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“Maybe after.” I kissed his cheek, then whispered. “In my house?”
His smile widened. “Inyour house?”
I nodded. I did have a present for him and having himliterallystep into my house was part of it.
“I’d be honored.” He pressed a gentle kiss to my lips then eased back. “Ready to dance, princess?”
“Princess, huh?” Then he was my warrior. No doubt about it.
“Myprincess,” he said, offering me his arm to take. I slid my arm through his, and we walked to his door just as it opened.
There stood his mom, dressed in a long black dress with a cover around her shoulders. “Angelina, you look beautiful.”
“You do, too.”
“I’ll have the prettiest women at the ball on my arms.” He grinned and offered his free arm to his mom. “Ready to go raise some money for a great cause?”
Yes. By attending tonight’s ball, maybe I could show someone, even if it was only one woman, that they, too, could find their strength. I’d been a victim long enough.
* * *
Hunter
“She really is amazing,” Mom said as we watched Lina talking to the woman who emceed the ball. “I didn’t realize she’d always sponsored it.”
“She never said anything other than she helped out a little—behind the scenes, of course—from her apartment. I didn’t realize how involved she’d been.” I shook my head, absolutely amazed by this woman.
“Poor thing, all those years locked upstairs.” Mom beamed at me. “You’re good for her.”
I huffed. “Trying to be.”
“You are. I’m glad you’re finally taking time for you and your life, Hunter.”
“Me, too, Mom.” I grabbed her hand. “I hope it can last.”
“I talked to Marshal yesterday. There’s been no further sign of him. We’re fine.”
“I’m not sure if I’m happy about that or not.” No telling where he might show up next. “I still have doubts about bringing Lina into this world of ours.”
Mom tugged at my hand. “You can’t choose who you love. When it happens, you have to go with it.”
“And hope they don’t turn into a monster?” Lina didn’t know what she was truly getting involved with when it came to me. Not just the psycho father hunting us, but the DNA running through my veins could—
“Hunter.” She shook her head. “Your father…no one knew how sick he was—”
“Until it was too late.” I shook my head. What if that sickness lays in wait inside me? What if I hurt Lina? What if I turn into the very monster my father was?
“Don’t go there, Hunter.” She grabbed my arm with an impressive force. “You are nothing like him.Nothing, you hear me?”
“I’m not like him.” A mantra I’d repeated since I was able to comprehend how much of a prick he was. “I’m not like him.” And I’d done plenty to prevent it with martial arts teaching me control, helping women by training them, and protecting them at the bar. But I knew the monster was in there.
“She doesn’t even know my real name.”
“It’s okay.” Mom framed my face with her hands. “You are Hunter Amos. You’ve finally found your place in this world. So…it doesn’t matter who you were before.”
I gulped. Would Lina feel the same if she found out?
Mom eased away from me, still holding my gaze. “Take your girl out to the dance floor.”
