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I do sit down, partly out of shock. “How did you learn to fix hair?”
“I have—had—a younger sister. And my parents were gone a lot with work. My older brother learned how to cook and I took care of my little sister,” he explains.
Had?
Does that mean she passed away?
I want to ask, but I don’t want to bring it up if it’s nothing something he wants to talk about.
“The year I started Spy School, my parents were on a dangerous mission. My little sister was with them and she got caught in the crossfire. My dad was the only one to make it out alive,” he tells me. “After that, he retired. I don’t hear from him much. I think he blames himself for not being able to save my mom and sister.”
My chest aches for him. “Hunter, I’m sorry.”
He shrugs. “That’s what this life is like. We all know the risk when we take the job. That’s why a lot of people retire once they have kids.”
He talks so nonchalantly about it, but I know it bothers him more than he’s letting on. I can’t imagine how hard that must’ve been on him at fourteen.
“Do you want your hair up or down?” Hunter asks.
“Down?” I say, but I raise my voice at the end, making it sound more like a question.
I really have no idea what to do with my hair. If I would’ve had the money, I’d be with Harper right now and she’d be the one to decide.
He nods. “You look good with your hair down. Maybe I’ll pull back a little out of your face.”
“Okay.” I worry my bottom lip between my teeth.
It’s so strange to have somebody else do my hair for me, but definitely strange that it’s Hunter doing it for me. I’m just so shocked that he knows how to even fix hair. I want to ask him more questions about it, but I don’t want to bring up his dead sister or mother anymore.
“You said your brother cooks,” I say, hoping he will talk more about his mysterious Spy School brother.
“Uh, yeah. He does. Jax is his name. Jaxon. He’s a couple years older than me, but we’ve always been close. Sometimes we work cases together,” Hunter explains. “But right now, my brother is on an assignment. I haven’t seen him in a while.”
“Do you miss him?” I ask.
It’s a stupid question—of course he misses him. I just want him to keep talking.
“Yeah,” Hunter answers. “But, like I said before, I’m used to this life. Our parents would be gone for months at a time on missions when we were kids. This has just always been our lives.”
“Will you get to see him at Christmas?” I ask.
Hunter’s green eyes meet mine in the mirror. “I don’t know. I’ll probably be with you at Christmas.”
With…me?
Why hadn’t I thought of that? Of course he can’t leave before the case is over. He’ll have to stay with me until I’m safe. It’s not like assassins are just going to take a break for Christmas.
“Oh,” I manage to say. “My stepdad likes to do Christmas in The Hamptons. I only am invited because Liam refuses to go without me. But I’ll probably be in my room the entire time. I’m never invited to their parties or anything.”
“You’re not going home for Christmas,” Hunter says, not leaving any room to negotiate. “I don’t know what we’re doing yet, but I don’t plan on you ever going anywhere near your mother and stepfather ever again.”
My heart races. “You can do that?”
He raises an eyebrow. “Cove, I’m Spy School. I can do anything I want.”
Right.
I put a hand to the base of my throat. “I just thought I’d be forced to go home is all. As soon as I turn eighteen and get my trust fund, I planned on leaving. I hate New York City. I want to live somewhere in the country, as far away from the city as I can.”
