Page 11 of The Hunted

7

Raven

My body thunders with adrenaline as I walk down the hall. I can’t believe I’ve managed to get out of there without having sex. I should be happy about that, and I am, but why do I have this faint sense of disappointment? I head toward the elevator, and the doors, as if on cue, open upon my arrival. Lazzaro stands inside. Immediately, my hackles rise.

“Raven, what a lovely surprise,” he says through a devilish smile while staring me up and down. That smile only adds to his dark edge. I note the large amount of blood spattered across the white dress shirt under his black sport coat. I shudder to think of the man on the receiving end of his wrath. My eyes dart to his bloody tattooed knuckles as they flex into fists by his sides while he leans against the wall of the elevator. Not wanting to be confined in a small space with him I consider walking off, but where would I go? Back to the Hunter? I step inside the elevator, against my better judgment. Before I can turn around and face the elevator doors, a hand slides around my lower back. Cringing, I turn to see the Hunter.

“Lazz,” the Hunter greets the man while assessing his appearance. A slight frown mars his handsome features but only for a few seconds before he fixes his gaze on me. Chills skate up and down my spine from the intensity of his stare.

“Bane.” Lazz’s deep voice cuts through the trance this man has placed me under.

“We need to talk,” the Hunter states tersely, while pulling me into his side. He stands between Lazzaro and me. Thankful for the brief moment of comfort he’s providing me, I don’t shrug his arm off. It’s been too long since I’ve felt comforted.

“I figured as much,” Lazz replies, seeming a bit less cocky than he did moments ago. The elevator stops to let me off, and Bane holds me to him as he moves us out ahead of Lazzaro. His warmth engulfs me, and I feel protected in his embrace. I didn’t realize how much I missed feeling safe until this moment.

“Good night, Raven,” Lazzaro sing-songs. My skin crawls. Lazz is intimidating in his own right, a beautiful man, no doubt, with long, dark hair that falls around his shoulders and intense, dark eyes that look right through you. But where my Hunter is calm and collected, Lazz is more of a loose cannon and no one knows when he might explode. I first saw him the day I arrived here. He was walking the floor of the casino throwing a menacing scowl in everyone’s direction. I’d heard the other girls talk about him. They said he has a terrible temper and he is not afraid of a fight.

If his blood-drenched clothes and busted knuckles are any indication, I’d wager the rumors to be true.

“Raven?” The Hunter asks as he turns me to face him. His eyes are soft as my name spills from his lips. A smile flirts with his mouth and warms my insides.

“Yes, Bane.” He doesn’t acknowledge my timid use of his name if he notices.

“Raven, can you make it to your suite from here?”

“Yes, Bane.”

“See to it, then.”

He pats my arm like we are old chums then turns away from me and paces down the hall. I watch until he turns the corner. I’m not certain what to make of this man. He has lots of hard edges for certain, but there is a gentleness to him.

As I wind my way down the hall, all my thoughts are questions about the Hunter. Who is Bane? Why have I never seen him before or heard of him? He’s obviously someone with some authority if he has quarters here, within the manor. Lazzaro clearly knows him, well, it seemed. The most confusing question is why did my body react to him as if he controlled it? His touch should have repulsed me, but if I’m being honest with myself, my body lit up for him. That thought alone is more than enough reason for me to stay a safe distance from him. I have a purpose for being here, and I need to stay focused on that.

Scarlett. She’s why I’m here. Maybe it’s the months of feeling lost and alone, missing her that have me craving comfort, a shoulder to lean on. Yes, that’s likely what it is.

I get to my door and touch my finger to the lock. It clicks open and I enter to find Lea lying on the couch watching T.V.

“Hey, Raven. Why are you back early?”

Concern etches her face. Her question is logical. There is no reason I should be back yet and absolutely no reason a normal member would be called away. I consider for a moment whether I want to be honest with my suite mate.

“My Hunter got called away to settle a dispute.”

“Why would your Hunter be called away?” Lea asks, her brow creasing.

I inhale a deep breath. No one knows the real reason I’m here. If the truth got out, they could make me leave, and I’d be left with too many unanswered questions. But Lea is the closest thing to a friend that I have right now. Maybe she can shed some light on this situation. She’s been here for about ten months so she knows far more about the ins and outs of this place than I do. Although she is pretty tight-lipped about everything. Lea adheres to the contract we signed.

I take a breath before I decide to lay my cards out on the table. I need information and I’m not getting anywhere on my own.

“I’m not sure who he was, Lea, but he had private quarters here, inside the manor. His name is Bane.” I sit down in the chair across from her and watch as Lea’s big brown eyes grow even wider.

“Did you say Bane?”

“Yeah, someone came to the door and called him Bane.”

“Holy shit, Raven! Holy fucking shit! Do you have any idea who Knox Bane is?” She hops up to a seated position, barely containing her excitement.

“Obviously, I don’t.”

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