“Home.”
Ella isasleep in the back seat with Motor, her leg bandaged under clean pajamas, her cheek stitched up. I didn’t have any pain relief, but a few glasses of whiskey had her sleepy enough to doze off, and I’m sure Hunter will have something stronger.
The men Z hired for tonight will clear up the mess at the cabin, so that’s one less thing to think about, but I still have an endless list of worries.
Ella being number one.
After I finished packing, she clung to me while Silence treated her, held my hand while her cheek got stitched, and hovered close by as I loaded up the car. But she didn’t talk.
I want her close to me. As far as I’m concerned, I never want her out of my sight ever again, but I need her to talk to me about what happened. I know more than anyone how deep trauma can bury itself if you push everyone away. Especially when it comes to something like this.
It takes two hours to reach Hunter’s home. My home from when I was eighteen. The huge estate is on the shores of Lake Washington, hedged in by woodland, the back leading onto the pebbled, private beach. Asher always preferred the pool, but I loved the lake. It felt more primal to swim in natural waters, and sometimes I’d spend hours staring out at the water, wondering how my life changed so drastically in the course of one night.
We stop at the secure gate, and the security guard, TJ, recognizes me immediately. He welcomes me back and allows us through, and I drive up the long path that leads to home.
The first time I came here, I thought it was a joke. There was no way I knew anyone who lived in a place like this, and even if I did, they’d never let a fuck-up like me move in. But Hunter did own this place, and Asher and I did move inwith him. A year into us staying here, Hunter adopted us both officially, but even then, none of it felt real.
We pull up to the marble steps and Hunter is waiting for us with the housekeeper, Bastian. Bastian is in his mid-sixties and has worked for Hunter for as long as I’ve known him. He’s a good guy, and I know he has a past with the DeLucas, which is why Hunter trusts him. His gray hair is brushed back, neat as always, and he’s in a suit and tie, despite it being late.
I get out and open the back door. Crouching, I watch Ella for a moment before speaking.
“Gibson, we’re here.”
She opens her eyes, and when she sighs, I can still smell the whiskey on her breath. It makes me want to kiss her, but I resist. I don’t want to touch her, not unless she makes the first move. Not after Ty.
She rubs her eyes. “What time is it?”
“Nearly midnight.”
She nods before getting out. To my relief, she takes my hand, and as we walk up the steps, Hunter’s attention is focused entirely on where we’re connected.
He doesn’t know about us.
If there even is an “us.”
“Hi, Ella.” Hunter tucks his hands into his pockets. “I’m sorry we’re meeting again like this.”
She forces a smile. “Maybe one day we’ll chat under normal circumstances.”
“I hope so.” He looks at our hands again, then at me. “You okay, kid?”
“Fine. Hey, Bastian. Ella, this is Bastian. He makes sure we don’t burn the place down.”
Bastian smiles warmly. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Gibson. I’ve got the guest room all made up for you.”
Ella glances up at me, and I release her hand, only to put my arm around her waist.
“Ella is staying in my room.”
Bastian doesn’t miss a beat. “Not a problem. Your room is always ready.”
Hunter, on the other hand, frowns gently. I ignore him and hope Ella doesn’t notice, because I know he’ll have strong opinions about this.
“Do you want to sleep, Gibson?”
She shakes her head. “I want to look at the drive.”
We gather in Hunter’s office, Ella still in her pajamas, her body close to mine. Hunter is sitting at his desk and we’re behind him. Bastian has left for the day, and Motor has already curled up on his bed in the corner of the room.
