His Regret by Bella J.

Chapter Four

There wassomething about this Hunter guy that prickled the nerves in the back of Scarlet’s neck. The way he stared at her and his entire demeanor toward her was like he knew her…or at least he thought he knew her. This didn’t sit well with her.

After running from her past for years, she had learned to always trust her gut. If something didn’t seem right, it probably wasn’t. And something about this Hunter guy wasn’t right.

Scarlet glanced at the other side of the club where he had been sitting for the last two hours. He hardly ever took his eyes off her, staring at her like he knew something she didn’t. Paranoia had been Scarlet’s companion for a long time, and around every corner all she could see was her past somehow finding its way back to her, infiltrating her life once again, tormenting her. This was why Scarlet had never been able to settle. Her survival depended on her ability to run and disappear.

But there was something about this big, bulky man with green eyes that seemed to have the demonic power of possession that triggered her already heightened paranoia. There was definitely something more than him just being a customer trying to get his flirt on with her, staring at her cleavage.

Most of the crowd had died down since it was nearly two a.m. Scarlet gave her last customer his order of scotch on the rocks and then loosened her apron.

It had been a while since she had pulled a double shift and her feet were aching, begging for a little rest. Getting home and flopping down on her bed like a piece of meat never seemed more enticing as it did right then.

Just as she turned around, Joe walked up to her. “Are you calling it a night?”

Joe wasn’t an unattractive guy with his dark hair, dark eyes, and olive skin. He had that whole Latin lover image going for him, which the women loved. Scarlet, not so much.

She sighed, not in the mood for the whole “I’m interested in you” flirty conversation.

“Yeah, I’m beat.”

When she tried to move past him, he gave a tiny step to the right, blocking her way. “That’s a pity, ’cause I thought maybe we could go grab a drink somewhere.”

She looked up into his dark brown eyes that made her think one thing and one thing only—boring as hell.

“It’s two a.m., Joe. I just want to go to bed.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Positive.”

Again she tried to get past him, but he gave another step to the right. “I’m sure you can stay awake for just another hour, can’t you?”

God, she did not have the strength for his persistent Latin ass.

“Joe, I told you—”

“Just one drink.”

“She said no, man.”

Scarlet looked up and saw Hunter standing on the other side of the bar like he was about ready to fling across it and hand Joe’s ass to him on a silver platter.

Joe turned toward Hunter. “Back off, dude, this has nothing to do with you.”

Really? A pissing contest? At two in the morning? So not in the mood.

“Okay, while you two figure out who’s able to piss through that five-inch granite countertop—I’m leaving.”

Scarlet took the gap and quickly brushed passed Joe, when he grabbed ahold of her elbow. “Scarlet, wait up.”

From the corner of her eye she saw Hunter giving a step forward, fists balled at his sides, but she shot him a warning glare before turning back to Joe. “If you don’t take your hand off me within the next two seconds, I will shove your balls down your fucking throat.”

Joe probably felt the fury resonating in her words since he immediately let go of her elbow and took two steps back, holding up his hands. “Fine. Whatever.”

“Good boy.”

Scarlet grabbed her jacket and made her way out from behind the bar and through the club. Nothing annoyed Scarlet more than men thinking they could intimidate the shit out of everyone, especially women.

Just as she stepped outside, a hand grabbed her elbow from behind.

“Joe, I swear to God…” But when she spun around, it wasn’t Joe. “What the fuck do you want?”

Hunter took his hand off her and placed it in his jeans pocket. “Are you okay?”

“Oh my God.” Scarlet loosened her ponytail, letting her hair fall around her shoulders. “I don’t need you, or any other man for that matter, to act all chivalrous. I can take care of myself.”

“Everything okay over there?” Harvey asked from a few feet away.

“Fine. Thanks, Harvey,” Scarlet answered without taking her eyes off Hunter. “You have a good night.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow night, then.” Harvey locked up and disappeared around the corner.

Hunter was still staring at her, looking smugly amused. “So you’re saying you’re fine, then?” His lips curved slightly at the corners, evidence of the sarcasm that just made her annoyance peak to epically destructive heights.

She narrowed her eyes. “I’m pretty sure there are one or two Barbie dolls left inside looking for a big old brute to blow.” She leaned closer. “Go find yourself one.”

As she spun around and headed in the other direction, she heard him snicker behind her.

What-fucking-ever.

She didn’t have the time or the strength for this exasperating gorilla who seemed to have the natural talent to do nothing but piss her off. Not to mention that she still had that prickle of warning in the back of her skull when it came to him.

Scarlet pulled her helmet over her head and got on her motorcycle. Just as she was about to start the ignition, she saw a shadow on her left, and her heart crept up her throat.

When she turned her head, there was nothing there, yet the ice cold chills running down her spine told her differently. Suddenly the silence and the darkness around her seemed to intensify as all her senses kicked in. Shadows seemed like they were moving, closing in on her, the silence of night taunting her with promises of fear. God, she hated when that happened, when her paranoia took hold of every muscle and every thought. It was a miracle she wasn’t addicted to Xanax yet.

She started the ignition, fear pulsing in her veins, driving her to get the fuck out of there. But before she was able to pull away, two hands grabbed her shoulder and pulled her backward, yanking her off the bike. With a hard thud she fell on the pavement, pain resonating through her back. Every survival instinct she had inside her kicked in when she saw three men surround her.

“He wants you back, Little Red.”

Oh God.

Her stomach dropped and her chest tightened.

Little Red. No, this can’t be happening.

“He’s gone through a hell of a lot of trouble to find your ass.”

Scarlet slowly pushed herself up, trying hard to not concentrate on the pain still lingering in her back. She pulled off her helmet.

“Yeah, well, if only he went through a hell of a lot of trouble to go fuck himself, I’d be real happy right now.” She squinted when she finally managed to straighten.

One of the three men stepped forward and she could see that his eyes were a disgusting mouse color that instantly gave her the creeps. “You can be glad he ain’t here to hear you say that.”

Scarlet bent backward and felt her back muscles snap back into place, giving her some much welcome relief. “Of course he’s not here. He’s too much of a coward so he sends his little dick minions to do his dirty work for him.”

The minute that last word left her mouth she launched forward and punched the guy hard in the face. The sound of bone cracking was evidence enough that Scarlet broke the fucker’s nose. Fuck yeah!

The other two men rushed forward, one of them grabbing her by the arm while the other guy aimed a flat palm at her face.

Seriously? A flat palm? What, did they think she was Sleeping Beauty who couldn’t handle a little fight with three goons?

Scarlet ducked out of the way, and while she was down there, she punched a fist right in his balls. A breath escaped his lungs with a loud swoosh as he curled up, clutching his nuts with both hands.

Immediately she turned to the third guy, who still had a hold on her arm, and tried to kick her knee into his gut. But from out of nowhere a fist collided with her jaw and cheek, sending white hot pain through her skull. The blow was so hard, her vision turned to nothing but tiny white spots while a static noise filled her pounding head.

Scarlet was on the ground within a second, unable to focus or even try to get up. Then there was the most intense, bone shattering pain that shocked through her body when the motherfucker kicked her in the stomach. It felt like her intestines exploded into shards of agony, cutting her open from the inside. Through the static that rung in her ears she could hear herself scream when she felt the crushing pain of the second kick.

More pain, more screams.

Expecting a third blow, she pulled her legs up, trying to protect herself while she covered her face with her arms.

“Motherfucker!” someone yelled, and Scarlet opened her eyes.

Someone grabbed her attacker from behind, turned him around, and punched him in the face. That was when she noticed it was him. Hunter. The guy who stalked her all night. The guy with the gift of pissing her off. The guy…who was now punching and kicking the shit out of the three little dick minions.

Unfortunately, Hunter didn’t hit the first guy hard enough to send him to the ground, but when Hunter turned and back kicked him through the face, it was clear the guy was no longer conscious. His eyes rolled back, and it was dead weight that fell on to the asphalt.

The two other men attacked Hunter at the same time, going at him from both the left and the right. But Hunter was too fast, punching one while kicking the other guy in the skull. It seemed so easy for him, like he wasn’t even trying. It would have been damn impressive if he didn’t irritate the living crap out of her.

In what seemed like seconds, all three men were on the ground, splayed out like shriveled up little leaves in the middle of autumn.

Hunter crouched down beside her. “You okay?”

“Does it fucking look like I’m okay? What a dumbass question.”

He reached out to her. “Here, let me help you get up.”

Scarlet winced as he softly wrapped his hands around her shoulders and lifted her up from the ground. There was so much pain that possessed her body, Scarlet couldn’t even keep her eyes open.

She felt a finger softly touch her jaw.

“Fuck me. That had to be a huge blow.”

Instinctively she pulled back, away from his touch. “No shit, Batman!”

Finally able to open her eyes, she looked at Hunter, who did not seem like he had just kicked three fuckers’ asses.

He nodded toward the men knocked out on the ground. “Who are these guys?”

“How the fuck should I know?”

Hunter looked at her with a curved eyebrow. “Well, it’s a pleasure saving your stubborn ass, isn’t it?”

“No one asked you to save my stubborn ass. I was doing fine on my own.”

Hunter let out a mocking laugh. “Yeah, I could definitely see how fine you were doing.”

“Fuck you.”

Pushing back the pain that was pulsing through her entire body, Scarlet squared her shoulders and walked to where her helmet was laying on the ground. With a grunt she bent over and picked it up before heading toward her motorcycle. God, it felt like her ribs and insides were all hanging outside her body.

Hunter followed her. “I have a feeling you know exactly who these assholes are.”

“Unfortunately for you, your feeling doesn’t know what the fuck it’s on about.”

Wanting to get the hell away from Hunter and the assholes still passed out on the ground, she pulled the helmet over her head, ignoring the pain in her jaw, and got on her bike.

“You ride a bike?”

She turned to Hunter, who looked all confused. “What, are bikes only meant to be boys’ toys?”

“I’m not saying—”

“Fuck you, Ace.”

“Yeah, you said that already.”

“Fuck you, Ace.” She pulled down the visor of her helmet and saw him narrow his eyes at her.

He stepped closer, and she started the ignition.

“Scarlet, tell me what the fuck is going on here.”

“Sorry, Ace—” she revved the bike “—fortunately for you, my life is not your problem.” And then she pulled off with record speed, her fear fueling her need to get the fuck away. There was no time to chitchat, especially with a guy who thought he had the right to fucking interfere and play the part of her so-called knight in shining armor—which he wasn’t.

What she had spent years running from had finally caught up with her. The past that haunted her day in and day out was finally at her doorstep and she didn’t know how the hell it happened. She played it safe. She did everything she was supposed to do to ensure she could never be found. But somehow, someway, she had to have slipped up…because he found her. He would always find her. No matter where she tried to run to, where she tried to hide, her demons would always track her.

Tonight only made her realize yet again that the chances of her being free of him anytime soon were slim to none.

Fuck.