Finding Forgiveness (Finding Series, Book 4) (21 page)

“I met her in college in Georgia. I asked her to marry me on our second date. She said yes,” Mr. Henry said as a slight smile spread over his lips.

“I took her home to meet my folks.”

“What happened?” Finn asked when Mr. Henry fell quiet.

“They were real nice to her, polite, asked her about school, her family. When I told them we were getting married, they congratulated us. Billie and I were so happy that we started making plans for our wedding as soon as we got back to school. The next weekend I went home to talk to my folks about where we should get married. They told me I couldn’t marry Billie and that if I did, they’d stop paying for my school and kick me out of the house. I told them I loved her and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her but they didn’t care. They said they didn’t want no…”

Mr. Henry hesitated, his voice breaking. “They called her a real bad name and said they didn’t want her as a daughter in law. They said the same thing about the kids we were planning on having.”

To Hunter’s shock, Mr. Henry reached up to dab at his eyes. “I was only nineteen and didn’t know how I’d support Billie with no job and no money. So I told her we couldn’t be together. She cried and begged me not to leave her…that we could figure it out together but I was too scared to go against my parents. She transferred to another school a few weeks later and I never saw her again.”

“I’m sorry Mr. Henry,” Hunter said as he handed the picture back.

The man traced his finger lovingly over the picture and Hunter actually heard him whisper, “My Billie,” before he looked up at them. “I can’t say I understand why you boys are the way you are, but we ain’t got no problems between us any more, you hear?” His eyes settled on Finn as he spoke the last words.

Hunter figured it was as good as they were going to get. “Thank you, Mr. Henry,” he said as he turned to leave. The old man let out a non-committal grunt in response.

As Hunter followed Finn towards the door, he glanced over his shoulder and noticed his father’s friend talking on his cell phone. The man’s small eyes connected with Hunter’s just before he turned and disappeared down an aisle.

“Hunter,” Finn called from where he was holding the door open.

“Coming,” Hunter said and he followed Finn outside.

“Wow, that was…wow,” Finn said once they reached his truck. “Thank you for that.”

“It was a long time coming,” Hunter said. A contented feeling went through him as Finn hugged him and as he watched Finn climb into his truck, Hunter felt his spirits lift. Even if Roman couldn’t work a miracle and get him his grandparents’ land back, he had a hell of a lot to be thankful for.

Hunter waved at Finn as he drove past and headed back out of town. He took his time walking across the park towards his car but stopped when he heard the loud rumble of an engine behind him. He could tell it was a diesel truck from the way it sounded and as he looked over his shoulder, he saw the vehicle in question stop in front of the hardware store. A niggle of uncertainty went through him as he recognized his dad’s poker buddy come out of the hardware store and climb into the bed of the truck. The truck was too far away to make out the driver or the passenger so he started walking back towards the store so he could get a better look as it passed. None of the occupants seemed to notice him as the truck drove past him but he sure as hell recognized the passenger. Fear went through him as he trotted across the park to the other side to watch which way the truck went and the second it turned right at the stoplight, Hunter raced to his car. He already had his phone out and was dialing Roman’s number as he put the car in gear.

“Hey,” Roman said as he answered on the first ring.

Hunter slammed on the gas and barreled through the intersection. “Roman, I need you to call Rhys or Jax for me.”

He could tell that Roman was on instant alert because he said, “Why? What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure, it may be nothing,” he said as he quickly explained the visit to the hardware store. “I didn’t have time to stop at the police station.”

“Hunter, are you following them?”

“Yes, but I don’t see them. They’re too far ahead of me. I need to see if they’re headed to the CB Bar.”

“Hunter-”

“Please Roman, make the call. Call Callan too – even if he’s out checking the herd, he might have his phone. I’m going to call Finn.”

“Okay,” Roman said quickly. “But if you see something, wait for Rhys and Jax, do you hear me?”

Since that was a promise Hunter couldn’t make, he simply said, “I love you, Roman” and hung up. He dialed Finn’s number but cursed when it went straight to voicemail. He pressed the gas down as far as it could go and when his phone rang again a few minutes later, he didn’t dare answer it for fear of losing control of his car.

By the time he reached the dirt road leading to the ranch, he could see a dust trail from whatever vehicle had been there ahead of him. He hoped to God it was from Finn’s truck but in his gut he knew it wasn’t. His suspicion was confirmed a few seconds later when the dust cleared as he reached the barn. The same black truck he’d seen in town was parked right next to Finn’s.

Terror shot through him as he slammed his car into park. He reached beneath the back seat and yanked out the lever action rifle that he always took with him to the lake and then ran through the barn. He found what he was looking for almost immediately. The three men and Finn were along the side of a storage shed near the corral that the big white horse, King, was in. The animal was in a panic as it tore around the enclosure.

Two men were holding Finn’s arms as Hunter’s father punched him in the stomach. Even from the distance, Hunter heard Finn groan and just as his father drew back his arm to hit Finn again, Hunter pointed the gun in the air and pulled the trigger.

The two men holding Finn immediately released him and Finn dropped to his knees. There was a bruise on his face but otherwise he appeared unharmed. His father seemed surprised to see him but his face quickly pulled into a sneer and he actually had the balls to pull his arm back as if to hit Finn again. This time, Hunter didn’t bother with aiming into the air. He aimed directly at his father’s feet, pulled the lever back to reload the gun and pulled the trigger in one smooth motion. The dirt at Malcom’s feet flew up and Malcom froze mid-punch. Hunter yanked back the lever and watched in satisfaction as his father swallowed nervously as the empty round was discharged from the gun and a new one was loaded.

“You,” Hunter said to the two men. “Walk towards me slowly.”

The men did as they were told and once they were within a few feet of him he said, “Stop and lay down on your stomachs, hands behind your head.” He kept his gun pointed at his father. “Finn, you okay?”

“Yeah,” Finn managed to wheeze.

“You guys have a gun out here?”

Finn nodded and climbed to his feet. It took him a couple seconds to catch his breath and then he was hurrying past Hunter and into the barn. He reappeared moments later with a shotgun.

“Watch them,” Hunter said as he motioned to the two men on the ground.

“With pleasure,” Finn drawled as he drew back on the barrel of the shotgun. Hunter could hear sirens in the distance but he kept his eyes on his father as he closed the distance between them.

“Big man with the gun,” his father bit out.

“Get on your knees,” Hunter ordered, his anger barely leashed as he stared down the barrel of the gun at the man who’d taken such pleasure in tormenting him. When his father ignored his order, Hunter fired again. The bullet actually took off the very tip of his father’s boot and his father screamed and jumped back. “On your knees,” Hunter said again as he reloaded the gun. When his father continued to balk, Hunter warned, “You know I’m nowhere near out of bullets.”

His father’s eyes narrowed but he finally dropped to his knees. Hunter got to within a couple feet of the man who’d sired him. “No heart, isn’t that what you said when I wouldn’t shoot that whitetail when you took me hunting for the first time?”

“Your mother would have thrown less of a fit than you did.”

Hunter ignored the barb and said, “Why come after Finn? Your buddy there must have told you I was the one who told everyone in that store about your dirty little secret…and mine. Why not just come after me?”

When his father’s eyes hardened, Hunter nodded his head in understanding. “I was next, is that it? Finn was an easy mark because you knew where he was headed and that Rhys was on duty today and chances were good that you’d catch Finn on his own so you figured you’d take care of him and then come after me as soon as you got the chance.”

“Hunter.”

The sound of Roman’s voice washed over him like a caress. He glanced out of his peripheral vision and saw that Roman wasn’t alone. Both Jax and Rhys were with him. Jax was busy cuffing the guys on the ground and Rhys was examining Finn’s injuries.

“Roman, please tell me Jax and Rhys aren’t going to have to arrest you for reckless driving.”

“I was on my way to Dane and Jax’s to pick up the medication for Champ when you called.”

“You know who this is, Dad?” Hunter asked as he motioned with his head in Roman’s direction.

“He’s the developer looking at my land-”

“Your land? Don’t you mean my land?” Hunter asked.

“That land is mine you worthless little shit-”

Hunter fired the gun and heard his father yelp as the wood behind his head exploded. For the first time, his father actually looked scared and Hunter couldn’t help but enjoy how good it finally felt to have the tables turned.

“Hunter,” Roman said softly. “Please don’t do this.”

“Why not? It’s no less than he deserves for everything he’s done. To me. To Finn and Rhys and Callan.”

His father paled and Hunter knew his guess had been right. “Deputy Reid, might I suggest that you take a look at my father’s financial records and see if maybe he didn’t make a contribution to the accounts of those guys that burned down Callan’s barn and killed his herd?” His steely gaze locked with his father’s. “And shot Finn.”

“I think that’s an excellent suggestion,” Jax said casually.

“Hunter,” Roman said again and Hunter finally took his eyes off his father long enough to connect with Roman’s.

“You see, Dad, he’s not just some developer,” Hunter said as he held Roman’s gaze. He hated the fear he saw there…for him. “He’s the man who loves me above all others. Who would give his life for mine without question and without fail every time. And he wants me to put this gun down not to save your sorry ass but because he doesn’t want me to have to live with the guilt of killing my own father.”

Hunter slid his eyes back to the man on his knees…the man who no longer owned the title of father. “Look around you. Not one of these men would lift a finger to save you. In fact, I bet every single one of them would help me bury your body without me even needing to ask. Because out here, you’re the one who doesn’t matter. You’re the one who doesn’t fit.”

Hunter lowered his gun and stepped back. It didn’t feel like enough, just walking away. But he found that in that moment he wanted something else more than he wanted revenge. And with that thought in mind, he turned his back on his father and began walking towards Roman. Roman’s features relaxed as he began moving forward but suddenly they pulled tight just as his mouth opened to yell Hunter’s name. He saw both Rhys and Jax going for their guns but they hadn’t gotten them past the holsters when a gunshot rang out. Hunter froze as his eyes locked with Roman’s and he heard him scream the word “No.”

But in the second it took Roman to reach him, Hunter said, “I’m okay.”

Roman’s hands grabbed him by the shoulders to yank him around so he could check his back and Hunter quickly noticed two things. The first was his father still on his knees with a silver revolver lying in the dirt next to the hand that used to be attached to his father’s arm. The second was the sight of Callan Bale about a hundred and fifty feet away riding his horse slowly towards them, a rifle in his right hand.

His father’s screams of agony pierced the air as Roman dragged Hunter into his arms. It vaguely registered that someone would probably need to apply a tourniquet to his father’s arm at some point to keep him from bleeding out, but Hunter didn’t really give a shit if that actually happened so he just took Roman’s hand in his and then went to check on Finn to make sure his friend was okay.

Epilogue

Six months later

“You okay?” Roman breathed against Hunter’s lips.

Hunter nodded but seemed incapable of speech as Roman surged into him again. The pleasure that Hunter was feeling was written all over his face but there was more there too. And Roman knew exactly what had put that look on Hunter’s face. He could feel it actually. The small, white gold band was pressed against his own skin as Hunter’s fingers clutched his.

Roman pulled back until his cock nearly slipped from Hunter’s body. He held himself there for a moment, reveling in the feeling of Hunter’s depths trying to hold on to his naked cock. He pushed forward again and watched Hunter’s eyes close as his head dipped back on the sleeping bag and Roman used the opportunity to kiss his neck. As soon as Hunter lowered his head again, Roman kissed him and then drew his cock back again. His next glide hit Hunter’s prostate and Hunter groaned at the contact as his legs tried to wrap around Roman’s ass to keep him from pulling out again. But he did it anyway and swallowed Hunter’s answering moan. Over and over he let Hunter’s body draw more and more of his release to the surface as he made love to Hunter’s mouth with his tongue.

The evening air was cool as it washed over their naked bodies but Roman barely felt the chill because his need for Hunter kept building and building. As with every time they made love, Roman’s intent was to draw their coming together out for as long as he could but as soon as he buried himself inside of Hunter’s heat, he knew it was a promise he wouldn’t be able to keep. And when Hunter lay beneath him, his eyes acting as windows to his soul, exposing every thought and emotion he was feeling, Roman knew he didn’t stand a chance.

Roman increased his thrusts until Hunter was panting against his mouth and then he released one of Hunter’s hands so he could use his arm to hold their bodies together as he rolled them so Roman was on his back. Hunter didn’t even hesitate for a second as he sat up and began riding Roman. He linked their hands together again and Hunter used the connection as leverage as his hips twisted over Roman’s. The engagement band on Hunter’s left hand stood out in stark contrast to his pale skin and Roman couldn’t help but run his fingers over it.

There hadn’t been a doubt in his mind that Hunter wouldn’t say yes to his proposal but he’d still been overjoyed when Hunter had fallen to his knees and whispered yes as he’d wrapped his arms around Roman’s neck. The eight months since they’d met hadn’t always been easy as they’d both had to adjust to being apart when Roman was forced to travel for work. Hunter’s therapy had done wonders but he still had to deal with the occasional trigger that left him frustrated that he hadn’t been completely cured of his need to hurt himself. Roman had also talked to someone about the way he’d responded to his father at his death and the memories of his mother that the event had triggered. Throughout it all, Hunter and Roman had drawn on each other when they struggled with trying to heal the wounds their pasts had left behind.

Dealing with the trusteeship had been easy once Hunter’s father had been convicted of multiple felonies including conspiracy. Hunter’s guess that Malcom Greene had been involved with the men who’d vandalized Callan’s property and nearly killed Finn after burning down Callan’s barn had been spot on, and Malcom had been sentenced to more than twenty years in prison. His trial for attempted murder was scheduled to start later in the summer. Hunter’s mom had given up her role as trustee and left Dare to go live with a distant cousin somewhere in the south. Roman had urged Hunter to consider saying goodbye but in the end he’d decided against it. Once the land was back in his grandmother’s care until he turned 21, they’d started talking about the house they wanted to build. They’d settled on a cabin that would look much like the one Pops had planned to build but it would include all the creature comforts that would make the place uniquely theirs.

“So beautiful,” Roman murmured as Hunter’s body rocked back and forth over his. Hunter leaned down to kiss him, releasing his hands so that he could cup Roman’s face.

“Love you,” Hunter whispered against his lips.

Roman surged upwards and wrapped his arms around Hunter’s waist to support him as they continued to kiss while Hunter began riding him in earnest. “Love you, soon-to-be husband.”

A gasp escaped Hunter’s lips at that but before he could do anything, Roman grabbed him and rolled them again and slammed into Hunter over and over. Fingers twisted in his hair and clamped down on his shoulder as Hunter began grunting with every powerful thrust. Roman’s own control was shot to hell so he just kept barreling into Hunter until he shattered into a million pieces as his orgasm ripped through him. As his come began to coat Hunter’s inner walls, his gliding motions became easier, freer and he used the added lubrication to shuttle in and out of Hunter at a relentless pace. Hunter’s hips lifted to meet his and as soon as he began bucking wildly beneath Roman, Roman reached between their bodies and gave Hunter’s cock several hard tugs. Hunter cried out in relief as he came and even before he was finished shooting, Roman pulled free of his body and leaned down to suck Hunter’s cock deep in his throat. He swallowed the last of Hunter’s essence and then lifted up to kiss Hunter as he slid his cock back into Hunter’s silky depths.

The fire kept them warm for only so long so Roman reached out to search for the edge of the sleeping bag to tuck over them. He could already see the sun starting to peek over the horizon which didn’t surprise him since they’d been making love to each other all night long. And since their only plans for the day were to join everyone at the CB Bar for dinner, they had the whole day to sleep, fuck and sleep some more. And somewhere in between, they’d manage a trip to the hot springs which inevitably would lead to more fucking.

“Any idea how we’re going to choose our best men?” Hunter asked drowsily.

Roman chuckled and gently pulled free of Hunter’s body before saying, “I get to play the brother card so I think that puts just you in the hot seat.”

Hunter groaned and Roman knew exactly why. For the young man who’d been isolated ever since leaving Dare, coming back had somehow had the exact opposite effect and he’d built lasting friendships with every single man in their extended family. He and Luke often snuck out to Luke’s shed which at some point had been re-coined his woodworking shop and played around with all the new toys Luke had stocked it with. Hunter had managed to get just as sucked into Gray’s books as everyone else but had inadvertently set off a firestorm when he’d let it slip that he’d managed to convince Roman in his own unique way to tell him what had happened to the harried detective. His friendship with Finn had flourished as they reminisced about the better parts of their high school experience. Rhys still had some epic guilt about the shitty way he’d treated Hunter so he always went out of his way to make sure Hunter knew how much he liked him and between Callan and Dane, Hunter had started working with the various rescue animals that the vet and the horse trainer always seemed to have on hand. Jax had been the easiest nut to crack because all Hunter had to do was work his magic on little Emma and the big man had easily accepted Hunter into the fold.

“You think I can flip a coin?” Hunter asked as he pressed up against Roman.

“Sure, but I can guarantee you’ll never hear the end of it if you do.”

“Maybe we should elope. I’ve never been to Vegas.”

“Your grandmother would kill us.”

“We’ll take her with us.”

“Your grandmother in Vegas?” Roman suggested.

“No, Vegas isn’t ready for that,” Hunter agreed. “Okay, putting a pin in the best man selection. What about location?”

Roman looked at him and said “Here” at the exact same time that Hunter did.

“When?” Hunter asked.

“Tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

“What?” Roman said as he leaned up on his elbow to look down at Hunter.

“Let’s do it.”

“Are you serious?”

Hunter levered up to kiss him. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for you, Roman Blackwell. Even one day more seems too long.”

Roman smiled and settled back down on top of him. Hunter’s arms wrapped around his neck. “We’re getting married tomorrow.”

“Yeah we are,” Hunter said with a big smile. “Don’t we need to get blood tests and a license?”

“We’ll do the ceremony tomorrow and do the rest of that stuff next week,” Roman said. “What about the best men?”

“As long as all of our friends are there, I don’t care where they stand. Beside us, behind us…just as long as they’re all with us.”

“Your grandmother is going to flip.”

Hunter thought about it for a moment. “She can officiate. She got ordained online for Dane and Jax’s wedding just in case the reverend got into an accident,” Hunter said as he used air bunnies when he said the word accident.

“You know what that means, right?”

“No, what?” Hunter asked.

“It means no sleeping in,” Roman said as he gave Hunter one last hard kiss and threw back the covers.

“Fuck, that’s cold,” Hunter said as Roman yanked him to his feet. “Hot springs?”

Roman was about to say they didn’t have time when Hunter arched his brows. “Thirty minutes.”

“I can work with that,” Hunter said as he began yanking on his pants. He paused when he heard some rustling in bushes behind them.

“Shit, what is that? A bear?” Roman asked. Hunter automatically reached for the rifle next to the sleeping bag but his hand hadn’t even closed around it when Champ came tearing through the woods and jumped onto the sleeping bag. The dog had gotten much bigger than Dane had thought he would and was still growing.

“Holy hell, Champ,” Roman groaned as he tried to yank his pants from underneath the dog’s heavy bulk. He was just righting himself when Champ jumped off the sleeping bag and took off towards the lake. Roman’s jeans snapped back and he nearly fell on his ass. Hunter began laughing hysterically.

“Damn dog,” Roman muttered. He was distracted by some more rustling and looked up just in time to see a patch of black and white waddle up to their campsite. “It’s just Lucy,” he called to the fleeing dog.

“Uh, Roman,” he heard Hunter say.

“Yeah.”

“That’s not Lucy.”

“What?” Roman asked as he looked up from the pants he was still trying to get on.

“Not Lucy,” Hunter called as he darted past him.

Roman looked down at the skunk, dropped his pants and took off running, stark naked, after Hunter.

The End