Page 70 of Faking Ties

Logically, I know that. He saved me before and this event is controlled. But my brain doesn’t get that message. It’s just stuck on the memory playing on repeat in my head.

Hunter brushes a soft kiss across my lips. “Do you trust me?” I nod sharply and he says, “Good. Follow my lead. I’ve got you. Go, team FD, go.”

I snort. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

“It got an almost smile out of you, so it’s worth it. Shall I break out in a cheerleading routine while chanting that?”

This time I do laugh. “I’d pay money to see that.”

He tugs on my hand, and I take my first step, and then the second and third.

“Or,” he says, “how about I give you a private viewing of my routine?”

“I don’t know, your offer to do it here is quite tempting.”

He laughs. “I can do both.”

Before I know it, we’ve reached the first interviewer. They ask, “There's been a lot of buzz lately surrounding you two. Can you tell us a little bit about how your relationship came to be?”

“Is there a lot of buzz?” I joke and meet Hunter’s gaze.

Hunter laughs and gives me a soft look. “The moment I saw Stella, I was captivated. There was this undeniable spark between us, and I just knew I had to get to know her.”

The reporter swoons, and so do I. As we move down the line, the majority of the questions revolve around our relationship, and not the movie or the soundtrack. It’s completely unexpected, but it makes it easy to joke with Hunter and lighten the mood. It feels like we’ve been doing this together for years, rather than weeks. There’s an inherent comfort I feel when I’m with him, and I’m so glad he’s here doingthis with me. I wouldn’t want to be paired with anyone but him.

When we reach the end, Jax is there as if waiting for us. He smiles when he sees me and what feels like a million flashes goes off, but his smile slips when he takes in my arm linked through Hunter’s.

“Stella,” Jax says, taking a step into my space. “We need to get a photo of us for the promotion. We weren’t able to get one together at the last premiere.” He smirks at Hunter. “I’m sure you understand.”

Hunter tightens his grip on me, but I say to him, “It’s fine. It’s just a few photos.”

He nods and takes a step back, and Jax swoops in and takes us away from Hunter. I force a smile to my lips, refusing to give any indication that I’m uncomfortable. That his hand on my hip feels too intimate.

“Finally,” Jax says, “you’re back where you belong.”

“Ugh, get over yourself,” I say out of the side of my mouth. “We’re never getting back together.”

“We will, or have you forgotten?” He leans closer to my ear, brushing my hair away from my shoulder. Lights overwhelm me as the paparazzi rush to capture this intimate moment. “I’ll give you until Shanghai to ditch him, or else I’ll spill our secret.”

He pulls back with a charming smile plastered onto his lips, as if he didn’t just threaten me. I study his face, trying to figure out what I’m missing. I have no idea what he’s talking about, but he’s too confident for my liking. It’s like there is a missing chapter in Stella andJax’s relationship that I’m not privy to. Every time I ask Stella about it, she glosses over the details and just reiterates that she thought he was the one and he hurt her in so many ways by cheating on her.

It looks like she has some explaining to do.

After what feels like forever and a day, I take a step away from Jax. I can’t stand another second with his hands on my body or his threats ringing in my ears. Hunter immediately takes over and guides me to the entrance of the theater.

“Are you okay?” he asks softly.

“Not really, but I’ll tell you later.”

“Did he do something to you?” Hunter bristles and turns to face the entrance. “Do I need to acquaint him with my fist?”

I give him a soft look. “You’re sweet, you know that, right?”

“Not sure many people would call me sweet for threatening to beat someone up.”

“Well, I do because you’re ready to defend me, no questions asked. You don’t even have the full story, and yet you’re in my corner. I appreciate that.” My own father didn’t believe me when I told him his friend’s son, the quarterback of the football team, constantly taunted me at school. He didn’t have my back, not like Mom and Nina did. Not like Hunter has it now.

“I’ll always believe you and be in your corner, fighting for you.” He says it easily, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. But it’s not. Not based onmy experience. I can’t stop my heart from jumping at his statement, as if it’s trying to be closer to him and the promise in his words.

---