I still can’t believe there is a dead body in my dorm room. How am I ever supposed to sleep in there again? I’m going to have nightmares every time I close my eyes.
When Hunter opens the door to his dorm room and pulls me inside, I’m surprised by how bare his room is. It looks a lot like mine—no pictures, no decoration, just the things that the school provided for us.
“Where is all your stuff?” I ask.
He glances up, looking around the room. “What do you mean?”
“I mean… pictures? Decorations? Anything to make the room you.”
Hunter raises an eyebrow. “Uh, Cove, you realize your dorm room is just as empty as mine, right?”
Good point, but I’m sure his parents don’t hate him like mine do.
I shrug, dropping the subject. Since I don’t want to tell him about why my dorm is empty, I’m sure he feels the same. Besides, we have more pressing issues to discuss. Like dead bodies and people trying to murder me.
“You should sit.” Hunter tugs me toward his bed.
I sit down on the edge of the bed, feeling only a little weird about the fact that I’m alone with Hunter in his room. I’ve never been in a boy’s room before. Well, other than Liam, but he’s my brother. He doesn’t count. And Hunter… well, he’s extremely attractive. Being in here makes me very anxious.
I clear my throat. “So, uh… we should talk about dead bodies.”
Hunter chuckles, pulling his chair from the desk over. He puts it in front of me, taking a seat. His jade green eyes study me for a moment.
I push a piece of hair behind my ear, needing to do something with my hands. His stare is making me a little uncomfortable.
“On Thursday, August twentieth, my agency was alerted. A hit was put out on a seventeen-year-old girl.” He takes a deep breath. “The group that I work for likes to keep an eye on websites that hitmen frequent, and when we saw you, well, we knew we had to protect you.”
I blink. “I’m really confused. What do you mean a hit?”
He licks his lips. “Uh, well… basically… somebody wants you dead. And they are willing to pay a lot of money to have it done. Half a million dollars.”
My eyes widen. “Somebody is willing to pay half a million dollars to have me killed?”
He nods.
I try to breathe, but I physically can’t.
They’re not going to have to worry about a hit on me because I’m about to die from shock right now.
Is this what a heart attack feels like?
“Breathe.” Hunter puts his hands on my shoulders. “Cove, don’t worry. I’m here to protect you.”
Hunter is here to protect me.
Finally, I am able to take a deep breath.
“What agency do you work for?” I ask, needing to know more information. I need to know everything that I can.
He clears his throat. “Uh, that I can’t tell you. But… basically we’re a branch of the government. Kind of.”
“Like the CIA?”
He snorts. “They wish they were as cool as us.”
That makes no sense, but I’m a bit more focused on the fact that somebody wants me dead.
“Who put the hit out on me?” I ask.
He shrugs. “I have somebody working on that—Brett and Blue. They’re amazing computer hackers. I’m sure it won’t be a problem for them to figure it out.”
Right. Okay. I’m going to be fine.
I blink. “So, you were sent here to protect me?”
He nods.
“Does that mean you’re not really a student?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “Uh, I’m nineteen. I graduated a few years ago.”
I let out a breath. “That actually makes a lot of sense.”
He raises an eyebrow.
I wave a hand at him. “I mean… look at you. High school boys do not look like you do.”
He smirks. “Are you saying I’m hot?”
My cheeks grow warm. “What? No. Ew.”
Oh. My. Gosh.
Did I just seriously say ‘ew’ in regards to how Hunter looks? Nobody in their right mind would do that. I mean, I have eyes. Clearly I can see that the boy—man—is very good looking.
He chuckles, like he knows exactly what I am thinking. “Anyway, I was hoping that I would be able to protect you from a distance and that you would never have to know about the hit, but…”
But then I was chased by a crazy guy and my dorm room was broken into.
“Am I even safe in my dorm room?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “I’m afraid not.”
I swallow hard. “What does that mean?”
“It means you’re moving in with me.”
My eyes widen. “Your room is not big enough for that.”
He cocks his head. “No. Not in this dorm room. We’ll be going somewhere else on campus—somewhere hidden. You’ll have your own room, don’t worry.”
Ah, okay. That’s good.
I sigh in relief. “Oh, thank God.”
“But you can’t tell anybody,” Hunter says.
I chew on the side of my lip. “Not even Liam?”
He shakes his head. “I’m sorry.”
That sucks. How am I supposed to keep something like this from my brother? I tell him everything.
“You will also need to start training,” Hunter informs me.
“Training?” I raise an eyebrow.
“To learn how to protect yourself, just in case.”
“Just in case what?” I ask. “I thought protecting me was your job.”
“Just in case something happens to me while I am protecting you.” He gives me a pointed look.
I put a hand to the base of my throat. “Oh.”
Hunter Duran is here to protect me, even if that means he has to give his life for me. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
He grabs my hand. “Don’t look so worried, Cove. I’m good at my job. I’m not going to die, especially not by a hitman.”
I shake my head. “So freaking arrogant. We were having a moment and you ruined it.”
He throws his head back and laughs. “Cove Lawson, you are going to be a very fun assignment.”
I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.
Still, I can’t believe a freaking hitman tried to kill me. I feel like I’m in some cheesy romcom. For a moment, I wonder who the love interest would be, then I realize it would most definitely be Hunter.
I laugh.
Good thing real life isn’t like the movies. Cause Hunter Duran and me? We’re never going to happen.
Who’s your hot friend?
Today is a weird day. It started with a hitman coming into my room and Hunter rescuing me. Then I found out that he is some kind of freaking spy. And then… nothing. I go to school and pretend that nothing happened. I have to pretend like somebody didn’t try to kill me—just another day as Cove Lawson, I suppose.
One thing that keeps going through my mind is who would want to kill me? Sure, there are a lot of people who really dislike me, maybe even hate me, but to want me dead? I can’t think of anyone.
The only reminder that this morning wasn’t a dream is the fact that Hunter will not leave my side, not even for a moment. He stays protectively by my side, ready to fight anybody who jumps out with a gun. I’m grateful for his protection, but I’m worried everybody is going to get the wrong idea about us. Especially when he follows me to my table in the cafeteria.