Chapter 4
This was the first time I’d ever heard Hunter say these things.
Nothing like what he used to tell me.
My mind went blank. Something inside me just… shattered.
Bella was practically glowing: “Exactly! She actually thinks she matters? If I hadn’t left the country, Hunter never would’ve looked twice at her. Just because she can’t live without him doesn’t mean he can’t live without her!”
Hunter just kept that cold smile the whole time.
Days passed with no word from me.
Finally, he got restless and wanted to go home.
But Bella threw a fit.
“Why would you go back? You promised me a few more days! You can’t just bail on me!”
Her eyes all red and teary, like she’d start bawling if he took one step toward the door.
The outcome was obvious.
Hunter could never resist Bella’s dramatics.
One tantrum later, he was back on the couch with her, watching rom–coms all afternoon.
thought that was it.
But I underestimated his ability to want it all.
Between movies, he texted me:
[What’s your problem? I’m coming home for dinner tonight. Have food ready. I’m being the bigger person here–can we stop fighting?]
But no one had been fighting.
I was dead. Completely dead. My body was probably rotting by now.
That empty house would never again have some lovesick girl keeping the lights on, waiting up for him. No one would jump out of bed at midnight just to cook him a hot meal.
No one in this world would ever love Hunter Drake with their whole heart like Avery Wilde had…
Hunter couldn’t hear me.
After sending that text, he waited till dark for Bella to fall asleep, then carefully got up and headed home.
Good. Maybe he’d finally see the truth.
But the universe wasn’t done screwing with me.
.. Chant Dorch To Cavagel
24.3%
Chapter 4
Traffic was a nightmare–thirty minutes of gridlock on a road that’s usually clear.
When it finally started moving, Hunter was rubbing his temples, exhausted, when his phone rang.
Bella’s call. He never ignored those, no matter when or where.
“Hey, Bella. You awake? I just ran out to grab you food, I’ll be right-”
“Hunter, you asshole! You’re such a liar! I’m so hurt! I don’t want to like you anymore! I’m gonna find someone else and forget all about you!”
She was clearly wasted, club music thumping in the background with people shouting and laughing.
Hunter’s grip tightened on the phone: “Where are you?”
“Like you care! Go find your precious Avery! I don’t need you!”
The line went dead. Hunter’s face went black.
Car horns blaring behind him, I watched with my chin in my hand, feeling absolutely nothing.
“You’re gonna go, right? I mean, between me and Bella, you’ve never picked me. Why would this time be different?”
He answered by unbuckling his seatbelt.
Jumped out of the car, left it right there in traffic, and ran. Eyes red, calling Bella over and over like a maniac. When she wouldn’t pick up, he started texting.
See? He did love her. So, so much.
I tilted my head back, swallowing down that familiar bitter taste.
When he found Bella, she was completely trashed, grinding on some random guy in the middle of the dance floor, crying and screaming
Hunter’s name.
Hunter’s fists were clenched so tight his knuckles cracked.
He shoved through the crowd, yanked Bella away, and sucker–punched the guy.
The dude hit the floor hard, scrambling to get up.
“What the hell, man! You wanna steal my girl? You got a death wish?”
Hunter’s eyes were bloodshot: “Right back at you, asshole. Touch what’s mine and see what happens.”
They went at it right there on the dance floor.
I watched Bella watching Hunter. Her eyes were crystal clear–zero drunk act now. She looked like a predator watching her prey walk into a trap.
I turned to look too.
Under those flashing lights, he was fighting for his woman, just like he used to fight for me.
But I knew better than anyone–now he was Bella’s Hunter. Only hers.
My boy had disappeared years ago, the night Bella came back from overseas.
24.5%
Chapter 4
Adult tantrums have consequences. Like getting dragged to the police station at midnight.
When it came time to call someone for bail, Hunter finally thought of me.
He sat on that cold bench, staring at his phone, but couldn’t seem to dial.
Was he scared?
I sat next to him.
He tilted his head back. I did too.
A passing cop suddenly stopped, frowning at him.
“You Hunter Drake?”
Hunter touched his busted face, exhausted. “Yeah.”
The cop’s expression shifted to something almost disgusted.
“Unbelievable. Your fiancée’s been dead for days, we couldn’t even find you, and here you are at 3 AM brawling over some other chick.”
(0)
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
