I’ve worked hard to become a better person. One worthy of Fiona and the child we’ve created.
But as it turns out, the old adage is true: a tiger doesn’t change its stripes.
Finally, the door slides open, and Fiona walks in.
Before she can get a word out, I’m on her, pulling her into my arms and kissing her.
“What’s wrong?” she asks. We’ve become so close that she can sense when something’s not right. Thankfully, those times are now few.
I don’t know what to tell her. It would be selfish of me to be honest, but lying to Fiona feels like a sin.
“Hunter, you need to tell me what is going on!” The worry in her eyes causes me more pain than my own disappointment in myself.
“I’m scared.”
“Nothing scares you.”
“Except the thought of losing you.”
She brings her hands up and cups my cheeks. “Why are you worried about that? I’m right here.”
“Cole asked me to do something, and I don’t know if I can say no.”
“What is it?”
“He wants me to torture one of the Vultures.”
“Why is that a problem?”
“Because…I don’t want to be like that anymore. I’m scared I’ll—” I turn away, “never mind.”
“I don’t care if you enjoy it,” she says. “In fact, I’m excited for you.”
“I was a monster.”
“If it wasn’t for your predilections, I wouldn’t be here.”
“But what if I can’t make love to you the way I do now?”
She giggles. “Even if you like it, it won’t consume you as it did.”
Deep down, I know she’s right. There’s no coming back from the places Fiona took me. They’ll never leave my head or my heart.
And I’ll be forever thankful for that.
“Guess what we’re calling Blake’s baby?” she says with a giggle.
“Little Blake?”
“Nope—Baby Rat! Jayne decided she was naming him. Suki is going to embroider it onto a blanket.”
“I bet Blake won’t be too thrilled about that.”
“Probably not.” She goes to the refrigerator, takes out a bottle of juice, and pours herself a cup. “So, this whole torture thing…what’s up with that?”
“Gage tried to extract information from some prisoners, but he killed them too quickly. Cole knew I drew out my victim’s pain, so he asked me to give it a go.”
Fiona scrunches her nose. “Could we not call them victims?”
