The Mechanics of The Heart (Unedited)

46

Amara

I wake up alone but when my fingers skim over Hunters side of the bed its still warm. Then the rest of my senses wake up and the smell of bacon wafts through the air and sizzling cuts through the slight crack in the bedroom door.

Shuffling out of bed I stretch, Hunters shirt with his mechanics shop logo printed on the front drops to my knees and I'm reminded how dwarfed I am compared to him and it awakes a fluttering butterfly in my stomach.

"Mornin, gorgeous" I've barely stepped into the kitchen before large warm arms wrap around me, a kiss dropping onto my lips giving me just enough time to respond before he pulls away.

"Morning, yourself." Hunter turns back to the stove and i'm given a full view of probably his largest tattoo, he had a few small ones on his arms but his chest, back, stomach and legs were decorated in intricate colorful ink that stood out against his tanned skin. His back was half covered with a coiling snake curving around his spine, it looked like it had taken days to finish but it was beautiful on his skin and as his muscles flexed with each mere move the snake danced a bit.

The man himself was mesmerizing, dancing snake aside.

"Youve got an appointment uptown with Marisol and I gotta handle some business at the club but ill be done in time to pick you up." I arch an eyebrow as he places a plate of steaming food he produced from my scarce choice of cook ware on one of the only two table in the house and I sit at his pointed look to the chair.

"What appointment?" I wrack my brain trying to recall any agreement but I hadn't spoke to Marisol since the art banquet.

"Not sure, something about me hogging you, needing to give you proper time with the other women." He shrugs off handily but his eyebrows were frowning like it truly bothered him to be separate for a few hours. I scoop a spoonful of eggs in my mouth to mask my chuckle.

"And does this business at the club have to do with the senators wife." I pry even though I know I probably shouldn't, expecting dismissal or diversion but Hunter is never what I expect and he nods swallowing a still steaming piece of bacon.

"Thats the promise I made my lady." My face heats as my fluttering butterflies fly south and I squeeze my legs together, his words no where near sexual send different emotions through me like a tidal wave. "The faster I take of that, the sooner I can send the dead man walking to hell." There's a feral glint that shifts in his hazel eyes and it makes me pause mid bite as my stomach spins with anxiety.

Without detail he had pieced together what he thinks happened, somehow it felt worse than him truly knowing, knowing how I laid there, didn't- couldn't fight back. How my body froze and all my instincts shut down the moment he crawled on top of me.

I squeeze my eyes shut against the memories, hold my breath as if I can still smell his breath fanning over my face.

"Amara." I felt like I was swaying even seated. Leaning forward I grip my head, urging the growing throbbing in my skull to go away.

"I cant go back there Hunter, If I go back I wont be able to survive it." Talking to Hunter was vividly different than talking with anyone else. If I stepped foot back on that campus, I would be forced to explain, forced to share the details of what happened to me over and over until It swallowed me whole and I was nothing more than Amara, the victim. "I just want to be here, I just want to be Amara, your Amara, your firefly." I melt into his embrace, unsure if he can understand the frantic plea of my words and it could be wishful thinking but the tightness in his hold bleeds all the confirmation into my pores.

"Shhh, I've got you baby. You're not going anywhere. I told you, you're mine and it'll take death himself to take you from me, even then he better be prepared for one hell of fight." Cradling me like precious jewels he catches my tears in chaste kisses. "Ill take the pain away, let me make it all go away, gorgeous."

"Please." A breathy plea, a whimper of a word I barely get out before my lips are taken, plunged into a Hunter induced haze. His lips are firm, full and all dominating as his hands snake into my hair, gripping tightly as he pulls me impossibly closer.

I barely register the incessant knocking until Hunter pulls away with a growl. "Finish your breakfast." He steps back looking annoyed and I giggle.

"So bossy." He shoots me a glare filled with amusement over his shoulder as he moved towards the door. "Put on a shirt!" I call last minute, responded with a distant "Whose the bossy one now." I hear from the bedroom before I hear him move towards the front door.

Theres a moment of silence before I recognize the slight accent in her raised tone as she marches towards the kitchen. "You'd think i'd be stealing your favorite toy with how selfish youre being with her."

"I cant be selfish with my woman." Hunter huffs moving to wrap an arm around my shoulder with a scowl on his face as my heart palpates at his claim. My face heating again as I smile at Marisol.

"Hey Marisol, good to see you again."

"Hey mara, it would be more often if your old man didn't hide you like precious jewels." She teased with a wink and Hunter huffed like a bull again. Muttering, "She is a precious Jewel." I giggle as Marisol gags.

"Gag me with a stick, I think Bullet in love might be more insufferable than Bullet single." It takes every ounce of strength I have to keep my face neutral but Hunter barely bats an eye as he shrugs.

"Get used to it. But I wont hold you ladies up, I'll pick you up after." He pulls me into a proper hug, my cheek resting against his chest as his hand slides unsubtly down my spine to rest on my ass. Pulling away just enough to steal kisses that aren't nearly enough and I almost forget Marisol is there but her focus is on her phone call and by the starstruck look on her face im wondering if Chief was on the other end.

"Take this, keep your phone on you. Im taking this one with me." Hunter reappears with his cut resting on his broad shoulders and his boots now, thrusting a wad of cash in my hand and flashing my old phone before shoving it in his pocket and pressing a long searing kiss on my lips. Bombarded with so much by the time i register the front door is closing.

"Come on Mama, we've got some pampering to do and money to spend."Marisol doesn't miss a beat as she claps pushing me towards my bedroom.