Chapter Two
My phone rang, and I groaned. It kept ringing, and I shoved a pillow over my head. Finally, mercifully, it stopped.
Thank fuck.
I relaxed and felt myself slipping back to sleep when I heard it again.
“Leave me alone,” I muttered to my mattress.
But whoever was calling was insistent. And when I came to enough to realize it was Kate’s ring tone, I jolted awake. I rushed to answer, fumbling around the suite as I searched for my phone. It was a mess—my clothes strewn across the floor, two glasses on the table, an empty whiskey bottle.
I clutched my head, trying to remember something, anything. But it was all a blur. I knew I’d come home with someone, but my bed was empty now. And whoever she was, she wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
Finally locating my phone, I glanced at the time. Nearly four in the morning, which meant it was one on the West Coast. Too fucking early, especially considering the time difference. I knew Kate’s call couldn’t be a good sign. Worry twisted my gut, spreading to my chest when I heard Kate bawling on the other end.
“Hunter? Hunter?” She continued spewing words. But her sobs echoed through the phone, and it was difficult to make out what she was saying.
I could hear sirens blaring in the background, and my mind was spinning. I immediately sobered, a million scenarios racing through my mind. The fact that she was calling should’ve given me some peace of mind, but it didn’t.
“Kate. Whoa, Kate.” My heart was racing, but I knew I needed to stay calm. “Slow down, What’s wrong?” I asked, completely alert now.
“There was—” She stopped, drew in a shaky breath. “A fire. Smoke everywhere. It was so scary. I thought I was going to die.”
My vision blurred, and I sank down on the mattress. Kate was my baby sister, and I’d always watched out for her. Every so often, she’d complain I was taking the protective older brother role a bit too far, but I begged to differ. Any time she had an issue, she came to me. And now—with me across the country, so far from her and LA, it killed me that I wasn’t there.
“I’ll call the pilot. I can be home this afternoon.”
“Hunter, no. You don’t need to do that. I’m okay. I just needed to talk to you.” I wasn’t sure I believed her, but at least she sounded a little calmer than when I’d first answered the phone.
“I’m really glad you called. Is there anything I can do?”
“Can I stay at your place for a few nights until I figure out a plan?”
“Of course. Anything you need. You can stay there the whole summer,” I added, knowing I wouldn’t be returning to LA until the end of August. Though with the fire…it had me reconsidering my plans.
“Are you sure?” she asked, but I could already hear the relief coursing through her voice.
“Positive.” I made a mental note to call my roommate, Preston, in the morning, knowing he’d be fine with it. Knowing he’d keep an eye on Kate. More importantly, I knew he wouldn’t dare lay a hand on her. Preston respected our friendship too much to even consider looking at my sister that way.
“Thank you, Hunter.”
“Anything for you, Kate.”
I could hear her talking to someone in the background. “I have to go. The police need everyone to make a statement.”
“What? Why?”
“The fire department has to rule out every possible cause, including arson.”
“Arson?” The word came out strangled, and I knew that’s what I’d do if someone had intentionally set the fire at Kate’s complex.I will fucking strangle them.“I’m coming home.”
I switched on speaker mode, so I could navigate to the text messages. Despite her earlier protests, I hastily typed out a new one to my pilot.
“It’s just procedure. It’s fine. I’mfine, Hunter,” she rushed to add.
She didn’t sound fine to me. She sounded shaken and upset and scared. I didn’t like it.
“Hunter. Don’t change your plans. I’m serious.”
