His hand stopped moving and his eyes locked on hers. Throwing her arms around him, she laid her head on his shoulder. He pulled her closer and she molded pliantly against him, clinging to his chest and listening to the steady beat of his heart.
“Jesus Christ, Luna. Are you okay?”
Luna turned toward the familiar voice. Without thinking, she threw herself into his arms and her eyes blurred with tears.
Marcus held her for a few moments before pushing her back at arm’s length, and searched her up and down. “What the hell happened?”
His eyes cut to Hunter and gave him a withering glance. “Did you do this to her?”
Hunter’s stance tightened, but he didn’t say anything, just returned the flat, cold stare.
“Calm down, Marcus. Hunter saved me, not hurt me.”
“Saved you from what?”
Luna tilted her head in the direction of where the altercation had taken place. The guy was no longer knocked out on the ground, he must have awoken while Hunter was tending to her wounds. “Some drunk asshole attacked me.”
“What!” Marcus’s breathing increased and his usually warm eyes turned as cold as ice. “Where the fuck is he?” He released her and stepped back his chest heaving.
“Please calm down,” she begged. “He’s long gone by now. I’ve had enough testosterone for the evening.”
Marcus’s face softened. “Let me take you home. I’ll cook you some soup and we can watch one of those ridiculous movies you love so much.”
Luna was conflicted. Marcus was her friend, her only friend, and yet she felt she should be with Hunter. He did save her.
Exhausted from the adrenaline rush, she leaned against Marcus. When she looked over at Hunter, his eyes were clouded over. She couldn’t tell if it was from hurt, anger, or disappointment. She disengaged herself from Marcus.
“I think I’m going to go home with Hunter.”
Her mouth went dry while she waited for his response. After a moment, he nodded his head.
Marcus’s face she could read clearly, his feelings were hurt.
Luna threw her arms around him again and gave him a tight squeeze. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? We’re still on for lunch?”
“We’re still on for lunch,” he said grudgingly. “If you need me tonight, you know how to reach me.”
Marcus and Hunter exchanged a stare.
Luna nodded and watched as her friend walked away. He turned around once, and she waved.
“Why the hell wasn’t he with you?” Hunter asked in a low voice.
Luna sighed. She was still too shaken up from the attack to be worried about this nonsense. “I really can’t deal with this right now. Marcus is not at fault. I’m the one that stupidly came outside by myself.”
Despite the heat, a cold numbness took over her. Her body sagged and Hunter placed his arm around her to keep her upright. “Do you want to go to your place or mine?”
She thought it over, the idea of going back to her tiny apartment and lumpy futon were not appealing. “Your place if you don’t mind.”
“My place it is.”
“Do you think you could find my phone? I know that’s a stupid thing to ask, but my sister will be worried if she doesn’t hear from me.”
Hunter nodded. “Lock the doors.”
Luna forced a smile. When he shut the door, he waited until he heard the door lock before moving forward.
He came back a few moments later with her phone.
They drove to his house mostly in silence. Luna kept replaying the attack over in her head. She’d come so close to dying tonight. She’d never really given death much thought, but when a knife was leveled at her, it sorta put things in perspective. She’d been living her life like a goddamn fool. Walking on the edge of danger. How many men had she’d gone home with, without knowing anything about them? If she hadn’t been involved with Hunter, who knows, she might have given that asshole the time of day. That thought scared the hell out of her.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
Luna turned slightly. “My mom says that all the time.”
“Is that your way of telling me to mind my own business?”
Luna glanced down at her hands. “Just thinking how close I came to dying tonight. If it weren’t for you …”
His jaw flexed. “Don’t remind me.”
Hunter pulled the car into his normal parking spot and ran around the truck to let her out. He reached up and scooped her into his arms.
“You don’t have to do that. I can walk.”
“It’s a lot of stairs. This will be easier.”
She was too tired to argue. The evening had emotionally and mentally drained her.
He moved with ease, carrying her as if she weighed nothing.
“You really are my dark knight,” she whispered, dropping her head to his shoulder.
Hunter stopped in his tracks, but didn’t say anything. After a second he continued up the steps.
Chapter Sixteen
Once they reached his apartment. Hunter set her down gently so he could unlock the door. She was surprised to find her legs were still shaky.
“Is it all right if I take a shower? I feel … dirty.”
“Down the hall to the left. There should be towels in the closet. And an extra toothbrush under the sink.”
Her footsteps echoed down the hardwood floor.
Luna slipped off her shoes and dropped her dress to the ground. Turning the water on as hot as it would go, she stepped into the tub. She scrubbed her skin till it felt raw, the cuts on her legs stung like crazy. Then she lowered herself into the tub, letting the water pelt down on her. She laid there for a long time, trying to wrap her head around what happened tonight.
“You okay in there?” Hunter yelled through the doorway.
When she didn’t respond, the door creaked open. She heard him come into the room and she closed her eyes.
Hunter cleared his throat and raked his strong fingers through his hair. “Do you need me to do anything?”
Luna sniffled back a sob and Hunter pulled back the curtain to see her curled up on the bottom of the tub. She jumped a bit, but there was no fear in her eyes when she looked up at him. Only distress. Her nerves were raw.
Without speaking, he stripped off his clothes and stepped into the tub, sitting across from her.
“Hey, come here.”
Her chin trembled. She was dangerously close to crying again, and she prayed the tears wouldn’t spill over. Luna knew she looked like a drowned rat with her hair plastered all over her face. The hot water had turned lukewarm. Hunter held his arm up and Luna scooted over between his legs before dropping her head on his chest. “You must think I’m such a baby.”
He gave her a sympathetic smile. His voice was soft and soothing when he said, “Not at all. You went through a horrific ordeal tonight. I wish I knew what to do to make it go away.”
“You’re doing it. Thank you.”
“Your phone’s been ringing off the hook.”
Luna leaned her head back against his chest. “I’m sure Marcus called my sister or brother. They are probably worried sick. I guess I should get out of here and let them know I’m okay.”
Hunter lifted her arm and pressed his lips to her wrist. “Just stay here a few more moments. I’ll get the soap out of your hair.”
She hadn’t even realized she forgot to rinse it out. It was probably a rat’s nest.
Hunter stepped out of the tub and grabbed a cup off the sink, hitting the release so the water came out of the spout instead of the shower.
Gently, he tilted her head back and poured the water down her head. His steady hands lathered in conditioner, which she was surprised he even had. Most guys skipped that step. It was one of the sweetest things a guy had ever done for her. Once he was through rinsing her hair, he wrapped a towel around her, helped her out of the tub, and eased her over toward the toilet. “Sit down.”
He rummaged through the drawer and came up
with a small black comb.
Oh boy. That was not going to work well in her long mane of hair. Patiently, he combed through her hair until all the tangles were out.
“Make those calls and then crawl into bed.”
Luna stood up on shaky feet and made her way into the living room to grab her purse. What she really wanted was a shot of whiskey to calm her nerves. Dull the pain. However, something told her that wasn’t the answer.
She pulled out her phone. He wasn’t kidding. Over twenty missed calls, all from her family and a couple of texts from Marcus, wanting to make sure she was okay.
Taking a deep breath, Luna called her sister first. After twenty minutes, she’d convinced her she was fine. Her brother was next, and then her mother. Finally, she sent of a quick text to Marcus. Their concern was touching, but she was drained and wanted nothing more than to fall into bed and go to sleep.
When she finally crawled into bed, Hunter lifted the covers, opened his arms, and she eased into his embrace. The strength of his muscles rippled against her. It felt so natural and safe.
“You’re going to be okay, Luna. You’re a survivor. Just like me.”
Tilting her head, she looked up at him. “What if he comes after me again? I was so scared.”
His fingers absently ran up and down her arm. “He won’t. I’ll make sure of it. He’s only a man, not a demon. Don’t give him that power over you.”
Hunter lightly trailed his fingertips along her waist, and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
Luna turned, closed her eyes, and relaxed against him. Their bodies molded together perfectly.
“Just get some sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning,” he said softly, as he massaged the tension between her neck and shoulders. His hands were warm and comforting. “If the darkness comes, just hold onto me.”
Suddenly, she felt safe. The knot inside her chest eased and exhaustion took over as she dozed off in his arms.
Chapter Seventeen
Luna woke to the sounds of pans clinging. She felt groggy, her arms and legs felt heavy; her neck ached and her lips felt numb. The smell of bacon caused her stomach to rumble. Pushing herself up, she was surprised to find herself in Hunter’s bed. The night came crashing back to her. Closing her eyes, she gave herself a mental pep talk. Swinging her legs to the floor, she slid out of bed and scurried into the bathroom. After taking care of business, washing her bruised face and brushing her teeth, she padded back to his room and grabbed a T-shirt out of his drawer. He was so big it fell almost to her knees.
It occurred to her that last night was the first time she’d slept in someone’s bed without having sex since Trevor.
Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to walk into the kitchen. Just when she thought he couldn’t get any more perfect, she finds out he cooks, too. She stood back, watching him move through the kitchen completely at ease. She wanted to bury her face against his chest.
He poured himself a cup of coffee and looked up at her, a serious expression on his face. She wondered if he’d known she’d been watching him.
Hunter studied her over his coffee cup. “How are you feeling?” He nodded toward the bandages.
“Much better. Thank you.” She tugged down the front of his shirt, feeling self-conscious. She’d bared her soul to him last night. Had it changed the dynamics of their relationship? And if so, was she ready for that?
“Let me see.” He frowned, his blue eyes warm and full of concern. He set his mug down on the counter, and she stared at him a moment, hesitating before coming forward.
Softly, he brushed his thumb across her swollen lip, and tender cheek. “Bastard,” he muttered, before dropping to his knee and peeling back one of the bandages. He touched the skin tenderly. “Doesn’t look like you’re getting an infection,” he pressed the bandage back, and with skilled hands quickly checked on the others, “but we’ll clean and bandage them again after breakfast.”
Luna nodded, let out a couple of breaths, and fell back a step.
“Coffee?”
Glancing down, she rubbed her temples. “Please! I feel like I’ve been dragged through the ringer.”
Hunter set down his mug and grabbed another for her. “Milk and sugar, right? Two scoops?”
Luna smiled and nodded, surprised and touched that he’d remembered.
He handed her the mug and their hands brushed. Once again, the heightened awareness of his body passed through her. Instead of sexual, today it felt comforting.
Resting her hip against the counter, she brought the mug to her lips.
“I hope you like eggs …”
“As long as you have bacon and toast to go with it.”
Hunter grinned. “Have a seat.”
Luna pulled out a bar stool and gingerly sat behind the counter.
She watched as he made his way around the kitchen like a pro. Fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, and biscuits and gravy. She didn’t think she had much of an appetite until he set the food in front of her. She devoured it. Holding the fork midair, she asked, “Where’d you learn to cook like this?”
“I’ve taken care of myself for quite a while. I enjoy cooking. It’s relaxing.”
Luna took another bite without responding. She practically lived on boxed foods.
“How’d you sleep?”
She shrugged noncommittally, tucked her hair behind her ears, looked at the ground, and then back at him. “Okay. I woke up a few times, but once I realized where I was I fell back to sleep. Thanks for letting me stay here. I probably wouldn’t have slept at all at home.”
“You shouldn’t have been alone last night.”
Luna set her fork down and rubbed her arms, a chill running through her as memories of last night came flooding back.
“He could have killed me,” Luna cried angrily. “If it weren’t for you …”
Hunter stood up and slipped his arms around her waist, and she dropped her head to his chest. “Shh, you’re safe now. We could still call the cops. I memorized his license plate. As a matter of fact, after he drove off I made a call that someone drunk had just driven away from the bar.”
Her head snapped up. “You did?”
“Yeah, wasn’t going to let him get off scott free. I called when you were talking to Marcus. I checked online, you know how you can check recent arrest’s now with the click of a button?”
She shook her head; she didn’t know such a thing was possible. He pulled her into the living room and fired up his laptop. After clicking a few buttons, Luna flinched when her attacker’s face filled the screen. Hunter had really done a number on him. He was almost unrecognizable with all the bruising. As long as she lived, she would never forget his beady little eyes.
“He’s probably spending the night in jail, we could go in and make a statement.”
Luna thought it over. She really didn’t want to have to go through a trial. She’d been drinking and had a known reputation as a party girl. A lawyer would rip her to shreds and she knew it. Not to mention, Hunter would get in trouble for assaulting him. It was their word against his. She could already see them twisting it into some jealous quarrel. She shook her head. “It looks like he probably got the message.”
“I’ll be making another visit in a few days just in case he needs a reminder.”
Luna looked up and could tell he wasn’t joking. His eyes were cold and his face remote.
“You don’t have to do that. You’ve done enough.”
“He fucked with my girl. He’s gotta answer to me.”
Surprisingly, she didn’t flinch at the term.
***
Aimlessly, Luna wandered around the apartment, looking at his book case, and photos of Hunter when he was younger with another boy who looked very much like him. Obviously, his younger brother. There were also images of who she assumed was his mother. She was striking; long, dark hair and the same clear blue eyes that Hunter had. Except hers were warm and his were intense. The family resemblance was strong. No pictures of h
is father or any sort of father figure, which was something she could relate to. Her own father had bolted on them when she was younger. There were also several pictures of Hunter in uniform with friends.
If it was possible, he was even hotter in uniform.
Zeus’s nails clicked on the floor as he made his way toward her. Luna smiled as he spun in a circle a couple of times, before dropping near her bare feet. Within minutes the poor dog was snoring loudly.
“He likes you,” Hunter remarked, as he strolled into the room.
Startled, Luna turned, and he handed her a tall glass of lemonade. “How long have you had him?”
Hunter hesitated. “Not long, a little over a year. A buddy of mine was killed in Afghanistan, and there was no one to take care of the dog, so I took him in.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear about your friend.”
He shrugged. “It happens in our line of work.”
Luna looked at him for a moment, frowning. “Still, he must have been a good friend.”
“He was.”
“Always a man of few words, aren’t you?”
“What’s there to say? It was his time.”
“You really believe that?”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense. I’ve seen guys make it through a dozen deployments and firefights, only to be killed by a stray bullet waiting in line to purchase a soda, or in a freak car accident while on leave. When your clock’s up, there’s no way out of it.”
“Well that’s a depressing thought.”
Hunter shrugged. “Depends on how you look at it I guess. To me, it means I don’t take a single day for granted.”
That was a good way to view life.
“I was thinking while looking around your place that I don’t know a lot about you.”
“What do you want to know?”
“How’d you get the scar on your stomach?”
His hand froze midair as he was reaching out for her. “Work related. I can’t really talk about it.”
“Okay, I get that. What about the scars on your back? Are they work related as well?”
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