Page 48 of Hunted

They seem to release a collective breath before Reece and Kingsley head back inside.

Weston comes to stand right in front of us, running a finger down my cheek before he hooks his fingers behind my neck, his thumb lightly stroking my pulse.

I swallow heavily, feeling the electric tension his touch always brings.

“Here—I was holding onto this for you.” Weston pulls my necklace out of his pocket and holds it out as if to put it on me, his eyebrow raisingin question. I nod, and he clips it around my neck. I’m relieved to see it again. When I noticed I wasn’t wearing it at the hospital, I was afraid it got lost in all the commotion and was too afraid to ask about it.

When it’s in place, he moves his hand back to my cheek as he asks, “You sure you’re okay?” His eyes bounce between mine.

I lick my lips and nod. “This place, it reminds me of ho—” I cut myself off, knowing I shouldn’t be thinking of that place as my home anymore. “Of the island.”

“And that’s a good thing?” he asks, his eyes narrowing further.

“Yeah,” I say with a nod as I smile up at him. “I know that’s probably hard to understand, but it’s all I’ve known for so long.”

“It makes perfect sense,” Bower says. “That’s why Reece chose this place, he thought it’d be a perfect bridge from the island to civilization.”

“I feel like going from this to the big city is still going to be challenging,” I admit to them.

“Don’t forget, baby. You’ll have us there every step of the way,” Weston says, his thumb still running up and down my neck, making my skin prickle with awareness.

“Just make sure you tell us if there's something you need. Okay, Tink?” I nod at Bower and Weston drops his hand, gesturing for us to follow him back into the house, where I find the other two are talking quietly in the kitchen.

“Why don’t you get Darla comfortable on the couch? Arnold will be here soon with some groceries, and he’ll make us dinner.”

As Bower carries me towards the couch I ask, “Why is Arnold cooking for us?”

Bower sets me down lengthways across the couch, where I can lay with a pillow under my head and see the kitchen. This part of the house isopen concept, letting you see the kitchen, living room, dining area and the back deck.

When nobody answers my question, I glance around, noticing everyone is avoiding looking at me.

“Do you guys not know how to cook or something?” I ask in confusion.

Bower huffs out a laugh. “Umm, kinda, yeah. We have a cook at our house. We can make lunch or snacks, but a full meal, no way.”

I turn my head to Weston, asking him the same thing. “Weston? What about you?”

Planting his hands on his hips, he finally lifts his eyes to meet mine. “I can cook.”

“I thought you’d be able to.”

“But you wouldn’t want to eat it.”

I frown, not understanding what he’s trying to say.

He lets out a heavy breath, running his hand through his short hair. “I’m not very good. I mostly just cook mediocre steak with some form of potato. It’s frozen food or take out the rest of the time.”

I glance around at the rest of their guilty faces as I laugh. “Well, it’s not like my culinary skills will be much help here. I’ve had no seasoning, sides, or kitchen for all my cooking.”

“I guess it’s a good thing we’ve got Mrs. G, then,” Bower says, plopping down in the armchair across from me.

“Mrs. G?” I ask, my hopeful eyes turning to Reece.

He smiles warmly at me and nods. “Yeah, we hired her when you two went missing.”

“Sweet baby chef!” I exclaim, covering my mouth in excitement. “I didn’t think there’d be anybody else left that I'd know.”

“Did you have any friends? Other than that cranky guy, of course,” Bower asks, gesturing to Reece.