Chapter 13

The next couple of days blurred into a rush of MC activities for Hunter. He'd been deep in club business, from long strategy sessions about the youth center to late-night rides that blurred the city lights into streaks of color.

There was also the abusive farmer and the trafficking ring they were fighting. The progress on both topics was slow, but as Hunter watched an alert go off on one of his monitors his heart began to pound.

For days, Hunter had traced the digital footprints left by the trafficking ring, following their trail through a labyrinth of encrypted servers and false identities. With each dead end, he learned and adapted, honing his hacking skills to exploit vulnerabilities. After relentless digging and dead ends in the digital shadows, his persistence finally paid off. His fingers were poised above the keyboard, ready to strike. He found a tiny crack in the trafficking ring's facade of proxies and firewalls.

With a few swift keystrokes, Hunter exploited the breach, delving deeper into the network. He could almost feel the pulse of the dark web beating against his intrusion. However, he pushed forward, his focus narrowing as he bypassed layers of security. There, on his screen, were the lists of transactions, dates, and shadowy profiles they had been chasing for weeks. "Gotcha," he whispered. A grin spread across his face as he installed a Trojan virus and began to extract the data.

Max, working undercover, had been feeding them bits and pieces, but this was the breakthrough they needed. While they were getting closer to the mastermind behind this organization, they needed information to connect all thedots anddeliver solid proof. However, dismantling the entire operation would not be without its challenges. The criminal organization had a vast network and powerful connections.

Hunter hoped his evidence would help remove Max from the job. He'd been hanging around the criminals for almost a year and each day in their midst he risked discovery.

Hunter admired his brother. Max knew that taking down the criminal organization wouldrisk his life.He was alone and up against highly skilled and dangerous individuals who would stop at nothing to protect their operation. And yet, hewent undercoveranyway.

He texted Brick and Slate, expecting them to call in the rest, and locked his screen while keeping his computer running at the same time.

The clubhouse was abuzz when Hunterarrived. The air waschargedwith adrenalineand anticipation. Brick clapped him on the back, his eyes gleamed. "This is it, Hunter. Great work. With this, we can start planning the takedown," he said, his voicerumblinglike distant thunder.

As the team gathered around, Hunter explained the evidence he had unearthed. Theircamaraderie wentbeyond shared battles. There was a sense of purpose here, a shared commitment to justice that made him proud to be part of the ECO. Hunter couldn't help but wonder what the straight-laced cop would think of his achievement. Would he compliment the result, acknowledging the necessity of the less-than-legal methods,or critiqueHunter's approach, emphasizing the importance of following the rules?

This breakthrough was more than just a win against the dark underbelly of the city; it was a reminder of Hunter's dual life. As the meeting continued, Hunter contemplated the idea of sharing this victory with Ethan. He visualized intertwining his two worlds in a way he never imaginedpossible. But for now, he focused on the faces around him. He concentrated on the brothers-in-arms who depended on his skills, and the fight ahead that would demand themto be at theirbest.

His phone buzzed and a text message from Ethan appeared. Hunter's heart skipped a beat before he read the message.

R U free tonight?

Elation swept through him, radiating warmth from the core of his being to the tips of his fingers and toes. His heart raced, thumping loudly in his chest until he suspected his brothers might hear its drumbeat. The breakthrough with the trafficking ring had been significant, but this—this anticipation of seeing Ethan again—stirred a different kind of exhilaration in him.

He felt rejuvenated, adrenaline coursing through his veins, not from the danger of his MC activities but from the thrill of what the evening with Ethan promised. The mental image of Ethan's smile, the sound of his voice, temporarily made Hunter dizzy.

A fluttering sensation in his stomach left him breathless.

Sure. Why?

Hunter texted back as his pulse quickened.

Ethan's response was as straightforward as the man himself.

Good. I'm taking you on a date.

The idea of a date set Hunter's mind racing with excitement. Hunter daydreamed about the evening, imagining the feel of Ethan's hand in his, the warmth of his conversation, and the shared laughter.

As he prepared to leave, Hunter's anticipation grew, tingling through him with the promise of what the night held. He imagined stepping into Ethan's space, the way their eyes would meet, and the inevitable pull that would draw them together.

As dusk settledoverSeattle, Ethan picked him up. The city was alive withsunset colors,painting the skyin hues of orangeand pink. Ethan drove them to KerryPark, knownfor its stunning views of the city skyline and Mount Rainier. The sight was breathtaking, the city lights twinklinglike falling stars,the Space Needle standing tall against the evening sky.

They walked close together, Ethan's hand brushing against Hunter's, the contact sending tingles up his spine. They talked easily and their laughterblendedintothe night air.

After the park, Ethan led him to a cozy restaurant in the heart of the city.

As they stepped into The Pink Door, Hunter was immediately envelopedby the warm,inviting scents of herbs andgarlic. These scentspermeated the air, minglingwith subtleundertones of aged wood and candle wax. The rich aroma of simmering sauces and fresh pasta promised a feast not just for the body but for the soul.

They were seated at a secluded table. The flicker of candlelightpaintedsoft shadows that danced across the tablecloth. After the server left, Ethan poured them each a glass of wine. The ruby-red liquid caught the candlelight as he filled Hunter's glass, then his own. They toasted, and Hunter took asip. The wine wasrichand slightly tarton his tongue.

The first dish arrived, a plate of pasta draped in a velvety tomato and basilsauce vibrant with Mediterranean flavors. Hunter twirled a forkful, the strands slick with sauce, and brought it to his mouth, the tangy sweetness of tomato mingling with peppery basil and garlic's robust essence. Ethan watched with a smile, then offered a bite of his carpaccio. The meat was buttery soft, and the flavors exploded in Ethan's mouth. The thinly sliced beef was complemented by a drizzle of tangy lemon juice, a sprinkle of salty Parmesan cheese, and a hint of earthy truffle oil. It was a perfect balance of richness, freshness, and depth.

He chewed and hummed.

Ethan leaned forward and whispered, "That sound reminds me of how you moaned this morning when you were stuffed full of my cock."

Hunter's dick twitched at the mention. "That, Sir, is quite an inappropriate comment to make in a public setting." Hunter tried a stern expression. "Let's keep our conversations appropriate, especially when we'reenjoying such delicious food."

Ethan grinned unrepentantly. "I love it when your face turns bright red like this. Do you truly want me to be more mindful of our surroundings or are you hard as a rock beneath the tablecloth?"

They paused their banter momentarily when the server appeared to collect their dishes.

Abandoning the sexualinnuendos, their conversationflowed whenthey spoke of the environment, both of them passionate about conservation and sustainability. They discovered a shared love for legal thrillers and pop music from theseventies, eighties, and nineties. T heir discussion was filled with laughter and animated gestures.

"So." Ethan stared at him with vivid interest after the server brought them their main course. "How was your day?"

Hunter's smile faltered as he navigated around the specifics of his day with the ECO, choosing his words carefully to avoid revealing too much. "Just the usual club stuff, you know, keeping things running smoothly." His tone was light but his eyes avoided Ethan's gaze.

As Ethan listened to Hunter's vague description of his day, he couldn't help but arch an eyebrow. Now that's an evasive answer if I ever heard one , he thought, his attention lingering on Hunter with a mixture of curiosity and concern. He noticed the subtle shift in Hunter's demeanor, the way he went from being open and slightly bashful to shutting down completely, and how his expression closed off.

Disappointment formed a small knot in the pit of his stomach. He understood the vast distance between their worlds, the unspoken barriers that lay like landmines in their path. Part of him yearned to bridge that gap, to delve deeper into Hunter's life, but the rational part of his mind knew better. They were from different orbits, possibly even on opposite sides of a silent battle line, and the reality that they might be more like adversaries than lovers weighed heavily on him.

Despite his disappointment, Ethan recognized the need to tread carefully, to not push Hunter into a corner. With a soft sigh, he decided to steer the conversation away from the minefield of their daily lives and back to common ground.

"Hey, would you like to go to the cinema sometime?" Ethan asked, his tone light, despite the deeper thoughts he wrestled with. " Edge of the Storm is playing. I've heard it's packed with action and danger—seems right up our alley."

His suggestion hung in the air, a peace offering and an invitation to retreat to safer territory, where the complexities of their lives could be momentarily forgotten in the shared darkness of a movie theater. As he waited for Hunter's response, Ethan hoped that this simple pleasure could give them a moment of respite, a slice of normalcy in the tangled web of their connection.