High school romance is overrated anyway.
Hunter follows me to the trashcan, where I dump my leftovers and slide my tray across to a lady washing dishes.
As we’re walking out of the cafeteria, Hunter bumps me with his elbow. “You all right, Trouble?”
I nod.
I’ll be fine. Eventually. If I survive this.
“Maybe you could flirt with me a little less in front of my friends and brother,” I suggest.
He laughs. “If you think I’ll stop flirting, you don’t know me very well.”
I cross my arms over my chest, letting out my breath in a huff.
Hunter Duran is a pain.
The cabin.
After school, I don’t go back to my dorm room. Hunter has already packed my things and moved them to ‘the cabin.’ I’m curious about where we’re going to be staying. I’m also nervous. There will be no getting away from Hunter now.
I chew on the side of my lip as I get into the passenger seat of the black SUV that Hunter leads me to. Part of me wants to tell him I want to stay in my dorm. That is, until I remember the guy with the gun this morning.
No, this is a good thing that I’m moving somewhere else. Hunter will be able to keep me safe.
As we drive toward the cabin, I realize that nobody will be able to find it. We take so many turns down hidden roads that I’m not sure I’ll even be able to find my way in and out. I’m sure that’s the point. It does make me feel safer.
But…
I’m going to live alone with Hunter. I’m not sure how I feel about this.
“You look deep in thought.”
Hunter’s deep voice makes me jump.
“Sorry,” he says. “Are you all right?”
I shrug. “I’m fine.”
He nods, not saying anything else.
The car pulls to a stop in front of a small cabin in the middle of the woods. I unbuckle my seatbelt hesitantly, reaching to open the door. Before I even reach the handle, my door opens. I look up and see Hunter standing there, holding out a hand to me. I put my hand in his, letting him help me out.
The cabin, though small, is still nice. There is a porch that wraps around from the front and side.
With Hunter’s hand on the small of my back, he leads me toward the house. Normally I would say something sarcastic and force him to move his hand, but I think I need the encouragement today. Without him, I’d probably be having a panic attack right now.
It’s kind of just now hitting me—somebody put a hit out on me. Somebody wants me dead and they’re willing to pay a lot of money to make that happen. I just wonder who hates me that much.
Hunter unlocks the door, but he doesn’t push it open. He just looks down at me.
“Are you all right?” His jade green eyes study me closely.
I nod, licking my lips. “I’m okay. At least, as okay as I can be.”
He frowns, but pushes the door open, nudging me forward. “Come on, Trouble. Let’s see where we’re going to be living for the next…” he pauses. “Well, however long.”
I swallow hard.
We probably will be in this cabin for a long time. I’m not sure how I feel about it, but I do know it’s better for me to be here than in my dorm room.
I hesitantly walk inside. It’s quaint. And small… definitely small.
There is a small living room with only a loveseat, a recliner, and a TV hanging over the fireplace. There is a small, round table with two chairs sitting at it. The kitchen is equally small, with very little counter space, but there is an island with a couple of barstools.
Hunter points to a small hallway between the living room and kitchen. “Your room is to the right. Mine is directly across the hall if you ever need anything.”
My eyes widen.
I know he probably told me that to comfort me, but the thought of him being so close to me… it is frightening.
This cabin is way too small for Hunter and me.
I head down the hallway, wanting to get a look at my room. It’s just as basic and small as the rest of the house with only room for a queen sized bed, one nightstand, a dresser, and a desk. I open the closet—it’s not as big as the walk-in closet in my dorm room, but it’s plenty big enough. All my clothes are already hung up inside, which doesn’t surprise me.
I head out of my room to see where the bathroom is. I find it at the end of the hallway.
One bathroom.
I groan.
I guess this means Hunter and I will be sharing a bathroom. I’m not sure how I feel about that, but I’ll worry about it later. For now, I just need to get through tonight.
I quickly go to the bathroom and head into the living room.
Hunter is standing in the kitchen. He’s changed out of his school uniform and is wearing a pair of gray sweatpants, no shirt, and no shoes.
My face grows warm. “Where is your shirt?”
He smirks. “You’re lucky I’m wearing clothes at all.”
I turn away from him, not wanting him to see how red my cheeks are. I walk over to the couch, pulling out my homework to get started.
Teachers who give out homework on the first day of school are evil. Then again, we are at boarding school—it’s not like we have anything else to do.
Liam texted me earlier and invited me to a party by the lake, but I’m just not in the mood tonight. Something about almost dying twice in less than twelve hours just makes me not want to party.
Hunter sits down on the loveseat, directly beside me. “What are you working on?”
I raise an eyebrow at him, looking over. “Why? You going to do my homework for me?”
“Can’t do.” He takes a bite of an apple. “I have my own homework to do.”
“But you’ve already graduated,” I remind him.
He rolls his eyes. “I know. But I’ve got to make sure I don’t get kicked out of this school.”
I frown, thinking that’s not fair.
Hunter has to give up so much of his life to come here and protect me. I know he says that his organization does these kinds of things, but I feel like it’s such a waste to help me. I’m nobody—just a random seventeen-year-old girl.
Hunter taps my leg, getting my attention.
“What?”
“I’m just wondering what you’re thinking about so hard.”
I sigh. “Just… wondering why me.”
He furrows his brows. “I don’t know why somebody would choose to put out a hit on you—it doesn’t make sense. But I promise you that my team will figure this out.”
I shake my head. “That’s not what I meant. I mean…” I take a deep breath. “Why are you helping me? What about me made you and your team look at my case and want to help me out? I’m nobody.”
His eyes widen. “Are you kidding, Cove? How can you say that? Just look at yourself—you are somebody.”
“My dad didn’t want me,” I say. “My mom and stepdad don’t want me. Trust me, I’m not anybody special.”
“Your parents are idiots.” He puts a hand on my shoulder. “But my team and I are going to protect you. I already told you… we saw you on the list on the hitman database. It’s not every day we see a seventeen-year-old girl on the list. We’re working on getting you taken off, but there are so many websites that are very heavily protected. It’s going to take them a while. And even after you’re taken off, I’m not going anywhere—not until I am one hundred percent sure that you’re safe.”