AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What about your grandparents?” Becca paused. “What about your mom?”
Hunter flicked his eyes her way. “Are you threatening me?”
Her heart was threatening to escape her chest. “Yeah. I am. How’s it feel?”
He shook his head. “I’ve never threatened you, Becca. I never wanted to hurt you.”
She didn’t believe that for a minute. All the times he could have told her—confided in her. He’d put a tracking stone on her wrist the first night they’d gone out. He probably followed her to Chris’s house. He’d probably known what had happened on the bridge. All that anger about Chris—he didn’t give a crap about her safety.
“Yeah,” she scoffed. “You’re such a good guy. What were you going to do next? Shoot Gabriel? Shoot me?”
“Becca.” He gave her a wounded look. “You don’t understand—”
“I understand that’s a gun. Didn’t you sit on my couch and tell me people carry guns when they want to kill people? Didn’t you warn me away from Chris because he was nothing but trouble? Chris is a good guy.” Her voice was close to breaking, but she saved it. “Chris helped me last night. He saved me on the beach. Now some guy has kidnapped him or killed him or—” Now her voice did break, and she had to take a heaving breath. “I know you miss your father, Hunter. They miss theirs, too. Nothing will bring your father back. But you could help. You could—”
“I won’t help them.”
“Would you help me?” She wasn’t above begging. She didn’t even have to fake the hitch in her voice. She moved closer, until she was right beside him. “Hunter? Would you help me?”
That got his attention. “Becca, if he’s already taken them, there’s nothing—”
“But you’re strong! They’re strong! You could help.”
“Becca, I can’t.”
She reached out a hand and put it on his arm, gently, so as not to spook him. “There’s been too much violence, Hunter. The Merrick brothers have been tormented since they moved here. They shouldn’t be killed because a bunch of bullies are scared of them.”
He didn’t say anything.
“You saw what Tyler and Seth did to Chris,” she said. “You saw how they came after the Merricks at the party. They are not good guys.”
Hunter was shaking his head. “Becca, I can’t—”
“Did you know Seth and Drew tried to rape me in the middle of this field last night?”
His head jerked up.
“Yeah. They did.” Wow, her voice was actually steady. Strong. “That apology? Crap. They grabbed me and dragged me to the middle of the field and tried to rip my dress off and—”
She stopped. Hunter actually looked stricken.
“They did,” she said, more quietly. “And Chris saved me, while you were off trying to kill Michael. That’s the only reason he was on this field last night, and the only reason the Guide got to him while he was alone. So don’t tell me you can’t get involved.”
“Becca,” he whispered. “I’m sorry. I had no—”
“Don’t be sorry!” She wanted to punch him, but he still had his hands wrapped around a gun. “Sorry doesn’t mean anything, Hunter. Do something. Help me.”
He wasn’t looking at Michael anymore, but at her. His expression was a mix of pity and regret, anger and sadness and rage barely contained behind flushed cheeks and rapid breathing.
She stared back at him. “At least put up the gun.”
Hunter glanced at Michael. “Not until he lets go of my feet.”
“Gun first,” said Michael.
“I’m not falling for that again,” said Hunter.
“Then give it to me,” said Becca.
