Chapter 15

Hunter

This was absolute bullshit.

Every time Vincent's name came into my life, I was absolutely, unequivocally fucked, and I had to doubt that this time would be any different.

"What about my uncle?" I asked. I honestly kind of didn't want to know, but I had no choice but to ask. Whatever this was, it amounted to a lot of trouble, the kind that I probably couldn't buy my way out of.

"Do you know the current whereabouts of your uncle, Mr. Blackwater?" the taller marshal inquired, his eyes searching mine. As far as I knew, my uncle was right where I left him, federal prison. I hadn't been able to pull in enough favors to get him out yet, but I was working on it.

I'd told him to be patient, that I would get him out eventually.

"I assume he's still at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac. Why? What's happened?" I answered, my voice flat. I raised my eyebrows, searching the officer's gaze for any hint as to why they were here.

"Your uncle escaped from custody this morning. He knocked out several guards and managed to steal a helicopter that was being used for a routine transfer," the shorter marshal explained, his voice curt and to the point.

"Fuckkkkkkkkk…" I replied.

I stood there dumbly, trying to figure out if they were lying to me or they'd been paid off somehow, but as they both stood there, I soon realized that this wasn't a joke.

The taller marshal continued, "It was a well-planned operation, or so we think. He had outside help. We're investigating the possibility of an inside job along with it. The helicopter was found abandoned near the Olympic National Forest. We have teams searching the area, but so far, there's no sign of him."

"I had no idea," I replied, my voice trailing off in confusion.

"When was the last time you were in contact with Vincent?" the shorter one asked, whipping out a notepad, and I stared at him for a long second.

"Just a few days ago. I visited him in prison," I answered.

"And did he give any indication that he was planning an escape?"

I shook my head. "No, nothing like that. Our conversation was… pretty strained. We're not exactly on good terms."

The marshals exchanged a glance. "Can you elaborate on what was discussed?" the taller one pressed.

"It was brief. I made it clear that if he tried to drag me or my company into his mess, there would be consequences. He didn't take it well, but he didn't say anything about an escape plan. It was more of an ultimatum from my end," I said with a sigh.

The marshals continued to scribble notes. "Did he mention any names or places that could be relevant to our search?" the shorter one asked.

"No, nothing specific," I replied.

"Has Vincent ever discussed his associates with you? Anyone who might aid him in an escape?" the taller marshal asked, his pen poised over the notepad.

"No, he never mentioned anyone specific to me," I replied. "Our conversations rarely touched on his… business dealings. He knew I wanted no part of it."

The taller marshal nodded, jotting down my response. "And in your visit a few days ago, did he seem different in any way? Anxious, agitated, or maybe too calm?"

"Honestly, he seemed resigned, more than anything," I answered, "There was anger, sure, but it was the same as it always was. Nothing that suggested he was planning something like this."

The marshals looked at each other, seemingly assessing my responses, and I watched them closely. "If you do think of anything else, anything at all, please give us a call immediately," the taller one said, handing me his card.

I took the card, still trying to process everything. "Of course, I'll let you know if I remember anything relevant."

They turned to leave, and I dipped my head, closing the door behind them. With a heavy sigh, I swiped my hand down the line of my face, trying to take in what I'd just learned and deal with it without punching a wall or breaking something.

I wanted to kill him.

My uncle had been a thorn in my side for as long as I could remember. His involvement in the darker aspects of our family's past had always been a source of tension and embarrassment for me. I had worked tirelessly to distance myself and my company from his shadow, but he kept dragging me into his world whether I liked it or not.

Just like he was now.

I paced the room, each step fueled by a mix of anger and worry.

Morgan slipped beside me and took my hand in hers, and suddenly it felt like I could breathe. I turned to face her, taking in her gorgeous green eyes, and mussed wavy brown locks, and the world all seemed to fall away. The light caught her face just so, highlighting both her faint blush and her cheekbones, and I was once again reminded of how beautiful she was.

"We're going to need to do way more PR work, aren't we?" she asked, her voice a bit hesitant.

"That we are," I confirmed.

"Then we should probably get some rest," she whispered.

I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head gently. She shivered in my arms, and I smirked a little at her reaction.

"I think that would be wise," I sighed.

As much as I had been looking forward to fucking her gorgeous little ass, it was going to have to wait.

There would be plenty of time for that in the days to come.

* * *

The first thing I did the next morning was set up a meeting with my lawyers. Already, my phone was ringing off the hook with journalists, and when I'd turned on the news, the story had taken over the entirety of the morning segment.

Everyone wanted to know where Vincent Blackwater had disappeared to and if I had anything to do with it. When I glanced out my window, I saw several vans parked outside my building below, paparazzi waiting for me to emerge down on the street.

Shit was already hitting the fan, and I needed to do something about it.

In no time at all, I was in my legal team's office with Morgan at my side. The polished table was littered with legal documents as my lead attorney cleared her throat.

"Alright, let's go over our options for distancing your company from your uncle's actions," said Elizabeth. She was a sharp-minded woman, known for her strategic thinking and highly skilled at her job. She'd gotten me out of several messy situations before, and I trusted her completely.

"The first step is a public statement," I suggested, glancing at Morgan for her input. "We need to make it clear that my business and I have no connections to Vincent's criminal activities."

Morgan nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. A press conference would be great. You should emphasize your efforts in ethical business practices and community contributions. It's crucial to reinforce the distinction between your uncle's actions and your values."

One of my other lawyers, Thomas, chimed in. "We also need to review all past communications and transactions to ensure there's no link that could be misconstrued as involvement or support of Vincent's activities."

I leaned back, processing this. "Do that. Leave no stone unturned. I want complete transparency."

Elizabeth made a note. "We're also preparing for any inquiries from law enforcement. You need to be ready to fully cooperate. It'll demonstrate your commitment to resolving this situation."

"I agree," I said firmly. "I have nothing to hide."

Morgan added, "Hunter, it might also be beneficial to engage more actively in community outreach programs right now. It'll reinforce the positive image of your company."

"That's a good idea," Elizabeth agreed, jotting it down. "It shows proactive engagement rather than a reactive stance."

I nodded.

The meeting continued as we delved into the specifics of each strategy. Morgan's contributions were invaluable, providing a fresh perspective on handling the public relations aspect of the crisis along with the legal advice from my team. I felt grateful for her support, her presence grounding me as we navigated through this messy situation together, and I started to look at her in a new light.

I didn't just want her for a few days. I'd had her once, and even now, I knew it wasn't enough. I wanted more.

I wanted to keep her.

As mine. Forever.

I glanced in her direction, my gaze inevitably drawn to her once again.

Her beautiful green eyes caught my look, and she smiled. They were so expressive and bright, and I found myself getting lost in them, even in a room full of people.

Her hair, long and wavy, cascaded over her shoulders, sometimes falling into her face when she leaned forward. It was a rich, warm brown, like autumn leaves under a golden sun. There were moments when the light hit it just right, and it looked like it was threaded with strands of gold.

She was really the prettiest thing, but that wasn't the only thing that drew me to her.

For the first time in my life, I found myself noticing the little things.

Like the way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear when she was deep in thought, or the small, almost imperceptible smile that played on her lips when she knew she had made a particularly good point, or even the way she played with her sleeves when she was nervous.

She did that a lot around me…

Not to mention all the cute things she would do when she was aroused. My dick grew hard at the thought of her sweet moans and how her breath stuttered right before she came, and how she got so wet for me that her arousal coated her inner thighs, or even how she made an adorable little mewl every time I called her my naughty little slut.

My girl liked dirty talk, and I fucking loved that.

"Anything else to add, Mr. Blackwater?" Elizabeth asked, cutting through my thoughts and catching me off guard.

"No. I think you all bring up valid points and that the strategy going forward is a solid one," I answered, covering up the fact that I hadn't really been listening through the past several minutes of conversation. Morgan met my gaze and cocked her head. With a knowing smirk, I leveled her with a heated glare, and she fidgeted in her seat.

I wanted to do nothing more than kick my entire legal team out of the office and sink my hard cock into the sweet, tight vice of her pussy. With a sigh, I forced myself to focus on the meeting at hand, but the tension between us remained.

There was no doubt in my mind she needed a fucking, especially when we'd been so rudely interrupted last night.

There would be time for that… later.

For now, I had to deal with the clusterfuck that was my uncle.