Born to Fight (Can't Resist You Book 1)

by Brittany Anne

  Kayla nodded.

  “Would you come with us on an important excursion? We need somebody who can lend a hand if anyone gets injured.”

  “Wouldn’t my dad be better for-”

  “We can’t risk having him in the field.”

  Kayla’s heart sunk at hearing that she was expendable to him. “Okay,” she said. “I’ll help.”

  She turned to leave, but he pulled her back. She was painfully aware of her closeness to him, of the heat flying between the inches of air that separated them.

  “I didn’t want this,” he said. “I didn’t want you out there. I was overruled.”

  Kayla swallowed and licked her lower lip. “Why didn’t you want me out there?”

  “Because I want you as far away from danger as humanly possible,” he said, hand still lingering on her wrist.

  She felt something stir in her stomach, but this time, it wasn’t fear.

  “I want to help,” she said.

  “You always want to help. You’re the most giving person I’ve ever known.”

  Kayla found her breath coming quicker and forced herself to pull away from him. She kept reminding herself- he wasn’t capable of seeing her like that.

  “Is Rain a good person? Can she be trusted?”

  She shifted and thought of her new friend. “Yes, she’s a good person. I’d give my life for her,” she said honestly.

  Sawyer rushed forward, closing the distance between them. “You’ll give your life for noone.”

  Kayla rolled her eyes. “You know, it’s just a saying.”

  Sawyer brushed his fingers through her hair and cradled her face in his hand, sending tingles of heat all throughout her body. “Not in this world, it’s not.” His voice sounded incredibly sad.

  “I’d give my life for you.”

  He tightened his hold on her, but still, he was so gentle. “You’ll do no such thing.”

  She sighed. “Why are you asking about Rain?”

  “I think Hunter might have gotten caught up in her web. I need to know that she can be trusted.”

  Well, that was a surprise. Kayla saw it coming from a mile away when Rain seemed to develop feelings for Hunter, but the other way around? Kayla didn’t think Hunter was capable.

  “I thought you scary Resistance leaders can’t feel those feelings. No involvement, right? No emotion?”

  “Hunter was always a bit of a rebel,” Sawyer laughed.

  She bit her lip, carefully thinking about what she was going to say next. Then, she did something she found incredibly daring. “You know, when I told Rain you guys are incapable of love, she said that wasn’t true.”

  “Oh?” Sawyer taunted.

  “She said that you just wanted me to think that.”

  He stared at her, his thumb massaging circles into her jaw as the heat from his body all but lit her on fire.

  She waited, wondering if Rain was right. If Hunter, the son of the man who started it all, could find a way… didn’t that mean Sawyer could, too?

  “She’s wrong.”

  A blow to the gut.

  Sawyer dropped his hand and stepped back, returning to his chair and sitting down, back to Kayla.

  “That’s it, then?” she asked.

  “That’s it.”

  Kayla nodded to herself, bit back frustrated tears, and walked out of the room.

  ***

  Hunter stared at the book in his hands, mentally urging himself to read it. The longer he stared at the leather binding, the more angry he grew with it.

  Hunter threw the journal, which fell open on the far end of his room. He began pacing.

  For the entirety of his life, Hunter did what was expected of him. Was it really that much of a sin for him to consider his own feelings for once instead of just everybody else’s? Why didn’t he get to have joys, too?

  The frustration swimming in the pit of his stomach only grew.

  “To hell with it,” he muttered to himself, stomping out of the room.

  He walked fifteen feet down the hallway to Rain’s room. He paused outside, taking a breath and telling himself to calm down. He needed to be calm. He needed to be the soldier he’d been since childhood, not whatever this creature was right now.

  Hunter let his breath out and debated if he should go in or run the other way.

  Then she opened the door.

  When he saw her, her thick mocha hair, her bright green eyes, her plump pink lips, everything he had been feeling dissipated in an instant. All he could feel was want. No, that wasn’t it… need. He needed her.

  Hunter pushed into the room, grabbing her hips and crushing his mouth onto hers. She was soft and warm and sweet. She was everything he needed.

  “Hunter-” she spoke against his lips, shoving at his chest. He pulled back. “Hunter, I need to tell you something.”

  He pressed his lips to hers again, muttering “not now” as he walked the two of them towards the bed. Her hands were on his shoulders, her nails pressing into him as he kissed his way down her neck.

  And then she pushed him again.

  And he stopped again.

  “It’s important.”

  Hunter waved his hand between them. “This? This is important. You’re important.” She shook her head, but he had to make her understand. He moved closer, placing a hand on the small of her back and looking down into her stunningly green irises. “You are so fucking important to me, and right now you’re the only thing in the world that’s important to me. I don’t want to think about anything else, anything that’s not you.”

  She stared up at him, and he could see in her eyes that she wanted to argue. But then her tongue flicked out over her lower lip, and Hunter knew he had her. He waited, waited for it to be her choice.

  When she wrapped her arms around his neck and rose onto her toes to kiss him, he knew. She’d chosen. He found himself growing rough, desperate, kissing her with a ferocity that felt almost animalistic, but she met him with the same hunger.

  He pulled back one more time, and she eased herself onto the bed, smiling a wicked smile that had his entire body jumping into high alert.

  Then he leaned over her and kissed her again, effectively silencing them both.

  ***

  When Rain woke up, she was pleasantly surprised to feel the warmth of Hunter’s chest beneath her, his arm around her. She took a slow inhale of air and stretched out a bit, tightening her hold on Hunter’s waist.

  After the initial excitement of waking up next to him had settled, the reality of her situation set in.

  She still hadn’t told him the truth.

  She had tried, she really did, but he made it so difficult… Rain couldn’t stay focused with the way his lips set her on fire. She didn’t stand a chance against that.

  Rain felt Hunter’s arms tighten around her, his chest rising steadily as she looked up to see him waking up.

  His eyes fluttered a bit as he came to, and when they met hers, his face lit up. Her heart squeezed in her chest.

  He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

  They just laid there like that for what felt like hours and seconds at the same time. It was probably fifteen minutes of silent comfort, a rarity in this world of theirs. She breathed in his masculine smell, allowing herself to feel safe in his muscled arms.

  “Rain,” he said, his voice a low growl. She turned her head to face him and rested her chin on his chest. “I think I’ve fallen in love with you.”

  Rain’s heart leapt inside of her. A million emotions ran through her as she processed the words he’d just said. She was overwhelmed by all of the happy feelings, and then, like a brick wall, it hit her…

  He can’t love you, he doesn’t even know who you really are.

  She swallowed hard, wanting to tell him she felt the same and at the same time knowing that once he knew, the feelings could disappear. Her heart continued fighting itself, and then suddenly, he was moving, rising.

  She leaned up on her elbow and looked up
to him as he pulled on his jeans.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I have to talk with my brothers. I’ll be back soon.”

  She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

  “Listen sweetheart, tomorrow, I’m going out. We’re making our move, a big move. I’ll tell you more about it but after it’s done, after we’ve won, I promise you we’ll start talking about that future.”

  Rain felt the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach as his words sunk in to her.

  He came closer, pressed his lips to hers, and then was gone.

  She sat up in bed, pulling the sheet around her torso.

  She couldn’t help but wonder what future Hunter envisioned for them. Maybe that’s all that mattered- their present, and their future. Rain smiled with the hope it gave her.

  ***

  After confirming the details with his brothers, Hunter strutted back to his room, a smile permanently etched into his face. He walked into the room and looked around, silently saying goodbye.

  If all went well, he wouldn’t be coming back here, except maybe on a supply run.

  If it didn’t go well… well, he wouldn’t be going back to anywhere.

  As his eyes scanned the room, they locked onto the book he’d thrown the day before. He sighed and walked over to it, lifting it up from the ground and carrying it with him as he sat on the edge of his bed.

  “Well,” he said, “I don’t think I’m going to be finishing you.”

  He laughed aloud.

  All he could think about was Rain. He thought about rushing into battle, braving any attack that came towards him, and claiming a whole new world just for her. He’d save everyone he could, he’d take all that he could get his hands on, and then, when all of it was his, he’d lay it at her feet and ask her to be his.

  Maybe their world didn’t have to be so dangerous, so scary, hiding underground and scavenging for basic supplies.

  Maybe things could be better. Maybe his entire life had led up to this moment, and now he could move on and let go.

  Hunter slid his thumb over the book’s leather binding. As he wondered what was left to read, the idea hit him to flip to the last page. He opened it up to the very end, and, simply for the sake of saying he’d completed the book, he began reading.

  27 September.

  We have been searching for days to no avail. Months. She has been gone months.

  I’ve done everything in the world to bring her back, and when that failed I’d done everything in the world to find her. If I do, I’ll make sure she never leaves again.

  I will have her gagged and bound in my chambers, chained to the floor like the animal she is, guards posted at her door every second of the day to ensure she never escapes. She’ll eat if I choose to feed her, she’ll talk if I choose to allow it, she’ll beg for my mercy and it will not be granted.

  And then, after I’ve broken the spirit of that one and there is nothing left to her but the empty shell she inhabits, I will kill her.

  I swear, if it is the last thing I do, I will find Rain and I will make her regret this.

  A.

  Hunter stared at the words on the paper, and found himself reading them over and over again. Then, finally, the words registered to him.

  All he could see was red.

  Chapter Eleven

  RAIN FELT A WEIRD mixture of nervousness and excitement swimming around in her stomach. She was looking forward to Hunter’s journey, wherever it was, and looking forward to a future with him when he returned. At the same time, she worried for him, scared of what might happen to him while he was out there.

  And, deep down, she was scared of the fact that he still didn’t know the truth. It was eating away at her that she’d been lying to him, and she knew that she had to come clean.

  Taking a deep breath, Rain realized she had to stick to her earlier decision.

  She was going to tell him.

  She walked out into the hallway and towards his room. There was a light shining through the thinly cracked door. Good, he was awake.

  Rain lifted her chin and walked forward, forcing herself to go through with this once and for all. After all, he’d said he loved her, hadn’t he? And love was a big deal. Surely, a small lie wouldn’t change those feelings.

  Rain swallowed, knowing in her gut that it wasn’t some small lie, and that love wasn’t exactly reliable. Still, this was something she had to do. Hunter had always gone above and beyond to make sure Rain followed her own path, and now it was her turn to do the same for him. It should be his choice if he would accept who she was or not, and she was wrong to deny him that choice for so long.

  As she approached his door, she silently prayed. Please, God, don’t let this ruin us. She bit her lip and pushed the door open.

  He was sitting on his bed, legs spread wide and elbows on his knees. His head was buried in his hands, his eyes set on the floor. He didn’t even flinch when she entered.

  She called his name, but he didn’t move.

  Something felt off in the room. The air was thick and heavy, something threatening dancing around in it. She wanted to run, but she didn’t.

  “Hunter, I need to tell you something.”

  She waited. He still didn’t move.

  “Hunter?” she asked. She slowly moved towards him, stepping on the soles of her feet so as to not make any more sound than necessary. Why, she wasn’t sure.

  She said his name again, quietly, but there was nothing. She reached out her hand to touch him.

  His head snapped up at her.

  “Do not touch me,” he said. Every word was laced with venom, and each one felt like a kick to her gut.

  She wanted to ask what was wrong, but she knew better. She shut her mouth and waited.

  They sat there in silence, Rain’s heart threatening to burst from her chest and Hunter’s hard breath the only noise filling the room. She just waited.

  “Who are you, Rain?” he finally asked.

  “I-”

  “You know what? You’d probably lie to me anyway,” he said. His jaw was hard, tight, his eyes dark.

  He knew. How did he know? Rain felt the panic begin pulsing through her veins. Then, she shoved it down. You came here to tell him. You can do this. She released the air she’d been holding in her lungs.

  She opened her mouth to speak, to tell him the truth, and then he stood. He towered over her, and for the first time since she’d gotten to know Hunter, she felt afraid of him.

  He stared at her, and she struggled to hold his gaze. There was no kindness in his eyes. There was no love there. She needed to tell him the truth.

  “Hunter, listen, I-”

  He shoved around her and walked to the door.

  “Hunter!”

  “What, Rain? You want to lie to me more?” He stepped towards her, and she flinched. He stopped. “I don’t want to hear it.” He turned and walked out the door.

  Her heart was racing, but she knew she had to get to him. She waited a moment and then pushed forward, running after him.

  She had to tell him. She had to fix this. She had to let him know that she… she thought she might love him too.

  ***

  Hunter felt anger churning in his core as he stormed out of HQ. He needed air. He needed to think. He needed to-

  “Hunter!”

  He felt a growl roll in his throat without his permission.

  He needed her to go away.

  “Hunter, please!”

  He spun around and saw Rain. He saw her running towards him, brown curls bouncing over her shoulders as she ran. She was small and fragile and so damn beautiful.

  And she was a liar.

  “I don’t want to talk to you, Rain. I don’t have time for any more bullshit.”

  He turned around, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Her fingers were warm on his arm, and for the first time since he read the journal, he realized that he wasn’t just angry. He was hurt.

  He pulled away fr
om her and kept walking, pushing through the trees that surrounded the entrance. He could hear the rustling of leaves behind him as she followed, so he picked up his pace. She picked up hers.

  She was determined as hell, because he’d gone nearly a mile with her at his heels, silently following him and waiting for him to listen. He wasn’t ready, yet.

  He spun around, and she jumped with the sudden motion. He hated to see her afraid of him. He wanted to hug her. He wanted to forget she’d ever existed at all.

  “I’m impressed by your commitment, but seriously, back off,” he said.

  “Hunter, I just-”

  “Enough, Rain. Enough! I don’t want to hear any more lies from you.”

  He turned around and he didn’t hear her follow. Good. He started walking.

  Then he heard a sob. He paused. He heard another. He turned.

  There she stood, hands covering her nose and mouth and her eyes squeezed together as water poured from them. Her knees were bent, her shoulders hunched, pain was clear as day all over her face.

  He took a step toward her, then stopped. When she saw him, her sobs came harder. She began breaking down right there in front of him.

  Fuck this, he thought to himself. He shoved his bruised ego aside and rushed towards her, wrapping his arms around her and letting her sob into his chest. She collapsed into him, her knees giving out once his hands were on her. That was fine. He easily held her.

  “They sold me to him, Hunter,” she choked through tears. “I was sixteen years old and they sold me to him.”

  He felt his hold on her tighten. “Who sold you to him?”

  “My parents,” she said. “My dad.” Her body shook even harder.

  He felt rage. Blind red fury. And not an ounce of it was directed towards her.

  “H-he called me his wife, but I was his prisoner.” Her arms squeezed around him and he hugged her tighter. “He tortured me. He b-beat me. He…” her voice trailed off, but her sobs told him enough.

  “Say his name,” Hunter said. She just cried. “Tell me,” he said again.

  “Alan. Governor Alan.”

  Hunter still felt sick. He was conflicted. He had no idea what he felt or should feel.