Love At Gunpoint

Chapter 15

There was something strangely endearing about Rose sleeping.

When she was awake, she was the toughest, meanest girl he had ever known. Touch her and you'd get your ass walloped in a second. Her face was almost permanently twisted in a scowl - if not, a faraway expression.

But now that she was asleep, her face was completely clean of any masks. Now he could see how milky her skin looked when it didn't have the creases of a glare. Now he could see the gentle way her eyelashes grazed her cheek, like a tiny blade of grass just tapping the water surface. Now he could see the flush and softness of her lips when they weren't curved in a frown.

It made him wonder: why did Rose hide herself so much?

All at once he realised that he hadn't moved from his position since he set her down on her bed and that he had been staring at her as she slept.

Suddenly the door slammed open.

Greyson jumped, but the intruder had already seen him as he was before, sat on the side of her bed. Hunter's eyes darkened upon seeing his position, and Greyson realised that his hand had subconsciously made its way to her cheek.

He stood up abruptly like he had been touching boiling water.

At that moment, Rose shifted on her side, and both boys turned at the sound. Instantly, Hunter walked forward and knelt by her bedside, checking on her. When he was done, he brushed her hair from her face and, leaning forward, placed a soft kiss on her forehead, his lips lingering on her skin. It was the most tender he'd ever seen Hunter - Greyson felt like a stone had just dropped in his stomach.

However, when Hunter turned to leave, his demeanour completely changed. With a stoic face, he gestured for Greyson to follow him outside.

The hallway was completely empty, and the sound of the door closing was soft against the silence. Several steps ahead of Greyson, Hunter walked, the dim light of the hallway falling against his tensed muscles.

The second they stepped into the lift lobby, Hunter whipped around, and Greyson jumped.

"What the hell were you doing with her?"

Greyson didn't answer.

Hunter took several steps forward, towering a few inches taller than Greyson, his face fierce, his voice rising in volume and violence with each question. "Why the hell was she so drunk you had to carry her back? Why were you even with her? Why did you come back at 6 bloody AM?" He threw his hand up to slam on the side wall, right underneath the wall clock.

The clock teetered precariously, the wall shaking with trepidation under it.

"Why do you care so much?" Greyson suddenly said, short of breath, staring at him. Hunter had never been hostile towards him before. Hunter was always easygoing. He hardly ever took anything seriously, despite being one of the best fighters on the team.

Then a thought struck.

Hunter had been waiting up this whole time for Rose?

"You like her!" He shot out.

Hunter stopped for a second. Putting his body weight on the hand he had under the wall clock, he bent forward and closed his eyes, massaging his forehead like he had a headache. He pushed off the wall and paced around for some time before he finally answered Greyson.

"Look," he said, raising his hand to make a point. "I've been here for Rose from day one. We have always been each other's closest companions. We understand each other."

He lifted his head to look at Greyson straight in the eyes. "But you don't."

Greyson suddenly stepped forward, throwing his hands up, taking Hunter aback. "Dammit!" He cursed out loud, turning his head in a frazzled manner. Taking another step closer, he sized himself up against Hunter and gave him a challenging glare, eyes filled with fire. "Why the hell is everyone so against me?"

"Because you're a different sort of person!" Hunter yelled back, not backing down. The two men stood menacingly close in alpha male positions, chests heaving in tense breaths.

Finally, Hunter took a deep breath, closing his eyes and rolling his head back. Then he looked back at Greyson for a second before raising his index finger in front of his face, four inches away from his own. His words were laden with thick, heavy breaths, voice low, harsh and hoarse with agitation. "You and us? We're from two different worlds. And after this whole thing ends, we're going to go separate ways. I'd advise you to not get too involved. We have our own skeletons in our closets."

Greyson stared at Hunter.

He knows.

"You know about Rose?"

Something flickered in Hunter's eyes.

"Look, kid," Hunter moved closer, with a slight tint of threat. "If you know what's good for you, don't get too attached."

Greyson turned to leave the lobby, but not before he looked back at Hunter. "Too late... kid."

He slammed the door shut behind him.

But as he walked back to his room, one question attached itself to his mind. And he wanted answers.

Even if it wasn't his own shit.

Who is Agent Rose?