I would have wanted to go with her.” He sloshed the wine around in his glass.

Kallie watched him, trying to reconcile this picture of the doting husband with what she’d just seen on that DVD. Red looked up and saw her
expression.

Kallie turned quickly away.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

“No. Sorry, I was just thinking about stuff.” She didn’t know what she was even saying.

Red nodded as if he knew what she meant. He came around the island, sipping his wine. “Damn, it’s been a long day.” He took out his phone,
punched something in and put it to his ear. “She’s not even answering her cell,” he said. “What did she say when she came by your room?”

“Nothing much,” Kallie lied, feeling sicker by the moment. She wondered if Red could tell she was being dishonest.

“And she didn’t say what she was up to?”

Kallie shook her head. “I’m sure she’s around, somewhere.”

Seeming a little exasperated—as if he sensed something was amiss—Red walked out to the veranda and she breathed a sigh of relief. The last
thing Kallie wanted to do was wait in the kitchen with Red standing right next to her, asking all sorts of questions about Nicole’s whereabouts.

She pretended to look for food in the refrigerator, finally took out some cheese and began slicing it. Her stomach was absolutely churning. She
didn’t want to be here for what came next, but there was no choice. Nicole needed her.

And then, without warning, Nicole came into the kitchen. Tears were streaming down her face. She wiped them away. She was holding the
envelope, but she must have left her laptop back in the guestroom, Kallie thought.

“You have to promise me you won’t breathe a word of what you saw to anyone,”

Nicole said to her. Nicole’s face was a mask of strain and her voice was grave.

“Of course. I’d never tell anyone.”

“I know what you’re thinking. But please believe me,” Nicole said. “That’s not who he is.”

“Nicole?” Red called from the veranda. He came walking inside. “Hey, I was looking everywhere for you.” He stopped and stared at her.

She was clearly an emotional wreck. She held up the envelope. “A little gift from your mother.” She tossed it to him and he caught it against his
chest.

Red looked down at the package with a befuddled expression. “What is it?”

Nicole’s voice shook with emotion. “It’s a DVD. One of your home movies.”

He looked up at her with wide, startled eyes. “A home movie?” Realization dawned in his expression.

She nodded. “Do you keep them in the house, in our bedroom?”

Red swallowed and closed his eyes. “I did.”

Kallie wasn’t sure what to do. “Nicole,” she broke in awkwardly, “I think I should probably leave you two alone—“

“You can hear this, Kallie. I’m not having any secrets anymore.”

Red opened his eyes and they were red rimmed now. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“Why do you keep those DVDs in our room? Do you watch them?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I haven’t even thought of them since I met you. I honestly forgot they even existed.”

“Well, your mother found your stash when she was here visiting,” Nicole said. “I saw her snooping around and I suspected she was up to something,
but I didn’t know for sure.” She sighed and smiled ruefully. “You have to swear to me that those are old—

you don’t make movies anymore, do you?”

“No,” he said, putting the envelope on the kitchen table as if it might carry a disease. “I used to do that stuff--before I met you. And I kept the DVDs
in a crawl space in one of the closets. I’m a fool.”

Nicole folded her arms. “Have you ever cheated on me, Red?”

“No.” He stared directly into her eyes. “You can hire a detective if you want.

Have me investigated. Check all of my phone records and email like Danielle does to Kane. I have nothing to hide.”

Kallie was watching all of this, and they were ignoring her presence—it was as if she was invisible.

“I don’t want to do any of that,” Nicole said. Kallie thought she’d never seen anyone so strong in her entire life. Nicole looked like some kind of
ancient goddess, completely under control and within herself. There was no pity or self-doubt left. “I’m not going to watch your every move, Red. I’m
just going to trust you, because I love you with all my heart.”

“And I love you,” he said. “Those things are in the past for me.”

“Well, not anymore, they’re not,” Nicole smiled with bitterness. “Your mother’s brought it all back to the present. She’s not going to leave it alone, you
know.”

He nodded, rubbing his lip with his thumb. “Give me a chance to sort this out.

I’ll have the DVDs disposed of first thing.”

“I want them burned,” Nicole said.

“Absolutely,” he said. His face was ashen, and for the first time, Kallie thought he looked almost old. He was haggard and worn down.

“I’m going for a drive,” Nicole told him. “You can take care of the DVDs while I’m gone. Kallie, you want to come along?” she asked.

“Sure,” Kallie murmured.

***

Nicole didn’t talk at first.

Her eyes were intent on the road, driving a little faster than Kallie would have expected. Nicole put the car through its paces on a long straightaway
on the highway, and there was nothing but the humming of the engine and the vibrations as the car sped down the road.

Finally, she seemed to exhaust something inside herself, and Nicole slowed down to a normal speed and looked over at Kallie. “I’m sorry you had
to see all of that. It’s embarrassing.”

“It’s okay,” Kallie smiled. “I’ve got embarrassing stuff too, I’ve just been lucky that nobody’s been around for most of it.”

Nicole grinned. “Hunter?”

“Yeah.” Kallie sighed. “Hunter.” She rolled her eyes.

“Tell me about it.”

“Nicole, come on. You don’t want to hear me whine about my silly boy problems right now. You’ve got real stuff going on.”

“Exactly,” Nicole laughed. “It’ll help take my mind off my own issues.”

Kallie looked out the window. “It’s over between us,” she said, finally. “At least, it is for me.”

“I’m sorry,” Nicole told her. “Are you sure? Really sure?”

“Yes,” Kallie replied. She bit her bottom lip. “He’s seeing someone else.”

“Oh, no.” Nicole put her hand on Kallie’s hand momentarily. “That’s too bad.

Seriously, that sucks.”

“He wants to have all the power. He holds all the cards and I’m supposed to keep playing the game. And I don’t even understand the rules. He won’t
tell me anything.”

“I know what that’s like.”

“But Red loved you—he still loves you.”

“In the beginning it wasn’t so simple,” Nicole told her. “When we first started out, he was cruel and cold and his walls were up. I thought I could never
break through.”

“Now, that sounds familiar.” Kallie smiled.

Nicole glanced at her and smiled back. “It’s not easy, caring about a man who’s got demons.”

“Nope.” Kallie laid her head against the seat. She pictured Hunter’s face, the way he kissed her. “Sometimes, when he looks at me—I swear he…”
She shook her head as if to clear the cobwebs. “It doesn’t matter,” Kallie said. “I can’t trust him.”

“Then you’re doing the right thing,” Nicole replied. “Because even with that disgusting DVD his mother sent me, I still trust Red. I don’t believe for a
minute that he’s been with another woman since we started seeing one another.”

“And I know Hunter’s been with someone. I saw her in his house today.”

“Today?” Nicole’s eyes were huge. “You saw her today?”

“I did. And he wouldn’t explain himself. He just told me to go home.”

“That’s ridiculous. You deserve better than that, Kallie.” Nicole looked at her for a second, before focusing back to the road. “You’ll find a man who
really understands how amazing you are and he’ll treat you with real respect. I promise you.”

A buzzing sound filled the car.

It was Kallie’s phone. She looked down at her purse and it shook with the movement of the cellphone inside. Quickly, she opened her purse and
pulled the cell out.

The caller ID was bright and clear: HUNTER.

“He’s calling me.”

Nicole looked at her. “Stay strong.”

“I’m not going to answer,” Kallie said, although she felt a twinge. Had she been alone, would she have been strong enough to resist the urge to
answer? Maybe not—but it was better not to think about that. She put the phone back in the purse, dropping it as if she’d tossed it over the side of a
boat into the ocean depths. “I’m done with his secrets and games. Done with him.”

“That’s the spirit,” Nicole said. “I mean, if you really feel that way.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“Of course I do. But…after what I went through with Red, I shouldn’t really discourage anyone from following their heart, no matter how crazy it might
seem at the time.”

“Well, my heart is telling me that I need to stay far away from Hunter Reardon.”

Nicole glanced at her. “Even though you keep looking down at your purse like you want to check your phone messages.”

Kallie felt her face redden. “I’m curious. Wouldn’t you be?”

“Of course.”

She broke down, opened her purse and took the phone out again. There was no message. A pit opened in her stomach. “No voicemail,” she
announced.

“He’ll call back.” Nicole exited the highway and soon got back on, going the opposite way.

“Where are we headed, anyhow?” Kallie asked.

“Home. I just needed a minute to cool off.”

“What do you think Red’s going to do about his mother?”

Nicole shrugged. “I don’t have the faintest idea. But he better do something, or I have a feeling we’re going to have a bigger problem on our hands
in the near future.”

When they arrived home, Red was waiting. He grabbed Nicole tightly, hugging her and whispering in her ear.

Kallie couldn’t hear what he was saying, but just the look on his face told her enough. Sure, Red Jameson had demons. Clearly, he had a past, and
maybe it wasn’t such a savory past either.

But he was light years ahead of Hunter Reardon.

Kallie let them have their moment, as Red continued to hug Nicole and whisper in her ear, and finally she hugged him back.

Kallie walked past them, down the hall to her bedroom. When she got inside and closed the door, she opened her purse and took the phone out
again.

You can call him back, she thought. It would make sense. He called you first, after all.

She placed the phone down on her nightstand and looked at it, trying to judge whether or not she had the strength to resist it.

But it turned out she did.

A few hours later, she went to bed, falling asleep much more quickly than she would have imagined.

And she slept deeply, and her dreams were like flashes of lightning across her mind. The next morning, the storm had long since passed, and she
awoke with a new determination.

I will not give into Hunter Reardon, she told herself. And this time she meant it.

***

A couple of days went by. Things seemed to settle back into a normal routine once more.

If there were any tension between Nicole and Red over that DVD, Kallie never saw evidence of it. They seemed as loving and affectionate as ever,
and so she assumed they’d worked it all out.

Baby Riley was set to come home in just a couple of days and they were also spending more time with her at the hospital now. She was such an
adorable baby and Red and Nicole were such loving parents.

Nicole was still tired much of the time, and after going to the doctor’s for some blood work, it appeared that she was also slightly anemic now. The
doctor stressed that Nicole still had to get plenty of rest and maintain a good diet, take the supplements they were providing her, and keep on top of
her blood pressure.

Kallie was able to keep her mind focused on doing a good job around the house and supporting Nicole and Red. When she got a text one
afternoon from Hunter that told her to come to his house at 7:15 pm, she immediately deleted it.

And then she went and deleted his number from her cellphone entirely.

Maybe I’ll just go ahead and change my number too, she thought. But she couldn’t quite bring herself to take that step. Kallie reasoned that is was
simply because it would be too impractical and annoying to change her number and then inform everyone.

But deep down, she sensed that perhaps she wasn’t ready to sever all possibility of communication with Hunter.

Apparently whatever she’d chosen to do in regards to her number didn’t matter, however, because later that same day, he showed up at the house.

Kallie was actually taking a slow walk through the grounds with Nicole when she saw a car driving up the private road. And she recognized it
instantly.

“Shit, he’s here!” she cried.

“Who?” Nicole asked, startled. She put a hand to her chest.

“Hunter.” She ran a hand through her hair. “I’m sorry if I scared you.”

“I can just have Red send him away.”

“Maybe he’s just here to finish up their interview.”

“Kallie, I don’t think so,” Nicole told her. “You don’t have to go back to the house. We can just keep walking.”

“I’m okay. I feel strong.” Kallie started back.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m one hundred percent sure.”

Nicole fell into step beside her, and even though Kallie’s heart was beating fast, she kept composed.

Hunter and Red were talking and laughing outside when Kallie and Nicole arrived.

And then Hunter saw Kallie and his smile faded. “Hey, Kallie.”

“Hi.”

Red glanced from Hunter to Kallie, and then to Nicole. “Should we get some food on the table?” he asked. “We weren’t expecting a guest, but that’s
not a problem.”

Nicole shook her head. “I think we should just go inside.”

Hunter smiled. “If I could have a moment with Kallie, that would be great.”

Red’s eyes narrowed. “Is everything okay? Kallie, you okay?”

Kallie nodded, took a deep breath. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’ll be in soon.”

“Let us know if you need us.” He gave Hunter a mistrusting look, and it made Kallie smile a little, because it reminded her of something her brother
Sean might do if he’d been here.

Once Nicole and Red had gone inside, Hunter’s shoulders relaxed a little and he turned his attention completely to her. “We need to talk,” he said.

“I don’t think we have much to say,” she replied, not able to look at him directly.

He was dressed in his typical outfit—blue jeans, a casual t-shirt that showed off his amazing body. His hair was styled and he was clean-shaven.
And he was staring at her as if he wanted to throw her down in the driveway and strip her naked, take her right there and not care who saw him do
it.

“I think we have plenty to discuss,” he told her. “Why are you ignoring my phone calls and texts?”

She held up a finger. “One phone call and one text.”

“Regardless, you ignored them both.”

“Hunter, what do you want from me?” She wiped the hair from her eyes and glanced at him.

He looked back at her. “You know what I want.” His eyes implied even more than his words.

Kallie hated that she still wanted him physically, despite his secrets and his refusal to let her into his life. But a physical need could be resisted, just
like quitting smoking. Not that she’d ever quit smoking—but people did.

And she knew she could quit Hunter after what she’d seen at his house and they way he’d treated her.

“I can’t do this anymore.”

“You can. And you will.” His voice was low and commanding.

Her heart sped up. That was the voice he used in the bedroom. The same voice he’d used when commanding her to strip, or to hold still down in the
basement as he’d tied her to one of his machines.

“I could do it, you’re right,” she told him. Finally she met his steady gaze. “But I don’t want to anymore.”

He flinched a little, as if her words had actually stung him—wounded him physically. “Kallie, this is unacceptable. We have a contract—“

“I don’t care.”

Now it was as if she’d slapped him. His cheeks were red, and she’d never seen Hunter with so much color in his cheeks. His eyes were wide with
disbelief. “You don’t care? What about our agreement? What about the time we’ve spent together?”

She had to laugh at that. “Don’t be silly.”

His eyes hardened and his jaw set. “I don’t find it silly at all. In fact, I’m disgusted that you’d treat it all so casually. I put my trust in you.”

“No you didn’t, Hunter. You refused to trust me with anything. Not even the slightest detail. And I’m sick of it.”

“When we started this thing, I explained to you how it worked. And you agreed.

You gave your world, Kallie. That should count for something.”

“Who is she?” Kallie asked, her voice rising for the first time.

“What are you talking about?”

“You know who I’m talking about. Who did I see in your house when I came the other day?”

Hunter’s mouth closed. He didn’t say anything for a long moment.

“Exactly,” Kallie laughed. “Go home, Hunter.” She turned to go inside.

“Wait.”

His voice stopped her. She didn’t look at him though. “What?”

“I understand that you’re upset about what happened the other day. And I’m sorry for the way I handled it.”

“Who is she? It’s a simple question.”

“She’s someone who’s staying with me for awhile. She’s a friend.”

Kallie looked at him. “A friend you have sex with?”

He shook his head no. “We’re not romantically involved.”

“So who is she?”

“I can’t discuss it further. It’s private—it’s between her and me.”

Kallie laughed again. “So that’s all I get? That’s your big explanation?”

He put his hands on his hips. “You push and push. Somehow what we agreed to isn’t enough.”

“No, it’s not enough. I want someone who enjoys having me in his life. I want someone who treats me with respect, as an equal partner. I don’t want
to have to beg for your table scraps anymore, Hunter. I’m done.”

She started to walk away and he moved to grab her arm. “Don’t go, Kallie.”

She spun and glared at him. “You said all I need to do is make a verbal declaration, right?”

That seemed to stop him. “That’s right,” he said softly.

“Well here it is, then. I’m dissolving this agreement,” she told him. “I declare the contract between us null and void, and I wish to be left alone. Please
go away, and don’t ever call me or come to my house again. Is that clear enough for you?”

He nodded. His face had lost its color and was now ashen, almost gray. “Yes.

Yes, it is,” he mumbled. And then he walked briskly to his car, got inside and drove off.

As he sped away, Kallie watched him go and it was as though she was seeing a part of herself fleeing. An emptiness opened up inside, deep in
the pit of her stomach, and it seemed endless. She held her stomach, wanting to be sick, wanting to scream and cry, but there was nothing to do
now.

So she didn’t do anything but walk back inside and pretend that nothing had happened.

***

Baby Riley was finally home.

As upset as Red and Nicole had been about the incident with the DVD that Erica Jameson had sent, they were just as elated now that their
daughter was able to leave the hospital.

Kallie found her own eyes filling with tears as she watched Nicole holding Riley and walking through the house, telling her that she was home.
“You’re going to love it here, Riley. This is home. Do you want to go up and see your room, honey?”

Red walked alongside Nicole as she took the baby up to the nursery.

Kallie followed behind them, watching as Nicole pointed out all of the little touches that Red had made to the room for his girl. “Can I hold her?” Red
asked, after a bit.

“Of course you can,” Nicole said. “Daddy wants to hold you now, sweetie,”

Nicole cooed, as Riley squealed and gurgled happily.

Red took the baby in his arms and Kallie was in awe of how naturally he was holding her. Riley seemed to instantly settle into a blissful state, and
Nicole and Red exchanged grins over her.

“I think she’s tired,” Red whispered.

“She needs to be put down for a nap in her basinet,” Nicole said.

Red nodded, his face still beaming. He leaned forward, making sure not to jostle the baby, and kissed Nicole on the lips.

Nicole kissed him back. “I love you so much,” she said, staring into his eyes.

Kallie felt a small flutter of jealousy but then it was gone as quickly as it came.

They walked out of the nursery and toward the master bedroom. Kallie told Nicole that she’d see her downstairs, but to let her know if they needed
any help at all.

Once downstairs, she went and began reorganizing the fridge. It wouldn’t take very long, as they’d been keeping everything very neat since they
knew the baby was coming home.

Rustling through the shelves, she tried to make everything straight, moved some of the smaller items down to the shelves where they fit better.

I’m just doing busywork, she thought, as she shifted some Greek yogurt down to the bottom shelf on the right. This isn’t even necessary—the fridge
is already organized!

Kallie felt restless. There simply wasn’t enough to do around the place lately.

Maybe now that Riley was finally here, she’d have more work to do. It was hard, because they’d made her feel so welcome in the house, but Nicole
still tried to do most everything herself.

Sometimes Kallie wondered if they truly needed a nanny—especially a live-in nanny, when both Red and Nicole wanted to be involved in every
moment of Riley’s life.

It was wonderful, but it made Kallie feel sort of useless in the scheme of things.

If she didn’t stay busy, at times she would be overwhelmed with loneliness and have moments where she just wanted to go home to Ohio.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Nicole’s voice jarred Kallie from her reverie. She’d been standing there with the refrigerator door open, staring into space.

“Oh, sorry.” Kallie shut the door to the refrigerator and moved away from it casually, as if she hadn’t just been mulling over her status in the house.
“So, Riley’s asleep?”

“Yeah,” Nicole nodded. “Red’s sitting up there with her, doing some paperwork.”

“She’s going to be such a daddy’s girl,” Kallie laughed.

Nicole agreed. “I swear, she already makes so many expressions that remind me of him.”

Kallie smiled, but her heart wasn’t completely in it. Nicole seemed to sense that something was amiss.

“Everything okay, Kallie?”

“Why, am I doing something weird?”

Nicole shook her head but her expression was puzzled. “You’re not doing anything weird, but lately I’ve just gotten this feeling…I don’t know. I want
to make sure you’re happy here.”

Kallie forced a smile. “Of course, Nicole. You guys have been so amazing to me.” Why not just tell her the truth? Kallie wondered. But she didn’t
want to have that kind of conversation with Nicole when she was celebrating Riley’s homecoming.

“Maybe you should take the afternoon and evening off, Kallie.”

“No, please, I want to help out.”

Nicole laughed. “You work too hard. Besides, Red and I are both home and we’re going to be doing everything for Riley right now. You’ll be bored
stiff. Why don’t you go do something fun?”

Kallie didn’t want to admit that she had absolutely nothing to do, so she just agreed, as if it were a wonderful favor Nicole was doing for her, even
though she was actually dreading the void she now had to fill.

“Thanks, Nicole,” she said, grinning like this was the best news she’d heard all day. “I really appreciate it.”

What am I supposed to do with all this time off? She thought, and a ripple of fear went through her body.

“You can take the car if you want,” Nicole told her.

And then, like a flash, Kallie had an idea. She’d been meaning to return the necklace that Hunter had given her as a symbol of their relationship.
After all, it might be expensive and she certainly didn’t need the thing anymore. Besides, she hated having it so close by all the time.

It was currently sitting in the top dresser drawer, and sometimes at night she thought about putting it on again, feeling the weight of it against her
chest.

It was time to give the necklace back. And with all this time to kill, she figured it might do her good to drive the necklace to the castle and leave it in
his mailbox.

What if he sees you coming? He has a view of the entire hillside.

She told herself that in all likelihood, Hunter wasn’t even home right now. He was a busy guy with film projects and all kinds of other stuff. He could
be working in his office, writing his book.

Or he could be in his basement with that woman.

Whatever the case, it wasn’t likely he’d happen to be watching the road to his house, and so she’d have plenty of time to simply stop and drop the
necklace in his mailbox.

It would be cathartic. Maybe it would knock her out of this funk she seemed to be in the last few days.

Decided on her course of action, Kallie experienced a surge of energy and optimism. She went to her bedroom and grabbed the necklace from her
dresser. Just holding it in her hand—the smoothness and coolness of it against her skin—was somehow comforting.

The thought of leaving it at Hunter’s house was momentarily disconcerting. She realized that she had some kind of attachment to the necklace still.

That’s why I need to do this now. I need to make a statement, get closure, and

move on.

Kallie left the house a few minutes later, not bothering to do her hair or makeup.

She wasn’t going to be seeing anyone—this wasn’t a social call.

On the car ride, Kallie played loud, aggressive music and sang at the top of her lungs. She was full of adrenaline and confidence in her decision.
She was feeling almost happy for the first time in what seemed like ages.

But when she first caught sight of the castle looming at the top of the hill again, everything changed. A wave of apprehension rolled over her,
drenching her in fear and anxiety.

It was like being underwater.

The house was a shadowy presence above her as she started ascending the hill, and it felt like someone inside was looking down at her, laughing
and laughing.

All of her good humor was gone. Now, Kallie was simply grim faced with determination, driving upwards at a sharp angle, feeling like she might
simply fall backwards off the face of the earth.

When she finally reached the top, she was so nervous that she came within seconds of turning around and going home without ever delivering the
necklace.

“Calm down,” she said aloud, but that made things seem even worse.

Talking to oneself was what crazy, desperate people did, she thought.

Get yourself together, Kallie.

Eventually, determination won out and Kallie slowly drove the final few yards to Hunter’s castle.

When she arrived, she was surprised to see two cars in the driveway that she didn’t even recognize. At first, she reasoned that Hunter might have
bought something new, but then she decided it was unlikely. After all, neither vehicle was quite flashy enough for his tastes.

Those cars belonged to someone else. One of them likely belonged to the woman who was staying with him.

That thought gave Kallie a strong twinge of jealousy, which she pushed away.

She rolled down her window as she pulled up to his mailbox. Either way, she thought, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to quickly get rid of this piece of
junk that he tried to make me believe meant something, and then I’m going to drive away from this haunted house as quickly as I can.

She took the necklace in hand and opened the mailbox.

Now put it in, she told herself.

That’s when she heard the man screaming.

“Open the fucking door, Scarlett, or so help me God I’m going to kick it in.”

The man’s voice was powerful and deep, and immediately her skin broke into gooseflesh.

Kallie held onto the necklace as she craned her neck to see who was yelling. Just around the corner, she could see the shadow of a man. The
shadow was large, but that might just be the effect of the angle of the sun, Kallie thought.

But then he backed slightly away from the house and she saw that he was, indeed, large and as frightening as he sounded.

No, he was even worse.

The man was big, bulky, with shaggy brown hair and a goatee. He wore baggy jeans, construction boots, and a flannel shirt rolled up to the elbows.
He must have been well over six feet and two hundred pounds. He was shielding his eyes from the sun and staring up at the terrace. “Come down
here, Scarlett. I’m dead serious. Don’t make me knock the shit out of you.”

Kallie put the phone to her ear and started dialing 911, but didn’t get the chance to complete the call.

Just then, the large man spotted her. He was probably ten or fifteen yards away, but it felt like much less.

“Hey, what are you doing?” he said, with a note of alarm mixed in with his anger.

Kallie took the chance to be the aggressor. Show no fear, she told herself, or this will end badly.

“I just called the police,” she lied, the quiver in her voice betraying her frayed nerves. “They’re on their way.”

The man stared across at her, as if trying to determine the likelihood that she was lying, and whether or not he was fast enough to get to her car in
the meantime. “You fucking bitch.”

She smiled at him, despite the hammering of her heart in her chest. “Tell it to the cops when they get here. I’m sure they’ll be sympathetic to your
hatred of women.”

He grinned back at her, but his smile had all the friendliness of a hammerhead shark. “That’s all right, baby. I can see your license plate as good as
you can see mine.”

He glanced up at the terrace again and squinted, seeming not to find what he was hoping for. Then he muttered something inaudible, got in his car,
and started to leave.

Kallie’s heart was already racing, but it sped faster when the man slowed down as he exited the driveway. He was probably just a foot or two away
from her now, and plenty of time to get out and do whatever he wanted to do to her.

He rolled down his window and spat. Kallie moved out of the way just in time, as his spittle splashed the side of her car and some even landed on
the seat close to her head.

“You another one of his skanks?” he asked.

She didn’t even respond.

“I’ll see you around,” he said. “Don’t you worry.” And then he sped off, leaving a cloud of dust and the smell of burnt rubber.

Kallie breathed a deep sigh of relief and put her cell phone back into her purse as she heard his engine fading into the distance.

She was shaking, really shaking in a way that she hadn’t done before. That was the closest she’d ever come to truly feeling as though her life might
be in danger.

Who the hell was that guy? She wondered.

Kallie grabbed some tissues from her purse and wiped the spittle off her seat. Just looking at it and knowing it came from that man made her
wrinkle her nose.

“Hey, are you okay?” a woman’s voice called from nearby, startling Kallie so much that she actually jumped in her seat.

Kallie looked up to see the front door open and the dark haired woman from the bar coming down the path toward the car. She was dressed in
trendy blue sweatpants and a little t-shirt that showed plenty of cleavage and even some belly as she jogged toward Kallie’s car.

“I’m okay, it’s fine,” Kallie said, trying to laugh it off.

“What did you say to get rid of Terrence?”

That guy did not look like a Terrence, Kallie thought. He looked like maybe a Bubba or a Frank—but definitely not a Terrence.

“I told him I’d called the police and they were on their way,” Kallie told her.

The woman’s eyes widened. “Are they?”

Kallie shook her head. “No, but I probably should call them. He was threatening you—and me.”

“Please, don’t. I’ve called them before and they don’t do anything.”

Kallie was skeptical, but kept her mouth shut. “Okay, it’s your life.”

“Thanks for doing that. You were very brave,” she said. “My name’s Scarlett.”

“I’m Kallie,” she said, trying to smile, but not quite making it.

Scarlett nodded. “I remember you. From that restaurant.”

“Yup. That’s me.” She tried again to smile. No go. “Anyway, I should probably head out if you’re okay and you don’t think he’s coming back.”

“I’m okay. And I really appreciate it.” Scarlett smiled at her, and Kallie had to admit that the girl had a beautiful smile. It brightened her entire face.

“No worries,” Kallie told her, and started to put her car into drive.

“Hey, I should explain what’s been going on with me and Terrence,” Scarlett said.

“I owe you an explanation.”

“No, thanks,” Kallie told her.

“But if you’re mad at Hunter—“

“I’m not mad at Hunter. And I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m not interested in hearing all the gory details about you and Terrence and why he’s angry
that you’re staying here with another man.”

Scarlett shook her head. “Listen, if you’d give me a chance to tell you the whole story…”

“I don’t want to know the whole story. The less I know, the better for everyone,”

she said. She was finished with trying to dig up the details of Hunter’s life, let alone the details of the women he was sleeping with. This was just the
cherry on top, as far as Kallie was concerned.

She didn’t need any more signs from the universe. This last one had been a doozy.

Scarlett seemed to finally accept Kallie’s decision. She pursed her lips and shrugged. “Okay. Well…nice meeting you, I guess.”

“There is one thing,” Kallie said, suddenly. She held the necklace out the window, her arm extended. “Can you please give this to Hunter for me?
Tell him I wanted to make sure he got it back.”

Scarlett took the necklace uncertainly. She looked at it, and her expression was unreadable. “Okay.” She looked up again at Kallie. “I’ll pass it
along.”

“Thanks.”

There was nothing more to say and she left.

***

The next few days passed without incident, other than a vivid nightmare in which Terrence decided not to believe Kallie’s story about calling the
cops, and instead called her bluff.

Kallie had awoken just as Terrence’s large hands had closed around her throat and cut off her oxygen completely. Gasping for air, she’d been
grateful to find herself home in her nice, safe bed, as far away from Hunter’s castle as was humanly possible.

That was the one sour note in an otherwise happy period of time at the Jameson household.

Baby Riley was doing great—she had a huge appetite and was actually sleeping enough to keep them all sane. Kallie got up with her around six in
the morning, since Nicole usually did two feedings in the night and needed to rest.

Other than that, her job was to help Nicole with whatever she needed, watch Riley when Nicole was resting or if she and Red wanted to take some
time together.

It was a nice, quiet routine, if a little dull at times.

Kallie was bound and determined not to continue obsessing about Hunter—so much so that she took up going to the gym every day for an hour.

One day, while she was on the elliptical, a man got on the machine next to her and started working out.

He was a good-looking guy around her age, with broad shoulders and light brown hair, fashioned into a crew cut. He wore sleek black shorts and a
black tank top that revealed a great set of biceps.

The funny part was that he’s propped a magazine up on the dashboard of the machine, and he was reading an article about The Kardashians.

Kallie couldn’t help but smile as she glanced over and saw what he was reading so intently.

He looked over and caught her staring. Immediately, a grin appeared on his inordinately handsome face. “Hey, it was the only magazine I had
around the house.”

Kallie nodded, aware that she’d been on the machine for nearly forty minutes and was sweating up a storm. “But the real question is, why did you
have it in your house in the first place?”

The guy grimaced. He was breathing heavily, but still very much able to talk as though he wasn’t moving at an incredibly brisk pace. “Shit. I have no
good answer for that. I guess I have a thing for The Kardashians. I probably shouldn’t admit that to a complete stranger.”

“I guess I’m not a complete stranger now that I know your deep, dark secret,” she smiled.

He gave her a longer look, and his brown eyes were kind, maybe even interested.

Am I flirting? She asked herself.

Maybe I am. And what’s wrong with that?

“My name’s Levi,” he said. “Since we’re no longer strangers, I figure you should at least know my name.”

Kallie nodded, took a deep breath that was more than just from her workout. “I’m Kallie,” she told him.

“Beautiful name,” he replied.

“As beautiful as Kim Kardashian?”

He thought about it. “Close. Maybe. I need time to think about it.”

Kallie laughed. Okay, so he was good looking and he had a sense of humor. She was even feeling the tiny stirrings of butterflies in her stomach.
“Okay, well get back to me when you’ve made your decision,” she told him, powering down her elliptical. She’d already been on the thing for ten
minutes longer than usual.

Toweling her face and arms, Kallie grabbed her keys and water and shot Levi another quick smile as she stepped off the machine.

He gave her a tiny wave but kept diligently doing his workout as she went to the other side of the gym to do her weights routine.

Kallie was on a high after the exchange. It felt like a big deal, even though she knew it was just some harmless conversation. She sat down and
started doing the shoulder press machine.

When she got to a break between her second and third sets, she had to refill her water bottle, and it just so happened that Levi got in line behind
her at the water fountain.

“Hey,” he said. “We keep running into each other.”

“Seems like it,” she agreed, filling her bottle.

“You know, I was thinking about that Kardashian question.”

“It’s a tough one.”

“Maybe I’d be able to figure it out if I got to know you better.”

“Maybe.” She felt color blooming on her cheeks. Her bottle started overflowing and she moved away from the fountain.

Levi was grinning at her. “You have time for a cup of coffee or something? Tea?

Scones?”

“When? Now?”

“No time like the present. Besides, I always get coffee after I’ve just spent an hour sweating in the gym.”

“Somehow I find that hard to believe.”

He shrugged. “Care to join me?”

She hesitated. What would Hunter think if he knew?

That thought alone made her angry enough with herself to immediately agree.

“Absolutely, I’d love to join you,” she said.

“Awesome. Want to meet out front in like five minutes? I need to change and have a quick shower.”

“Sure.” Luckily, she had a change of clothes in her gym bag, so she could take a shower too—even though she normally waited until getting home to
do so.

Kallie went and took a very quick shower, wondering what this coffee date actually meant. Was he the kind of guy she could truly be interested in, or
was it just a way to try and convince herself she was over Hunter?

In the end, maybe it didn’t matter, Kallie decided. All that mattered was that she try and do new things and take control of her life again.

When Kallie walked outside, Levi was waiting for her. He looked even better now, dressed in slim jeans and a light green long sleeve shirt,
sunglasses perched on top of his head. “Want to just walk there?” he asked, pointing down the street. “It’s only about a block from here.”

“I’m game,” Kallie said, and off they went.

It was strange, walking with someone who wasn’t Hunter. Levi had a totally different energy. He was light, engaging, witty, and she sensed none of
the darkness that Hunter typically gave off. At the same time, she wondered about the chemistry—could Levi make her feel the kinds of things that
Hunter had made her feel?

Stop overanalyzing, Kallie scolded herself. Just enjoy.

Once they got into the coffee shop, Levi walked with her to the register. The girl who worked there asked him for his order, smiling shyly.

“Large iced coffee, shot of vanilla. And my new friend here…” he turned and looked at her. “What do you want, Kallie?”

“I’ll just have a small cappuccino.”

“There you have it, small cappuccino,” he said.

The girl nodded and rang up the order. “I got this,” Levi said, before Kallie could reach for any money. And then he paid, tipping the girl two bucks
on top of the order.

They went and sat down at a small table by the window.

Levi gazed out the window for a bit. Kallie watched him, wondering what he was thinking. For a brief moment, his expression changed and she
wondered if she’d misjudged him. There was a hardness underneath the humor and lightness, she thought.

But then the feeling passed and he turned and smiled at her again. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

Kallie shook her head. “How can you tell?”

He shrugged. “You don’t have the accent, and you’re way too friendly.”

“Stop it,” she laughed.

“I’m serious. Striking up a conversation with a woman at the gym is like seeing Haley’s Comet.”

“Do you often try to strike up conversations with women at the gym?”

He pointed at her. “That’s a trick question. I object.”

“Overruled.”

“Iced coffee shot of vanilla, cappuccino,” the barista called out.

“That’s us,” he said, rising.

“How convenient,” Kallie said.

She watched him as he went and grabbed their coffees, making a quick comment that made the girl laugh behind the counter.

Kallie wondered whether Levi really was just one of those ultra gregarious people, or if he was truly interested in her.

He sat back down a moment later with their drinks.

She blew on her coffee, while he sipped his. “So,” he said. “Enough about my gym habits. Tell me about you, Kallie.” His dark eyes focused on her.

“Well, what do you want to know, exactly?”

“Surprise me. You know my deep secret love affair with the Kardashian clan. I think I’m only entitled to hear your deep secret in return.”

Kallie hesitated. For some reason, his comment about secrets made her think of Hunter’s basement. She suddenly had a vivid remembrance of
herself, naked, tied to that pulley system. Sweat dripping down between her breasts, heat between her legs.

“Kallie?” he asked, waving a hand. “I think I lost you.”

She blinked. “Oh, sorry,” she said, feeling flustered. “I just realized that I actually need to leave in a minute or two. I’m a nanny, and…”

“Oh, a nanny. That’s cool.”

“Yeah. It’s a really good job. What do you do?”

“Right now I’m in grad school full-time, studying to be a Special Education teacher.”

“That’s amazing,” Kallie said.

Levi smiled. “Thanks. I’m really passionate about it.”

“Sorry about leaving so soon,” Kallie told him, getting up. She didn’t know what was wrong exactly, but she suddenly needed to get out of there.

“I’ll walk you back to your car.”

“Sure. Thanks.”

They walked back to the gym parking lot, Levi sipping his coffee and talking about grad school and the kind of work he was hoping to get when he
graduated.

Kallie was finally starting to calm down after feeling so rattled back in the coffee shop. She decided that she actually liked Levi. How much, she
wasn’t sure just yet. But he was nice and open and funny.

“This is my car,” Kallie said, stopping. “Actually, it’s my boss’s car.”

“Hey, well—I’d love to do this again,” Levi told her. “Can I get your number before you go?”

“Absolutely,” she said, surprised at his forwardness and happy all at once.

Levi pulled out his iPhone and took down her phone number. When he was done, he grinned. “Mind if I send you a quick text right now to test it out?”

She laughed. “Sure. Why not?”

He typed something and hit send. A moment later she received it. “I’ll read it when I get home,” she said.

“Okay. Bye, Kallie. It was really nice meeting you.” He waved as she got in her car and started it.

Then she began driving home. But on the way, she got too distracted wondering what he’d texted her, so she pulled over and took out her phone.

He’d written two short sentences.

Between you and Kim K? I choose you every time.

***

Kallie felt like she’d turned a corner. But the happy times couldn’t last forever.

One morning a couple of days after meeting Levi, while Kallie was out on the veranda with Riley—Red came outside.

He smiled at the baby and cooed and did some goofy baby talk, which was funny because it was coming from Red Jameson.

Then he straightened up, folding his arms and staring out at his property.

Kallie thought he looked not just preoccupied—but rather haggard, as if he hadn’t been sleeping.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, gently rocking Riley as the baby gurgled and closed her eyes.

Red gave a noncommittal grunt. “It depends on how you look at it.”

“That’s mysterious.” Kallie glanced up at him.

“Well, things are going to be getting interesting around here.”

“Interesting? Like in what way?”

His smile faded. “I got an email from Kane Wright yesterday,” Red told her. He stared out at the grounds as he spoke. “It seems my mother’s been
in touch with the tabloid that Kane owns. She’s trying to throw me under the bus yet again—publicly this time.”

“What did she tell them?” Kallie asked, her heart starting to race as she thought about what something like that would do to Nicole.

“She said she had a sex tape and was interested in negotiating price.” He snorted.

“My mother’s always been good at knowing how to hit me where it hurts. But I guess she’s not quite smart enough to realize that my friend owns the
damn website.”

“Is he going to get it back for you?”

Red nodded. “Kane’s already paid her off to try and get her to send him what she has. I can only hope she doesn’t have copies shipping out to
every other major tabloid as we speak.”

Kallie was stunned. “I’m sure she didn’t make copies,” she said. “I mean, she’s older and probably doesn’t know how easy it is to copy a DVD.” But
remembering Erica Jameson and the crazy look of anger in her eyes, the predatory intelligence—Kallie suspected she might be crafty enough to
keep at least one copy as insurance.

Red nodded, but Kallie didn’t think her words had given him much comfort.

“Anyway, the reason I’m telling you all of this is because I’ve invited my mother and father to the house tonight. It’s going to mean some extra work
for you, since they’ll be staying a couple of days.”

Kallie squinted in confusion. “Wait. What?”

Red smiled at her puzzlement. “I know the timing is strange, but believe me—

there’s a reason for everything I do.”

“But you just said your mother’s trying to throw you under the bus—she’s blackmailing you. Why on earth would you bring her back into your house?”

“I suppose you’ve never read The Art of War by Sun Tzu,” he said. “But I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, ‘keep your friends close and your enemies
closer.’”

Kallie shook her head. “I don’t know. That sounds like a dangerous way to live, if you ask me.”

“It is. But if you’re a fireman, sometimes you have to go into a burning house, be near the flames, smell the smoke, maybe even get burned—if you
want to stop it.”

“What’s Nicole going to say about it?”

“She won’t like it, but she’ll trust me to take care of things. That’s what I do.”

Kallie nodded uncertainly. “Well, it seems like you’ve made your decision.”

“I have.” Red’s eyebrows lowered and his eyes hardened. “Remember, my mother has no idea that I know about that DVD. She doesn’t know
Nicole told me about it, and she certainly doesn’t realize that I’m friends with Kane Wright.”

“But do you really want her in your house?”

“That’s not the question,” he replied. “The question is how well I know her, and I think I know her well enough to make the most of this opportunity.”

And with that enigmatic but vaguely threatening remark, he left the veranda and went back inside.

***

Later that day, Nicole and Red were clearly fighting.

Kallie was busy around the house, setting up for this bizarre family reunion. She hadn’t realized—until Nicole mentioned it—that Erica Jameson had
been divorced from Red’s father for years and years. They’d separated when Red was three years old.

Kallie kept her mouth shut as she worked to get the house clean and in order, but she didn’t have a clue why Red would want to bring his divorced
parents together under the same roof as his newborn baby. Especially since he was aware of the fact that his mother was actively trying to destroy
his life.

Did he think that this would appease Erica in some way?

Was this some bizarre childhood dream of recreating a happy family that never really existed?

She didn’t know, but she wasn’t exactly looking forward to seeing the results of Red’s experiment.

And Nicole wasn’t either. Kallie hadn’t been around for the conversation when Red had explained his plan to her, but it couldn’t have gone very well,
judging by the results.

All day long, Nicole was unnaturally quiet—sullen and sarcastic.

She wasn’t even being very nice to Kallie.

Everyone in the house seemed to be on edge, and it only got worse as the sun started to set and it got closer and closer to the time when the
“guests” would be arriving.

At around five-thirty, there was a call from the front gate.

“Dad’s on his way,” Red announced.

“Great,” Nicole said, rolling her eyes. “Let’s roll out the red carpet.”

“Nicole, take it easy,” Red said.

“Don’t tell me what to do. Not tonight.”

He sighed in frustration. Then he looked to Kallie. “I’m going to be depending on you the next day or two. Don’t get rattled, no matter what happens.”

“I’ll do my best,” Kallie replied.

“We’ll all be good little soldiers, don’t you worry,” Nicole said.

Red looked at both of them, ignoring Nicole’s sarcasm. “Dad can be a little strange,” he said. “Just a word of warning. I haven’t seen him in years,
but if he’s anything like he was the last time I saw him…well…let’s just say that he can be a bit eccentric.”

As if in response to his warning, the doorbell chimed loudly. Kallie went to answer the door, but Red stopped her. “I’ll get it,” he said. He walked to
the front door and she heard him answering it.

She expected the usual sounds of a son and father reuniting after time apart. Loud voices, laughter, remarks about how the other looked. But there
was nothing, just some low guttural grunting exchanges. And then Red led his father into the kitchen for introductions.

His father was shorter than Red, with dark, curly hair, and a big, rather unkempt beard. He was like the polar opposite of Red, Kallie decided. As
much as Red was slick and put together, his dad seemed to have just woken up and thrown on some dirty looking clothes, not bothering to shave or
even comb his hair.

He wasn’t particularly fit, although he had a certain brute strength to his appearance. He wore patched jeans and a denim jacket that couldn’t have
been made any later than 1995. A green army duffel bag was slung over one shoulder.

He nodded at Kallie. “You must be Nicole,” he said, coming toward her with his hand out. “You’re even more beautiful than I imagined.”

Kallie blushed and shook her head. “No, no—“

Red grimaced. “Dad, that’s our nanny, Kallie. Nicole is right here.”

His father made a face. “A nanny? What do you need one of those for?”

Nicole came around the counter to shake hands with Red’s dad. “So nice to finally meet you Mister Jameson,” she said.

“Call me Ray,” he said, shaking her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Nicole.”

And then silence descended on the room. It was as if they’d been conversing for hours and hours, and finally run out of interesting topics. Only,
they’d all just met seconds ago. The awkwardness was palpable.

“Did you drive in?” Kallie said, just to break the tension.

Ray spun and nodded. “I did. I drove from my farm in Vermont. It’s about five and a half hours. Not too bad, actually.”

“Oh, you live on a farm?” Kallie said. “That must be beautiful.”

He nodded. “It’s no mansion in Connecticut, but it does me just fine.”

She couldn’t tell if he was joking or not, so Kallie just smiled.

“Dad, want to bring your bag to your bedroom?” Red asked.

“Sure. I was figuring I’d sleep in one bedroom and I could go number two in another room entirely. I mean, why else have two dozen rooms if you
can’t shit in a different bathroom each day, right?”

“You can have as many rooms as you require,” Red replied, and escorted him down the hallway.

When they were gone, Nicole looked at Kallie and made a face. “I keep telling myself it’s only going to be a couple of days.”

Just then, Kallie felt a buzz in her pocket. She took out her cell phone. It was a text from Levi.

Watching Keeping up with the Kardashians and thinking of u. what r u up to?

Kallie smiled as she read it.

“Hunter?” Nicole asked, and then caught herself. “Sorry. None of my business.”

Kallie put the phone back in her pocket. “No, it’s…just my brother. Something silly.”

Nicole nodded, and raised her eyebrows, as if that explained everything.

***

Over the next few hours, Ray had gotten a tour of the entire house. He and Red had done the walk of the property by themselves, and it had taken
well over an hour and a half.

Meanwhile, Kallie and Nicole were busy prepping dinner.

“Where’s Chef Roland when you need him?” Nicole said, as she breaded the chicken breasts beside Kallie.

“Nicole, why don’t you go sit and relax in the living room? I’ve got this covered.”

“No way,” Nicole said, shaking her head side to side. “I’m making this dinner.

I’m not going to let you do this all on your own. Besides, there’s nothing I’d rather do than cook an amazing meal for the woman who sent me my
husband’s sex tape.”

Kallie cringed and looked around. Luckily, Red and Ray were nowhere in sight.

“Isn’t Erica a little suspicious that you’ve invited her to the house after she sent you that DVD?”

“I’m pretty sure she thinks I kept it to myself, and now I’m trying to win her over because I’m terrified of her,” she confided.

Not long after, the doorbell rang, signaling Erica Jameson’s arrival.

“Oh, who could it be now?” Nicole called out in a singsong voice.

“I’ll get it,” Kallie replied. “You tend to the chicken cutlets.”

“Aye aye, captain,” Nicole said, pretending to salute.

Kallie looked back at her, wondering if Nicole was getting loopy from the stress of everything.

This was turning into a disaster of epic proportions.

When she finally opened the front door, Kallie found Erica Jameson was standing there with three chic pieces of luggage sitting beside her. “Well,
hello,” she said, her cold eyes piercing Kallie with a total lack of warmth. “I didn’t expect to be greeted by the maid.”

“I’m not the maid, I’m the nanny.”

Erica waved her off, walking inside. “Could you attend to my bags, please? I’ve had a long and exhausting flight and drive.”

“Oh, of course, ma’am,” Kallie replied, trying keep herself from being overtly rude.

Nicole was right, Kallie thought. Erica believed she’d beaten Nicole into submission with that sex tape threat.

“Where’s my son?” Erica demanded.

“I believe he’s with…” Kallie caught herself, as she reached down to grab Erica’s luggage. The last thing she wanted to do was blow the “surprise”
that Erica’s ex-husband was currently on the premises.

“I believe Red’s in the game room,” was all she said.

“No matter how mature he supposedly becomes, Red is still a little boy at heart.

All men are the same.” Erica glanced at her, as Kallie hefted the bags. “You should keep that in mind if you intend on marrying,” Erica continued.

“I will, ma’am.”

Erica snorted, walking through the foyer. “No you won’t. Nobody ever listens to their elders anymore.”

“Would you like me to bring these to your room?”

“Please do. And I’d like my room to be one furthest away from any noise. I don’t enjoy being woken up by any frivolities or hanky-panky that goes on
around here.”

She eventually made it to Erica’s room with all her baggage. By this time, Kallie was sweating and disheveled. Erica glanced around as Kallie

dropped the suitcases to the floor. “It’s amazing,” Erica said, her eyes narrowed with critical disapproval. “With all of that money they can’t do more
to make this feel like something other than a Holiday Inn.”

“Well, I love the Holiday Inn,” Kallie said.

Erica gave her a glance of dismay. “Good for you, dear. When is dinner going to be served?”

“I’m not sure, but probably within the hour.”

Erica nodded. “Have my son come and see me as soon as possible. Run along now.”

Kallie smiled, feeling as though Erica expected her to curtsy before she took her leave. Red’s mother seemed to be under the impression that they
had gone back to the times of kings and queens and aristocracy. Clearly, the woman fancied herself a noblewoman and Kallie was simply another
peasant to order around.

She left the room, feeling relieved to be out of the witch’s presence. After all, that was the word that best described Erica Jameson.

Witch.

Kallie found Red and his father playing a game of pool. Ray had already been drinking, and seemed strangely excited to be reunited with his ex-
wife.

He kept joking that the last time they’d spoken, Erica had threatened to jump out her fourth story window.

“But that was at least fifteen years ago,” Ray chuckled, “so she’s probably mellowed some.”

They all left the game room together and headed to see Erica.

As they were walking, Kallie felt another buzz in her pocket. She knew that it was probably another funny text from Levi. Smiling in advance, Kallie
pulled out her cell and looked at it.

But the text message wasn’t from Levi—it was from Hunter.

We need to talk.

She stopped walking momentarily and stared at her phone. Her hands began to shake.

Part of her desperately wanted to respond, to tell him that she wanted to talk, too.

But no—that would undo all her hard work and effort to get on a new path.

And what about Levi? Sure, they’d just met, but he seemed nice and genuinely interested in her.

In any case, she didn’t have time to deal with this right now. Kallie put her phone away again.

She ran and caught up to Red and his dad, just as they arrived at the guest room which had been given over to Red’s mother.

Red knocked lightly on the door.

“Who is it?” came the voice from inside.

“It’s me, Red,” Red said loudly.

And then the door swung open and Ray and Erica came face to face with one another. All the color drained out of Erica’s face in that instant, and
her jaw seemed to come almost unhinged. “Ray?”

“Erica,” Ray said. “Been a while. Surprise, I guess.”

Kallie didn’t know whether Erica was just going to slam the door in their faces.

In that quiet moment after Red’s dad spoke, anything could have happened. And then, shockingly, Erica smiled more genuinely than Kallie would
have thought possible.

“How are you, Ray?”

Ray opened his arms and Erica came forward, and the two of them embraced warmly. “I’m great, Erica. I’m just great.”

They hugged for a long time.

Red gave Kallie an impenetrable look. Was he happy at their reunion—had he hoped for his mother to slap his father and run for the hills?

She couldn’t tell.

“I think dinner should be ready any minute,” Red announced. “We can talk over some food.”

They broke off their hug, still looking at one another and smiling. Erica reached out and touched Ray’s hair. “You’ve got some gray there, Mister.”

He laughed. “That’s what happens when you get old, Misses.”

“Shall we?” Red asked, and started walking.

“Oh, I guess we’re on a schedule,” Erica said, and Ray chuckled loudly. “Looks like the boy means to keep us on track. Well lead on, Gunga Din!”

Red glanced back, but kept walking, and now they were all heading back to the kitchen area.

They arrived in the kitchen, where Nicole was sweating away beside the stove.

Kallie ran over to assist her. “Sorry I left you. What can I help with?”

“Could you grab the dressing from the refrigerator? It’s in the right compartment next to the milk.”

“Sure.” Kallie went to the fridge.

Everyone was chatting now, although Erica and Nicole had pointedly not greeted each other yet.

“If you want to wait in the dining room, dinner will be served in just a few minutes,” Nicole said.

As Ray and Erica followed Red out of the kitchen, Nicole turned to Kallie. “They seem to be getting along like old college friends.”

Kallie placed the dressing next to the tossed salad in the large wooden bowl. “It was pretty strange. Erica was shocked to see him, but there didn’t
appear to be any hard feelings between them as far as I could tell.”

Nicole shook her head. “I don’t know what the point of all this is.”

“Do you think he’s going to do something rash?”

Nicole shrugged. “He won’t tell me anything, other than the fact that by keeping an eye on Erica, at least he knows she’s not stabbing him in the
back.”

Eventually, they brought the food to the table, and then everyone began to eat.

The mood at dinner was odd to say the least, Kallie thought.

For the most part, Ray and Erica had taken over and were immersed in their own little world. They talked about the past, mostly.

“Remember that little car you used to drive around in when I first met you?” Erica asked Ray, giggling like a schoolgirl.

“I do. It was a little beat up Volkswagen Bug. Yellow as piss. I picked you up in that on our first date and you nearly walked away and pretended you
didn’t know who I was.”

Erica laughed. “I loved that Bug as much as you did.”

Ray shook his head. “Nobody loved that car as much as I did, Erica.”

“Eventually the doors were falling off and you started holding it together with duct tape.” Erica turned to Red. Her eyes were bright and shining, and
she looked truly happy. “Remember that, Red?”

Red nodded as he cut a piece of chicken. “Sure I do. Dad used to pick me and Jeb up in that car for weekends.”

Ray nodded, but some of the smile had left his face. “Weekends. That’s all he remembers. It’s too bad, aint it, Erica?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t kick you out, Ray.”

He smiled and chewed some of his food before responding. “You didn’t have to.”

Erica leaned forward suddenly. “Didn’t the door eventually fall off right on the highway? You nearly killed someone with that crazy thing!”

“That’s true,” Ray said, somewhat bashfully. And then the two of them were laughing so hard, that neither could speak for a minute for two.

It was the Ray and Erica show, Kallie thought, and they positively loved it.

After dinner, Nicole fed Riley and then brought her downstairs to the living room, so Erica and Ray could hold the baby.

Kallie worked on cleaning up the dining room and kitchen. As she worked, she wondered why Hunter had suddenly texted her out of nowhere.

You can’t text him back. You have to stay strong, no matter what. He’s no good

for you.

Still, there was a feeling that wouldn’t quite subside—a feeling of pain, a deep and unrelenting sense of loss. Maybe it was just the loss of “what
might have been.”

But if Hunter had wanted a real relationship, he would have attempted to create one instead of undermining every opportunity Kallie had given him.

It was that simple, wasn’t it? Kallie thought about Ray and Erica, two people who still clearly had feelings for one another, even after all these years
apart. Maybe whatever chemistry two people had, it never really died. Maybe it was like a fire where embers still glowed, just needing to be stoked.

Maybe the idea that she could just put Hunter behind her was a farce, and he would always be there, haunting her thoughts and dreams.

***

The next morning, Kallie was up early. She hadn’t slept great, and the thought of spending another day watching the Erica and Ray show was
making her feel more tired than she already was.

When she checked her phone in the morning, there were three texts.

One was from Levi.

It said:

Will u be at the gym tomorrow? Coffee after?

The other two were from Hunter.

Kallie please talk to me.

That one had come in at just before two a.m. Around four o’clock in the morning, another text had been sent from his number.

I have some things I need to say to you.

She almost sent him a reply. Her fingers literally hovered over her cell phone, and she almost typed that first letter which surely would have
cascaded into a response.

But then she swore under her breath and left the phone on the bed, walking out of the room faster than if there’d been a ghost in it.

As she leaving her room, she caught sight of something interesting.

At first, she just heard noises from down the hall.

A door opening and then low murmuring voices. It sounded like Red’s mother and father speaking softly, but she couldn’t hear exactly what they
were saying.

Kallie stood by her door, straining to listen.

A few seconds later, the door shut and then she heard footsteps. Kallie went back into her own room but peeked out into the hallway. Ray Jameson
was coming down the hall, dressed in nothing but boxers and a t-shirt. His hair was disheveled. He was carrying his previous night’s clothing in one
hand, as he opened the door to his own room and stepped inside.

He hadn’t seen Kallie watching him.

It certainly appeared as though he’d spent the night in Erica’s room, Kallie thought. Two old lovers reconnecting could be sweet and romantic, or it
could be a recipe for trouble.

Kallie had a notion which kind of situation this was.

A little while later, Kallie helped Nicole cook breakfast. They made omelets to order.

Erica had emerged from her room wearing a beautiful dressed that showed off a pretty decent figure for someone her age. She’d put on some
makeup and she was positively glowing.

It was as if she’d become a totally different person, Kallie marveled. Gone was the biting, caustic sarcasm from the previous day. Now she was
almost comically polite.

The smile glued to Erica’s face seemed as though it had been painted on, and yet, she must have been happy in some way.

That’s how a witch looks when she thinks she’s won, Kallie thought.

Ray, in his own way, also seemed content, though he was more understated about it. Dressed in denim again, he drank his coffee sitting beside
Erica and making small talk, but he was at ease.

After breakfast, Red, Nicole and his parents decided to take a trip into New York for the day. Kallie stayed home with Riley and was thankful to have
some time away from the madness.

***

Sometime just before noon, the security phone rang.

She got up and answered it.

“I have a Hunter Reardon at the front gate, ma’am,” the security guard told her.

“Should I let him through?”

Kallie hesitated. Her throat was tight and her breath came in short little gasps.

Why was he here? What could he possibly want?

Maybe it had something to do with Terrence. Maybe she was actually in some kind of danger. The thought frightened her.

“Ma’am? Are you there?”

She sputtered. “Oh. Sorry. Yes, let him through. Thank you.”

“Certainly.” The security guard hung up and Kallie ran to the bathroom to check herself in the mirror.

Then she went outside to wait for him.

Luckily, Riley had gone down for a nap again, so at least she’d be able to focus on Hunter and not worry about the baby on top of everything else.

A few minutes later, Hunter pulled up on his motorcycle. Just seeing him again nearly knocked her off her feet. She’d forgotten how powerfully
attracted she was to him.

Hunter removed his helmet and rested it on the seat of his bike, then walked over to where Kallie waited.

He ran a hand through his hair as he approached—his hair was sexily tousled, as if he’d planned it to be that way. “Kallie,” he said, his dark eyes
instantly sending shockwaves through her.

She folded her arms, as if to physically protect herself from her emotions. “What are you doing here?”

He stopped, not coming any closer. But he was close enough that she could easily imagine what it would be like to touch him again—to be kissed
by him once more. “I needed to see you,” he said.

“Why?”

He looked deeply wounded by her cold attitude. “You know why.”

She shook her head. “I thought I made myself very clear to you, Hunter. I can’t be involved with you anymore.”

Now he did take a step towards her. “I’ve thought a lot about everything you said, and I know you’re right. I owe you an explanation about Scarlett.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It does,” he said, his voice becoming more forceful. “She told me what you did for her—how you stood up to Terrence.”

Kallie shrugged. “Thanks to you, I now have to worry about my safety too. He told me he’d seen my license plate. How do you think that makes me
feel?”

Hunter’s jaw set. “He threatened you?”

“It doesn’t matter. It is what it is and I’m just trying my best to move on.”

Hunter smiled ruefully. “Clearly.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s only been a few days and you’re already going on dates.”

Kallie’s eyes narrowed. “I haven’t been out on any dates, Hunter.”

“Don’t lie to me, Kallie. I know you’re starting to see someone. And I can promise you that he won’t care for you nearly as much as I do.”

She was aghast. “You’ve been following me?”

“I keep an eye on you, Kallie.”

“That is insane, Hunter. I want you to leave me alone. Stop following me.”

He came even closer, now. “It’s not insane to watch out for you. Terrence is dangerous, and I needed to be sure—“

She laughed. “That isn’t why you had me followed. You’re keeping an eye on me because you’re a control freak.”

They stared at one another for a long moment and then Hunter started to smile.

His smile was disarming, and Kallie found herself wanting to break down. It would be so easy to give in, to let him take her in his strong, protective
arms—to walk with him into the house and maybe even go to her room with him.

But Riley was napping and needed to be watched, and besides—nothing had changed. He was charming, he was hot, they had so much chemistry
together, but none of that changed the basic facts.

“I care about you,” he said. “And I’m sorry I didn’t come right out and explain to you about Scarlett. She’s—“

“It’s not about her,” Kallie cried, her voice rising with the tension she felt.

“What is it about, then?” he asked.

“I need to know that you’ll stop playing these games,” she said. “No more rules and regulations—no more walls.”

“It’s not a game,” he told her. “It’s how I deal with my life.” His dark eyes pleaded with her to understand. “Don’t you think I’d change it if I could? Do
you think this is fun for me?”

“No.” She looked down. “I know that it’s not fun for you. But I can’t become a casualty of your fears and your need to control everything. I want to
come first.”

“Kallie.” He touched her chin, lifting it so that her eyes met his.

And then he was kissing her, and the spark was so undeniable, she did give in.

She let his soft, hot lips press into hers, and then his tongue.

She wanted him more than ever.

“No!” she screamed, breaking away, pushing him backwards.

He was stunned. “What? What’s wrong?”

Tears came to her eyes. “Hunter, tell me now. Will you let me in? Will you just be with me, really be with me—no strings attached?”

He stared at her, his mouth open. “Please, don’t ask me to do that. If I could be normal—“

“You can,” she yelled.

He started to back away. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. I just…I just can’t do that.”

And then he turned and went to his motorcycle, and a moment later, he was gone again.

***

By the time everyone returned home, it was evening. Laughter echoed through the house as Ray and Erica continued to dominate the conversation
with stories from their shared past.

In the living room, Kallie brought out a few bottles of wine and then they were drinking again.

Soon, the bottles were empty and Kallie was bringing more. Ray and Erica weren’t slowing down.

“Barkeep, we demand more booze!” Ray cried out, his cheeks aflame. Erica was sidled up next to him on the couch and he had his arm around
her.

“Hear, hear!” Erica said. “We want more!”

Kallie saw that they were absolutely trashed. She looked at Red for a signal. He smiled and shrugged, as if to say—what can I do? Give the people
what they want.

So Kallie went back to the wine rack and retrieved another bottle.

This was soon gone as well.

Nicole got up and told everyone she was tired and needed to go to bed. Às she was going, Kallie asked her if she thought they’d had too much to
drink.

Nicole looked positively exhausted. With heavy-lidded eyes, she nodded.

“They’re adults. They’ll pay for it tomorrow morning, I suspect.”

“I just hope they don’t get sick in the night. I’d be the one to clean up after them.”

Nicole laughed. “I don’t think that’s going to happen. I’m sure they’ll be going to bed soon enough. We’ve all had a long day.”

“Okay. Well, good night.”

“Goodnight,” Nicole said, and walked slowly upstairs.

Kallie returned to the party that was raging in the other room. Red was sitting, watching his parents talk and laugh and drink. His expression was
bemused, but beneath that was a watchfulness that Kallie found disconcerting.

It was as if he’d only pretended to party, when in reality he was stone cold sober.

“That bottle’s getting light, Kallie,” Red told her. “Let’s bring out another.”

She gave him a concerned look. “Are you sure?”

“Of course he’s sure—he’s a goddamn Jameson, isn’t he?” Ray yelled, laughing once more.

Erica joined in.

Kallie brought more wine.

Eventually, she was too tired to continue serving them, and she asked Red if it was all right for her to also go to bed now.

“Yes, yes. I’ll take care of these two,” Red replied.

“We can take care of ourselves,” Erica corrected him. “We’re not children.”

“Speak for yourself,” Ray said. He guzzled more wine. “Damn, this stuff is good.”

“You’ve just about drunk me out of house and home,” Red said.

“It would take the U.S. Navy on Fleet Week to drink you out of house and home,”

Ray replied.

Kallie bid them good night and walked slowly to her room. She got out of her clothes and pulled on a pair of comfortable shorts, a t-shirt, and then
crawled into bed.

She sighed, feeling some of the day’s tension run out of her body.

Imagine if

he

was here with me, she thought. She could imagine Hunter pulling her close to him, hugging her from behind, his arms wrapped around

her like a cocoon.

A pang of loss hit her in the midsection as she realized she’d never feel him that way again.

Kallie drifted off into an uneasy sleep, and her dreams were dark and muddled, but full of angry faces and loud voices.

And then something woke her.

She snapped awake in the darkness, knowing she’d heard something.

Someone had screamed. Yes, someone had screamed, and in her dream it had been a woman at the deli counter of a supermarket. Kallie had
been ordering pounds and pounds of Boar’s Head ham, and the woman taking her order had let out a shriek or rage as she’d weighed the ham on
the scale.

Now that she was awake, heart pounding thickly in her chest, Kallie knew that scream had definitely infiltrated her dreams, and had taken place in
real life.

Slowly she slid out of bed.

There was another noise, and this time it was unmistakably the sound of glass shattering.

Kallie let out a cry herself—put her hand to her mouth.

For some reason, the first thing she thought was that Terrence was breaking into the house to kill her.

Next she heard the pounding of feet running down the hallway, and then Red’s voice. He was talking loudly, and someone was responding.

Kallie opened the door to her room and stepped uncertainly into the hallway. “Is everything okay?” she said.

Nobody answered.

The voices were less frantic now. Kallie started to walk toward them, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Whatever had happened, it came from the guest room where Red’s father was staying.

Inside, Red was talking with his father, who was wearing an old, tattered pair of white boxers and nothing else. His chest was pale and hairy. He
was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking rather casual. But he had a large red scratch running down the side of his face.

He looked at Kallie and smiled somewhat balefully.

Red was staring out the window, which was completely shattered to pieces. And next to it, the other window was open and the screen had been
knocked off. “She ran out?” Red said, finally looking back at his father.

Ray shrugged. “Threw the alarm clock through the window, then opened t’other one and just scrambled out of it.”

“But first, she did that to you,” Red said, pointing to the scratch on his father’s face.

Ray nodded. “You know how Erica can be when she’s in one of her moods.”

“What did you say to her?”

“I didn’t say anything. Does anyone really need to say anything?” He scoffed.

“I’m getting my stuff and driving back to the farm. I don’t need this…”

“Dad—“

“No,” Ray said, standing up and slowly walking to the foot of the bed, where he began picking up his old clothes and getting dressed.

“Should I call the police?” Kallie asked, hugging herself as a cold gust of wind blew inside from the open windows.

“No,” Red told her. “I’m going to call the security detail at the front gate.” He jogged out of the room and past her.

Ray continued changing. He put on his jeans, flannel shirt, and then stepped into his boots. Finally, he looked up at Kallie with a strange smile. “We
always had that spark,” he said. “It was always bad, too. Really bad. Like how some people keep smoking cigarettes when they’ve got throat
cancer. I saw a guy once smoking through his tracheotomy tube when I was an orderly at a hospital.”

Kallie made a face. “That’s disgusting.”

Ray nodded. “That kind of love is disgusting. My Uncle Troy used to drink a fifth of vodka every day, even after the doctors told him he wouldn’t see
forty-five because his liver was going.”

“That’s not love, it’s addiction,” Kallie replied.

“And what’s the difference?” Ray asked her.

She didn’t say anything.

“Exactly.” He reached down and grabbed his duffel bag. “Time for me to go.”

Kallie followed Ray Jameson as he walked through the house until he reached the front door, where Red was waiting. Red turned to them. “Security
is scouring the grounds now. They’ll find her.”

“Good. But I can’t say I want to be around when she’s caught,” Ray told him.

“I’m heading out.”

Red nodded. “It’s late. You think you can make that long of a drive at this time of night?”

“I’ll probably be up for two days straight after what just happened.” He shook his head. “What were you thinking, inviting both of us here at the same
time? Are you crazy?”

Red just shrugged. “I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

“No, I guess not.” His father dropped his bag and quickly hugged Red. “But that’s okay. I forgive you.”

Red hugged him back, a bit awkwardly. After they were done, Ray picked up his duffel bag and started out the front door. Before leaving, he turned
around. “When Erica comes back, tell her I said that I’m sorry about everything.”

And then he left.

Kallie watched him get into his truck and drive away.

“What happened?” she said, shaking her head in amazement.

“The unavoidable happened.” Red was smiling grimly.

“You knew this was coming, didn’t you?” Kallie asked him.

“When you throw a match into a tank of gasoline, I guess you can pretty much assume there will be one hell of an explosion,” he admitted.

“But what about Erica? Is she okay?”

“I’m sure she is,” Red replied.

Kallie thought he looked slightly less sure of himself than he had a moment before.

They waited twenty long minutes, and Nicole eventually came downstairs holding the baby. Riley was crying, her sleep having been disturbed.
Nicole looked baggy-eyed and furious. “I can’t have this kind of instability in my house,” she said, looking at Red.

“It’s almost over.”

“You keep saying that.”

“Just wait and see,” he told her, his eyes determined.

“Wait for what, exactly?”

Not a minute later, the security detail drove up in their black SUV. The car parked and then the head security guard got out and made his way to the
front door.

“Red, we found your mother about a mile and half South of here, right around the edge of the woods and the pond. She was cold and her feet and
hands were a bit scratched up, but physically she appears fine.”

“Can I talk to her?”

The guard looked doubtful. “Mentally, she appears very erratic. She’s not making much sense. Do you know if she’s taking any prescription
medication?”

“I don’t know. Could I speak with her quickly?”

The guard finally nodded, and Red went out to the car. They opened the car door and he leaned in to speak.

Kallie couldn’t tell what was happening. She looked to Nicole, whose face was pale and anxious in the glare from the headlights.

“I’m sure everything will be fine,” Kallie said softly.

“Of course. He’s fixed it, hasn’t he?” Nicole said. But her tone was disturbed, not at all relieved.

When Red was done speaking to his mother, he closed the door and then conversed with the guard. The guard nodded, and a moment later he’d
gotten back in the SUV and driven away, as Red came back inside.

“What happened?” Nicole asked.

Red looked at her. “She’s had some kind of psychotic break. I told them to take her to the hospital. I’m going to follow behind, so I need to get
dressed.”

Nicole patted Riley’s back lightly, as she baby cried louder. “Should I come to the hospital with you?” she asked him.

“No, you and Kallie stay here. It’s going to be a long night of getting my mother situated. I want to make sure she gets the best possible care,” he
said.

“Was all of this really necessary?” Nicole said. “All of the theatrics, the games, manipulations? Was this what you really wanted?”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my family,” he replied.

Nicole turned and walked away from him, still shaking her head. She went up the stairs slowly.

He stared out the front door, hands on his hips. “I’m going to be gone most of the night now, probably. Try and make sure Nicole is okay?”

“I will.”

“She’s mad right now, but she’ll cool down.” He seemed to be trying to convince himself as much as Kallie. “It’s what needed to be done.”

“I’ll take care of things here,” she told him, “so don’t worry about us.”

“Thanks, Kallie.” Red left and went upstairs, presumably to get changed.

Kallie went to the kitchen and started to make a pot of fresh coffee. It was going to be a long night.

***

Red returned home late the next morning and explained that Erica was being kept at the psychiatric ward of the hospital for forty-eight hours so they

could observe her.

Apparently during the evaluation, she’d made some comments that led them to believe she might be a danger to herself.

Kallie was finally able to go back to sleep, as she’d been up pretty much the entire night with Nicole and Riley.

When she woke up, it was late afternoon and her phone was next to her bed on the nightstand, and someone had left another text message. Her
first thought was that Hunter had contacted her again.

I don’t want him to give up on us, she realized.

That realization was painful in a way. Because when she took the phone and looked at it, Kallie saw that the message was not from Hunter.

It was from Levi. It said:

Are u up for doing something tonite?

All at once she was angry and sad that this message hadn’t come from Hunter.

Hunter was the one she wanted to spend time with tonight, even if it was wrong and against her best interests. But because the message was from
Levi, she decided that the best revenge against Hunter would be to accept the new guy’s offer.

At least Levi was pursuing her in a normal way. Maybe he was actually a normal guy.

But maybe I don’t want normal.

That was a disconcerting thought, to say the least.

Kallie sighed, and replied to Levi without giving herself a chance to lose her resolve. She typed in her response and hit send.

Sure. What do u have in mind?

She scooted up to a sitting position in her bed. A minute later, came his reply.

There’s a neat second-run theater on 321 Allred Street. Meet u there at 9:00?

Kallie smiled. She didn’t know what movie he wanted to see, but at least it was a real, somewhat normal version of a date.

I thought you didn’t want normal, she reminded herself.

And as she agreed to his request, Kallie knew from the sinking feeling in her stomach that it was true.

Maybe Hunter had been right about her when he said she was born for the BDSM

lifestyle. Truth be told, she’d never felt more alive than when she’d been his submissive partner, wondering what he had in store for her next.

It had been sweet, exquisite torture. This kind of dating was just boring, plain and simple. Levi was obviously a nice guy—maybe even too nice—
and the spark just wasn’t there.

You’ll go and you’ll enjoy it, she reprimanded herself.

***

Kallie decided that she might as well enjoy the attentions of another man, and so she got dressed up in a pair of skinny jeans that showed off her
legs, dark heels, and a white top with a dark blazer. She thought the look said sophisticated and serious, but still with a bit of youth and playfulness
mixed in.

It was time to put away childish things, she reminded herself, as she applied makeup in the bathroom mirror.

Time to forget about Hunter Reardon and his ridiculous basement full of science fiction devices used to torture women.

Levi was good looking and friendly and fun. Maybe he’d surprise Kallie and end up being just as sexy in his own way as Hunter.

Not likely, she thought, as she shouldered her purse and headed out of her bedroom.

On the way out the door, she was spotted by Nicole, who was still looking exhausted from what had gone on the last couple of days.

“Going somewhere fun?” she asked.

“Thought I’d catch a movie,” Kallie replied casually. “There’s a cute second-run theater not far from here.”

Nicole looked perplexed. “You don’t mean the one that shut down recently?”

“No, this one’s definitely open,” Kallie replied, her brow creased. She hoped Levi hadn’t been mistaken about this theater.

“Oh.” Nicole nodded and smiled. “Well, then—have fun at your movie!”

“Thanks.” Kallie continued out, trying to ignore the strange feeling in her stomach.

You really don’t know this guy. You don’t even know his last name. Maybe you

should just stay home and tell him you’re not feeling well.

But why? She was just being silly and anxious. She was trying to sabotage her chance at having a normal night out with a regular guy. Even more
determined now, Kallie strutted to the car and got in, looking at herself quickly in the mirror.

I look good and I’m ready to enjoy myself, she thought, trying a little positive thinking for a change.

On the way to the theater, she pictured what it might be like to sit next to Levi, in a darkened room, maybe whispering or joking with each other
during the film. Unless he was one of those types that didn’t want to speak at all during the movie.

He didn’t strike her as an uptight sort, but you never could tell.

Her GPS told her she was getting close to the location, but Kallie was experiencing a familiar stirring of doubt and uncertainty in her gut. The
neighborhood in this area appeared to be slightly rundown and empty at this time of night.

She kept going though, mostly because she refused to let her weakness for Hunter win out. This was a battle between the man she wanted and the
kind of man she thought she should want. And Kallie didn’t want to lose the battle before it had even really begun.

Finally, she arrived at the parking lot near the movie theater. There were hardly any other cars nearby, and no people around either. Kallie could see
the sign above the movie theater—it was a smaller, brick-faced building with posters along the outside walls. Most of them portrayed older films
she remembered from her high school days.

Nicole was right, Kallie thought. It’s not open anymore.

To be sure, she decided to get close and see whether there were any notices taped to the glass doors in front.

She parked, got out of the car and locked it.

The car made its familiar bleeping noise and the lights flashed once in response.

Walking through the small, nearly empty lot, Kallie looked around for signs of life. There were some other buildings and stores nearby, but most of
them seemed to be closed. Perhaps this was an area of town that received more traffic during normal business hours, and so it tended to shut
down at night.

Either way, she was getting the creeps. Annoyed that Levi had invited her to such a strange, remote location for a first date, she considered just
getting right back in her car again and leaving.

But she still wasn’t even sure that the movie theater was closed. As a second-run place, it might just get less customers than a normal movie house.

Why couldn’t he have invited me to some Loews Cinema Multiplex in Hartford?

She asked herself. Why did it always have to be something unique, special, and weird?

What was it about every guy she met lately, that nothing could ever be straightforward?

Finally she arrived at the doors. Peering inside, it was clear that this place hadn’t been open for a while. It was dark and empty inside, and it looked
as if it had been stripped down to the studs.

There was a plain white sheet of paper affixed to one door that read: CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE and dated a month ago.

It didn’t appear that it would be open again anytime soon. Kallie sighed, frustrated. She pulled out her phone and checked the time. It was 8:56 P.M.
Where was Levi? She looked around and didn’t see anyone at all in the vicinity.

Nearby, about ten feet to the left of the theater, was a narrow alleyway. She sniffed, smelling trash and probably a dumpster.

Maybe even a rat or two.

And it was dark. For the first time since Levi had invited her on this date, she allowed herself to feel relieved that the place was shutdown and he
hadn’t arrived. This just wasn’t meant to be.

I tried, she thought. I was going to give it my best shot, but this is not happening and I’m not waiting around anymore.

I’ll text him when I get in the car and out of this dark, creepy old lot.

Turning, she checked her phone once more as she began walking back to her car.

In the far distance, she heard a siren wailing and a dog barking.

“Kallie?” a familiar voice called, so close behind her that she started to scream as she turned around.

And then there was an explosion of pain in her head and blackness.

***

She awoke to a woman’s voice.

“…hear me?”

It was difficult to swim out of the blackness. It wasn’t even as if Kallie were submerged under water, but more that she’d been thrown into a pool of
mud. It was thick and black and getting out of it was such an effort.

“Kallie?” the voice called, more insistently. “Are you awake? Open your eyes.”

I can’t do it, she thought. It’s too hard and I’m so tired.

She fell back into unconsciousness for an unknown period of time.

When her eyes fluttered open again, there was a man staring down at her. He was bald, with a long, thin face and a large mole on one cheek. The
man wore a white coat and he smiled as she looked at him. “Kallie, do you know where you are?”

She shook her head no.

“You’re at Manchester Memorial Hospital,” he said slowly and loudly.

“Did I get sick?” she said weakly, trying to sit up. As she did so, Kallie felt a tremendous pain in her head. She lay back weakly in the bed.

“You received some trauma to your head last night,” he told her. “My name is Doctor Scofield and I’m the attending physician. I’ve been looking after
you since you were brought here.”

Kallie listened but found that she didn’t have much of an opinion about what the doctor was telling her. “I hurt my head? Did I fall?”

The doctor frowned slightly. “No, you didn’t fall.” He put his hands behind his back and sighed. “It appears as though you were mugged.”

“Mugged?” The word left her mouth feeling fuzzy and nonsensical.

“Yes. Do you remember anything from last night?”

She took a long breath and exhaled, whimpering a little as she did so. “My head hurts.”

“I can get you something for that,” he said reaching down and pulling some kind of clipboard off her bed and reading it. He took out a pen and made
a note.

“I remember going to the movies,” she said.

Except she hadn’t really gone to the movies, had she? The movie theater had been closed. She’d started to leave and then everything was blank.

“What film did you see?” Dr. Scofield asked.

“Actually, the movie theater was closed. So I tried to leave and that must have been when I was mugged.”

“We’re not sure it was simply a mugging,” the doctor told her. “However, it appears that it may have been motivated by money, since you were
found with no purse, car keys, money or phone on you.”

“Was I in a coma or something?”

“No, nothing as bad as that. You were found by a janitor who was leaving work and walking through the lot. He called the police and the paramedics
brought you in with a head wound and possible skull fracture.”

“Skull fracture?” she asked, her heart pounding in her ears.

“It turned out not to be a fracture. You have a severe concussion and contusion, and we were concerned about bleeding in your brain. But there
doesn’t appear to be any, from all the tests we’ve done. That’s very good news, of course.”

“My leg hurts too,” she said, realizing for the first time that the lower part of her left leg ached and throbbed almost as much as her head.

The doctor nodded. “Apparently, you fell down after being hit on the head. You sprained your left ankle some point during the fall. It’s a severe
sprain, and you’ll need to be off that leg for a good week or so. But again—it’s good news. All of your injuries could easily have been far, far worse,
given what you went through.”

Kallie felt tears behind her eyes. “I don’t remember anything. Was I awake when they brought me into the hospital?”

“You were confused, in and out of consciousness. However, we did sedate you temporarily, as you were agitated for a time, and we needed to
keep you still.”

“I was agitated?”

“We calmed you down long enough to find out that you’re staying with Red and Nicole Jameson, and we contacted them.”

“I told you about Red and Nicole?” Kallie asked. “I don’t remember any of it.”

“That’s common with severe head injuries like what you’ve incurred. You’re lucky to be alive and talking with me right now, Kallie. Someone gave
you quite a knock on the head.”

Kallie winced at the thought of it. “I can’t believe this happened,” she said softly.

“I’m sorry, I should let you get your bearings before we discuss these kinds of details,” he said. Then, the doctor leaned over and took her vitals—
used his stethoscope to listen to her heart and lungs, checked her pupils.

“I hope no one contacted my family yet,” Kallie says. “My parents would be frightened half to death.”

The doctor stood up straight and made some more notes on Kallie’s chart as he spoke. “We contacted Red Jameson, and he and Nicole have
been in your room, off and on, since very early this morning. They may have contacted other friends or family, but that’s as much as I know. I believe
they just stepped out momentarily and will be back soon.”

Kallie put a hand over her eyes. She wanted to cry. She wanted to curl up in a ball. Another part of her just wanted to go to sleep. “My head…it’s
pounding.”

“I’ll have the nurse bring you something for the pain. Just try and relax, now, Kallie. You’re in a safe place,” he said.

The doctor left soon after that, and a nurse came in and gave her some kind of pill. Kallie was in too much pain to bother asking what they were
giving her.

She drank a quarter cup of water and then lay still again. As she lay there, Kallie reached up to the heavy bandage that started high on her
forehead, and tentatively touched near the top of her head. A shooting, sharp pain arced through her neck as her fingers delicately prodded the
bandage.

Kallie squinted and hissed, surprised by the intensity of the pain. “Oh, man,” she sighed, wondering what she’d been struck with and why. Vaguely,
she recalled a voice behind her outside the movie theater. “Kallie,” the voice had called, and then….nothing.

She closed her eyes and tried to let the medication do its work, but now that she seemed to have got the pain moving, it had a life all its own. At
times her entire head seemed to throb and ache, and then the next moment, a sharp pain would slash through her like a bolt of lightning. She didn’t
know which kind of pain was worse.

As she lay there, trying to fall asleep or will the pain away—she heard voices in the hall, coming towards her room.

The first voice was Nicole’s. “…should never have let her go. I remember thinking something was off.”

“That’s not your fault,” Red replied.

And then they were back in the room. “Kallie, are you awake?” Nicole asked.

Kallie opened her eyes, but just barely. Suddenly she felt kind of warm, and it was as if she was floating--the pain was becoming distant. “Hi guys,”
she smiled, and the tears started now in earnest.

Nicole ran to the bed, concerned. “Oh, honey. Are you okay?”

“Sorry, I’m just emotional.”

“You’re going to be just fine, though. You know that, right?”

Kallie nodded slightly, but stopped, because nodding brought the pain back to the front. “I know,” she whispered.

Red was standing just inside the doorway, looking anxious and uncomfortable. It was strange seeing him so unsure of what to do. “Hey, Kallie,” he
smiled. “Glad to see you back with us again.”

“I’m sorry about all the trouble I’ve caused you guys,” she said, sniffling. The floating sensation became stronger. It was as if Red and Nicole were
on shore, and she was drifting away from them on a little boat.

“Don’t apologize, Kallie. You haven’t done anything wrong,” Nicole said. She took Kallie’s hand in her own.

Even Kallie’s hands felt like they were on the shore. It was like she was leaving her body—an out of body experience. “I think the meds are kicking
in,” she rasped.

Nicole and Red chuckled at this, and Nicole began stroking her hair.

“Do you want us to call your parents and let them know what’s going on?” Red asked her.

Kallie’s brow creased and for a moment everything pulled back into focus. “No,”

she said, her voice growing louder. “Don’t call my family. I don’t want to scare them.”

The tears started up again, and now she was sobbing.

Part of her was wondering why she was crying so hard, because she wasn’t that upset about the thought of calling her parents. It was some sort of
disconnect.

Nicole soothed her, pet her hand. “Don’t worry, we won’t. We won’t call them until you’re ready, Kallie.”

Kallie nodded slightly, thanking her for being so kind. She could barely even speak. She was blubbering.

For a moment, she thought about Hunter. She almost—almost—told Nicole to call Hunter and tell him. She knew that Nicole would do it if she
asked.

But then the moment passed, and she was drifting again, drifting, and it was pleasant. “I’ve always loved the ocean,” she said.

“Oh? The ocean?” Nicole asked.

“Yes,” Kallie smiled. “The ocean. I’m floating on a float.”

“That’s nice.”

Kallie opened her eyes widely. “Oh, what about Riley?” she asked. “Who’s watching Riley?”

“Riley’s fine. Kane and Danielle have been at the house since we heard what happened to you. They’re taking good care of her for us.”

“Oh,” Kallie said, closing her eyes. “Good. Good. Danielle is very smart.”

“She sure is. You just close your eyes and rest now.”

And she did.

***

The next time she woke up, Kallie felt clearer headed. There was nobody in the room, but she heard voices in the hallway. The voices were trying to
be low, but they weren’t succeeding because at least two of the people were clearly arguing.

All Kallie heard was snatches of conversation.

“…coming here right now, after everything she’s been through…”

“…really shouldn’t have…”

“Don’t tell me what I should and shouldn’t do.”

The last voice was shockingly familiar, and her entire body broke out into gooseflesh. It was Hunter’s voice. Hunter was either here, or the medicine
was stronger than Kallie thought, and she was now hallucinating on top of everything else.

She lifted her head and saw only shadows in the hall, and people just out of view.

“We can’t make you leave,” Red said. “But we can…” his voice faded as someone else spoke and then they were arguing.

She couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

Finally, she heard Nicole. “Red, please. Red. Just let him see her. Let her decide if she wants him to stay.”

There was a long pause.

“Fine. I’m going downstairs, Nic. You coming with?”

More mumbling and then Hunter was walking into the hospital room alone.

Kallie closed her eyes again, afraid to look at him, afraid of the hope and excitement that had just blossomed in her chest.

Her heart was thudding powerfully in her ribcage.

Hunter Reardon had come for her. He was finally here.

When his footsteps stopped, she could tell he was only just inside the room. She heard a sharp intake of breath, as if he’d been physically punched
in the stomach. “Oh my God,” he moaned. She’d never heard him make a sound like that. “Oh, Kallie,” he whispered. “Kallie,” he whispered again.
He came closer still, and she could hear his footsteps approaching her bed.

She was flushing now, and knowing how perceptive Hunter normally was, Kallie wondered if he was going to tell her to stop pretending to be
asleep. But he didn’t say any such thing. For a long time, he just stood there, and he didn’t say anything else or even move, as far as she knew.

Finally, she pretended to stir and opened her eyes a little bit.

When she saw him again, Kallie couldn’t help but smile.

And when Kallie smiled, Hunter’s eyes grew moist. He stared down at her and took her hand in his own. “I’m never going to let anyone hurt you
again,” he said. The look in his eyes told her that he wasn’t just saying it for effect. He meant it.

“It’s fine,” she said. “I’m okay.”

Hunter shook his head forcefully. “No, it’s not okay. But I’m going to make it okay.” He slowly massaged her palm with his thumb.

He was wearing a leather coat and dark shirt, blue jeans and shoes. As always, he looked somehow spectacular in the kind of way that she
imagined movie stars and heartthrobs would look in person.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she said softly. And it was true. Despite everything that had gone on between them—and most of it had gone wrong—she
couldn’t deny how comforting it was to have Hunter here with her now.

It felt like this was the way it was supposed to be.

“I’m here and I’m not going anywhere,” he told her firmly.

She smiled wider, if possible. “I appreciate that.”

He put both his hands on her hand now and held it, softly rubbing her skin as he talked. “I couldn’t believe it when I heard what happened. I’ve never
been so scared in my life, not even when my—“ he stopped short.

Kallie looked up at him. “You can say it.”

He shook his head, licked his lips and she saw the stress and pain etched in his features.

“I can’t go there right now,” he said.

“Okay. I understand.”

He looked up again, directly into her eyes. “No. You don’t understand. I’m going to go there, I’m going to tell you everything. Just not right now. I can’t
do it right now, when I’m seeing you like this. But soon, I promise.”

Just hearing him commit to tell her about his life was a shock, and she must have registered the surprise on her face, because Hunter laughed. “I
guess you didn’t expect to ever hear me say those words, did you?”

“No. I certainly did not.”

Hunter looked back and saw a chair near the wall. He walked to it and slid it forward, close to Kallie’s bedside. Sitting down in the chair, he held her
hand yet again and kissed it.

It was such a sweet and loving gesture, and Kallie didn’t know what to make of it.

She felt like she was dreaming.

“I’ve made some big mistakes in my life,” he told her. “But nothing was ever as bad as feeling like I was going to lose you.”

Her breath caught in her chest. She couldn’t believe her ears. It was all so much.

“I didn’t want to lose you, either,” she said, finally.

“I know I’ve made things difficult, but that’s all going to change from here on out.”

“You don’t have to become a different person, Hunter. I just want you to let me into your life a little bit.”

“I understand. A very reasonable request,” he said, and the corners of his lips turned up into a smile.

“You never seemed to think it was reasonable before.”

“I was an idiot before.”

“You were definitely stubborn.”

“I was definitely an idiot. I can admit that much.”

She bit her lower lip, trying to take it all in. This was almost too much. After waking up from being assaulted and unconscious for hours, she now had
Hunter Reardon basically waltzing in and telling her he wanted to be with her again. “How did you find out I was in the hospital?” she said, trying to
switch the subject long enough to give her some breathing room.

He relaxed a little too, sitting back in his chair and putting a foot up on the bottom railing of her bed. “Kane told me.”

Kallie rolled her eyes. “It seems like Kane and Danielle are always in everyone’s business, somehow.”

Hunter shrugged, his expression becoming somewhat enigmatic. “Kane is a guy who likes to have his hands in everything. Sometimes that can be
bad, and other times it can be good. Today, for me—it proved to be quite helpful.”

Kallie wasn’t sure what Hunter was hinting at exactly, so she just nodded. “I’m glad he told you. I’m glad you came.”

“Nothing in the world could have kept me away from you, Kallie. When he told me what happened…” Hunter’s eyes grew distant and his jaw set. He
stood up, as if suddenly energized, and began pacing. “That somebody could come along and just hurt you that way drives me crazy. When I’m
finished with him, Terrence is going to regret he was ever born.”

“Terrence?” Kallie croaked. Her headache was coming back. She lifted her head to look at Hunter as he paced. “What does Terrence have to do
with me being mugged?”

Hunter stopped and stared at her. “You don’t honestly believe this was a mugging, do you Kallie?”

She wasn’t sure what she thought. In fact, she hadn’t had a chance to consider exactly what had happened to her at the movie theater. She’d just
accepted what Doctor Scofield had told her. “All I know is that I was robbed. All of my stuff was taken.”

Hunter crossed his arms. “Nicole told Danielle and Kane that you were on your way to meet some guy. Was he the same guy you and I argued
about?”

“Please don’t turn this into some kind of jealousy over a guy I met. I think we’ve got bigger issues here, Hunter.”

“I’m not using this as an excuse. I’m making a point,” Hunter told her. “Just tell me the truth. Were you going to meet someone for a date?”

“Yes,” she sighed, laying down again and rolling her eyes as the headache ratcheted up to a new level.

“And am I wrong in assuming that this guy was someone who seemed to just start talking to you almost out of the blue?”

She thought about it. “It was an ordinary situation. I noticed him reading a dumb magazine and then he made a comment…it was normal. There was
nothing weird about how we met.”

Hunter ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe not at first glance. But I’m guessing you don’t know much about him. Where he lives, works, never met
any of his friends.”

“We barely knew each other,” she said. “And no, I don’t know much about him.”

Hunter nodded. “So he invites you on a date and then doesn’t show up—but somehow you get assaulted. And you think that’s a coincidence?”

“I don’t know what I think.”

That voice, calling her name as she was walking from the empty movie theater to her car. It had been oddly familiar, hadn’t it? Had that been Levi’s
voice, or was she just imagining it now because Hunter was pushing her to believe that Levi had something to do with her assault?

“Where were you supposed to meet this guy?” Hunter asked her.

“A second-run theater. When I got there, it was closed.”

Hunter’s eyes narrowed and his whole face grew animated. “The theater was closed,” he said, and shook his head. “And was the location kind of
isolated, mostly empty?”

“Yes.” Her stomach fluttered anxiously.

“Nobody was there but you. Coincidentally.”

“That’s true. It was just me, alone. And Levi hadn’t shown up yet, so I decided to leave. I was relieved to be going home, actually.”

Hunter clapped his hands. “Of course that idiot set you up. He was supposed to get to know you, gain your trust. And then he was supposed to get
you alone and hurt you, Kallie.”

“But why?”

“Terrence was sending me a message. Terrence wanted to hurt me because I’m helping Scarlett. And he knows that you’re part of my life.”

Kallie shut her eyes tightly. “If all of this happened to me because you’re messing around with that woman…are you trying to make me hate you,
Hunter?”

He walked back to the bed and sat down next to her, taking her hand again. She tried to pull away from him.

It was as if she was divided in two. One half couldn’t be without Hunter, and the other half wanted to slap him and run in the opposite direction.

“Listen, Kallie. I tried to protect you. I was having someone watch over you, just in case.”

“You were having me followed,” she said angrily.

“Yes. In order to protect you from this kind of thing. But you told me to go away and leave you alone. So I stopped having you followed. I stopped
protecting you.”

“I don’t need your protection, Hunter.”

“You do. If I’d kept looking after you, this would never have happened.” He leaned forward and touched her cheek. “I learned my lesson, Kallie. I’m
never going to let you out of my sight again.”

Tears started rolling down her cheeks. She looked at Hunter and his eyes were moist as well.

“Hunter, why did you have to get involved with that woman? Why? Do you see what you’ve done to me?”

“Listen,” he said. “I should have come clean with you about Scarlett from the start. I admit I was wrong. I should have told you everything about her,
because you deserve to know.”

“I don’t care anymore. It’s too late now.”

“Let me explain. Please, Kallie. Let me explain what happened and why I felt I had to help her.”

Kallie looked at him. “Are you in love with her?”

“No. I’m not in love with her.”

She found herself feeling relieved at his answer, even as part of her was furious with him for his stubborn ways that had created so many problems
for the two of them.

“Have you slept with her?”

“In the past. The distant past.” He looked at the floor, seeming to collect his thoughts. “I met her at a very difficult time in my life. Scarlett was a
dangerous woman and I was a man with a death wish.”

“Why did you have a death wish?”

“We can get into that another time,” he said. “But when I met Scarlett, I was at a low point in my life. She had her own problems, one of which was
that she’d gotten herself into a relationship with a very nasty fellow named Terrence.”

“Are they married?”

Hunter sat back in his chair, folding one leg over the other. “No. She lived with him.”

“And how did the two of you meet?”

She wasn’t sure that she even wanted to know the sordid details, yet she somehow couldn’t resist. Besides, it made her forget about the
tremendous pounding in her head.

“We met through a party that Kane had at one of his homes in Las Vegas.”

Nicole glanced at him. “Is that where you meet all your girls? Kane’s parties?”

“Coincidence, I swear. And besides, this was a very different party from the sort he throws now that he’s married.”

“I’m not sure how much more of this I want to hear.”

“I’ll keep it simple. Scarlett and I met at the party, and we began seeing one another. She didn’t tell me about Terrence right away, but eventually I
found out. In any case, our relationship was something that I hung onto like a lifeline. She was the person who introduced me to the concept of
domination and submission, at least in a formal sense. Somehow, it helped me to pull myself out of the downward spiral I’d found myself in.”

“How long were you and Scarlett together?”

Hunter shrugged once more, as if the subject made him uncomfortable. “I don’t know. Maybe six months at the most. Near the end, it turned into me
trying to get her to leave Terrence, since I’d become aware of how dangerous the guy was.”

“And how dangerous is that?”

“Very.” Hunter met her eyes and she looked away.

“I guess I should know that, shouldn’t I?” she laughed, touching the bandage on her head.

Hunter flinched, as if it hurt him just to look at it. “He’s got a screw loose. And he’s mixed up with other bad people. Terrence makes a living
intimidating people and sometimes hurting them. So this is nothing new to him.”

“Why wouldn’t Scarlett leave him?”

“I don’t know. Mostly fear, I suppose. But also—he was her true Master in a sense, and she was strangely subservient and obedient to him.”

“But she carried on an affair with you—“

“He knew about that. Not about me, specifically. He understood and encouraged her to have sexual encounters with other men so that he could then
punish her for them.”

“That’s disgusting,” Kallie said, wrinkling her nose.

“I agree.” Hunter wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, absentmindedly, as if just talking about this was making him feel dirty. “But while
Terrence might have allowed for the occasional indiscretion, he didn’t know she was involved in a real long-term relationship with me. Once he
found out, all bets were off. She disappeared from my life soon after, and I wasn’t quite sure what had happened to her.”

Kallie didn’t know what to think or feel about any of this. “You didn’t try to find out?”

“I tried, but Scarlett didn’t seem to want me to reach her.”

“Maybe it was Terrence who didn’t want you to reach her.”

Hunter nodded. “Possibly. But Scarlett was complicated. As much as I believed she should leave Terrence, there was a part of me that thought our
relationship was just another way that she sought attention and punishment from him. And she craved punishment above all else.”

Kallie turned away from him. She was repulsed by his explanation of his relationship with Scarlett. It was dirty, and she felt dirty in relation to it. The
fact that she and Scarlett had shared Hunter meant that in a way, Kallie had also been exposed to Terrence. “I wish you hadn’t told me all of this.”

“You wanted to know. And I owed you an explanation.”

“I just wish none of this had ever happened.”

“What went on between Scarlett and I ended well over four years ago. And I hadn’t seen her in person until she showed up at the restaurant that
night. The night you found us talking, she came to tell me that she’d finally left Terrence and was completely alone and without any resources.”

“Did she want to get back together with you?”

Hunter didn’t answer. He stood up suddenly, shoving his hands in his pockets and turning away. “I suppose she did, but I made it very clear that
wasn’t going to happen.”

“You swear to me that you haven’t slept with her? Not even a kiss?”

Hunter turned and faced Kallie again. His eyes were unwavering. “I swear I haven’t been involved romantically with Scarlett since she showed up in
my life again.

It’s been strictly friendship—I wouldn’t even call it friendship. I owe her a debt and I’m trying to pay it off.”

“What kind of debt do you owe her?” Kallie said.

“In a way, she saved my life. And now her life’s in danger, and I need to do my best to return the favor. I can’t just throw her out on the street and let
Terrence have his way with her. You understand that, don’t you?”

Kallie nodded slowly. “I don’t like it, but I guess I can understand why you feel you owe it to her.”

Hunter’s eyes softened. He walked to the bed and took Kallie’s hand once more.

His touch was soft and gentle and warm. “You can see why I haven’t wanted to tell you about myself. I don’t want to expose someone like you to…
the kind of person I am. I need to keep you at a distance so you don’t get hurt.”

“But that can’t work,” she said. “You can’t be in a relationship with someone you don’t even know. At least, I can’t.”

“I just wanted to protect you. But I failed.” His eyes hardened again as he looked up at the bandage on her head. “I won’t fail again, though,” he said
through partially gritted teeth. “I promise you that, Kallie.”

“It’s okay,” she said. “It’s not your fault.”

“I’m going to make someone pay dearly for what they did to you.”

“Hunter, please. Don’t talk that way.”

He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Fine. No more of that talk,” he said.

“You should probably rest.” He slid the chair back to the wall, and she was certain he was going to leave.

“When will I see you again?” she asked.

Hunter smiled. “Oh, I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right here until you’re released from the hospital.” And with those words, he sat down on the
chair and got comfortable. “You rest now, Kallie. I’ll be right here.”

She couldn’t believe her ears. Kallie didn’t know if Hunter had lost his mind, or maybe—just maybe—he’d finally found his heart.

***

The next morning, after changing out her old bandage in favor of a smaller dressing, Doctor Scofield told Kallie that she’d be being released
sometime that day.

“Everything looks good,” he said. “However, you’re still going to have to be in bed for at least another five or six days, with just short walking breaks,
using crutches so that ankle can heal. Every couple of hours, you should walk around the house on your crutches or take a short walk outside for
maybe five or ten minutes.”

Kallie nodded. “Thanks, Doctor Scofield. I’ll do that.”

The doctor examined her chart, as Hunter sat in the chair and listened to the doctor’s explanation. Hunter had slept overnight at the hospital, and
Kallie had indeed found herself resting much more peacefully knowing that he was nearby.

A few times, she’d woken up and seen him in his chair, typing on a laptop he’d brought in from his car.

This morning, he looked disheveled and tired, but still gorgeous. The scruffy beginnings of a beard only served to make him sexier, she thought.

“…to take home with you,” Dr. Scofield said.

Kallie realized she’d been too caught up thinking about Hunter to listen to what her physician was telling her. So she just nodded appreciatively.

“Any questions?” the older man asked.

“When will her follow-up appointment be scheduled for?” Hunter asked.

The doctor turned to him. “I’d say a week or ten days from now, we’ll want to have a look at that head wound to see how it’s progressing. She’s got
fifteen stitches in her scalp but they’ll dissolve on their own. Also, we should have a gander at her ankle, too. Sound good?”

Hunter stood up and shook the doctor’s hand firmly. “Thanks so much for everything you’ve done for Kallie,” he said.

Dr. Scofield seemed almost embarrassed. He laughed. “It’s my job.”

“It means a lot to me,” Hunter said. “So thanks again.”

“Okay. Well, good luck and be sure to let me know if anything comes up,” he said.

After the doctor left the room, Hunter walked over to the window and looked outside. “It’s gray and rainy,” he said. “It’ll be nice to get you home and
start a fire, get some soup cooking on the stove. Do you like chicken noodle?”

Kallie looked at him, confused. “I guess.”

He nodded, still looking outside. “Good.” He checked the time on his phone.

“I’m guessing we’ll have you out of here in about three or four hours, knowing how this stuff usually works.”

Kallie just accepted what he was saying. “You don’t have to stay here with me all day,” she said. “Nicole texted me and said she’ll be here with Red
in about fifteen or twenty minutes. I’ll be safe and taken care of.”

He spun around and his eyes were intense again. “The only way I can know that you’re safe for sure, is if I’m with you.”

Kallie felt a warm glow in her stomach, and it spread through her whole body.

The way Hunter looked at her now was beyond anything she’d ever felt before. It seemed as though the trauma she’d undergone had awakened
some protective instinct he had, and now he didn’t want to leave her side.

The truth of the matter was, she loved that he was being this way. Even if he was taking it to extremes, she enjoyed having him near her, knowing he
would be protecting her at all costs.

And why should I feel bad for that? She thought. I’ve been assaulted. Anyone would want to feel safe after going through what I’ve been through.

Hunter sat down in his chair and pulled out his laptop again, while the nurse brought in a tray of bland eggs, dry toast, coffee and orange juice for
breakfast. Despite the fact that the food tasted like someone had found a way to suck all the taste out of it, Kallie was hungry enough to eat most of
it.

Hunter had her coffee, since she wasn’t particularly interested in it.

As she finished her breakfast, Nicole and Red came into the room. When they saw Hunter sitting next to her, both of them stopped smiling and

grew quiet.

“How are you feeling?” Nicole asked, walking over and sitting lightly on the edge of the bed.

“Good. Thanks.”

Red folded his arms and stood at the end of the bed, his mouth a straight line.

“They got rid of your mummy wraps,” Nicole laughed, pointing to the significantly smaller dressing on Kallie’s head.

“Yeah, the doctor said everything looks really good. They’re going to release me sometime today.”

Red nodded. “Good. We’ve got your room made up for you at home and—“

“She’s coming home with me,” Hunter said from his chair.

Red wouldn’t even look at Hunter, but he responded to him anyway. “Kallie lives in our home and she works for us. We’ve got a perfectly good room
for her and she’ll be very comfortable there.”

“I don’t think that’s the best place for her,” Hunter said.

“Well, what do you know about what’s best for her?”

“Honey,” Nicole muttered, lightly touching Red’s arm.

Red moved away from her attempt at calming him. “I’ll deal with this,” he told her softly. Then he looked directly at Hunter. “What do you think you’re
doing right now?”

Hunter was still seated, and he looked completely at ease, although he’d set his computer aside. Kallie was anxious, watching her two worlds
collide, as people that cared about her wellbeing fought over the best way to take care of her.

“I think I’m making sure Kallie safe,” Hunter said simply. “That’s my only goal right now.”

Red barked a disbelieving laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding. We live in a gated house with twenty-four hour security.”

Hunter shrugged almost indiscernibly. “There’s no better security than me watching her and taking care of her, from my point of view.”

“That’s a pretty selfish point of view, if you ask me.”

“Well, I didn’t ask you.”

Red adjusted his stance. “Listen, buddy. I don’t think you get it. Kallie is coming back with Nicole and me.”

Hunter glanced up at him, and his eyes were burning with just barely suppressed rage. “You might be Kallie’s boss, but you’re not mine,” he said
quietly. “And last I checked, Kallie is an adult and she can decide where she wants to go.”

This seemed to take Red aback, as if he’d never considered the possibility that Kallie might actually want to go with Hunter.

“Nicole, are you listening to this crap?” Red asked, shaking his head.

Nicole sighed. “Obviously I want her to come with us. But—“

“But nothing,” Red said sharply.

Nicole stayed calm. “But, she is an adult and I have no idea what she’s discussed with Hunter.”

Everyone looked at Kallie now. Her head had begun pounding again, and she put her fingers to her brow momentarily, as if to still her aching mind.
“I don’t want you guys to argue. Please.”

“We just want what’s best for you,” Nicole said. “Do you know where you want to go to recover?”

“I think—“ Kallie began. She hadn’t known there was going to be a choice to make. And her intellect told her that Nicole and Red were stable and
trustworthy, and that they would make sure to attend to her needs. But they also had a new baby home that needed a lot of care, and Nicole still had
health concerns of her own that needed attention. Obviously, Red would always put Nicole first—as he should—and he also had a tremendously
busy work schedule.

The truth was, Kallie might not be as well-looked after in their home as they’d have liked to believe.

And besides, Kallie simply wanted to be with Hunter as much as possible.

In the end, the answer came easily to her. “I think I’m going to stay with Hunter, if it’s okay with you,” she told Nicole, not daring to look at Red.

Nicole smiled knowingly. “Of course it’s okay with me,” she said. “It’s okay with both of us, isn’t it honey?” She glanced back at Red.

He sighed and grumbled. “Yeah, whatever. What the hell.”

Nicole and Kallie laughed.

“Listen, you can call me anytime, and I mean that. Anytime. And you’re always welcome back, whenever and however you need to get there. Okay?”
Nicole said.

“Okay. Thank you for everything.” Kallie’s eyes watered as she thought about everything Nicole had done for her. “And thanks, Red. I’m sorry if I’ve
disappointed you.”

Red laughed. He seemed to be getting over his initial frustration. “Listen, you’re a great nanny and a great friend. You could never disappoint us.”
He turned to Hunter and looked down at him. “Just make sure to take good care of her like you say you will—or you and I really will have a problem.”

Hunter smiled but his eyes were equally challenging. “Understood.”

“I guess we’ll be going then. Nic?”

Nicole shrugged, leaned in and gave Kallie a quick peck on the cheek. “Let me know how it’s going, okay?”

“Okay.”

And then they were gone.

Kallie spent the next few hours in shock at what she’d witnessed. Hunter had stood up to Red, and he’d vocalized his intentions to take care of her.
She wanted so badly to believe that his change of heart was real and sincere and permanent, but she was afraid to allow herself that luxury.

What if he changed back to his old self just as suddenly?

What if he decided that she wasn’t worth the trouble--wasn’t worth taking care of—what if he abandoned her again?

If Hunter sensed any of her reluctance, he didn’t acknowledge it. He was busy getting her things together, making phone calls that seemed to
involve shuffling his schedule around.

And then during one call, it was clear he was talking with Scarlett.

“Are you settled in?” he said, his back to Kallie.

She watched as he listened. She couldn’t hear anything from the person on the other end. Finally, he responded. “Good. Good. You’ll have twenty-
four seven protection, and they’re armed. These guys know what they’re doing, okay? And nobody else has any idea where you are. It’s completely
secure and he won’t be able to trace it.

Even if he somehow did, he wouldn’t be able to get to you.”

Kallie bit her lower lip, wishing that somehow Scarlett could disappear from this picture. And she hadn’t given enough thought to what it meant to be
living in the same house as Hunter’s ex-girlfriend.

Maybe I won’t come first after all, she thought sullenly. Maybe I made a mistake saying I would go home with him.

When Hunter got off the phone, he looked at Kallie. “You’re upset,” he said.

“I just think maybe we’ve jumped into this too quickly. I appreciate you saying you’d let me stay at your house—“

“You’re staying with me,” he replied evenly and firmly.

Kallie laughed. “You’re sweet. Really.”

“And you’re staying with me. Really.”

She shook her head and fought back the tears. She was way too emotional lately.

“What is it?” he asked softly, coming closer. “Is it because I was on the phone with Scarlett? I had to make sure she was set up properly. But I won’t
be speaking to her much anymore.”

“I don’t see how you can avoid speaking to a woman living in your house. And I don’t think I want to spend time sharing space with your ex.”

“She’s not living with me anymore, Kallie.”

Her eyes widened. “She’s not?”

Hunter shook his head slowly. “I’ve sent her a good distance away, and she’s got her own apartment and lots of security. The chances of Terrence
finding her are slim to none.”

“You’re paying for all of that?”

He sighed. “Money’s not an issue for me. But I hope you understand that I can’t throw her to the wolves. I need to do this, Kallie. Can you respect
that?”

Kallie didn’t answer at first. Her heart was singing, knowing that Hunter had finally removed that woman from his house. But the thought of him
spending all that money to take care of her also made Kallie jealous. She struggled with her competing emotions.

“I’ll end it right now if you want,” he said. His voice was strained. “I’ll put in the call and let Scarlett know that she needs to find her own way and I’ve
done all that I can.”

Kallie shook her head. “No, I don’t want you to throw her out on the street. Just promise me she won’t ever interfere with us again.”

He looked Kallie in the eye. “I promise. Nobody will come between us again.”

About an hour and a half later, the nurse came in and let Kallie know she could leave the hospital.

Kallie sat up in bed. She’d only been out of bed on her crutches once or twice to use the bathroom and take a slow, unsteady walk down the
hospital corridor that lasted all of about three minutes. Hunter had walked slowly and patiently beside her, giving her encouragement, and,
occasionally helping to steady her when she lost her balance.

Now, she slid to the edge of the bed and asked for her crutches again.

“Oh, you won’t be needing those. Hospital rules—it’s hospital policy that every patient must use a wheelchair during discharge.” The nurse smiled
perfunctorily as a large male in green scrubs came into the room pushing an empty wheel chair.

Kallie tried to smile back, but when she saw the look on Hunter’s face, it was difficult.

“Go ahead and just slide into the chair from the bed,” the nurse said.

The man beside the wheelchair looked bored and stood there mutely.

Hunter was staring with eyes that looked like he was seeing his worst nightmare come to life. Kallie could hardly look at him, because she knew that
whatever he’d gone through with his father, this must be bringing back terrible memories.

“I can do it myself, I’m fine,” she piped up happily. The truth was, she felt dizzy and a little sick to her stomach, but she didn’t want to appear at all
unwell right now. Not with the way Hunter was reacting to all of this.

With some difficulty, she managed to maneuver herself out of bed and into the wheelchair.

“Great job,” the nurse said. “Ready to go?”

Kallie looked up at Hunter. He was still staring blankly. “Hunter?”

He snapped out of it, as if waking from a nightmare. “Oh. Yeah, let’s go. I’ve got everything packed up. He forced a strained smile and grabbed the
two bags and his laptop bag. “Onward.”

They slowly made their way out of the hospital room and down the long corridor.

Every minute that Kallie was in the wheelchair felt like an eternity. She hated knowing that Hunter was watching this and that it was inflicting pain on
him.

Finally, they arrived outside the hospital doors and she was allowed to take her crutches and stand again.

Hunter looked at her. “You sit down,” he told her. “I’m going to pull the car around.”

“I’m fine,” she laughed, even though her arms already felt weak trying to hold her bodyweight on the crutches.

He pointed to the wheelchair. “Sit. I’ll be back in two minutes.”

She sat down gratefully and waited for his return. Not long after, he pulled the car up next to the curb and put her things in the trunk, then opened the
door, placed her crutches in the backseat.

He closed the back door and opened the front passenger side door. Seconds later, he’d lifted her from the wheelchair in his arms and easily
transitioned her into his car.

When he got inside a moment later, he began driving.

“You made that look so easy! It was like a red carpet ride, the way you took me and whisked me to the car,” she laughed, trying to lighten things with
a joke.

He glanced at her. “I’ve had a lot of practice,” was all he said.

***

Kallie managed to fall asleep on the car ride home, and when she woke up, Hunter was carrying her again. This time he was walking her up the

stairs and into his bedroom.

He laid her down on his bed and smiled at her as she gazed up into his eyes.

“You get some sleep,” he said.

“All I’ve been doing is sleeping lately,” she replied.

“That’s what your body needs.”

“If you say so.”

“I do.” He sat down next to her on the bed and began stroking her hair softly.

“You have no idea how much I missed you when we were apart.”

“I missed you too,” she whispered. “Don’t ever leave me again, okay?”

“Never,” he replied.

She drifted off to sleep once more.

When she woke up again, it was night, and the room was shrouded in darkness.

Downstairs, she could hear the sounds of indie rock music and Hunter—of all people—

singing along. She was surprised to hear him sing, and the strangest part of all, was that he had a wonderful voice.

Kallie lay in her bed and smiled at the sound of it, wondering what other surprises Hunter Reardon had in store for her. He was like a totally new
person, and she didn’t quite understand how he’d changed, but she didn’t want to look too deeply into the matter, for fear that somehow he’d
change back into his old self again.

A few minutes later, she heard his footsteps coming up the stairs. And then he came into the bedroom, appearing as a shadow at first. “Kallie?” he
whispered softly.

“I’m awake.”

He came further inside. “Is your head hurting at all?”

She hadn’t even noticed her head since waking up, but now that he mentioned it—there wasn’t much pain. “Actually, I feel a lot better.”

“Are you hungry?”

“I guess I could eat something. The hospital food was so dull that I think I lost interest.”

Hunter chuckled softly. “I was going to make chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese. That always used to make me feel better when I was sick as a
kid.”

“I’d love that.” She smiled in the darkness.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He started to leave and she called out to him.

“Hunter?”

He stopped at the doorway. “Yeah?”

“You have a really lovely singing voice.”

He laughed. “Shit. You weren’t supposed to hear that.”

“I love it. Could you sing a little more for me down there?”

He sighed. “Your wish is my command.”

And then he went back downstairs and she heard him rattling pots and pants and dishes. The sounds were soothing, comforting.

I’m home, she thought.

Curling up beneath the covers once more, she listened as Hunter put on an old rock song she recognized because her dad used to listen to the
local classic rock station when she was in the car with him.

It was a Queen song—Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Hunter sang the words full out, like he was performing at a real show.

How could he sing this well and not have become famous for it? She wondered.

But then she thought, maybe it’s just because I think he’s amazing in nearly every way.

Maybe I’m just biased.

But his choice of song was interesting. The whole song was about being in love and how crazy and scary it was, but how you still enjoyed it anyway.

She wondered if he’d chosen that song on purpose.

She hoped so.

Not long after that, he came upstairs again carrying a tray, delicately balancing a tall glass of water, a bowl of piping hot soup, and a grilled cheese
sandwich.

He placed it on the bed next to her and turned on the light nearby.

Kallie rubbed her eyes. “It smells delicious.”

“Should I feed you?” he laughed.

“No, I think I can handle feeding myself.” She shook her head and picked up half the sandwich. It had the perfect amount of crispiness to the bread
and the cheese was melting down the sides. When she bit into it, she couldn’t believe how good it tasted.

“Oh my goodness.”

“You like?” he said, watching her reaction intently.

She nodded, still chewing. Finally, she swallowed. “That might be the best grilled cheese sandwich I’ve ever tasted.”

Hunter beamed proudly, but tried to downplay his success verbally. “You’re probably just hungry is all.”

“No, it’s amazing. What’s your secret?”

“Lots of butter on the bread, and I use Swiss cheese instead of American.”

She bit into it and chewed more. “Oh. That explains it.”

She ate her sandwich and all of the soup, too. The soup was nearly as good as the grilled cheese, but not quite.

Hunter went down and made himself a sandwich and then came back, eating it and watching Kallie. Any time she needed something, he
anticipated. He would get her an extra napkin, refill her glass of water, offer to make her more food.

Eventually, she had to laugh. “You don’t have to keep doing this,” she said, after he’d yet again asked her what she needed.

“Doing what?” he asked, cocking his head.

“You’re being amazing. But I don’t need you to be like this, Hunter. Is this what you think I expect from you?”

He looked surprised. “Of course not. I’m doing all of this because I want to.

I…” he hesitated and then plunged ahead. “I love you,” he said softly.

She felt as if the breath had completely gone out of her.

His dark eyes met hers and the connection was so strong, she felt like a battery getting fried by volt after volt of electricity. “Hunter…” she gasped.

“Kallie, I’ve always loved you. But I never thought I could be good enough for you. You’re sweet and innocent and perfect, and I’m…I’m a bad guy.”

“You’re not a bad guy,” he said, slowly regaining her voice.

“I am,” he said, his brow furrowed now. “At least, I was—in the past. But things are different now. I realized something about my life when you and I
were apart. I realized that it’s possible to change when someone else cares enough to give themselves to you. And you did that for me. I want to be
that better person for you, Kallie.”

She couldn’t believe her ears. “I love you too, Hunter.”

As the words left her mouth, she realized they were true and that deep down, she’d always known it.

Their eyes met again, and this time neither one looked away.

She felt like she was finally seeing all of him—he was allowing her to see all of him. There was a great and deep reservoir of pain in Hunter’s eyes
—so much pain that for a moment, she felt she couldn’t bear to see it all.

But then she took a deep breath and smiled at him, and he smiled back. And in that moment, she realized that he also had kindness and strength,
and the pain was just one part of him.

There was so much more to him than he’d ever let her know.

Hunter leaned in and began to kiss her, passionately. His lips were on fire, and his hands instantly went to hold her face, softly caressing her
cheeks.

He broke from the kiss and laid his forehead against hers. “I thought I’d lost you forever,” he told her.

“You’ll always have me, as long as you want me,” she replied.

And then he was kissing her again. He was so forceful that she lost her balance, and fell back into her pillow with a tiny squeal.

“Are you okay?” he cried out. “Did I hurt you?”

Kallie laughed. “No. No, I’m fine. My equilibrium’s just a little off, I think.”

“I’ll be gentle,” he told her.

“Be yourself.”

And he was. Slowly, he undressed her. Everything he did was slow, deliberate, as if he was drinking in every curve and texture of her body. Soon,
Kallie’s breasts were bare, and Hunter was delicately touching them with his fingertips. “Damn, you’re beautiful,” he said in a low, husky voice.

“I love the way you touch me and the way you talk to me,” she said.

“I want to kiss your breasts. I want to kiss every inch of you.”

“Please,” she cried out. “Touch me, Hunter.”

His hot lips were brushing her sensitive nipples and she cried out again, as she flushed with wetness between her legs, wanting him more than she
could handle.

The mere touch of his lips and hands was practically enough to bring her to full orgasm, and her body shook with the wanting.

Hunter took his time.

He slid her panties down her legs, being careful with her wounded ankle. Then, he began kissing her leg, softly kissing up it.

By the time he reached her upper thigh, Kallie was panting with need and barely controlled ecstasy. “Oh, God, Hunter—I can’t---please—please I
need you inside me now.”

“Soon,” he said, his voice throaty and full of his own hunger.

She reached out for him, her hands grasping his muscular shoulders, pulling him towards her.

His lips made contact with her belly, and then his tongue was flicking out, sliding up and down her lower abdomen, until he began caressing the
uppermost part of her slickness with his lips and tongue.

Kallie writhed beneath him. Her hands slid into his hair, and she pulled his face in between her legs, wanting his tongue all the way inside.

He obliged, and soon he was licking her deep inside and she couldn’t resist anymore. She came, crying out so loudly that her voice nearly gave out.

The intensity of the emotion after her climax created a strange sense of joy mixed with something like nostalgia. She couldn’t even begin to
describe the feeling, but it caused her to cry a little.

“Are you all right?” Hunter asked. “Did I hurt you?”

“I’m just emotional,” she said. “Maybe it’s from my head injury.” She laughed a little bit amidst the tears.

“You can cry,” he told her. “It’s all right.”

When she’d finished her light bout of tears, she began stroking Hunter’s chest as he lay against her.

“I’m taking my clothes off,” he informed her, and in moments, his shirt was off and then his jeans as well.

Soon, her hand wandered down to his thick shaft, pulling it from out of his boxers. As usual, she was overwhelmed by the size and thickness of it. “I
want it in me, in my mouth, anywhere you want to put it.”

“I want you to put me in your mouth,” he said.

“Good,” she said. “But I think with my leg being hurt, you’re going to need to get on top of me instead.”

“I’m going to fuck your mouth, Kallie. Would you like that?”

His intensity was growing stronger, and she liked that. She liked Hunter when he was gentle, but she loved it when that wild part of him emerged

during sex. Lying on her back, she allowed him to straddle her with his muscular legs.

Hunter’s erect cock slid quickly and effortlessly between her lips, engorging her entire mouth.

Soon he was doing as he promised—fucking her mouth. She felt like he was fucking her everywhere at once somehow. Every pleasure center was
being stimulated.

“I want you to use your hand on yourself,” he told her. “Use your fingers in your pussy while I take care of your mouth.”

Slowly, she pushed her fingers into her wet slit, pushing into her canal as he went deeply into her mouth.

Hunter groaned and shook with pleasure.

He stroked himself back and forth, increasing his speed, as she increased her speed. Soon, they were both going furiously, and everything was
moving at once and Kallie was losing herself in the bliss of it all.

But before she could climax once more, Hunter withdrew from her mouth.

“Open your legs for me.”

She spread her legs wide, ignoring the slight flash of discomfort in her ankle as she did so. Hunter moved down and slid his manhood along her
folds, slapping the hard head of him across her opening. “Let me in,” he told her. “Spread for me.”

“I’m ready for you, Hunter. I want you so bad.”

And then he was sliding in, forcing his way in, filling her hole with every inch of himself.

She climaxed with his first thrust, and then her climax continued as he began stroking into her earnestly.

The rhythm was incredible, the way he touched her was like nothing she’d ever felt.

Somehow he was everywhere at once. His hands caressed her hips, her breasts, her legs, grabbing her buttocks firmly.

His lips kissed her neck, her nipples—sucking, insistent.

He fucked her more, he made her wet again and again—and she came again and again. Eventually, it was almost too much, too intense.

“Please come,” she told him. “I can’t take another orgasm.”

He laughed. “Okay. I can do that, Kallie. I can come now.” He stroked faster and faster, and the beast came out fully.

Somehow, he avoided her wounded head. She wasn’t sure how, because with everything they did, she should have been in pain.

But as Hunter pulled out and came all over her naked skin, her belly and breasts, she felt nothing but pure pleasure.

Even afterwards, as they lay together, holding one another and whispering their devotion and appreciation for one another, she was completely
pain free.

“I think being with you is the best medicine I could have asked for,” she told him.

“And I could say the same to you, Kallie.”

She felt his heart beating in his chest as she caressed him with her hands. He was warm and strong and relaxed beside her now.

“I know how hard it’s been for you to let me in, Hunter. And I love that you did it for me.”

He sighed. “You know that I haven’t told you everything yet.”

“Yes, I know. But I trust that you’ll tell me the rest of it when you’re ready.”

“I will. Soon.” He took a deep, shaking breath. “Not now, but soon.”

“For now, you can just love me,” she told him.

THE END

Stay tuned for Book 10 in the series, coming in October!