Bury the Hatchet

Chapter Twenty-Four - Bury the Hatchet

HUNTER

Now that our relationship had turned physical, I really couldn't seem to keep my hands off Tallie—and she didn't appear to want me to. She was sexy and sweet, she had a heart as big as the whole fucking state, she was both responsive and giving in bed, and she was starting to ask for what she wanted without acting like it was a huge imposition. Right now, I might think she was a dream come true, if not for the fact that her arms were once again covered with bruises caused by an utter asshole.

I wasn't satisfied with bringing her to orgasm only one or two times. For that matter, it wasn't enough to find my own release with her only once or twice in a night. We kept coming back to each other, seeking more when we ought to be sleeping. A simple touch turned into a full round of hot, sweaty, sticky sex in no time. And her hands? She put them right where I'd encouraged her to, covering the tattoos on my ass, beckoning me for more and even taking control of the situation sometimes. She was learning what she liked, what she wanted, and just asking for it wasn't enough; she was reaching out and grabbing the bull by the horns. That turned me on more than I could have ever imagined.

The morning after her most recent run-in with Lance, I convinced her she had to file a restraining order against him at the very least. But she didn't consent without some serious argument. She was right that going to the police for any reason would only bring more attention down on us, and likely not the variety of attention we were supposed to be trying to get, but her safety was my bigger concern.

The man was going off the deep end, and I wasn't on board with letting him take her along for the ride.

I got her father involved, too, since for the most part, he seemed to have Tallie's best interests at heart.

"I always knew that little prick was trouble," he said when I called and explained the situation. "I'm glad Tallie has you looking out for her now, son."

He called me son again. And this time, I didn't mind. I chose not to analyze that at the moment. Neither of us mentioned the fact that my marriage to Tallie wasn't meant to last or that she likely wouldn't have me looking out for her beyond the time we'd agreed upon.

He took the day off work to accompany her when she—reluctantly—filed a police report and started the process for filing the restraining order. They did all of that while I was at practice. In the afternoon, he went with her to visit Kade, waiting in the rehab center's lobby while she was inside. I wasn't sure what he told her mother, if anything. I had to wonder what Mrs. Roth would think, since she seemed to be under the impression that Lance Benton was practically a god.

As for me, I spent the afternoon at a security firm with John at my side, working out details for a personal bodyguard for Tallie. My job wouldn't allow for me to be with her all the time. Hell, I would have to be out of the state—sometimes out of the country—for days at a time, maybe even longer than that. I'd be gone as often as I was at home. John had offered to stay with Tallie, but my agent wasn't exactly security material. I felt much better trusting him to look after my business endeavors and finances than asking him to protect my wife from a crazy man.

And even though Mr. Roth was taking some time off now, he couldn't be with her constantly, either. Besides, I honestly wasn't convinced he was enough to protect her from Lance. The way I saw it, he hadn't done a very good job of looking after her before I'd come along.

They were going to send some guys over for me to interview on Friday. I wanted to do it sooner, but I had the Ice Breaker coming up and another game, and there wasn't time. Still, if we hired someone on Friday, they could get started before I had to leave with the team for our first road trip. And I would be able to feel more confident about her safety while I was gone.