Hunting Her

Chapter 44

I rested my head back against the cold, unyielding bars of the cell and let out a weary sigh into the dark room. Dominic had forced us back in here, once one of the men I'd knocked unconscious had woken up. I was carried in unable to fight back as the knife was held steady to Hunter's throat. He begged me to run, to stop playing around but I couldn't. 

And now I was back in this forsaken cell, but this time with rather agitated company.  Hunter and I hadn't exchanged a word since they had thrown us in here but he'd taken the time to bind my leg when we were first locked in.

And now, hours later I watched as Hunter paced the cell. His body becoming more tense as he tried everything I had when I was attempting to escape. I had taken my place on one side of the cell, sitting down slowly, trying to make myself as comfortable as one could in a place like this. 

I had just closed my eyes when Hunter shouted, his voice a raw, feral thing filled with hatred and despair as he screamed for his brother. The bars of the cell rattled violently as he slammed his fists against them, the noise echoed through the hollow, empty room. I turned my head, watching as he continued his assault on the iron bars. His knuckles were split open, bleeding, but he didn't seem to notice or care. He hit the bars again, harder this time.

"Hunter," I rasped, my voice barely more than a whisper. "Hunter," I called out again, louder this time, trying to break through to him. But he ignored me, his focus solely on the bars in front of him, his knuckles slamming into the metal again. "HUNTER!" I screamed, my voice echoing around the small cell. He didn't even flinch.

I tried to stand up but my body faltered and I crashed back against the bars. I held myself upright up a pained gasp slipped from my lips and that froze Hunter mid swung. He snapped his head to me. "What are you doing?" 

"Trying to stop you from shattering both your hands, you stupid man." I groaned. He crossed the cell in a few quick strides, and trapped me between him and the cells bars.

His eyes glanced over me, scanning every ounce of me before they met mine. His face was bruised but I could still see the fury that laced every feature. "You want me to just give up? Just sit it on the floor and wait to see what happens next?" His voice was full of venom, as his face contorted in anger.

"I don't really have another choice other than sitting, do I?"

"This is not funny." Hunter growled leaning closer. "You've thrown everything away and for what, you coward." 

I shoved him then, shoving him hard enough that he stumbled back. "You don't get to yell at me," I hissed through a clenched jaw. "You don't get to throw a tantrum because you did this."

Hunter was immediately back in front of me, closer than before. My fists balled up in his shirt as his hands slammed into the bars either side of my face. "Because your plan was so great!" Hunter shouted back. "You were going to end your life like it was nothing! Like you're nothing!"

"And that was my choice to make!" I shot back, my voice rising with every word.

"But it doesn't just impact you. You selfish—"

I leaned in closer, cutting him off, my words a hiss through clenched teeth. "I am not the selfish one here."

"I had a plan!" He snapped, moving his face closer to mine, his breath hot against my skin.

I glared at him, locking my gaze with his, staring into his stupid, stubborn brown eyes. "And how did that work out for you? Because last I checked, we were both captured and waiting for—"

Before I could finish my sentence, Hunter's lips crashed against mine in a swift, unexpected movement. The world around me seemed to stop, my thoughts scattering alongside my words. The kiss wasn't gentle. It was desperate, intense, full of everything he couldn't say with words. His right hand tangled in my hair, holding me against him, while his other hand found the small of my back, pulling me closer until there wasn't an inch of space left between us. I could feel every line of his body against mine, the heat of his skin, the rapid beat of his heart.

I pulled back, gasping for air, instantly missing the warmth of him as soon as I did. His hand moved to the side of my face, cupping it gently, his touch soft, careful. Entirely different to what the kiss was. "That wasn't my original plan, I was going to come see you whilst you were in the cell but Dominic didn't leave my side. He wouldn't let me out of his sight." he whispered, his voice broken, barely more than a breath. "And then he said it was time and I couldn't watch you get hurt. I had to act and I—"

I nodded slowly, my mind spinning, trying to process everything. "I know," I said softly, my fists slowly unfurling from his shirt, though I didn't move them from his chest. "I couldn't do it either. I couldn't leave you." Hunter sighed deeply and something cracked in my chest. "Dominic is going to use you," I continued, my eyes falling to the ground. "He's going to use you against me, he's going to hurt you, and I will break." My voice cracked, and I hated how weak I sounded, how vulnerable. "I cannot withstand that."

Hunter gently lifted my chin, forcing me to look up at him. "We'll be okay," he whispered, his voice steady, filled with a quiet strength. "We will get through this." 

I knew he didn't believe his own words, what did we have left. Dominic knew how to break me now. He had figured it out. And now with a broken leg, we didn't even have the option of attempting to run again.

Hunter helped me back to the floor and sat down next to me. "Are you scared?" He asked as I rested my head against his shoulder. 

"Terrified." I whispered back. 

Hunter placed his hand in mine and squeezed as our fingers interlocked. "Me too."