Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 22685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
"Just give me a moment to change—"
"It's really important."
He stepped inside, and Eve's confusion turned into unease. It wasn't like Matt at all to be pushy like this, and why...were his hands seemingly trembling? Why did his eyes look so wild?
"I'm sorry about this..."
“You’re making me nervous,” Eve said, backing up a step. “Are you okay, Matt?”
He wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Eve, can you close your eyes? I can’t say this if your eyes are open.”
She frowned, confused by his behavior. “Matt—”
“Please, Eve.” His voice cracked. “Just close them.”
Despite her unease, Eve complied, telling herself this was her friend. Surely, he wouldn't—
NOOOOOO!
Everything happened too fast, with strong hands suddenly shoving her against the wall as Matt's dry mouth crashed down on hers while his hand gripped her breast roughly through the towel.
Terror flooded her system, shock rendering her immobile.
This couldn't be...
This couldn't be happening.
This...this...
“What the fuck is this?”
That voice, oh God...
That voice.
She forgot her fear when she heard the pain in Hunter's voice, and the sound freed her limbs from its inexpicable immobility. She found herself reacting instinctively, shoving Matt away with all her strength before stumbling toward Hunter, wanting his comfort while also wanting to comfort him.
Nothing about the last ten seconds made sense.
Nothing.
But in Hunter's arms, she knew there would be peace and safety, and yet—
No, God, no.
The look on his face made Eve feel like she was suddenly trapped in her worst nightmare.
It was the past all over again, and Hunter...
Hunter was looking at her like she had done something wrong without even asking her anything.
I don't understand, God.
She wanted to scream and cry. She wanted to break down. But because she was eight years older this time, and she remembered what he had asked her before—
Why the hell are you so damn proud?
Is it worth it?
Losing every fucking thing?
"P-Please, Hunter." She somehow found the courage to kill her pride before it killed the rest of her. "This isn't what it looks like."
But the man she loved—
The man she was throwing away her pride for—
The man who promised never to hurt her again like this—
I don't understand, God.
Why was Hunter looking at her like he had looked at her eight years ago?
"I heard a scream—" Janelle skidded to a stop as she entered the room and saw the tableau before her. "W-What's happening?"
Hunter's jaw clenched as his own cousin became a witness to Evelline's decision to cuckold him with a younger man, and at his own home at that.
"Please, Hun—"
"Stop saying my fucking name," he snapped.
Janelle's gaze darted between the two of them. "I don't understand—"
Hunter cut his cousin off. "Do me a favor, will you?"
"O-Of course."
Eve couldn't believe what was happening. Was he really...was he really not going to hear her out, just like before? And how...how could he be so much more cruel now, with Hunter not even caring to look her way?
"Escort her out of the house and have Luther drive her back to the city."
Eve's world threatened to collapse as Hunter turned to leave, and before she even realized what she was doing—
Please, God, please.
She was already stumbling forward, barely managing to grab the back of his shirt. "H-Hunter—"
He spun around so fast she nearly lost her balance, and a soundless cry slipped past her lips at the contempt blazing from his silvery gaze.
“Don’t fucking touch me again.”
Oh God, why.
"I should have known someone like you—”
Her hand struck his cheek before she could stop herself, and the crack of the slap echoed in the sudden silence of the room.
God, oh God.
She was the one who had slapped him, and yet why did it feel like she had just hurt herself even more by doing so?
“Why won’t you let me explain?” Her voice cracked. “You promised, Hunter. Y-You—"
"Just fucking leave, will you? Because if you're still here in the next hour, I’ll have you arrested.”
And as if all those hurtful words weren't enough—
Eve crumbled to her knees as Hunter yanked the silver ring from his finger and hurled it across the room.
"P-Please, I'm b-begging you..."
She couldn't understand how it had come to this. Hated how the man she loved had her begging just like her father had once begged.
"P-Please..."
But Hunter had already walked away as if she no longer existed.
Chapter Ten
HUNTER WASN'T SURE how much time had passed. It was as if he’d blacked out, and as the jealous rage faded, he staggered to a halt, finding himself in the stables, of all places.
His first thought: Another scene of the crime...
But he caught himself in time.
Remembered what he had learned of her.
Remembered how his pride had made him accuse her wrongly—
What the fuck have I done?
His Evelline had thrown away her pride, had begged for a chance to explain.
But instead he had walked away.
What the fuck have I done?
He looked around him, and all he could see was her.