Page 179 of Inside the Sun

He asks about Sun again? Maybe the guilt’s catching up to him?

"I’m taking Sun with me too."

There’s a pause. "Ragnar, are you sure that’s a good idea? The mafia could start picking off all my cousins."

"Your own cousin, Snow, believes that in a few days there’ll be a safe window to get them out. And I have to stick to that plan,for one very specific reason that changed everything for me. Sun and I, we're True Mates."

I know what kind of reaction that usually gets. Shock, congratulations, envy. At least, that’s what I’ve heard. But Hunter takes it with an odd kind of calm.

"Congrats, then. That’s really joyful news. I guess that makes us family now?"

I know what he means. True Mates are automatically treated like spouses, even legally, by the government. By claiming Sun as my True Mate, I’ve technically become part of the Nolan family.

"You’re not surprised?"

Hunter huffs. "I am, but I’m just too drunk to show it," he mumbles. "Once I sober up, I’ll probably call back and properly say congrats."

I snort. "Hold off on that until I actually get Sun out of the compound alive. If anything goes wrong, if I die or he does, we both will perish."

A sharp inhale on the other end.

"Right. Damn, I forgot about that," Hunter mutters, but I can tell most of this is going in one ear and out the other. He really seems so lost in the world and I need him to focus.

"Hunter, listen to me carefully. If something happens to me, but Summer survives, I need you to report it to every agency you can. Push until someone listens. My parents are flying to Europe tonight. Without me and Sun in the picture, Anzo loses all his leverage. That would be your chance to help Summer escape without risking anything. Please, promise me you’ll try."

There’s a long silence. Then he says, "Look, I still hope both you and my cousin make it out. But if you don’t, I promise I’ll do what I can to give Summer another shot."

And then I hear the sound of him drinking. A big gulp. He’s definitely drunk. Too drunk. Does he even know what he’s saying?

I’m not so sure he'll remember this promise tomorrow. Or if he’ll wake up with a hangover and think it was all a dream. Fuck.

This man needs help, needs something, maybe to meet someone who’ll pull him out of this spiral.

Though right now, the chance for that feels pretty far off. Hunter’s holed up in his house, and I doubt he’s signed up for any dating apps. I swear to myself I’ll fix this for him once my own life isn’t on fire anymore.

Then Hunter suddenly breaks the silence.

"Listen… Good luck, Ragnar. I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you the way you probably deserved. I really hope you can help them, and Fate will deal you a better hand than it dealt me." Another sip. I can hear it clearly, and then immediately he hangs up.

I let out a heavy breath.

God, I hope he’s right.

When I step out of the gazebo, something feels off. A tightness in my gut. A growing sense of unease. Technically, I’m still on the clock, but I decide it’s time to get out of here.

The guard booth is empty, which throws me off a bit. I walk inside the passageway. My car’s parked in a row of others inside the garage on the left side of the path.

I approach it slowly, scanning the area. It’s weird. I’ve never seen this place unmanned before. There’s always someone in one of the booths.

Who’s supposed to open the gate for me now? That’s the guard’s job.

I hesitate near the trunk of my car, and then…

Pain. Under my jaw. Sharp.

My hand shoots up to the side of my neck and—what the hell is that?

I grab something embedded in my skin. Yank it out. It’s some kind of dart. A slim needle with a tiny ampoule attached.

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