Chapter 4 Hunter's Game

Jaxon Creed's office was a citadel of glass and steel, situated high above Birmingham's restless streets, the city's lights a glittering chessboard below. At thirty-two, he was a myth carved in shadows, tall, broad-shouldered, his ice-blue eyes piercing through the darkness like twin blades. His dark hair, swept back, framed a face both harsh and gorgeous, a mafia don wrapped in millionaire grace. His tailored suit suited his muscular physique, every stitch radiating control, but his heart, damaged by Lila's treachery a decade ago, was a guarded vault.

To Birmingham, he was a god among crooks, his wealth a citadel, his power a dagger that ripped through rivals. The office smelt like polished wood and cigar smoke, a throne room where deals were negotiated and fates sealed.

He stood before a monitor, Scarlett Boone's picture fixed on the screen, her auburn hair catching the ballroom's light, her fierce eyes searing through the lace mask. That kiss had been a spark, lighting something he couldn't control, her lavender perfume haunting him like a ghost. He'd gone to the masquerade to observe foes, not to seek a stranger, but her fire had transformed his universe. Now, he was a hunter, and she was his prey.

"You sure about her, boss?" Gideon Holt asked, his tattooed bulk filling the doorway. Dark-haired and devoted, Jaxon's enforcer was a former street boy whom Jaxon had rescued at the age of sixteen. His craggy visage and steady brown eyes made him a trusted shadow, admired for his unrelenting commitment. "She only works as a waitress."

"She's more," Jaxon whispered, his voice low, menacing, his fingers tracing Scarlett's image. "Her father's name, Thomas Boone, ties her to me."

Tucker His second, Vance, was leaning on the desk, his dark eyes glimmering with ambition, his scarred cheek quivering. He was respected for his guile at thirty, but Jaxon didn't trust the thin veil of loyalty he displayed. "Jaxon, are you chasing ghosts?" Tucker tossed a pen and grinned. Or simply her kiss?

Jaxon snarled, his eyes glimmering in the sunshine like ice. "Mind your tongue." Look up her address. Tonight, I want her.

Tucker leaned closer and added, "You're playing with fire," in a cunning tone. She is a nobody. A liability

With a calm storm in his voice, Jaxon turned to Tucker and stated, "Nobody doesn't burn like that." "I own her."

Gideon folded his arms and laughed. "You're finished, boss. That spark will set you on fire.

With his lips quivering, Jaxon turned to the window and murmured, "Let it." Scarlett was a wild card, a flame he sought with a fervor that frightened him, but the city sprawled below, his kingdom. "Gideon, schedule a meeting. By themselves.

Tucker's scarred cheek twisted as he scoffed. For a waitress, you're putting the empire at risk? That is novel.

Jaxon's eyes gleamed with something savage, and his voice was deadly gentle when he murmured, "She's more than you'll ever understand." "Complete it."

With a nod, Gideon left. "I'll find her." However, boss, Carver is moving. Keep your mind clear of her.

Jaxon's jaw tensed as he focused on Scarlett. He was prepared to let her kiss burn because it had been a challenge and a flame in his regulated life. Scarlett was the queen he wouldn't let go, the city's lights mirrored in his eyes, and he played to win on a chessboard.

Scarlett faced the man in the diner parking lot, her auburn hair gleaming in the neon light, her small form stiff. Her heart pounded like a snagged bird, but her doe eyes burned with defiance. "You," she exclaimed sharply, identifying his silhouette. "What are you looking for?"

"You," he whispered as he moved in closer, his presence commanding, his voice smooth over steel. "Scarlett Boone, that kiss wasn't an accident."

Her breath caught as curiosity and horror clashed. She stepped back and questioned, her voice shaking, "How do you know my name?"

He touched her wrist and stated, "I know everything," giving her a shock of electricity. "Your mom is perishing. I am able to assist.

With a mixture of hope and worry churning in her breast, she raised her voice and asked, "How do you know about Mama?" "Who are you?"

"I see everything," he declared, grinning icily and menacingly. "We'll discuss terms when we meet."

She pulled her wrist free and muttered, "You're stalking me," her skin tingling where he had touched her. "Who took those pictures?"

"A reminder," he interrupted in a suave, uncompromising voice. "You've entered my world."

With tears in her eyes and a shaking voice, she questioned, "What do you want?" "I am not your plaything."

"One night," he continued, his eyes meeting hers as his voice faded to a private whisper. "Your mother will survive if you give me one night."

She opened her mouth, gasping for air. She said, her eyes sparkling in the neon light, "You're a monster."

With his fingertips brushing her cheek and producing heat despite the cold, he whispered, "Perhaps." "But your only hope is me."

Her auburn hair stuck to her face as the rain started to pour, light at first and then heavier. His presence was a storm from which she was unable to flee, and his gaze was a chain that bound her to this moment. "Midnight, tomorrow," he said in a commanding velvet voice. "My property. Don't let me down.

Scarlett shuddered in the rain as he turned and disappeared into the darkness. The weight of his proposition crushed her as her heart raced. With the terrible decision in front of her, her mind raced as she gripped the pictures, their edges curling in the moisture.

Ivy was waiting back at her flat, her green eyes wide with concern. She hurried to her side and inquired, "You okay, Scar?" You're completely saturated. What took place?

With her voice almost audible, Scarlett sank into the couch and murmured, "He offered to save Mama." "For a cost."

"How much is it?" Ivy knelt next to her and inquired in a stern voice.

With tears streaming down her face, Scarlett muttered, "One night." "With him."

Ivy's mouth fell open as she clutched Scarlett's hands. "That's... You can't, Scar."

With the pictures shaking in her hands and her voice faltering, Scarlett replied, "I don't know what else to do." "Mama, time is running out."

Ivy's voice was stern as she continued, "Then we find another way." "You're not a pawn of his."

Scarlett nodded, but she couldn't put out the fire in her eyes or the stranger's touch. The rain hammered relentlessly on the windows as the night dragged on, reflecting the chaos in her heart.