“Marshal hasn’t found a connection to my dad. Or anyone. But they targeted you, you know that, right?”
I nodded.
“Recognize any of them?”
I shook my head. Right now, nothing made sense other than this raging thirst drying out my mouth and throat. Still hugging the pillow to my chest, I rolled out of bed.
“Lina?”
I cringed at the sound of my nickname coming from his mouth. Not that it sounded bad, it didn’t, it sounded like heaven, but that’s why it hurt so badly. “Thirsty,” I said as I stomped out of the bedroom.
Being away from him these past weeks had been good because my heart didn’t hurt so badly at the sight of him. It stung, still, thinking about him, missing him, but now it was even worse with him here in my space. His stormy-fresh scent wrapped around me, and my body went into overdrive, remembering how he felt against me. His touch. His kiss.
I shook my head as I rounded the corner of the center island to the sink. I snatched a glass from the drying rack and filled it up. Maybe cold water would snuff out this fire trying to flame.
“I could have gotten you something to drink.” Hunter’s voice was close.
I closed my eyes as I finished off the refreshing liquid. “I can get my own water,” I said, setting the glass back down in the sink. I faced the window, taking in the sun shining through.
I heard the bar stool skid across the tile, and I ordered myself not to move despite how much I wanted to. Hell, I wanted to jump into his arms and have him touch me like he had back in the locker room at the bar.
Heat steamed up my neck and gathered at my cheeks at the memory. But also, the embarrassment. We’d gone further than we’d ever had, than I ever had, and then I find out he lied to me about…everything.
And now, when I’d met my goal of getting to the college campus all hell broke loose. That didn’t douse the fire flickering to life in my abdomen. I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath as I worked to focus on something else.
Anything but Hunter. His lips, his—Stop it.
“I’m sorry, Li—”
“Don’t,” I whispered. “Please. Don’t.”
“I have to. Lina, I love you. I can’t—”
“You would have told me if you truly loved me, Hunter.” I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing the stinging tears starting to surface back. “You would have told me.”
I’d shared everything with him. Tried so hard to get better both for myself, and for him. I wanted a normal life, one with him, but now…I wasn’t sure of anything.
“What’s your real name?” I asked. Yes, I needed to stay focused on the lies, the betrayal, so I wouldn’t give into the desire to be with him. To touch him. To kiss him.
“Brett Nelson.”
Brett Nelson.It didn’t sound nearly as nice as Hunter. Or it was just unfamiliar, like Hunter was now.
“But Brett died the day Mom almost died.”
I stayed focused on the clear blue sky, willing its energy into my tired bones.
“I became someone without a name, without a home. All I had were the clothes on my back, my mom, and Marshal. He wiped our history and created a new life for us. At least for a while. But four names, five states, and three years later, here I am, finally ready to stake a claim on a name, a life…on the love of my life, and I screwed it all up.”
Tears started spilling.Love of his life.
“Lina. I didn’t plan to meet a woman like you, someone I could see myself spending the rest of my life with. I fought it. Knew it would never work out. Not with what I was, not with the blood of a crazy, violent man running through my veins.”
I squeezed my eyes shut.
“But I did. I fell so hard, so fast, it scared the shit out of me. I’ve never wanted to stay in a town so badly before. Never had hope for a future or excitement for a … wife and a family.”
I covered my face with my hands and gave into the sobs fighting to burst out of my throat.