Light Me Up *Sequel- ON HOLD*

15

I frown down at my cup of delicious hot coco. Well, what would be delicious if I could concentrate on it instead of a pacing Hunter. A police officer just left, telling us that everyone who isn't a guest here at the hotel is long gone. No one to arrest.

I feel pretty bad about getting a few officers to come scout the hotel at 3 in the morning, but what else can we do? I don't want any thugs to kill me, or Hunter, or anyone for that matter. They did make a call to Louisiana, where they have confirmed that both Bailey & Eric are locked up in their own rooms, nowhere near us.

Yeah that's right, 3 in the morning. We stayed in that pool for hours, & my fingers are still wrinkled like a raisin.

"We're leaving tomorrow morning," Hunter says suddenly, putting a hand on my shoulder as he looks down at where I sit on the edge of the bed. "I promise I won't let them get you." I force a weak smile on my tired face, trying to make myself believe his words.

Bailey's dad is the leader of a gang. Of course he would want revenge on someone who almost got their daughter sent to jail. He has the power to inflict that revenge, too, so what would make me think he wouldn't try anything?

"What happens when they decide to show up in Nashville, Hunter? What happens then?"

"I still won't let them-"

"& how exactly are you going to do that?" My voice has risen a lot more then I would have liked, but I can't help it. "I'm sure as hell not letting them get near you. Maybe you'd just be a lot better off without me here."

"What, are you going to run away again?" He growls out, blue eyes narrowed at me. "Like when you ran away from Louisiana to Florida? When are you going to grow up & realize that you can't run away from all your problems?" I glare at him, my grip on my cup tightening to the point I can't feel my knuckles.

"You have a lot of nerve telling me how to act when you lied to me all those years in high school." He stiffens, his narrowed eyes remaining the same as he stares me down. "Didn't seem to me that you minded being Bailey's little boy toy, keeping that secret hushed."

"Lexi, you know that I didn't want you hearing about her blackmail-"

"Oh do I? If you thought I knew about my father being a cheater then it wouldn't be such a big deal to tell me why you were really with her then would it?" I yell out, standing up from the bed & nearly slamming the cup down on the bedside table. Hunter doesn't move from where he stands in front of me.

"I didn't know you were still upset about all this," he says quietly, his softened gaze meeting mine.

"I didn't know you were still upset about me having moved to Florida, either," I reply just as calmly.

"I'm not, it's just, when you said I would be better off without you. I know you, Lexi, & I know that that sentence means more than you let on. I know you would run away just because you would think you were protecting me." I swallow a lump in my throat as I look up at his blue gaze, knowing that he's right. I would run away again. I probably would have before he mentioned it, just so no gangs would bother him again. "I need you to know that no matter what happens, you & I are in it together. Whether we're facing a dangerous mob or paps, I'm never going to leave your side, & I don't want you to ever leave mine. Even if it meant risking my welfare."

"Ok," I croak out simply after his beautiful, touching words.

"You won't ever run away again?" He presses on to make sure. I nod, trying to hold back the tears in my watery eyes from all the emotions I'm facing. Fear of something happening to him by my staying here, happy that he knows me so well, the joy of his words.