Chapter 22

Hunter

Morgan was so incredibly beautiful.

The soft lighting of the restaurant accentuated the gentle contours of her face, casting a warm glow that highlighted her natural beauty. Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as we discussed the plans for the orphanage outing, and her genuine willingness to volunteer her time with the children only added to her beauty.

It was incredibly sweet of her, and it made me appreciate her even more. Her thoughtfulness in remembering each child's name, her eagerness to be involved in a part of my life that was so important to me, it all resonated deeply.

My heart beat for her, and only for her.

With a shaky breath, I realized how lucky I was to have her in my life. She wasn't just another pretty face; she was compassionate, intelligent, and genuinely caring.

She was fucking perfect.

At that moment, I realized something else. She had become more important to me than my company, my reputation, or any of the other material successes I had achieved. Her presence in my life had shifted every single one of my priorities. The thought of losing her was unimaginable, far surpassing any fear of business failure or public scandal.

I would burn the world just to keep her.

That revelation was simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating.

I didn't know how to process that feeling, so I just pushed it to the back of my mind and focused on enjoying the evening.

Morgan leaned forward, her gaze meeting mine. "What are you thinking about?" she whispered, cocking her head as her gaze met mine.

"You."

The corners of her mouth turned up in a smile, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. Honestly, it was adorable.

"What about me?"

I smiled. "About how amazing you are."

Her blush intensified into a deeper rosy pink.

"And how thoroughly I'm going to enjoy that beautiful body tonight," I continued, and she dipped her head, her cheeks a bright red now.

"You are incorrigible," she said, smiling.

"What can I say? I'm a man who knows what he wants."

"Is that so?" she asked, leaning forward, her voice low. "And what exactly do you want?"

"I think you know the answer to that question."

"Oh? I don't believe I do." She cocked her head, feigning innocence.

Bold.

I liked it.

I was going to be bold right back.

"I'm a man who wants to fuck that tight little ass of yours again tonight, hard enough to make you scream and come over and over for me until you beg for mercy, and then I'm going to fuck it some more," I answered, and there was a glimmer of a smile that made her whole face light up.

"Looking forward to it, sir."

My filthy, dirty girl.

Utterly, fucking perfect.

* * *

A few days later

The sun was shining, making it the perfect day for a trip to the zoo. Morgan had made all the arrangements as she had promised, and it was finally time for her to meet the kids that had become such an important part of my life. As she and I approached the group of eagerly waiting children, I didn't miss how their faces lit up with excitement.

Mia, the eldest at twelve, stepped forward with a polite smile. "Mr. Blackwater, Miss Davis, thank you for bringing us here," she said, her maturity evident in her demeanor.

"It's our pleasure, Mia," I replied, impressed by her courtesy. "I hope you all have a great time today."

Carlos, a mischievous nine-year-old with boundless energy, bounced on his toes. "Can we see the tigers first?" he asked, his eyes wide with anticipation.

Morgan laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Of course, Carlos. Let's make the tigers our first stop."

The twins, Ava and Bella, six years old and inseparable, tugged at Morgan's hand. "We want to see the monkeys!" they chimed in unison, their voices a chorus of excitement.

"And we will," Morgan assured them, her tone warm and patient. "After the tigers, we'll head to the monkey exhibit."

Little Jamie, the youngest at four, clung to my leg, looking up at me with big, curious eyes. "Are there big elephants?" he asked, his voice small but hopeful.

"There sure are, Jamie," I replied, ruffling his hair gently. "We'll see the elephants too. They're one of my favorites."

As we made our way through the exhibits, all the kids nearly skipped with their excitement. Along the way, Mia asked thoughtful questions about the animals, clearly interested in learning more. Carlos couldn't hide his delight, darting from one exhibit to the next, with me keeping a close watch to ensure he stayed safe. The twins, Ava and Bella, were delighted by everything they saw, and their laughter was infectious. And little Jamie stayed close, taking in the sights with a sense of wonder.

It was heartwarming to see their joy, and I found myself enjoying the day as much as they were. Beside me, Morgan was a natural, engaging with each child, making sure they all felt included and happy. Her ability to connect with them was remarkable. Watching her with them, I felt an overwhelming sense of admiration and love. I soon realized that this trip to the zoo showcased two things.

Not only was it about making the kids happy, but it was also a glimpse into a future I was starting to envision more clearly—a future with Morgan by my side.

As we continued into the tropical bird aviary, I noticed a figure lurking nearby, trying to blend in with the crowd but clearly focusing a camera lens in our direction.

I leaned slightly towards Morgan, speaking low enough so only she could hear.

"Seems we have an uninvited guest near the aviary," I murmured, nodding subtly in the photographer's direction.

Morgan glanced discreetly and nodded, understanding immediately. "Let's not let it spoil our day. The kids are having too much fun. Plus, we wanted them to see us, right?" she whispered back, a small frown of concern on her face.

As much as we had talked about our first public outing to announce our relationship, I could still tell that she was a bit nervous about it. I reached out, took her hand in mine, and squeezed it. Her eyes met mine, and she smiled, her nerves seemingly a little more at ease.

"This is what we wanted, my sweet girl. Everything is going to be alright," I said softly.

We continued our tour, making our way to the popular Northern Trail exhibit, where the children were excited to see the gray wolves. Carlos pressed his face against the glass, trying to get as close as he could to the beautifully majestic animals, while Mia read out facts from the exhibit's information board, her voice filled with curious interest.

Ava and Bella tugged us towards the otter exhibit, which they had enthusiastically declared was their favorite earlier. When we arrived, the otters' playful antics in the water elicited giggles and cheers from the twins, and even Jamie clapped his hands in delight.

I kept an occasional eye on the paparazzi, ensuring he kept his distance. Morgan's safety, along with the children's, were my top priorities.

Despite his presence, we moved through the zoo with ease, visiting the famous Humboldt penguin exhibit and the impressive African Savanna habitat, where Jamie's wish to see the elephants was finally fulfilled. His awestruck expression at the sight of the enormous creatures was a moment to remember, and the look of joy on Morgan's face was one that I would cherish for the rest of my life.

The whole day couldn't have gone more perfectly.

When it was finally time to leave, we gathered the kids to head back to the orphanage, their chatter filled with animated recollections of all the animals and their antics.

"Thank you, Mr. Blackwater! Thank you, Ms. Davis! Today was awesome!" Carlos exclaimed, his energy undiminished by the day's activities.

"Yeah, thank you! The elephants were so big!" Jamie added, his small hand in mine.

Mia, ever the thoughtful one, smiled warmly. "We really appreciate this, you know. It was so much fun."

Ava and Bella, not to be outdone, chimed in with their own chorus of thanks, giggling about the playful otters.

"It was our pleasure," I said, smiling down at them. "I'm glad you all had a great time."

Morgan's eyes were bright with happiness as she looked at the children. "You guys were wonderful. We should do this again sometime."

Their farewells were a chorus of happy voices as we dropped them off at the orphanage.

"Let's go home," I offered, and just as I was beginning to drive towards my penthouse, my cell phone suddenly rang. Glancing at the caller ID, I saw that it was Richard Conway. My mood shifted instantly.

"Hello, Richard," I answered, trying to keep my voice even.

"Blackwater, enjoying your day playing philanthropist?" Richard's voice dripped with condescension.

"What do you want?" I asked, my grip on the steering wheel tightening.

"You see, I got some lovely shots of you two at the zoo today. Heartwarming stuff, really. Might fetch a pretty penny."

Morgan glanced at me, her expression turning to one of concern. I put the call on speaker.

"I thought we had an agreement," I said coldly.

"Oh, we do. But I just thought you should know that I'm always watching. Always ready to capture those precious moments," he replied, his tone smug.

"Your threats don't scare me, Richard. Stay out of our lives," I said firmly.

"We'll see, Blackwater. We'll see," he retorted before hanging up.

"I'm going to kill him," I growled.

"Hunter, we can't let him provoke you into doing something drastic," Morgan said, her voice laced with concern.

"I can't just sit back and let him threaten us, Morgan. This goes beyond mere provocation," I replied.

"But going to extremes isn't the answer. There has to be another way to handle this without resorting to… to violence," she insisted.

I glanced at her, my resolve firm. "When it comes to your safety, I'll do whatever it takes. You may not like it, but I can't allow anyone to harm you or use you as leverage against me."

Morgan's eyes flashed with a mix of frustration and fear. "I understand wanting to protect me, but sinking to his level, that's not you, Hunter. You left that life behind."

"Sometimes the past is the only tool we have to protect our future," I countered. "I won't let him, or anyone else, put you in danger."

"Hunter, please," she pleaded. "Don't do this. Don't become the man you've fought so hard not to be. There's always another way."

My jaw clenched as I considered her words, my anger simmering just beneath the surface. As much as I wanted to believe her, I knew deep down that if it came to a choice between her safety and Richard's life, there was only one real option.

And it was always going to be her.