Chapter 16

 

Jamie

 

I couldn’t help but feel a little bad for Hunter when Logan dragged me away for a dance, especially when I saw the expression on his face. He looked so crestfallen that I just wanted to go back and hug him. The worry must have been all over my face, because Logan poked my cheek to get my attention, and I snapped my eyes to him.

“Worried about my brother?” he asked, hitting the nail on the head on the first try. I sighed and smiled wanly, not bothering to deny it.

“I just feel like he was going to say something to me before…,” before you cut in, I was about to say, but he looked like he understood what I was about to say. He hummed thoughtfully as we continued to dance together.

I looked at Logan fully, taking advantage of his thoughts taking him far away. I couldn’t help but compare his features with his older brother’s, and I found comfort whenever I noticed the similarities. They had the same hazel eyes, except Logan’s was more mischievous, and Hunter’s more guarded and cold. Logan was leaner, like a swimmer’s bod, while Hunter was built like a football player. Hunter was taller, but Logan had better posture. Logan’s nose was straighter, but Hunter’s jaw was angular and more defined.

“You want to know a little secret?” Logan suddenly asked, and I blinked at him uncertainly. “Big brother has never brought a girl, or a date, to any event where it’s possible he’ll bump into a family member.”

“Really?” I couldn’t help but ask, and he nodded.

“Oh yeah. Actually, my brother has never had a girlfriend before, period. So, the fact that he brought you here intrigued me a lot.”

I blushed under his scrutiny, and lowered my head, not sure what to make of what he said. Instead I looked for a change of topic.

“Why do you call him ‘Brother’ and not by his name?” I asked him curiously.

“Well, why shouldn’t I call him that? He is my older brother, after all,” he answered plainly.

“Yes, but why?”

“Hm, I guess you could say it’s my way of respecting him,” Logan explained. “Hunter’s been through a lot for me and my brother’s sakes, and I admire a lot about him. He’ll always say I’m the brilliant one among us, and maybe that’s true, but when it comes to who has the most selfless heart? My big brother has that in spades.”

I smiled at how proud Logan sounded when he talked about his older brother, and it was obvious how much he loved him. My heart warmed especially when he said Hunter had the most selfless heart, because I was starting to think he was right.

Hunter may have hid behind his biting remarks, but behind his prickly exterior laid a heart made of pure gold. My heart beat rapidly against my ribs, threatening to burst forth as I thought about him. I couldn’t deny what was making my heart go off like that, not anymore when the signs were too obvious.

Logan leaned his head down and stared at me, his eyes serious yet his mouth tilted into a hopeful smile.

“You want to know another secret?” he asked, and I nodded, suddenly feeling winded. “I think you care about him just as much as he cares about you.”

My eyes widened.

Logan planted a kiss on my forehead, and squeezed my shoulders tightly.

“Take good care of him, okay?” he said before bowing his head at me and strolled away, leaving me to stare at his retreating back.

Hunter was right. Logan really was a brilliant guy.

I looked around the garden, trying to find Hunter, but no luck. Dropping my shoulders glumly, I ambled over to the buffet table, and grabbed a glass of orange juice, my throat suddenly parched.

I finished the drink in one gulp before grabbing another from the server, sipping it slowly this time as I peered up at the guests through the rim of the glass. Where the hell is he?

I put the empty glass down when a hand suddenly grabbed my wrist and twisted me around, making me yelp in surprise.

“Hey what’s the big—,” my eyes widened in fear as I looked at the man in front of me, his face splitting into a sickening leer.

“I thought I recognized you,” he sneered, taking a step closer to me, his hands still wrapped around my wrist in a vise grip.

I remembered him as the sleazy-looking man in the auction, the one who could’ve won me had Hunter not placed his bid. I was scared of him back then, but the look on his face made him more frightening now.

“What’s a little hussy like you doing here?” he barked; spit flying out of his mouth as he yanked me down, closer to him. “Or are you here because of your mysterious master?”

My eyes widened further in fright, and his smile grew wider.

“Then that must mean he’s here, isn’t he? Who is it, girl?!” he demanded, squeezing my wrist even more. I whimpered in pain, tears starting to blur my eyes as I shook my head. “You’re getting on my nerves right now. SAY IT!”

I felt something whizz past my face, and the next thing I knew, the man was on the ground, cradling his nose while I felt something warm press against my back. I turned my head and my heart stopped as Hunter came into view, his face filled with murderous intent, his nostrils flaring and breathing rapidly as he stared down at my attacker.

“Get the fuck away from her, Westleton,” he snarled, moving me so I was standing behind him, his big body shielding me from the man. I felt Logan’s presence behind me, and he placed his hand on my shoulder in comfort.

Westleton’s bodyguards rushed toward us and Hunter’s body tensed up, prepared for a brawl.

“You imbeciles! Where the hell were you? Get him!” Westleton bellowed, his voice sounding muffled as the blood rushed out from his nose.

“I don’t think so, bud,” Logan said, raising his hand to signal towards the security. “No fighting at my party.”

“Then kick him out! He’s the one who punched me!” Westleton screamed, waving his hand toward Hunter indignantly. Hunter growled and took another step towards him, his fists clenched and ready to pummel the man.

I pulled away from Logan, and quickly wrapped my arms around Hunter’s midsection, burying my face against his back. Hunter stopped his advances and stiffened.

“Please,” I whispered, tears falling from my eyes, and soaking the back of his suit. “Please, don’t. Let’s go home, please,” I begged him.

I felt him soften up against me, and he pulled my arms away as he turned around. He tilted my chin up, and held my face in his hand, looking down at me in concern.

“Are you alright?” he asked urgently, his thumb wiping across my cheek. “Did he hurt you? If he hurt you, I’ll kill him.”

Yes. The word floated in my mind as I felt my wrist stinging excruciatingly at my side, but I shook my head in reply, telling Hunter I was just fine.

He wasn’t the least bit convinced. He opened his mouth to argue, but I shook my head and embraced him again, relishing in the feel of his warmth.

“Please, let’s just go home,” I murmured against his chest. He wrapped his arms around me tight, before pulling away and taking his suit jacket off and placing it around my shoulders.

“Alright. Let’s go home,” he said softly, tucking me under his arm. He nodded at Logan and his brother nodded back.

“I’ll take care of it. I’m sorry this happened, Brother,” Logan said morosely. “I’m sorry, Jamie,” he said, looking at me next. I shook my head and gave him a weak smile.

“It’s not your fault. I’m not sorry for punching a guy at your party,” Hunter said, not even sounding apologetic at all. Logan snickered and shook his head.

“Family is always an exception to the rule, don’t worry about it. I hope you get home safely.”

I waved at Logan in goodbye and then we left.

We didn’t say a word during the drive home, and Hunter gripped the steering wheel too tightly, enough that I could see the veins in his arms jutting under his skin. I pulled his jacket a little closer to me, hating how chilly it felt inside the car. I was chewing on my bottom lip as I wondered if Hunter was mad at me for what happened, and contemplated asking him about it, but I chose not to.

When he parked the car in front of the house, he quickly got out, and crossed over to the other side to open my door and help me out. He took my hand and led me wordlessly into the house and up to his room, closing the door softly behind us.

We stood facing each other at the side of the bed, our heads down and listening to each other’s breathing. I summoned what was left of my courage and looked up at him.

“Hunter, are you mad at me?” I asked tentatively, and his eyes widened in astonishment.

“What? No!” he said, like the very thought of hating me was ridiculous, and it sent shocks of electricity down my arms. “I just…,” he trailed off and swept his hands through his hair in frustration, and I gasped as I noticed the bit of blood coming out of his knuckles.

“Hunter, you’re bleeding!” I cried, taking his hand in both of my palms, rubbing at the splits on his knuckles carefully with my fingers. “Does it hurt?” I asked.

His breath hitched, and he shook his head.

“Where’s your first aid kit?” I asked, looking up at him.

“Bottom drawer,” he said, his jaw taut. I let him go and took out the little first aid kit from the drawer, then pulled him towards the bed so we could sit. I placed the kit in my lap, and dabbed a piece of cotton swab with disinfectant before applying it on the cuts on his knuckles. He flinched slightly with a wince, so I pulled his hand back towards me, shaking my head.

“You’re such a baby,” I said before blowing on the wound gently. I finished disinfecting the cut, and then placed a Band-Aid over it. After that, I raised his hand up to my lips, and kissed the spot over the Band-Aid, making him gasp in surprise.

“Get better,” I whispered.

“What the hell are you doing?” Hunter asked, his mouth agape. I shrugged before answering.

“It’s what my grandmother does whenever I had a boo-boo. She’d kiss it and whisper for it to get better quickly and poof! The pain’s all gone,” I said. I couldn’t read the look on his face as he stared at me, not uttering a word.

“Thank you,” he whispered, his eyes still locked with mine intensely. I smiled at him, and was about to put the first aid kit back, when he placed it on his lap and gently tugged my hands next.

“Your turn,” he murmured, turning my hand over where Westleton grabbed me. I grimaced at the red marks left by Westleton’s fingers around my wrist, some of them turning black and blue already. Hunter brushed his fingers over the bruises with a featherlike touch, yet his jaw was clenched and his shoulders were shaking with anger. “If I ever see that son of a bitch again…”

“Hunter, don’t worry about it. I’m okay now, really! You saved me,” I said softly. He shook his head, and put some dressing on my bruises before putting the kit away.

I smiled gratefully at him, and made a move to get up, but he pulled me back to the bed and wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me enough that I squeaked.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to stop him from hurting you,” he whispered, his breath tickling my ear. My heart melted, and I returned his embrace.

“You saved me,” I repeated, hugging him tighter. “That’s all that matters.”

“I promise you. I promise he’ll never be able to hurt you again,” he said passionately, and I felt his lips brush against my ear in a light kiss, making me gasp. “I will never let anybody hurt you. I always take care of what’s mine.”

He let go of me, and placed his hand on my face, caressing my cheek with his thumb.

“Jamie,” he said softly, and I wondered if he could hear how hard my heart was beating. “Please, stay with me. We don’t have to do anything. I just want to hold you.”

He looked into my eyes imploringly, and my knees weakened. I leaned against his touch, and sighed with happiness.

“Okay,” I whispered.

We took our shoes off before lying down on the bed. He put the covers over our bodies, before pulling me against his chest and wrapping his arms around my stomach, my back fitting snugly against his body, spooning me perfectly. He buried his nose against the nape of my neck, placing a kiss below my hairline, and then inhaling deeply.

“Good night, Jamie,” he whispered.

“Sweet dreams, Hunter,” I murmured, already slipping into unconsciousness, a smile on my face.