139Hunter stared at the mansion, standing the harsh beating of millions of raindrops falling down on it. His eyes stopped on the window of Claire's room. The curtains were drawn, the lights off. It wasn't so late in the night and everything that happened today wasn't simple enough to put it behind one's back and have an early night.He could imagine Claire sitting somewhere in the dim space with something bringing back memories and tears. He hated his mind for the picture but then it metamorphosed into Claire having blood all over her face, her eyes lifeless, and her chest unmoving. He was taken to that street on which his mother was said to have that close call with the car.Shaking his head agitatedly, Hunter gulped a long breath hungrily. Claire was fine. The car hadn't been able to harm her. But it didn't do anything good to relax his tangled nerves. Because then he remembered the car failure she had.It all made sense, and it affected his breathing."Your mom told me that the ca
140Claire sat in the living hall with a pillow in her lap. Her eyes were swollen and lips pouted in returning aggression. Once again she was made to look like a fool. Like a jealous person.She stared at her chipped nails as she tried to come out of that event. Alas, her mind was stuck in it. She had the evidence, she had the perfect chance to reveal Zara's face. But thanks to Caine's outburst. It almost looked like a spell was cast on him. Zara's bewitching spell.While she tried to not cry again, her head turned around. She blinked her eyes as they focused on a silhouette standing at the doorstep. It was very much like.... Hunter. Her wrath returned with a vengeance. Claire got up and stormed towards him.She wasn't a lover of darkness but this man catapulted her completely into it since he came back to her life after the divorce. So much so that she was forced to embrace it till she felt good. "What the hell are you doing here? The guards..." Her eyes became hard as she hissed un
141She watched with bated breaths as he combed his fingers through his hair. His bunched shoulders didn't make her feel good. They watered her eyes. Made her chest feel heavy.He hadn't come here to take those insults and then leave her alone, had he?Claire clenched her jaw to keep her whimpers in. She observed when he flexed his shoulders before stepping away. He didn't utter a word as he started treading towards the wide open door.With her fingers biting uneasily on the back of the couch, she twisted herself to look at him. Hunter stood there. He just stood there, looking out. Then his hands unzipped the jacket he was wearing. He reached in the inside pocket and pulled something out.Claire's eyes furrowed in disappointment and rising tension."Is that a packet of cigarettes?" She asked herself.Her doubt was confirmed when he lit it and put it to his mouth. Taking a heavy drag on his cigarette, he exhaled a cloud of smoke. Claire felt about to burst from rage. She got up on her c
142My love, When you almost said it in the morning that you want to give me another chance I was awestruck. I wasn't able to breathe because I know what I've done is irredeemable. And when Caine and others came, I became pale. I thought you wouldn't want to look at my face. But you, my love, always enchant me with your unforeseen actions. The fact that you considered giving me another chance is enough to fall at your feet and cry for my mistakes. I know I wasn't the most attentive or romantic partner, but I promise to do it all for you. My love for you is indestructible from now on. Even if you have changed your mind after the morning incident, I will not complain. I will never stop loving you. No matter what your decision is about us, I will always do these little gestures and try to bring a smile to your face. Even if you want to move on with someone else (I hope you don't because I will not let that happen), I will love you and you alone.I miss you in our house, baby. I am liv
143Claire's skin burned with goosebumps. Butterflies went crazy in her stomach. She grinned in the dark while an obvious pink tint colored her cheeks."What?!" She exclaimed."I... I mean..." It broke his trance of craving, causing him to look everywhere else around her face but her face. "I mean to say you are wet. Maybe I can help you wipe your legs. I didn't mean—""Is Hunter I'm-the-fearless MacIntyre flushed?" Claire prodded a finger in the hard plain of his chest."What, no! Why would you get that idea? I am not..." He heaved deeply, and it showed that he was nervous. "Flushed.""Yes, you are." Claire persisted.She closed the gap between them, and stood on the tip of her toes. Her free hand clutched his neck so she could bring his head a little downward as she whispered."You want me... But you're scared to admit it aloud."Hunter's heart raced at an inhumane rate. He took some deep breaths to control his physical reaction and closed his eyes."I do. There's no denying that.
144A series of slow, shivery kisses began from under her ear lobe down to her collar bone. Hunter licked her skin as his hands cupped her breasts tightly. He kneaded them softly, squeezing them in his palms and lightly stroking around her areola. Claire bit onto her bottom lip while her eyelids came down. Her head fell back on his shoulder as strong pleasure ran through her bloodstream. She moaned into him, her hands going around his. She gripped the back of his hands and pressed them on her bosoms. The heat of his palm felt good, almost velvety on her aching nipples. She undid his hands so she could guide his fingers to touch her pebbled nipples. To her disappointment, Hunter spun her around. He breathed heavily against her mouth as his hands cupped her ass. He squeezed her flesh in an agonizing hold, causing her to open her mouth on a ragged breath. "I did that to your ass many times. And..." He finally took hold of her nipples and twisted them without a hint of mercy."Aah!" Sh
145"What?" Claire raised a demanding eyebrow while feigning oblivion. "Why are you gazing at me like that?" It was Hunter's turn to raise an eyebrow, except that it was more to tease her. "Gazing at you like what?" Her cheeks flamed a surprisingly lovely shade of red as she softly answered, "You're gazing at me like the bird that gazes at the moon all night in memories of its partner.”"Oh, that's how I am gazing at you? I thought it's more like a predatory gaze after..." He took a deliberate pause to elevate her excitement and pleasurable fear. "After what we did on the stairs."Claire's stomach recoiled in sweet pleasure. Her core thrummed, compelling her to clench her thighs together to keep them from shuddering. After their hot, unforeseen makeout on the staircase, she got changed into an atrociously short nightgown. It ended just above her hips and on the front, just enough to hide them from his eyes. Not that it was useful because it was thin— like tissue-thin, and one which
146Although her heart warned her not to take this any further, the influence of the devil made her mind bloom with an evil idea. She offered him a wicked smirk and cócked her brows."Do you really want to know?""I've never been more eager to know something!" He was quick with his response.Claire lifted her shoulders in an indifferent shrug, "Okay, if you're so eager then let me tell you."She excused herself to go upstairs to her room. Hunter's heart danced with a reckless abandon. He crossed his fingers and prayed for it to be a souvenir or something like that that she preserved. It could be a rose he gave her— not that he recalled giving her one willingly— that she put in her diary. Or a handkerchief— Which again, he did not remember giving her ever— with dried blood patch, that he may have offered to tie around her bleeding palm.His lips thinned and the feeling of excitement diminished to the one of regret and self-loathing. There was not even a single good thing he recalled doi
287"Hey—""H-Hunter..."Hunter sat up straight, his spine erect, and his face becoming white in shock as fear crept under his skin, listening to Claire's voice.He looked at the clock and gulped a shallow breath. It hadn't been more than an hour since he dropped Claire off to her home, and hearing her panic-stricken voice unsettled him."Dove, what's wrong? Is everything okay at home?" Hunter asked and bit his tongue to stop himself from saying— Did Scott do something again?He heard Claire's heavy breathing and immediately got up."Dove, say something!""H-Hunter... I... I..." Claire sobbed, causing his patience to near its end.At once he grabbed the keys to the bike he rode tonight."Don't worry, Dove, I'm coming over." He literally sprinted towards the door.His body was suddenly cold from terror as Claire's sob was making it worse. Hunter had come around the staircase. He was about to descend when he heard her sniff and ask him not to come.He stalled and stared at nothing in th
286Hunter stared at her, thrown off guard by her words. He reflected back on their meeting in the dark alley, and indeed what he realized made his mouth open a little. Mona hadn't looked like she intended to do anything physically with him. Her grin back then had been playful— one that of a naughty child who knew he was notorious for his mischief. "You can say that I was testing your loyalty towards Claire. I didn't intend to do anything mischievous, Hunter. But you see, Claire ruined everything when she interrupted." Her lips lifted in a sneer as she showed him her left cheek.There was a visible claw mark on her skin from Claire's nails. The scratch was swelling, its edges inflamed and red. Hunter felt bad for her. Now that he knew that Mona didn't mean to do anything condemning in the dark alley of the mall with him, he felt the need to apologize to her on behalf of Claire, but Mona beat him to it as tears flashed in her eyes."No, Hunter. I might want to see you with Claire and
285Hunter's body worked on its own. He felt like someone had trespassed into his territory and snatched one of his shirts that Mona was folding.He growled at her as his eyes seemed to darken even more. In the dim lights he came off as a hunter ready to tear his teeth into her skin and kill her. It wasn't a surprise that Mona was unaffected. She just rolled her eyes and lifted her finely manicured hand to blow over her nails."What the hell are you doing here? How did you come inside?" Hunter hissed."I was trying to be helpful as you can see." Mona said while casting a gaze around.Hunter's walk-in closet was a mess. It looked like a clothes manufacturing factory, unfolded shirts lying here and there, some trousers on the floor as if they were dropped just there after trying them on."I don't need your fucking help, alright! Just tell me why you are here and get the hell out." Hunter gritted out between his clenched teeth.Mona watched his knuckles whiten as he fisted on the shirt h
284"If you think that then I'm happy otherwise in my opinion, Reggie ruined everything I did." Hunter smiled a little awkwardly."That's because you're used to having everything done meticulously, Mr. Billionaire. But for normal people like us some mess and chaos is welcome.""Well then," Hunter sighed. "I'll have to make sure there's some chaos in our relationship."Claire chuckled. Later on, they hopped back on the bike and Claire was the one handling it. Hunter sat behind her, admiring her as she flawlessly rode the bike. There were no words exchanged until Claire stopped the bike on the street some yards away from her house.Hunter blinked his eyes as he looked around."Why here, Dove?""Scott's room's window." She pointed as from where they stood they could clearly see that Scott's room's lights were on."Oh." Hunter got down as he didn't need any further explanation.He wanted to drop her at the gate of her house and watch her go inside. But he deemed it was okay if they got dow
283"You'll never have to fight for any right when you're standing beside me. I'll always make sure you're respected and cherished more than I am. I'll also help you with your career, Dove. You can work at your father's or mine— wherever you're comfortable and I'd always come to pick you up so we can go home together." Hunter's voice was like warm honey, soothing and sweet. But Claire had more to acknowledge than just his heart-touching words. The surrounding was one of them. What had been a lake enveloped in a blanket of darkness was now glowing with golden lights. It felt as though the blanket was lifted off, revealing the beauty it had hidden underneath. "I'll always cherish you, love you and give you space. You will never have to question your worth or love for me.... Because I'll make sure I live up to your expectations." The pause he took allowed Claire to notice where they were standing— in the middle of a four post bamboo arch. There were colorful flowers and green leaves
282"Why are we here, Hunter? I don't have good memories attached to this place." Claire's voice was emotionless and a little hoarse."Do you trust me, Dove?" Hunter said over his shoulder.Claire didn't answer right away, and when she did... It was a small nod, although her eyes displayed her uncertainty."Then ask your heart to calm down. I won't do anything that would multiply your bad memories. Not on purpose!"Claire took a lingering gaze at him before she nodded again and carefully got down of the bike. She looked around into the dark as her heart kicked up a notch. All the excitement she had been feeling since the moment she saw Hunter had drained out of her. Her hands turned cold and she stuck closer to Hunter for his warmth. She ought to feel this way, after all, he's brought her to the place where she experienced her second heartbreak— The Lake.The sky was indigo overhead and the air was cool. The silhouettes of trees around made her jittery. Insects chirped menacingly and
281Although Dominic had been reluctant in the beginning, he told his wife that Hunter had called him a while before the dinner. He wanted to come to their mansion for some reason. Dominic revealed that Hunter prepared some kind of gift for their daughter, and needed his help to execute it. His request was to dim down the lights of the lamps around their garden so Hunter could have a dark set-up. And then the next thing that happened was that they heard commotion outside their window. Since their room was on the ground floor, they heard and saw everything. Hunter was in the garden, and he wasn't alone. His guards were there to help him whatever he planned to do for Claire. Dominic and Andrea also read the messages on the cardboards that Hunter held. One can say that Hunter's surprise proposal wasn't really a secret. His In-laws— correction, his ex-in-laws, who were about to become his in-laws again, had front-row seats to the whole thing.They read every message, saw every expressi
280"I know I was once the person Scott wanted to be like. But after what I did to you, his sister, he's lost all respect for me. I know he wouldn't hesitate to stab me the second he gets the opportunity." Hunter paused. "I don't consider that wrong because what I've done is enough reason for someone to put a blade through my heart.""Hunter!" Claire glared at him, but obviously it was so dark that he couldn't see it. But her hold around his neck, it indicated that she was disappointed. "I'm telling the truth, Claire. What do you think? That I'm only committing my mistakes in front of you. If that's what you think then you don't know me at all." The determination in his voice steeled her spine. "Fixing things with you was my first step toward fixing everything I destroyed." "Your forgiveness meant everything because if you could forgive me, then maybe the others would too. My goal is to make things right with everyone in your family, especially Scott."Claire's jaw unhinged. She was
279"Really?" He sounded playful.Claire hummed near his face and cupped his jaw, "I adore how you tackle challenges head-on and always come out on top." She paused, pecked him on the lips and added, "For me, you're a true champion and that's what captivated my heart.""You think too highly of me.""I just know that you're very skillful and...""And?" Hunter leaned in closer, depositing all his wait on her.Claire's lips tugged at the corners. An idea struck and she pushed him away. Hunter frowned at the loss of contact. But the push stirred his thoughts awake and he realized he was here on a mission. "You didn't answer my question!""What question?" Claire asked playfully."About being my girlfriend.""I'll think about it." She got out of his hold as she stifled her laughs.It was dark so she couldn't see his expression. But from what she knew about him, she knew he was boiling on the inside. Despite being one of the most successful men, he was grumpy and had very little to no pati