His eyes are swollen and bruised, their green color seems a little darker now they are overshadowed by puffy eyelids, but still just as cold and callous as ever. To the world at least.
He doesn’t scare me.
His nose is swollen too, the bruising spread over his left cheek. It’s probably natural to be drawn toward someone in such a beat-up state. Some girls would think he looks cute, all alpha male and beaten up, in need of some T.L.C. Instead, it only makes me despise him more. Everything he stands for is so far from what I want in a boyfriend, let alone a husband. It’s almost impossible to imagine having to spend the rest of my life with this monster who beats people up for fun, takes pleasure in their pain, and feels zero sense of remorse, no matter how badly he smashes up the people he fought.
It’s all just a game to Hunter.
“And what about my Bella?” Dad asks, turning his attention toward me, and I instantly squirm under the spotlight. “You’re almost done with your studies now, aren’t you?”
“Not really,” I muster, knowing he is fully aware I don’t finish my studies until next Spring. I’m holding onto this last year with everything I have because I know exactly what’s coming next.
“Are you two finding time to spend together or has she always got her head stuck in a book?” my mom probes.
I sense the weight of Hunters eyes on me as he hesitates before replying, “Oh, we are spending plenty of time together. Bella even came to the fight last night to support me.”
I glare across at him, and he meets my warning look only to grin his wicked grin straight at me.
Is he so mad that he’ll out me to my entire family?
“Really? I’m so pleased, Bella,” my mom croons. If I told her I'd supported him in armed robbery, I have a feeling she would be just as delighted. This is what she lives for; standing by her man through thick and thin is her greatest achievement in life. The only thing better would be to raise a daughter to follow in her footsteps.
“Yes, she came with some friends, who was it you were with, Bella? I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself.”
Screw you, Hunter. Every time I see you, you’re even more of a jerk than the last time.
Except, I don’t really say that. Instead, I smile sweetly at my parents, ignoring him entirely and lie, “No one important.”
He arches an eyebrow to make his stupid point, and I pretend not to care. What does it matter if he thinks Addy is no one? Anything that goes on between Addy and I, is our business. Addy with his soft kisses and gentle embrace... I let my mind wander and can’t help comparing the two men. They are chalk and cheese. Where Addy is cocky in a cute, sure of himself way, Hunter is cocky in a savage, I will eat you alive if you fuck with me, way.
Addy is tall and toned. Hunter is a mountain. Even in the grey sweat suit he’s wearing, you can see his huge shoulders and biceps almost bulging through the soft cotton.
Addy’s skin is creamy and smooth. Hunter’s skin glows a deep sandstone color from all of the time he spends outdoors, training mostly.
Stop! What am I doing? Why am I comparing them? There is no comparison; there doesn’t need to be. I fancy Addy. I am marrying Hunter. The differentiation speaks for itself.
Everyone tucks into their stew; my Mom doesn’t hold back on what’s been playing on her mind. “Now we are all together, I’m thinking we need to set a date for the wedding.”
Of course, no one argues, including Hunter and his parents, who nod along in agreement.
Great, why do I always have to be the party pooper?
“Shouldn’t we wait until I’ve finished my studies? I really need to focus to make sure I pass everything. I don’t want to have to re do my last year because I fail my assignments.”
“You won’t be doing that anyway,” my dad wades in, looking almost as horrified as my mom at the thought.
“I guess there’s no harm in setting a date. It gives us all something to work toward,” Hunter suggests.
Work toward? Like our marriage is some kind of job. Probably good he thinks like that—a simple business transaction. At least, that way he’s accepting there are no feelings between us. Not the kind of feelings two people should have if they are about to be married, anyway.
His mom squeezes his hand with pride in her son for doing the right thing; mine has her usual look of sheer disappointment and embarrassment at my lack of excitement toward the wedding.
“When are you due to finish, Bella?” she asks. She knows full well but asks every time we meet anyway, just in case it’s fast forwarded.
“The end of May.”
“That’s perfect. A summer wedding will be lovely.” Mom smiles, not at me. At Hunter’s mom, and I can’t tell which one of them is more excited for this.
I can’t do this.
Glancing over at Hunter, who digs into his stew without a care in the world, I’m engulfed by a familiar feeling of panic.
To make matters worse, my grandma adds her two cents, “Your grandad and I married in summer; I’ll never forget it. It was a baking hot day and sweat was dripping off me in my big dress. Your grandad looked like the happiest man in the world. He smiled from ear to ear all day long; he got lucky.”
Her eyes dance at the memory on her heavily wrinkled face. She is the head of our family, and she’s getting older and frailer by the minute. We had been close growing up, but she lives her life in accordance with the bible, peppered with Roma traditions, and handed down through the generations. She has no idea why I want to go to university or need to learn to read.
“That settles it then. I’ll look at some dates next August; we want a Saturday, so everyone can make it. I don’t want anyone missing my girl’s big day.”
I can’t do this.
“If you let me know when you’re going, I’d love to come dress shopping with you,” Hunter’s mom offers.
Visualizing myself trying on wedding dresses, both moms fussing over me, then walking down the aisle toward… I take another careful glance at him. He regards me, too. His greens fixed on my dark browns as though trying to figure me out.
“The sooner the better. I can’t wait until Bella’s mine.” His voice is low, threatening and menacing enough to make me jump up from the table.
“I can’t do this.”
Shit. Did that come out as loud as I think it did?
From the look of shock on everyone’s faces, yes.
I quickly mumble, “Sorry.” Spinning on my heels, I run from the room and out to the garden; hot tears burn my cheeks as they fall.
I don’t intend to make my parents miserable, hurt my grandma, and embarrass my family in front of Hunter’s, but that’s exactly what I’m doing.
Still, I can’t bring myself to go back inside and apologize—pretend this is all some big misunderstanding because it’s not. The more I think about it as I pace up and down the garden, the surer I become.
I don’t want to marry that man. I’d never belong to him or anyone.
Tradition or not, I’m just not made that way.
Chapter Six
Hunter
I thought she wanted to play. Is that not the reason she showed up to my fight last night with another guy dripping off her? Now, I’m playing along while she’s having some kind of mini-fucking-breakdown in front of her parents. I want to say ‘fuck it’ and let her get on with it, but the screwed up annoying part of me makes excuses and follows her.