“We don’t know they were shooting at me.”
His raised brow tells me to stop being so stupid. Letter flung aside, he skims his gaze across me, a frank assessing look. “Damn, you’re shaking.”
I glance down at my hands and realize he’s right. Both hands clamped under my arms, I swallow. “I got some flowers at work too.”
“Like the ones you got here?”
“Yeah. Calling me a whore too.”
“Someone really has it in for you.” He curls a hand around my upper arm and guides me to the couch. Sitting next to me, Hunter encloses hand in his. “Jess, I can’t help you unless you tell me what’s going on.”
The warmth is a shock to my system and I chew my lips. Never has the desire to tell all been so strong. Those wide shoulders and fierce brow look equipped to handle everything. But I still don’t know this man. Not really. It’s too much of a risk.
But I do know what he does to my body. Even with the threat of a stalker hanging over my head, my skin blazes with need. It shoots to my core and consumes my mind. While I should be figuring out why someone want to scare me, I’m remembering those hands on my skin and considering how it would feel to have them all over me.
“I don’t know, Hunter. Truly. Maybe it’s someone from the pub or something.”
His lids droop slightly, disappointment shadows his eyes. “There’s no one who has it in for you? Someone from your past perhaps?”
“No!” I yank my hands from his and stand.
“I’m sorry, Jess, but I’ve got to ask. You know you can tell me, right?”
“I don’t like you implying I’ve invited this kind of behaviour. I know how I look but I don’t want attention. Even yours,” I snap before turning away and facing the bedroom door.
I hear his deep inhale. “I’m aware you didn’t want my attention, but I don’t believe that’s true now. However”—the couch creaks as he stands and I feel him behind me. His hands come around my shoulders—“I didn’t mean to accuse you of anything. This is what I do, remember? If you want whoever this is stop, I need to know more. You’re so closed up, princess. You don’t need be. Just open up to me.”
I stiffen and whirl to face him. “Why are you pushing this? You don’t know me, I barely know you. Why are you suddenly so invested in this?”
“I’m scared for you, okay?” The words come out gruff and in a rush as if he struggled admitting as much.
This softens me. I let slip a twisted smile. “I’m scared too. I didn’t mean to snap and I’m aware you’ve been incredibly kind to me, even though I’ve given you no reason to be.”
His gaze searches mine. “You’ve given me every reason to be.”
It seems like he might kiss me but he changes him mind. I swallow my regret. “There’s very little to tell you. I haven’t left a trail of broken hearts. Even if I had, why start doing this now? It’s probably just some weirdo, picking on a random woman.” All the lies threaten to clog in my throat. I’ve been keeping secrets for so long, why does it feel wrong to lie to Hunter?
“Whoever this weirdo is, he knows where you live and where you work. You might think this is nothing but someone shot at you. Hell, they even tried to run you over.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. That was an accident.”
“I thought so at the time but now… I’m not so sure. Face it, princess, you’re in trouble.”
He says this so seriously I almost believe him. Perhaps I do believe him. I can’t think why someone would shoot at me. Ridding the world of sin probably. “So what do we do?”
“We can go to the police but there’s not much they can do at the moment. If we find out who it is, we can get a restraining order.”
I snort. Everyone knows how useless those are.
He nods, telling me he’s thinking the same. “I know. Until this person does something drastic, there’s very little we can do.”
“I don’t want to go to the cops anyway. They clearly didn’t think the shooting was personal. They’re probably right.”
Hunter shakes his head.
“Will you stop trying to scare me,” I hiss.
“I don’t mean to. I just need you to understand what you’re up against.” He throws a look around and shoves his hands on his hips. “Pack a bag, you’re not staying here. The doors are too thin and there’s no security.”
“Of course there isn’t. Why secure a dump like this?”
“Stop arguing and start packing.”