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The nerve of him.
But I’m exhausted.
And dirty.
And I don’t feel like getting into this with him in a parking lot in west bubble fuck Arizona.
“Like what?”
“I’m not accusing you of anything; I’m just saying that I wasn’t expecting to find you here with Parker.”
“And so? I didn’t expect to get kidnapped in front of my house either!”
His eyes narrow.
“Why are you being so defensive?”
“I’m just trying to understand if you’re just being curious or accusatory right now. I was being held against my will by some New Orleans gangster and his creepy henchman. Are you happy to see me or not?”
“Of course, I’m happy,” he says through gritted teeth. “I’m offended by the suggestion that I wouldn’t be.”
“And I’m offended that you think that I have some secret agenda going on with Parker.”
“I never said that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Suddenly, his eyes drop to the ground.
“I had a nightmare that I lost you.” His voice cracks. “I’ve had a lot of them since you were taken.”
I raise my hand to the side of his face.
“But you found me.”
His eyes land on my lips and his mouth soon follows, and we share a languid kiss that quickly reminds us both of what’s most important.
“I can’t stomach that this happened at all,” he admits, our foreheads touching. “It’s my job to protect you and our baby. If I can’t do that, then what the fuck am I doing at all? What does that say about my ability to be a husband and a father? This is why I want to move us to the house I found and–”
“Stop,” I tell him firmly, placing a hand on his chest. “Talking about that house andyourplans forourlife is part of what got us here in the first place. I don’t want to talk about it. I want to get in that truck, drive to the nearest airport, and fly home– period.”
I’ve taken a firm stance in many conversations with Hunter before, but this is probably the first time that I’ve said my piece and could care less about the ramifications of my words.
“Forgive me,” he says. “You’re right. Let’s get you home where you belong, and I’ll deal with Parker and Fabre later.”
Ugh, for a split second, I forgot about the fact that Hunter is not going to let any of this go without some sort of serious retaliation, and even with all of her lies and obvious shortcomings, I don’t want Naomi to be a casualty of war.
But that’s a problem for tomorrow.
Today, I just want to get back into my bed and sink into my fiance's embrace, momentarily blocking out the world and the carnage that’s ahead of us.
Chapter 8
Only The Facts Please
HUNTER
The weight of my Glock feels heavier in my hand than it usually does as I hold it close to Parker’s temple. Obviously, I know why. Parker is a friend.