Page 22 of Love Me

“Hmm, I bet you still taste just like you always have… mine.”

“Delusional much? I’ll never be yours ever again.” I storm past him and shut my door, pacing around.

He’s such an arrogant asshole. I plop on the bed and go through my to-do list when my phone vibrates with a text from Hunter.

We’re here.

I shoot out of bed, looking from behind the curtains. Hunter waves at me from downstairs, his hands in his pockets. Mia is propped on the hood of the silver Audi R8, a book in her hands.

I fly down the stairs with eyes following me outside.

I jump straight into his arms, and he catches me in midair.

“You missed me.”

“Shut up.”

“So that bad, huh?”

Mia closes the book and gets in on our hug. With them, I can let my guard down.

“They’re watching,” he says, and I nod.

“Let’s get inside.”

Mia walks behind us. “You two, focus.”

Easier said than done, but I will be damned if I let my focus slip. He puts his arm around me. Hunter and I desperately need each other to hold on. We’re lost in darkness. My heart has been obliterated. I love him, and that’s why pretending will be easy. Hunter is broken. I am broken: we can’t fix each other, but we’re keeping each other afloat. I guess that’s what best friends do.

Kaden’s eyes pin me in the hallway, and my lungs constrict. Betrayal and anger mix in his.

Abigail shakes her head at me.

Even Bailey sighs but introduces herself. Her eyes linger on Hunter a moment longer, a reddish hue covering her cheeks. He peruses her too. From the glint in his eyes, I know he’s thinking about what he can get from her. It’s no wonder he can’t form attachments.

My other best friend blinks from Kaden to Blake. Mia swallows hard when her eyes connect with Blake’s.

Kaden and Hunter shake hands. Judging by the small twitch in Hunter’s jaw, Kaden is not pleased.

What do I care? He’s nothing to me. Fucking nothing.

Following a round of introductions, an awkward silence descends. I point toward the stairs, and together, Mia, Hunter, and I make our way up.

I lead them to my room, and Hunter immediately hops on the bed and props his back against the headboard.

“Can we talk freely?”

“Yes, I searched the room. It’s clear.”

“Kaden will be a problem.”

Yes, I know.

“The cute redhead is weak.”

I jab my finger in his face. “Do not even think about it.”

“I’m not asking for permission. We have a mission, and I don’t care about casualties. You shouldn’t either.”

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