Page 100 of Submission

“No, she was the least of my concerns when I had Jonathan to contend with. But I will say…for a while, I believed that she might have had some hand in what was going on with me. Jonathan wasn’t acting alone. He wasn’t smart enough. Her family has the money and the cache to pull those kinds of strings.”

“Wait, I need to stop you right there. You’re reaching and stretching right now. Naomi had no idea I was going to work at the Blue Whiskey or meet you.”

“True, but–”

“And Steve was up to no good well before I started working there.”

“Maybe, but things escalated once I moved you both into my apartment. What if–”

“She would never betray me like that, Hunter! You’re being paranoid about everyone and everything because of the people fromyourworld…not mine.”

I grimace in pain.

“Calm down, Megan. You’re hurting yourself.”

He uses a calm tone that feels very patronizing. A tone I’ve heard him use with people who work for him at the club. I stand up and back away, pointing at him.

“This isn’t right.”

“What isn’t right?”

“This?”

“You mean us?”

His face hardens.

“The fact that you want me to cut my friend out of my life doesn't sit right with me.”

“Which is why I waited to say something.”

“Really, because if I didn't force you to come clean, it doesn't seem like you were ever going to say anything about your suspicions."

"I was protecting you."

"Hunter, what I need is your support, not your protection. Stop trying to control everything and everybody."

“So now I’m trying to control you?”

I can feel the anger rolling off of him.

“I just think we need a minute.”

“A minute for what?”

“Let me rephrase that. I think I need a minute.”

“A minute for what, Megan?” He repeats with a sterner tone. "You're pregnant with my child."

Suddenly, there’s a soft knock at the door.

“Is everything okay in there?” Lena asks. “The food’s here.”

I’m looking defiantly into Hunter’s eyes as he continues to examine mine. After a tense pause, Hunter answers his sister.

“Me and the guys will be taking our food to go, Lena.”

Fine,I think to myself.

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