AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He folded his arms across his stomach, trying to hold in the pain.
“Hey,” said Michael.
Hunter glanced over.
“I’m sorry about what happened,” Michael said quietly. “But you’re not a disappointment.”
Hunter took a breath, and his voice broke. “I let her die.”
“Hunter, that guy was not messing around. She was dead before I even grabbed you.”
That didn’t make it better. Hunter choked on another breath.
“Did you know she was a Guide? All this time?”
Hunter nodded.
Michael didn’t say anything, but Hunter knew what it sounded like—that he would have turned on the Merricks.
“I didn’t rat you out—I thought you were leaving. I thought I’d have to fix everything by myself.”
“I let you into our home, Hunter. I said you could stay as long as you needed to.”
Hunter was having a hard time hanging on to his emotions, and despair poured out of his mouth with alarming force. “I know, okay? I know.” His voice almost broke again, but he saved it. “I’m sorry. I f**ked up everything. This is my fault. I’m sorry.”
Michael put a hand up. “Stop. I’m not—I don’t want to chastise you. I’m just saying you can trust me. Us. All of us. You always could.”
Hunter stared at him. He’d never trusted anyone, and his whole world had been turned upside down.
And now he probably didn’t have any options. “That was then,” he said. “What about now?”
Michael glanced over and put a hand on his shoulder. “Even now, kid. Even now.”
CHAPTER 32
Michael had a hotel room in a little Residence Inn by the airport. It was more of an apartment, with a kitchenette and two bedrooms. Hunter was ready for the younger Merricks to glare at him as he came through the door.
He wasn’t ready for his mother to be sitting at the table.
This was too much. He couldn’t take it.
He could have handled a fight. He could have handled planning. Details. Distraction.
Something about seeing his mother there just stole all the fight from him.
He was crying before he knew it. And when her slender arms came around him, he couldn’t fight her off. He just cried into her shoulder. He didn’t care that the Merricks could see him; he didn’t care that this was the same woman who’d watched his grandfather belt him across the face and throw him out of the house.
This was his mother.
And right now, he’d do anything for one minute of her comfort.
Especially since she was giving it.
She smelled like cotton and cloves and vanilla and home. He didn’t want to let her go.
But doing this forever wouldn’t solve anything.
When he finally raised his eyes from her shoulder, he was surprised to find that they were alone.
