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“It is,” I respond.
She gazes into my eyes, and I find it hard to even breathe when I see the emotion swimming in her eyes, “When?”
“About a year ago.”
Jade gasps, “I don’t understand, Hunter. We ended so long ago.”
I chuckle, “Ten years is not enough to make me forget about you, baby. I loved you then. Time didn’t change that. If I had known what was happening to you, I would’ve burned the fucking world down to save you. I was a stupid kid that day. The pain was excruciating, and I let it control me. It blinded me to the truth.”
A tear rolls down her cheek, “It seems as if nothing changed for you, Hunter, but everything changed for me. I’m not the person I was before. I don’t have those feelings for you anymore. I still don’t know how to let the anger go. I will never look at you the way you look at me.”
They say the truth hurts, and those words fucking gut me. I knew she didn’t still harbor those feelings for me. I’m not blind. But to hear her say that she’s over it when I never will be is painful. I catch her glances from time to time. I don’t believe she feels nothing for me.
“You’re entitled to your anger, baby girl. Maybe, I should have somehow known, but I didn’t. I wish I could go back and save you from the abuse. But I can’t. I failed you. That will never happen again.”
Pulling her back down onto my chest, I murmur, “Sleep, beautiful.”
She releases a shaky breath before her eyes flutter closed.
CHAPTER SEVEN
HUNTER
One Week Later…
Having Jade inside my house, yet so far away, is difficult. I know she wants me to stay away from her. She’s made that abundantly clear. I’m trying to give her what she needs. She lets me get close to her only when she has a nightmare. Every time she lets me in for a moment, she pushes me even further away. For years I’ve thought about her. Missed her touch, kiss, and that fucking smile that used to light up my damn world. I don’t know what to do, so I sent a text to Trevor. Now he, Max, and their women are on their way here. I’m not sure what they think they can do. However, Trevor was insistent Mia and Willow could help.
I sit alone in my office watching her on the camera. Honestly, I’m not sure if she knows I have cameras in there or if she simply doesn’t care. It’s creepy, I know. I’m turning into Trevor-stalker extraordinaire. I can’t tear my eyes from her. She’s so fucking beautiful. I turn the sound up, just to hear her breathe.
She sits on the bed with her legs crossed, her fiery hair hangs down below her waist, and her lashes cover her eyes as she reads from one of the books I bought her. Finally, she’s doing something other than lying lifeless and depressed.
The chime from my phone distracts me from my pervy viewing. I glance down at my screen and see the text from Trevor.
Trev: Coming in.
I turn the monitor off and walk to my front door when I spot them all walking in.
“Where’s Levi?”
Willow smiles, “He’s with the nanny.”
I nod, “Drinks?”
Mia grabs my hand and pulls me to the sofa, “Sit. We need to talk.”
I roll my eyes but go sit with her. Trevor sits on the other side of her, and Max and Willow sit on the other end.
“What did you do?” Mia asks.
I glance at Trevor who simply shrugs.
“You fucking told her. Asshole.”
Mia takes my hand, “Hunter. I know you still love her. I get it. But she’s scared. The poor girl doesn’t know which way is up. You have to give her time.”
I shake my head, “No, you don’t understand. Everything I’ve ever fucking wanted is upstairs locked in that bedroom.”
“I’ve arranged for a therapist to come see her,” Max says.
