“What I want is Matthew safe. Exhausting every avenue is worth the time.”
“You were the original target,” I remind him. “You still could be. You’re the one that needs watching over.” Matthew as well. But Hunter shouldn’t forget that he needs to be safe too. I won’t risk him for anything.
“I can handle myself. He can’t.”
“He’s not here,” Miles says tightly. “And you wouldn’t allow us to go to him. How do you expect to keep him safe?”
“Moira and Six have been tailing him all day. He wouldn’t have noticed.”
I lean back in my chair, stretching an arm behind Miles’ shoulders.
“That’s the plan? Have someone watch him twenty-four seven while we hunt Roger?” I ask.
“For now, yes,” Hunter says.
“Hardly practical.”
“I don’t care.”
“Hmm.” My fingers drum on Miles' shoulder absently. “You could have done that in the first place, instead of bringing him here.”
Hunter crosses his arms over his chest. Defensive. “What’s your point?”
“There’s no point. You wanted him here because you have feelings for him.” Sweet, sweet Matthew. Hunter deserves that kind of devotion. If I were a better person, I’d walk away and let him have it. I’m not. I’ll take them both without a single regret.
“He needs time,” Hunter says. “Last night was a lot for him. It’s understandable that he’s distancing himself.”
“And then what?” Has he thought about what he’ll do if Matthew turns his back and doesn’twantto return? When the dust settles after Roger is dead, what will he do? Let Matthew have his independence back and pretend this never happened? That’s not how Hunter works, no matter what he’ll try to tell himself.
“He has two days,” Miles says abruptly. “And then we go for him.”
Now, that’s a plan I can get behind.
Hunter hums in neither agreement nor disagreement, switching his focus to an incoming message on his phone. He doesn’t need to say anything. We know he’ll be right there with us.
Hunter tenses, replies to the message, and then stares right at me.
“Something wrong” I straighten in my chair, feet flattening on the floor. “Matthew?” Anyone touches him, and I’ll burn them alive.
“Matthew is fine. Spence and Ken are bringing Olivia back.”
I drop back, heart thumping. “Roger is still out there.” It’s still not safe. What is he thinking?
“He’s gone into hiding, and the man who does his dirty work is behind bars. I won’t keep my daughter away from me when it’s not absolutely necessary. She’s protected here, and she’ll never be alone.” He watches me silently.
Trying to read me. There’s nothing to read. Even I don’t know what I’m thinking.
“She goes to bed at seven thirty. I can let you know when you can come back to finish this.” He smiles wryly. “I can leave my bedroom window open if you prefer that method.” There’s no judgement in his tone. No hidden agenda beneath the words. He’s giving me an out, free of strings.
The deepest, scared part of me wants to take it with both hands. For years, I’ve blocked out her entire existence. Forher. I have nothing to give her except generational trauma, bloodied hands, and a stained soul. A cruel legacy she doesn’t need. Hunter has given her everything that I couldn’t. He’s exactly the kind of father that I knew he would be, which is why I wanted to give him the one thing he wanted more than anything else.A child.It suits him, this quiet domesticity.
My absence was the biggest favour I could do for her.
I should leave, continue on the way I have been all these years.
Or I can be brave. I cantry. For him and for her.
“I’m staying.”
