“Thanks!” I called out as the banker practically ran off.
“You can’t keep scaring men away,” I told Hunter mildly. “You already have me.” I patted his cheek. He still seemed apprehensive.
“Meg,” he said in a rush as I started to scan through the papers. “I didn’t want to tell you because I was afraid it would distract you in the election. I was working on a plan to fix it.”
“I know,” I said, proud of myself for how reasonable I sounded. “You like to be in control. I’m trying to accept the things about you so that I can enjoy loving you.”
“You love me?”
“Of course I—” I sucked in a breath as I read the paperwork. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
Hunter winced.
“This isn’t hiding bad news from me. My identity was stolen! He took out credit cards in my name and my sisters'! I’m hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. Hunter, what the ever-loving—”
“Look, Meg,” Hunter pleaded, jumping back up and putting a few pieces of furniture in between us. “I already filed police reports. Some of that debt is in the process of being cleared. And your sisters’ debts are almost cleared as well.”
“He went after my sisters, and you didn’t tell me?” I was enraged. “Fuck you, Hunter.”
“I was trying to protect you!” he begged.
“Yeah?” I shot back. “And what if someone went after your little brothers, huh? You’d want to know.”
“I was handling it.”
“They’re my siblings.”
“Meg, I’m sorry!” he shouted, holding out his hands.
“You can’t just throw out an apology and expect that’s sufficient to wipe the slate clean.”
“What could you have done?” he argued.
“I could have known! I couldn’t figure out why my credit cards were getting declined.” I started fretting. “I need to freeze my sisters’ credit. Oh my god, what if their identities are all over the internet?”
Hunter went over to me. “I already have Blade working on it. Barry only took a few loans out in their name, and their identity has not appeared online anywhere. Their credit is already frozen, and I have Owen Frost and Quantum Cyber on high alert for any additional suspicious activity on you and your sisters’ accounts.”
His words barely registered. I was still in shock.
“Is this why Hazel was having issues a couple years ago with her finances when she lost her restaurant building? Was it because of Barry?”
Hunter winced. “I think that was just because Hazel’s not that great with money.”
I turned on him, raising my hand in a threatening gesture.
He held up his hands. “To be fair, neither is Archer. Garrett and Mike keep him on a tight leash.”
I slumped down in a chair. “What am I going to do?”
“Meg,” Hunter said, kneeling in front of me. “I am handling it. Please just let me help you.” He stroked my face.
“I have a hard time giving up control,” I admitted.
He grinned. “No you don’t! You totally gave up control last night when my tongue was in your clit. I’m surprised it didn’t wake the whole town.”
* * *
Flirting with Hunter aside,I was still sick about the state of my finances. How could I be mayor if I hadn’t even had any idea that my sisters and I were being robbed blind?
