She wants a war? I’ll give her everything she ever wanted and more. I’m through going easy on her. Specifically, going easy on someone who would betray me like she did. I’m not the guy I was back then. I’m a broken shell doing anything he can to survive without people seeing his cracks.
The day she left? That’s the last time I felt anything besides bitter, deep-seated resentment and rage. The problem is, back then, I had no outlet. I was lost in the dark trying to find my way out of the hole she dug for me. It’s the reason I turned to Cass like I did.
Now? My outlet is here, and it’s walking down the sidewalk with that phone shoved up against her ear.
As I stand, stiff and unmoving, watching as she gets farther away, an idea starts forming in my head. Sick and twisted, it may be. But it’ll work. I smile, damn near salivating at the thought.
Back then, she took something precious of mine and ruined it. Now, it’s my turn. And I’m going to have a little fun while I do it.
“Party?” Easton asks as if reading my mind.
“Yeah.” I chuckle. “A fucking party.”
Punching Hunter in the face will not get me where I need to be. All it will do is land me in jail, where I’ll have to kiss Sheriff Butternut’s ass to be released. Oh, boy, he’d just love that, assuming he’s still the sheriff around these parts. And yes, Butternut is his last name. Apparently, if you call him Sheriff Butterednuts he goes on the defensive. Not that I’d have any knowledge of that.
No. Going head-to-head with Hunter will do more harm than good, I’m afraid. Which totally sucks because he could use a good rebuking for all the things he’s doing. But will he? Unfortunately, no. Golden Oaks is his town. Everyone who knows anyone will be on Hunter’s side, regardless of if he’s wrong or not.
After the whole drug debacle, that’s why I didn’t confront him. Actually, that’s why I allowed it to roll off my back as if it were no skin off my ass to clean up and rearrange my apartment at four a.m. And I know that’s what he’s waiting for. Hunter thinks he’s so smart, trying to push me until I turn into the grouchy bitch I used to be, and that’s not happening.
Being that girl has gotten me in too much trouble in the past, and I can’t afford to get in trouble now if I plan on having a future.
Confronting Hunter is akin to giving a child the lollypop they’ve been crooning over. The child cries and cries, begging for their parent’s attention, and once they get it, they’re fine for about two-point-five seconds. Then, after devouring that sucker, they want something else. It’s a vicious cycle, and I’m not climbing on for the ride.
His action, plus my reaction, equals hanging oneself when it pertains to Hunter and me.
Plus, why should I even care? Back then, he didn’t give me the time of day. He didn’t even tell me what happened. Instead, he tossed me to the side like I was yesterday’s trash.
So, no, he’s not even worth my time. I have more important things to worry about, namely Maverick. Hunter is an asshole who never grew up, and I don’t have time for childish games. I get enough of that from our toddler.
“Mommy, are you listenin’?” Maverick sighs. Actually, sighs, like he’s some old man at his wit’s end with my antics. “Uncle Dunky says I’m goin’ on a date!”
Over my dead body. “Put your uncle on the phone, Mav.”
“Dad is working a long shift tonight, Lo,” my brother says once the phone is passed to him. He doesn’t even give me a chance to speak before rapidly firing his excuses. “I’ve already had to cancel twice. I’m not doin’ it again.”
“Duncan.” He’s the type of person who doesn’t exactly resonate with the word ‘no.’ He’ll do what he wants, even with knowing I’m not happy about it. “You’re not takin’ him on a date with you and some girl I don’t know. No way.”
“Harloe—”
“No. You’ll just have to reschedule. Again. Preferably when Dad is off and not working the long shift.”
“I’m not cancelin’ again, woman.”
“You’re not takin’ him with you, man.”
I hear him grumble under his breath. And, well, my brother can stew all he wants to. There’s no way he’s taking Maverick anywhere like that.
“Lo, I know you’re his mom and all, but you’re not here. Dad and I have to manage the best we know how, and this is the best we can do without having to change our lives completely. Have fun learnin’ and shit, cause me and little guy have a date tonight.” The line goes dead before I can think of a retort.
Taking the phone away from my ear, I stare down at the offending object like it’s the one that did me dirty. “I’m gonna kill him. I swear it, baby Jesus.”
I try to call him again, but it’s blatantly obvious that he’s ignoring my calls now. Duncan and I don’t always see eye-to-eye on other things, but we always have when it came to Maverick. Wonder what’s going on with him? Duncan isn’t the type of guy to lug his two-year-old nephew on a date with him, no matter who the girl is.
Groaning, I drop my hand and raise my eyes. “What do you want, Hunter?”
He shoots this innocent look my way. Like I’d ever freaking believe that in a New York minute. There’s no innocent bone in his thick, muscular, hot—No, no, no. We’re not getting into that hot mess ever again.
“I’m going to class. What’re you doin’?”
When he starts edging toward my business ethics class, my heart does a little flop inside my chest. My eyes flick between him and the door, a horrible feeling settling into the pit of my stomach.
“No way,” I breathe out. “God doesn’t hate me this much.”
He smirks, having caught my remark. His eyes peer at me from the side, and he gives me a heart-fluttering wink as he disappears through the door.
He calls back over his shoulder, all too pleased with himself, “Oh, yes, way.”
Once I snap back to attention, I race inside after him. Not because I necessarily like the idea of having a conversation with this psycho, but because I need to know why he’s here. He wasn’t in this class all last week. Heck, the teacher didn’t even comment on anyone’s absence.
“You’re not in this class,” I snap, hurriedly sidling up to him.
He barely gives me a sideways glance before moving to the only seat left in the room.
The seat right beside me.
“Hunter, leave.” I point toward the door, not even caring that I’m drawing a crowd of rubberneckers. “You’ve had your fun, but honestly, this is becoming a little bit stalkerish.”
“Stalkerish, you say?” he inquires with a cocked brow.
I nod. “Yes. Ever since I showed up on campus, you’ve had it in for me. I don’t know what I did to piss you off all those years ago, and I don’t know what your problem is now, but this is getting ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous?” Again, he cocks his brow like he doesn’t know what I’m talking about.
It seems past and present Hunter isn’t too different after all. He still likes to play dumb when someone calls him out on his shit. Figures.