…I woke up to bright light.
My phone was buzzing.
I answered and lack’s voice came on the line
く
“…work.”
“Get back here now.”
He sounded furious. “Chloe, what gives you the
right to bring up divorce?”
He hung up. As I got out of bed, an arm
wrapped around my waist and I landed back on
the mattress.
Hunter pressed against my shoulder, his face
serious: “You gonna run off after using me?”
I caught my breath and took his hand. I slowly
pulled him away.
I said, in a clear voice: “I have to go take care
of my things.”
Chapter 2
9
<
“Still curious about my next move, babe?”
Hunter pushed away from his keyboard, looking
at me. “Relax. You saw the stream the other
day, you know that…”
He stopped, as if he had just noticed the swarm
of reporters that had broken into the room. His
expression hardened.
“What a great crowd. You guys didn’t have
anything better to do than bug me and my
manager, at this hour of the night? You trying
to kill our new sponsors too?”
All the reporters froze up.
Because Hunter and I were dressed, sitting in
front of Hunter’s laptop, analyzing the replays
from his recent match.
A couple seconds later, one of them finally
spoke: “Mr. Reed, why is Mrs. Crawford here
12:36
with you, at this hour of night?”
Hunter chuckled. “Because she’s going to be
my new boss.”
“The deal will be released on the official
website later, as for anything else-”
He got up, standing in front of me.
“Get the hell out of my room,” he said with a
straight face.
After they finally left, Hunter locked the door
and turned to me.
“Chloe?”
I was dazed, barely able to make out his blurry
face.
It felt like a fire was spreading through my
throat, my heart and all over my body, making
53
<
12:37
“You ok?”
53
I slowly shook my head. I grabbed his shirt, my
voice hoarse. “It’s hot.”
Sierra’s smug look from the dinner, plus the
sweet smell in the room, made me realize what
she had done.
I felt like a plant in the desert, longing for a
drink.
Hunter was the rain I was holding on to.
Then the rain suddenly stopped. I looked up at
him.
In the dim light, his eyes were complicated.
“Chloe, are you scared?”
“Of…what?”
く
12:37
“What if they had come in while we were like
that?”
My voice shook as I spoke the words.
Hunter hugged me, stroking my hair. “Does it
mean everything is going to be out of control and you’ll be running?”
“Yes,” I said.
If things got out, Hunter’s future would be
ruined.
I’d owe him even more than before.
In the dark, Hunter’s eyes went cold. “And will
you leave me again?”
My mind was still a mess. After a few long
seconds, I shook my head.
“I’ll tell them that it’s my fault. That I did it on
53
<
12:37
purpose to get back at Jack–Uh!”
((
(53)
He cut me off, his anger melting away, a smirk
tugging at his lips. He covered my eyes.
“I’m not as useless as your ex.”
His voice was hot, teasing.
“You just need to decide what you want. I’ll
take care of the rest.”
10
Hunter left for his club early.
Before he went, he asked if I was coming.
I shook my head. “Gotta go back to the office.”
Jack was dragging his feet on the divorce, and
my dad was furious with me.
