Kenzie
It was a three hour drive to Hunter's safe house and he had barely spoken a single word to Kenzie the entire drive.
The muscles in his jaw and neck were tense as he stared at the road ahead with a deep scowl on his face. He was focused and completely silent which put Kenzie on edge. Every attempt Kenzie made at conversation was met by shrugs or clipped one word answers.
Is he mad at me?
Another hour passed, filled with mostly silence until they finally pulled into what looked like an empty clearing with no house in sight.
"Where's the house?" Kenzie asked.
"Behind that tree line." Hunter said flatly as he climbed out of the drivers seat and stretched his legs.
His thumbs danced across his phone as he sent text after text, fully focused on his phone without even looking at Kenzie.
Why is he so distant right now?
Grabbing a duffle from the bed of the truck, Hunter put it over his shoulder and motioned with his chin for Kenzie to follow him.
"This way." He said firmly with a sternness to his voice that made Kenzie's stomach knot.
He seems...angry.
"Everything okay?" She asked, trying to keep up with his long strides as he surveyed every inch of terrain in front of them, scanning the entire area with his eyes as they walked.
"No." He answered dryly.
"No? What's wrong?" She asked, but got nothing in response.
Hunter's jaw was clenched and his frustration was obvious as she followed him all the way to a small cabin.
"Talk to me, Hunter."
"Just gimme a minute Kenzie." He said flatly with a scowl on his face.
He is mad at me.
The idea that Hunter's anger was aimed at her made Kenzie's stomach drop and her whole body felt off kilter. She hated the thought of him being mad at her and was determined to remedy the situation as quickly as possible.
"Please, just tell me what's wrong." She pleaded.
Once they reached the front door, Hunter pulled a gun from beneath his shirt and turned over his shoulder after punching in a security code. He pressed his finger against his lips forcefully, practically glaring at Kenzie as he nonverbally instructed her to be quiet.
Opening the door slowly, Hunter took two slow steps through the doorway, sweeping his gun to each corner before he silently reached back and grabbed Kenzie by the wrist and pulled her behind him. She was nearly flush with his back as he moved her into the house. He positioned her with her back against the wall, placing her hand on the door knob before he whispered to her.
"Don't move." He ordered in a whisper.
"But..." Kenzie wanted to offer her assistance to him. She knew how to handle a weapon and wanted to make herself useful to assist him in sweeping the house.
"Goddammit Kenzie I said don't move." His tone was harsh and his voice was deep and meant to be obeyed as he scolded her.
She nodded and stayed put, with her back against the wall and her hand on the door knob as Hunter moved from room to room with silent precision.
Reappearing after a minute or two, Hunter slid the gun into the waistband of his jeans and made eye contact with Kenzie.
"All good." He said coldly.
"Will you please tell me what's wrong?" Kenzie practically begged as Hunter took his duffle into one of the bedrooms.
"It's nothing. I'm just trying to figure shit out." He mumbled.
"Let me help." She asked, following him into the bedroom.
He scoffed at the idea and shook his head which did nothing except piss her off.
"What? You don't think I can help?" She sassed, feeling slightly offended that he had laughed at her offer.
Sucking in a deep breath, Hunter tossed the duffle onto the bed and clenched his jaw again.
"Enough, Kenzie." He muttered.
"Enough? So now I can't even speak?" She asked, raising the volume of her voice slightly.
Without responding verbally, Hunter tilted his head to the side, cracking his neck and closing his eyes as he tried to control his temper.
"I can help..." She started, but Hunter cut her off.
"You wanna know how you can help? How about you stop questioning my every fucking move?" Hunter snapped.
Kenzie's head recoiled in a mixture of anger and confusion at Hunter's words.
"Excuse me?"
"Back at Knight...You questioned me, made me stand there an explain shit to you when we needed to leave."
So that's what this is about...he wants to control me and I wouldn't let him.
Shaking her head in disbelief, Kenzie folded her arms across her chest and gave him an exasperated grin.
"I can make my own decisions Hunter. I had every right to an explanation." She countered.
"You're right, but not then. It was the wrong time and you should have followed my lead and let me explain in the truck." He said without hesitation.
"So I was supposed to just blindly follow you without any questions?" She asked in disbelief.
"Yes."
His response was swift and harsh.
"What sane person does that? You just walk into a room and say You're moving, and expect me to not ask questions or need an explanation. To just say okay sure and follow you out the door? Are you hearing yourself?"
"Yes. That's exactly what I expect."
Taking a step back, Kenzie let out a gust of air and fought back angry tears.
Obedience...that's all he wants from me.
"The only people who follow orders without question are soldiers, children and slaves...so which one am I to you Hunter?" She snapped.
"If I had to pick right now, I'd say you're acting like a child." Hunter countered with the same level of bite in his voice that Kenzie had delivered.
Kenzie's anger was bubbling too close to the surface and she put more space between them as her breathing picked up.
"I'm not a helpless child, Hunter. I've endured shit you couldn't begin to imagine."
Tears stung Kenzie's eyes as she eyed Hunter, hurt by his actions and words, blurring the lines between Hunter and her father as she backed away further.
"You know what? Screw this. I don't need this." She snapped as she turned on her heel and headed for the front door.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Hunter asked.
"Anywhere I want." She sassed over her shoulder as she flung the front door of the cabin open and stormed out into the densely packed forest around her.
"Kenzie stop." Hunter commanded firmly.
"Not a chance." She said, feeling like she could spit venom and breathe fire at the moment.
I'm not a child, I'm not a soldier, and I'm certainly not a slave. I don't have to take orders from anyone. Not anymore. Never again.
"Get back in this house right fucking now." Hunter's voice was deep and boomed through the trees at her.
She turned around to face Hunter who was scowling and fuming on the front porch of the cabin.
"Don't make me come get you." Hunter warned.
Giving him an over exaggerated eye roll, Kenzie was about to turn and keep walking when she saw Hunter's massive body take a step off of the porch toward her.
"Fine." He growled under his breath as he took powerful steps in her direction.
"It's not safe out here Kenzie and you're coming inside." He said as he approached her.
"Oh really? And what are you gonna do? Carry me?" She sassed.
"Exactly."
As soon as he gave her confirmation of his intention, Hunter bent over and flung Kenzie over his shoulder. He stood effortlessly with one arm around her legs as he held her firmly in place.
"Hunter put me down." She huffed as she squirmed and pushed against him to no avail.
He was completely unfazed by her attempts to free herself and his strides and firm grip weren't affected in the least by her struggles. Carrying her like a caveman, Hunter ignored her squirming and cussing as he carried her back into the house.
Kenzie pushed off of his muscular back and wiggled her legs as he made his way up the steps, but all of her thrashing was only met by a tighter grip.
"Put me down!" She screamed, but Hunter acted as if he hadn't heard her until they were safely inside the house with the door locked.
Setting her down on her feet, Hunter looked down at Kenzie with a stern expression.
She placed her hands on the center of his chest, pushing off of him in an act of defiance, furious that he'd forced her into the house against her will.
Hunter's muscular chest absorbed her physical blows and he remained completely unmoved every time she pushed him which only infuriated her more.
"What makes you think you have the right to order me around like this?" She yelled as she continued to push him, yielding absolutely no results.
"Stop." He said firmly.
Kenzie was so angry, she could barely see straight, pushing Hunter, trying to move his massive body away from hers, but failing miserably.
Taking hold of her hands, Hunter gently restrained her by the wrists, holding both of her hands in one of his. She tried to pull away, but his grip was too tight and he countered her movement by lifting her hands over her head and pinning her against the closest wall.
"Kenzie...stop." He said, softening his tone as he pinned her against the wall by her wrists, using the rest of his body to hold her in place.
"No! Answer me! What makes you think you have the right to order me around? Huh? Is it because I'm a woman? Is it because you think I'm weak?"
"It's because you're mine." He said loudly.
"You don't own me Hunter. I'm not a possession. I'm a person." She countered, glaring up at him.
"But you're my person. And I need to keep you safe. Why can't you understand that?"
His words made Kenzie temporarily forget her argument as she looked up at him, taking in angry breaths as she considered his words.
"Stop fighting me and just listen." He said firmly, holding her in place against the wall so she'd stop thrashing.
"I know you want me to ask you instead of telling you to do things... but when you're in danger, I won't always have time to explain."
Narrowing her eyes at him, Kenzie listened to his words, but had a quick rebuttal.
"You had time to explain today. I wasn't in immediate danger." She said harshly.
"Yes you were."
His words sobered her and her eyes went wide as she tilted her head to the side in confusion.
"One of the men Banks brought with him was selected to head the mission to kill you. There was an immediate threat to you in that building and I didn't have time to explain that to you, but I did anyway...and I hate myself for it."
Carefully considering every word that had just left Hunter's mouth, Kenzie stopped moving and stared up at him as her breathing slowed slightly.
"Why do you hate yourself for it?"
Hunter sighed, but held her gaze, telling her the absolute truth as he towered over her.
"There was a threat to you in that building. I knew that I needed to get you out of there as quickly as possible. Every second we spent in the building meant you were in harms way. I knew that, but I let my feelings for you cloud my judgement. I went against what I knew was right and safe for the sole purpose of appeasing you...I put you at risk because I was scared to upset you...but on the drive here I decided that I'd rather you be pissed and safe than comfortable and dead."
Kenzie was speechless with her chest still heaving as she stared at Hunter.
He lowered his stance until his eyes were level with hers, keeping one of his hands wrapped around her wrists, pinning them to the wall as he used his free hand under her chin.
"I want you to hear me when I say this Kenzie...I'm not afraid to hurt your feelings if it means keeping you safe. I have, and always will, act in your best interest and I need you to trust me...completely."
The eyes that were angry and stern a few minutes prior were now filled with a different emotion as Hunter held her gaze.
"And why should I give you that kind of blind trust?" She asked with steel in her spine.
"Because I love you." Hunter responded immediately without hesitation.
His words sucked the air from Kenzie's lungs and sunk deep into her soul.
"What?"
"You heard me Kenzie. I'm asking you to trust me...with your life and everything else...because I love you. I am in love with you." He confirmed with sincerity and firmness that was not to be questioned.
Kenzie wanted so badly to believe him, but that claim had been made by so many others who had betrayed and hurt her.
"Do you really mean that?" She asked softly.
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it Kenz."
Swallowing hard, Kenzie's angry tears finally spilled onto her cheeks as her emotions overwhelmed her.
"I love you." He said again, tilting her head up so her lips were only a few inches from his.
Kenzie was slowly melting, loving the way her body responded to that phrase, despite her hearts reluctance to accept it.
"Please don't hurt me Hunter." She whispered as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I'd never hurt you Kenzie...trust me."
Squeezing her eyes shut, Kenzie let the tears fall as she slowly took down her wall, allowing Hunter into her heart despite the fact that she was reluctant and scared.
"Trust me." Hunter said again, letting his lips brush against hers as he spoke the words.
Letting out a shaky breath, Kenzie let her body relax and closed the space between their lips, sealing their kiss softly. Hunter wrapped one arm around her waist, using the other to hold her wrists above her head as he lost himself in a long lazy kiss. His movements were slow and controlled as he held her in place, pulling away when she pulled back slightly.
"I trust you." Kenzie said quietly against his mouth.
The words made Hunter's upper body flex and tighten before she spoke again, saying the words he was most desperate to hear.
"And I love you."
That one small phrase took down every wall and barrier that had separated them. With a sudden surge of energy and passion, Hunter practically lifted Kenzie off the ground in a deep passionate kiss that stole her breath and made her knees weak. He clutched her petite body with his strong arms as he devoured her mouth with more passion and desire than he'd ever shown her. His kisses were deep and desperate, causing Kenzie to completely melt in his arms.
I've never loved this deeply before, and I'm not sure if that is comforting or terrifying.
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