Read Online The Hunter by Gennita Low - Free Book Online Page B

pocket.
    He let her down then and pulled the skirt back into place before lifting her over his shoulder. He turned, looking for the door to his left. He had watched her enter the room from there, so it must be a stairway to the upstairs. The waitress had told him the owner lived upstairs and would be down shortly if he cared to wait.
    Oh, he was going to wait, but his way. It was easy enough to pretend to go out and then slip down a small corridor when the young woman’s attention returned to vacuuming. He was in what looked like an office, and as luck would have it, it was where Amber Hutchens had appeared through the door. Jackpot. That was the access to upstairs.
    There was enough lighting from the upper landing for him to climb up without looking for a light switch. It was a narrow space to maneuver a large man carrying an unconscious woman, though, and he had to be careful several times not to bump against the wall and hurt his prisoner. He reached the top, hesitated, then turned to the right. He had barely taken half a dozen steps when the light suddenly switched on. He blinked, and found himself staring at another woman pointing a weapon at him.
    She was tall, with short dark hair, and her dark eyes held a cool look in them, telling him that she could use the weapon trained on him if she wanted to. She studied him for a moment.
    “Well, if it isn’t Hawk McMillan,” she finally drawled.
    “I gather you know me,” he said.
    “We have…met…” she acknowledged with a small smile.
    “I see.”
    “Getting a little revenge?” she asked.
    “Sort of. Mind introducing yourself? I kind of like knowing the names of women who have touched me.”
    “Not yet.” Her voice turned serious again. “What exactly are you doing with my friend?”
    Hawk patted Amber’s bottom and watched the other woman’s expression turn to amusement. “Her? Oh, nothing quite as humiliating as what she did to me. Want to watch?”
    The smile returned and she slowly lowered her weapon. “Is it anything kinky?” she asked. “She’ll hate it if you do anything kinky to her.”
    Hawk cocked his head. “Lady, she tied a note around my dick. That’s not exactly prim and proper.”
    She shook her head, her smile turning impish. “I didn’t see it, but suspected it from the look in her eyes. Ah well. I suppose that revenge of some sort’s proper. You did pass her test, after all.” She nodded toward Hawk’s back. “That’s where you want to go. This is the kitchen.”
    Hawk raised his eyebrows. “You’re letting me walk in there with your friend, just like that.” This was a very unusual woman. “You trust me not to hurt her.”
    She shrugged. “I’ll just kill you if you do. She’d do the same for me.” She glanced at her watch. “Besides, from what I’ve heard, you need her to help you in your mission, don’t you? You have fifteen minutes, Mr. McMillan. Is that enough time?”
    “Plenty.” He started to turn around, then added, “You sure you don’t want to watch? Shouldn’t you be protecting Amber?”
    The woman laughed. “Honey, what’s life without a little fun? I’m Lily, by the way. And watch that you don’t overdo that revenge bit. I’ll find you and hurt you before you can hide behind Dilaver’s big ass.”
    Hawk gave her a smile and nodded, then turned toward the room Lily had indicated. He looked around as he walked toward a big bed that looked very comfortable. Spacious, with very few things on the walls. It didn’t look anything like the feel-good-Americana décor downstairs. A desk with her laptop. A big love seat in the corner by the window. That was it. No frou-frou pillows on the bed, or hand-crafted throws, or anything that matched the downstairs persona.
    He bent down and slid Amber onto the bed. She settled into the feather mattress, her blond hair loosened from its knot, leaving bright wisps against her face and the dark pillow.
    Hawk sat on the edge, taking a good look for the first