The Hunter (Mistress & Master of Restraint) (30 page)

“I hope that’s a good thing,” Ezra groans, lifting his chest up so that he can look
down at me. “I’m ready again. Are you sore?”

“I don’t think I can cum again so soon, but I’ve went twice to your once. Knock yourself out but be gentle this time. You’re a thick bastard,” I say with pride.

Guilt getting the better of me, because I hate seeing Katya upset or sad, I extend my arm until I find her hand. I pull her to my side since I’m just going to be laying here while Ezra takes his pleasure. I sigh when Katya cuddles up to my side, putting her hand on my chest.

Automatically, I turn my face to the side and kiss Katya. It’s a nice kiss, but when my tongue swaths against hers
, I grunt and grow hard. I pull away scowling. No longer confused, I’m pissed that my body responded. I guess the anger is what is the most telling. If I wanted Katya like that, I’d want another kiss, not be pissed at my traitorous body.

“Shh…” Ezra breathes into my ear so Kat can’t hear him. “Your body recognizes hers is all. I know how you feel better than you realize.”

Confused, I don’t know if Ezra is talking about my body or Katya’s body as only being recognized but not truly wanted by his. I feel sad for both Katya and me, to the point that I want to cry.

Ezra leans over and kisses Katya for all he is worth. Both of them moan as their mouths connect. Ezra is slowly sliding in and out of me, barely moving. But his kiss with Katya has his cock puls
ating in time with the strokes of their tongues.

“Is… is Ez the only one you’ve done this with?” Curiosity killed the Kat.

“Ya know how you don’t want your man to talk about what his exes did in bed while he’s making love to you. Like ‘Tiffany’ had bigger tits or ‘Michelle’ had a tighter pussy,” I say in a mocking girly tone. “Ya don’t ask me to answer that,” I growl. “Not at least right now, ya don’t. I’ll tell ya later.”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Kat giggles. “And, OH FUCK, NO, on the comparisons in the sack.”

“You can thank Marcus for the change in Cort. Cortez liked fucking Marc so much that he decided he preferred cock- both of them decided they preferred cock,” Ezra growls, changing his thrusts from soft and smooth to wicked and painful, jerky stops and starts that are harsh.

“Oh,” Kat gasps. “Did it hurt?”

“What do you think? Marc has a soda can cock… oh, nice try on getting me to piss Ezra off, Kitten. Kudos!” I don’t sound angry, though. Katya is a smart woman, but cute no matter what. “I bet you already knew I was with Marcus and you are screwing with me... I was already coming back to Ezra before I did that. It was my goodbye to Marc.”

Ezra slows himself, no longer trying to hurt me. But the way he touches me is
reverent, possessive, deep, consuming and owning… and I love it. “I’m pretty sure you’re going to make me cum a third time,” I moan, rocking my hips up against Ezra’s pelvis.

Ezra makes a satisfied sound in the back of his throat, happy and content. “Did it hurt?” Ezra finally asks, wanting an answer to Kat’s question.

I bust out laughing. The stress of what’s to come taking me over. I don’t want to lose Ezra, to the point that I’m scared to tell him what I want. I don’t want to hurt Katya. But she instinctually knows what I’m up to anyway. I laugh so hard that I start to cry, but I mask the fear and stress with my song of pleasure.

I don’t answer Ezra, but he answers a silent question I had. When Ezra
passionately, heatedly, lovingly and lustily kisses me, his cock doesn’t pulse with want as it had for Katya… Ezra kisses me and comes more powerfully than ever before.

Cortez Abernathy
: Present
-Chapter Forty-One-

As a family without a home, we are camped out in our bedroom. We wanted the Whittenhowers to have their own family Christmas morning without us interfering. The blended Whittenhower and Preston Christmas is happening in the Study with Diane joining them. Marcus and Regina should
be with them, with her children. But they are having a
safe for the meeting
and a
mental timeout
with the Greens, Fontaines, Wilsons, Spencers, Meyers, and a Spyder Zeitler. Whitt is here with his family while Dalton said he needed to be with his side of the family.

The familial game lines are split down the middle, with Ezra’s family shoved to the outside. But we can thank Ezra’s tantrums and vicious gameplays for having us holed up in a bedroom on Christmas morning instead of sitting in ShadowHaven’s living room like I had the other thirty-three Christmases of my existence.

We’re all going to have a huge dinner in Whittenhower Estate’s dining room, minus Faith and company. Which means we won’t see Zane on his fifteenth birthday until the clock almost strikes midnight- the signal of a new day and a new year in the game.

I wonder how it’s going over at Stanton’s apartment. While family, they are all enemies
within the parameters of the game- ruthlessly pitting against one another. It must be interesting with Regina asking questions and Marcus having a breakdown.

I can’t wait to see Marc… and apologize. Finally, the last of the secrets are out, and I no longer feel the oppressing pressure of guilt and shame. I wanted to tell Marc on countless occasions. But I had to keep quiet for all of our sakes. I don’t play the game, but I abide by the
rules because Faith only needed an excuse to unman me.

Bedroom or not, I tried to make the best of it. One thing this castle-sized house has going for
it is the seating and office section of our room. Most suites in Whittenhower Estates have a separate area with a sofa and chairs, television, and writing desk.

After Ezra removed the menorah from the desk after Hanukkah had concluded, as a family we went out and bought a small four foot tall tree and placed it by the desk. Katya bought some festive pillows and blankets for the sofa and chairs. Ezra created a playlist of music for the kids. Last night, Ava helped the twins put out some cookies and milk, which Santa promptly ate at midnight. Santa and his elves ate a dozen cookies and got crumbs all over the bed. I seriously have to start working out or avoid anything Ella and Fate bake.

Ezra sits on the sofa with Kat and me flanking him while the twins share a chair and Ava is playing
Santa, the present passer-outer.
I’m feeling sad and happy at the same time. I know that no matter what, next year I will have my family back in our home- somehow. I’m sad we aren’t there now, but happy we’re making the most of a bad situation. I’m sad that I feel like Katya is an interloper, and it makes me feel like such a fucking bastard. But I can’t help how I feel. I want Kat with us every Christmas, she is the mother of my children. But Faith isn’t here for our private time, either. I just want once with Ezra and me and all the kids- just once as a whole family. And I know it’s too much to ask for… and I know Kat’s probably thinking the same exact thing about me at this exact moment.

“Oh, Dad,” Ava squeals when she opens
the gift box containing her ridiculously expensive designer purse that she’s talked about for months on end. “I love it. I love it!”

“I’m glad you love it, Monster,” I affectionate reply.

I went out and bought the purse the day of Ava’s tantrum because I felt so fucking awful for how she was feeling. I didn’t want any of the kids to get expensive stuff and make them entitled and spoiled. But this was needed to put a smile on Ava’s face.

Dr. Faust couldn’t calm Ava, so I told her about the game and that she would meet Zane tonight, and that Zane wanted to meet her, too. Ava immediately stopped hysterically bawling and breaking things and sat down and listened for a change. See,
since I can manage Ezra, I can most definitely manage his children.

The twins are behaving because I came up with another compromis
e. I bought them French Bulldog-shaped stuffed animal puppies that look identical to Missy and Mast. They are pretending to teach them tricks after naming them Demon and Unicorn- don’t ask whose is named which.

As I watch our twins cuddle the toys, I promise to buy them real puppies when we finally get our home back. ShadowHaven needs pets- life- laughter- and love, and I’m going to fill it full of all of those things. I’m thinking Dobermans instead of tiny, lazy bulldogs. ShadowHaven has a shitty track record of protecting its residents.

“This is from all of us,” Katya murmurs, handing me a gift box that has a smile emblem that immediately puts a smile on my face, too.

I’
d gotten Kat a bracelet with the children’s birthstones, needing Kat to realize she is a mother before everything else, and nothing will ever change that. I even included Zane’s birthstone and the stone of Faith and Wil’s unborn baby. No matter what happens, all of those kids are connected through all of us. Whether any of us are coupled or not, the kids will have a strong support system. Faith will find the exact same bracelet hidden beneath her tree, thanks to my charming friend, Torian.

I smile down at the ereader, thinking it’s perfect. “I know you’re sad about… home,” Katya murmurs. “You miss your library. We all tried to remember what books were in there and downloaded them on your Kindle. I know it’s not the same... but.”

“It’s wonderful,” I softly say, getting emotional for the billionth time today. “Thank you,” I whisper in Kat’s ear, and then tenderly kiss her cheek.

I brush a few silent tears away as my heart constricts. I miss the huge, dusty ol’ library at ShadowHaven. I miss the smell and the comforting leather chair- it
is
home. It was my playroom as a kid and my office as an adult. I wrote all of my novels in there with the exception of The Hunter. I’d thought I’d write every one of my works in that room. I’d tried writing at our old apartment at Edge, but I’d always find myself drawn back to home. The Hunter proves I can adapt to change, whether I want to or not.

“This is for you, but don’t read it out loud,” Ezra whispers, winking a gray eye at me.

Opening a very official looking document with shaking hands, I start to sweat. What could Ezra possibly give me that I can’t read out loud?

Ezra Holden Zeitler,
hereby relinquishes possession of his
ASS & COCK
to Cortez Julian Hunter ‘Abernathy’, as of December Thirty First at Eleven fifty-nine p.m. or at the completion of Daniel Whittenhower II & Dalton Fontaine Marconi’s onetime tenancy. All acts using those parts barring bodily functions are at the sole discretion of Cortez Hunter. With the amendment that any and all requests be heard by the owner and promptly negotiated on in a timely fashion.

Ezra Holden Zeitler- Christmas Morning.

Dumbfounded, gape-mouthed, all I can do is stare at a grinning Ezra. My eyes flick to Katya. Does she count? Or is this just something cute that Ezra is giving me. Is he being serious? Is it because Ezra wants me to know that he’s not having an affair with the boys, just wanting a taste before committing to me like I’d done with Marcus? I’m confused.

Blushing bright red, I stammer, “is this
for real?”

“Yes,” Ezra drawls out, looking at me like I’m crazy for not understanding. But he doesn’t know what’s been going through my head. Ezra doesn’t know that I don’t want him with Katya- at all. Ezra doesn’t know what I want because I haven’t told him
yet. I wanted to make it through Christmas without losing him or hurting Katya. Either way, one of us is in pain.

“Thank you,” I murmur, still confused. Ezra laughs at me, reading me.

Cupping my cheek, Ezra leans down and lightly kisses me. As he draws back he whispers in my ear. “Don’t be a twit, it’s real. And you better not be running away from me, because I will drag your ass back and tie you somewhere for the rest of your days. I can feel you pulling away, and it’s making me uneven.”

“I’m sorry,” I whimper.

“Don’t be- just don’t run,” Ezra orders as he pulls back. He looks me in the eyes, holding my gaze. I can feel Katya and Ava watching us, and it kills me.

Kat leans over and kisses us both on the cheeks
, and it suspiciously feels like a goodbye. “This mess is driving me crazy. Everyone help pick up, and then we will join the others for breakfast.”

“I love you,” I mutter to Katya, and I wholeheartedly mean it.

“And I obviously
really
love you,” Kat says with conviction I don’t understand. “Thank you for the bracelet.” Kitten lowers her eyelashes, shielding her eyes.

Cortez Abernathy
: Present
-Chapter Forty-Two-

I’m one of the first people here, anxiously awaiting what’s to come, and none of it has anything to do with the game. I’m here to watch the expression on Ava’s face as she meets Zane for the very first time. I’m here to apologize to Marcus, and to give Zane his birthday/Christmas present. Lastly, I’m here to profess my truth, and I will make it as official as possible by doing it during the meeting. I’m sure Faith is going to have my nuts for interrupting her show.

I smile, thinking of how excited the twins were to have a babysitter for the very first time ever. The advantage of having three parents is that there is always one available when needed. Prissy isn’t invited to the game- a decision everyone was happy with. So this evening Prissy is in the family room, babysitting a pair of twins and four puppies, much to the delight of the twins and the puppies.

The babysitter was necessary tonight since Katya said she needed the release of pain at Restraint, and I bet a huge toke of some wee
d with Dexter and Monica. If Ezra thinks I’ve been acting skittish, then Katya has been acting detached. We gave Kat an edited version of the game knowing that Faith was going to draw everyone in tonight. But Katya said she wanted nothing to do with it, that she would keep Monica company while Dexter was at the meeting.

Faith keeps eyeing me like I’m going to be a problem and Wil keeps rolling his eyes at her. My partner in enforcement doesn’t know me as well as he thinks. Wil always gives me the benefit of the doubt when Faith doesn’t. In Faith’s defense, she’s right… I’m going to be a problem.

“Hey,” I say to gain Zane’s attention as he positions chairs around Whittenhower Estates Grand Ballroom. I feel kind of bad that I’m not helping, but Zane and Torian have strong teenaged backs and I’m a lazy fuck. “Happy Birthday… for like the next five minutes,” I chuckle out.

“Thanks,” Zane says in his quiet, reserved
way. But he smiles and his cheeks pink.

“I have something for you. I… I don’t really know you well enough to get you some proper gifts, but I wanted you to have this.” I hand Ezra’s boy a business card filled with numbers. “It has every number you’ll need- your dad, me, Marc, your sister- numbers to the offices at Edge, the main line at Whittenhower, even the lines at ShadowHaven if we ever get back there. I want you to be able to find us if you need us… any time, day or night. Okay?”

“Thank you,” Zane excitedly says, genuinely pleased. “I have a gift for you as well. Here,” Zane pulls an envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket.

Another official looking document, making my hands shake. “Oh, my God,”
I exclaim. Instantaneously real tears of joy spring to my eyes. Before I can think about hurting Zane through touch, I yank him into a hug and squeeze on him. I may have picked the tall, thin kid up off of the ground and swung him around a few times. I’m sure I look like a lunatic. Zane doesn’t freak out like I thought he would because he’s being touched. He just laughs, with me or at me, I don’t give a shit either way. Zane’s my favorite kid from this moment on.

Staring at the paper in my hand, I can barely make out the words I’m shaking so badly. The deed to ShadowHaven with me and Zane as the owners. “I… thank you?”

“I heard you talking to Dad, and I know you owned it with him when he… lost it to my mom. She gave it to me for safekeeping, and I think you love the house more than anyone. This way no one can touch it again,” Zane stresses that he pretty much doesn’t trust his dad or his mom with
my
house.

“You can have as many rooms as you’d like- all of them… you can’t have your dad’s and my room, though. You can have your mom’s old room. We never let anyone stay in it after she left us to live with Stanton
,” I nervously ramble on. “I’m being serious. I want you to stay with us whenever you want. If you’re uncomfortable, you can bring Torian. But he has to stay out of Ava’s room or I’ll geld him,” I warn, being one hundred percent serious.

“I’d like that,” Zane says with a smile, but then his expression freezes in shock.

Zane woodenly walks towards his mother, who is about to introduce him to the newly arriving Ava. I watch, getting slightly choked up as Ava and Zane just stare at each other like looking into a mirror. Only a few months apart in age, they are the same height, weight, and coloring. They also have a ghostly mannerism about them. They don’t speak, they just examine. As a unit, they walk over to three chairs and sit down, leaving a spot in the middle for their father. Like good little soldiers, Aaron and Roarke appear out of thin air and stand behind them.

Ezra’s enforcers aren’t with Ezra… meaning he’s perfectly safe and not at Restraint with Katya. Jealousy coils in my stomach, but I try to squash it down. It was negotiated upon, plus he’s supposed to be telling Whitt the truth
tonight. Ezra’s fucking nuts, so who the hell knows what he’s doing or saying at this very moment.

Two objectives down, two to go. I find Marcus sitting between his daughter and his cousin. I snarl at Dexter before I can stop myself. I like t
he man, but I can still hate his fucking guts for touching Ezra- it’s my prerogative.

“Hi,” I say to Spy, but it’s directed at Marcus. I flinch
, waiting for a punch that never comes. Somehow sensing that I’m here for Marc and Marc alone, Dexter and Spyder say nothing. But I have their undivided attention.

Chancing a look at Marc, he doesn’t
look as wild, crazed, as I had last saw him. It was Christmas Eve and he was being half carried out by Wil, and Regina looked like hell warmed over. Tonight, Marcus doesn’t look like how he used to, but he looks better than recently. He’s aged in the past few months, moving him from a good looking guy to devastatingly handsome.

Marc’
s eyes are clear and blazing amber fire in my direction. He’s not angry, he’s hot… for me.

Still?

“I want to apologize for never telling you the truth. This was the only thing I’ve kept from you out of all the years we’ve known each other. I didn’t tell you for your own safety. Plus, Faith was looking for any excuse to punish me. I don’t blame Faith, but I refused to make her happy by misbehaving. While I didn’t play the game, I took enough hits from the bitch because I was Ezra’s whipping boy as per usual. I played by the rules, but I didn’t engage in the vindictiveness. My most humble apologies, Marcus,” I sincerely say.

Fingers clenching the arm
rests of his chair, nails digging into the wood, Marcus just stares at me, looking like he’s going to cry. Tears glisten in his amber eyes. I lean forward and whisper into his ear, “I’m so fucking sorry. I’m so sorry about so many things. Please, please,” I beg. “Please forgive me. I couldn’t handle it if you hated me.”

Like a snake striking out, Marc kisses me on the mouth… in front of everyone in attendance. It’s not salacious or passionate, but it’s not platonic, either. Soft lips fluttering against mine in affection. I try not to enjoy it or like that he still wants me, but it’s wrong and I can’t indulge in it. I turn my face away, hating that I have to, but knowing it’s the right thing to do.

“No one, and I mean no one,” Marcus firmly says, voice pitching high above everyone else. Not that anyone is speaking since they are watching a very straight man kiss on his son’s partner. “No one has ever apologized to me before,” Marcus says.

“Well,” I purr, wickedly grinning. “I’m happy to be your first.” Realizing that I’m flirting, I bite my lip against anything else that’s destructive from spilling from my lips. “You okay?”

“I’ve been better, but I’ve been worse,” Marcus murmurs. “But I refuse to stay where I am. So tomorrow and the next day and the day after that will be better than the last.”

“Good,” I say with a smile, feeling lighter than ever.

Marcus eyes me, seeing something I’m trying to hide. “You’re really going to do it, aren’t you?”

“Yeah…” I blush seven shades of Hades.

“I knew you would. I’d hoped that my plan would work. I didn’t expect you to take it this far… four years longer than I’d expected. But in a way, it worked out better that you were procrastinating and lazy,” Marcus insults me while grinning.

“I have no fucking clue what you’re talking about,” I mutter, shaking my head back and forth.
“You realize that, right?”

“I know…” Marc wickedly grins. “
And I forgive you.”

I walk away in a fog, unsure what the hell that was all about. Is Marcus playing me? I stand behind Gwen because I don’t know where else I’m supposed to go. My fellow enforcer is sitting next to his mom as the Fontaine Heir, so I g
uess that leaves me as The Meyers’ only enforcer. Fabulous.

Poor Gwen.

“I guess were waiting on Ezra and his fuck buddies,” I grunt, making Fate and Kris giggle. I smirk, too, because it’s true. Faith looks wicked pissed that she has to wait. The fact that we are waiting for Ezra, Whitt, and Dalton to conclude their tryst makes it funnier. On the edge of hysteria, I laugh with Faith’s family.

Sashaying into the ballroom is Ezra, glowing with sexual satiation. The bastard winks at me, causing me to dig my fingernails into the top of Gwen’s chair. Wooden slivers prick my skin. I’m glad Ezra’s finished out their ‘tenancy’ because it was driving me insane, wondering when and imagining the scene in my mind.

Behind Ezra is a feral Whitt. I have no idea what game Ezra is playing now, but Whitt doesn’t look drowsy from good sex. Dalton does, though, as he falls into the chair next to his mother, barely able to put one foot in front of the other.

“Roman,” Faith’s
voice wavers as she shouts out a warning. “He’s coming for your man.”

“You cowardly, lying sonofabitch!” Whitt screams at his father, trying to get around a blocking Roman. “You cannot tell everyone about Niel and-”

“NO!” Wil, Grant, and Faith shout at once. I heard the girl’s name way the fuck over here. I’m sure everyone did, even if Grant finally outted himself as having a semi-functioning voice box. I can tell by everyone’s reaction that they didn’t know that- I thought it was common knowledge, but then again, Grant and I have spent a lot of time together.

What is
common knowledge is the pregnancy. We knew Niel knocked a chick up, even Regina knew that. But we didn’t know which one. Now everyone knows thanks to Whitt’s big cocksucking mouth.

Niel bolts from his chair, and makes it to the portico doors before he starts convulsively vomiting. The fire fizzles out of Whitt from seeing Niel reduced to illness because of stress. As if by magic, a maid appears from the passageway, ready to clean up the mess.

I feel badly for Niel, but I’m glad it’s out in the open now. That stress will diminish with the truth. I should know. It’s why I feel like I could join Niel in a good stomach emptying right this second. I just want to say my piece and get the fuck out of here.

“
Everyone, sit down,” Faith exhaustedly says, falling back into her chair. “Whitt, go comfort the boy.”

I watch everyone as Niel calms down. Mostly my eyes are glued to Ezra. He’s watching his kids. Never being in the presences of his oldest at the same time,
it’s surreal. I experience the powerful moment with them. I have to hold myself back from joining them. The three of them side-by-side, father, and son, and daughter, I should be with them. Not over here with people that aren’t my family. They
are
my family- my
blood
. I don’t want to stand
behind
Ezra’s chair, I want to
share
Ezra’s chair.

Maybe if I would’ve helped Ezra in the game, he wouldn’t have made the devastating mistakes
he had made- maybe our lives would be slightly different. Ezra has no concept of consequences- he never has… and I am Ezra’s conscience.

Faith stands in the center of our chairs and
spreads her arms far and wide, and says, “look around you- these are the people who have been fucking with you. These are the people who have plotted and schemed and ruined your lives. We have one more rule, and no, you don’t get to vote on it!”

“You can only play with those within this room- that is it. No new people will be involved. If your play affects anyone that isn’t in this room, then it’s not legal. If you wish to bring someone into the fold, we vote. If
you mess up, you answer to me. The game begins anew!” Faith impressively shouts.

I immediately walk to the center near Faith. Body breaking out in a thick sweat, chest heaving from breathing heavily, I shout my own declaration. “I’m gay!”

“And?” Faith snidely hisses. “Did you just figure this out right this very second or are you fucking with me?”

“Neither,” I mumble
, confused as to why this isn’t going as I’d planned. “I just wanted to say it, is all.”

“Cort,” Faith sighs. “There isn’t a person in here that didn’t already know that you were gay.” Faith bitchily snarls.

I want to bitch right back at Faith, but I see my bracelet dangling on her wrist and I have too much to lose by picking a fight with her like I usually do. We just naturally rub each other the wrong way. I’d love to blame Faith’s bitch attitude on her pregnancy… but…

“I’m not sorry I’m interrupting
the meeting, Faith. It’s not that God damned important that it cannot wait for two fucking minutes,” I hiss.