In Between Seasons

Chapter 39

"Now that smells great!" Hunter said as he came into the kitchen and pulled off his sweaty shirt.

I rolled my eyes, trying to concentrate on the tomato I was cutting and not his flexing chest muscles.

"My cooking always smells great," I replied with a smirk, tossing my hair over my shoulder.

"Do I have time for a quick shower?" Hunter asked, throwing his shirt over his shoulder so his arm muscles rolled in gorgeous temptation. I stopped cutting the tomato. I liked having all my fingers, and Hunter looking like that meant there was a good chance I would cut one of them off.

I turned to look at him, resting my elbows on the counter as I raised an eyebrow. "Of course, oh shirtless wonder!"

He winked at me as he left the room, and I shook my head as I finished cutting the vegetables for our salad.

When Hunter returned, he made no sound, but I could feel his eyes burning into me as he stepped into the kitchen. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and felt my face flush.

Still shirtless.

"It's bad enough I have to sleep in the same bed with you half-naked!" I said, stirring the mashed potatoes, and then pointing the spoon at him.

"I can't help you like it!" he shot back as he stepped forward and leaned over me to take a cucumber from the salad and pop it in his mouth.

I rolled my eyes, placing the spoon down and turning to face him. "How was training?" I asked.

He took a seat and leaned back; the picture of a model from one of those movies the women were always drooling over, and he was just as off limits.

"Good, Rob is really coming in to his own. He's always been one of my top men, but he's putting in a lot of extra effort," Hunter said.

I swallowed, perhaps they understood.

"What's wrong?" Hunter leaned forward on his arms, his gaze locking on my face.

I tried to keep the emotions away but wasn't able to.

I shook my head. "Mara and Rob...they're a bit strange compared to everyone here."

"I thought Mara was your friend?"

"She is—I mean she really loves Rob. You can tell he loves her too, but everyone else here—"

"Hates each other," he interrupted.

I nodded as I grabbed some plates and put our food on them before sitting down.

"It's like a leech feeding on a leech," I said.

"That's a good comparison," Hunter replied, pointing his fork at me before taking a bite of his trout.

"So what's different about them?" I asked.

Hunter shrugged as he took a sip of water. "What's different about us?"

"Everything," I replied, moving my potatoes around my plate as I kept my eyes down.

"Let's just say you're not the only runway I've taken in," Hunter replied.

My eyes snapped up. "You kidnapped them?"

"No!" He furrowed his eyebrows in amusement before continuing, "They really were runaways...I was young. The newly appointed General but not hardened like I am now. They were a package deal."

"So you found them together?"

"Their parents were government, and were killed in the final riots. They somehow managed to find each other. Maybe I didn't ask enough questions then, but my instinct told me to help them. It was right after the peace talks, and we were too comfortable in our world. I snuck them in—my father never even noticed. Back then we didn't have head counts. It was all about strength in numbers, not skills. There wasn't anyone spying on anyone else either."

"How old were they?" I asked as my heart raced.

"Eighteen."

I took a sip of my water to keep the look off of my face as I computed the math.

Twenty years together. That meant they met at eight years old. It didn't seem to add up. Age was an irrelevant number, but the fact they lied to Hunter wasn't.

"You're not suspicious of them?" I asked as I put my drink down.

"Are you?"

He waited for my response, his eyes studying my reaction intently. Was I?

I finally shook my head. "Not really—I just feel like there's something more to their story."

"There probably is," Hunter replied with a shrug. "But it's been ten years. If they had some sort of plan to destroy us I think they would've already."

"I don't think they'd hurt either of us now, but I've been wrong before," I replied with a sigh.

"It's like Victoria and Collin," Hunter said, giving me a reassuring smile. "I'm never sure if someone is on someone else's side. It could've been a mistake that got us all killed back then. I know better now, but I can't punish them for what may have happened in the past, especially not now," he replied, tapping his hand against the table.

"If I'd been a real runaway what would've happened?" I asked, locking eyes with him as my body went numb.

He stopped chewing and looked down.

When his eyes met mine his lips were tilted up ever so slightly. "I would've looked at you and seen the same thing and done the same thing."

"Risked it all because of one look?"

"Yes."

The answer was final, and it caused the numbness of fear to escalate into a rampant electric tingle. I took a breath to calm myself before returning to our original topic. "What will happen to them when the shit hits the fan here?" I asked.

"I don't know, but I hope they run in the opposite direction of us. Then we can all be safe."

I took a deep breath as my eyes drifted down to my food. I lost my appetite with the thought. There was no world where Mara and I could be friends.

Hunter reached across the table to squeeze my hand.

I wanted them to make it out alive—no matter whom they really were.