Page 11 of Submission

“I’m not.” I can feel my face blush. “I just… I’m just saying don’t let her get near you because now that she’s seen you, she’ll try.”

“She’ll try flirting with me or fucking me?” He grins down at me. “Are you saying that I’m that good-looking?”

“Oh, shut up.”

Hunter pulls me in for an unexpected kiss. Public displays of affection are not really his thing, or mine really, but I welcome the warm comfort of his mouth demanding mine. It makes my whole body tingle.

After the kiss, I burrow my face in his chest again, finding it comforting, the familiar scent of his cologne relaxing me. The way he runs his fingers through my curls makes me calm down. If I could bottle up his methods of calming me down, I’d make a million dollars.

“If your sister makes you feel like this, then why did you agree to meet with her today?”

“Stop calling her that.”

“Isn’t that who she is?”

“Perhaps a DNA test would confirm that, but she’s never been a real sister to me. And as for why I decided to meet with her today, it was a mistake,” I admit somberly, on top of the fact that I was afraid of what she’d do if I didn’t meet her. Rachel is so unpredictable.

“I won’t go near her if just a mere discussion of the girl makes you this upset, but Megan, all your secrets are making my patience run thin.”

There’s a hard edge to his tone that I can feel vibrating through his chest, settling as a lump in my throat.

“I’m not good at swapping life stories,” I explain. “But I’m trying to be a little more open, at least with you.”

It’s true.

The kind of baggage I carry is not something I can easily just share with people. A part of me wants to tell Hunter and get everything off my chest, but it’s hard to be vulnerable when you’ve grown up not trusting anyone.

How do I tell the man I’m dating that things were bad in my house–like Lifetime Movie bad? How do I admit to him that I was frequently physically assaulted by my parents and the horrible dynamic it created between me and Rachel? How do I reveal that my parents are monsters and that I was treated like a prisoner in my own home? What will he think about me then?

“You were wildly defiant when you were trying to evacuate that server from Table 21 when we first met,” he reminisces. “But that is not the same girl I saw in the cafe just now.”

“I know, and one day, I’ll tell you everything,” I assure him. “Just not today.”

His hand tightens at the roots of my hair momentarily but then relaxes its hold. Hunter doesn’t like to hear the word no, but that’s all I can give him right now.

“I hope that day comes soon, Megan.”

My childhood is my story to tell, and I’ll share it when I’m ready. It’s not like I know much about his past, either.

Once we arrive at the car and he gets into the driver’s seat, something hits me. “Hunter, how did you know I was here?”

“I had Christian follow you,” he says as if it’s the most normal thing in the world to do. Then, he pushes the ignition button to start the car. “Also, next time, unless I tell you otherwise, don’t let anybody into your apartment.”

“They said you locked them out of the penthouse,” I say with a slight attitude. “Plus, they’re your friends. Why wouldn’t I let them in?”

“I’m not talking about those two clowns,” Hunter growls. “I’m talking about the so-called plumber that you let in.”

“I knew he felt a little suspicious.”

Hunter swerves the car onto the street before shooting me a careful look.

“Then start following your intuition, Megan. I thought you didn’t trust people? What if Vaughn and Christian didn’t comeby? What if that man was there to hurt you? Just because he had on a uniform doesn’t make him any less dangerous.”

“Okay,” I exhale nervously.

“Listen,” he tries calming his voice. “Being with me comes with its own set of risks. I’m not talking about the shooting in my apartment. I was the obvious target of that, but the longer you stay beside me, the more likely that you may become the target. If my enemies think they can use you against me or that you’re my weakness, you’ll be in danger.”

He taps his palm in rapid succession against the steering wheel as he talks through what must feel unsettling for him.

---