Loyalty Or Honour (Book 3)

Chapter Twenty

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"Your family certainly sounds interesting." Khiara muses as she pours them both a mug of rich dark coffee. She pushes one across to him and Hunter inhales the delicious fumes rising from the hot liquid. The last few hours have been spent in a conversation that has become easier and easier for them to continue naturally. Khiara still knows that the majority is shallow though. However this is already more than she can hope. Hunter leaves out all the troubles his family has gone through in the last year. Logan does not deserve his story being spread without his knowledge. "Do you miss them?"

"Yes." Hunter takes a gulp of the scalding liquid, barely flinching as the heat rushes down his throat.

"How long do you plan to stay here?" Khiara the takes a sip of her coffee. Hunter meets her eyes and sighs.

"Perhaps a month or two but then I will be returning home. They will worry about me if I stay away longer." Hunter replies honestly, seeing the truth in his words as he says them. Orion's callous words to get him to come no longer cause him pain. He belongs wherever he chooses to.

Khiara smiles and nods, "We will miss you when that time comes but I hope you will stay in touch with this part of your family. The girls may never forgive you if you do not." She laughs and Hunter smiles. The front door of the house opens and Hunter tenses.

"Honey, I have the rest of the day off. How does eating out sound?" He calls out as he strides into the room. He halts at the sight of Hunter's figure sat in a chair. "Orion? I thought you had an assignment with the Royals?" He moves past Hunter and kisses Khiara on the cheek.

"John, this is..." She tries to explain as Hunter rises from his chair. "Hunter." She finishes and John turns and looks at the young man he had mistook for Orion.

"Hunter, as in..." He blinks before an easy smile rises on his face, cheeks dimpling under the fine covering of blonde hairs shaping his beard. He runs his fingers through his white blonde wavy hair on top of his head and chuckles. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you." He extends his hand to Hunter. Khiara bites her lip seeing Hunter's eyes flicker to her. After a long awkward moment Hunter clasps his hand and they shake. Their hands drop back to their sides.

"I should go." Hunter speaks.

"Please do not leave on my account." John urges. He turns to Khiara, "I could take James out instead?"

"That is not necessary." Hunter says his tone more friendly than before. "I have a day of freedom before I have to work with Orion again. I need to run or train or I am going to go insane." John smiles in understanding and subconsciously starts massaging Khiara's shoulders. "Thank you for breakfast." He nods at Khiara who inclines her head and smiles. "

"You are welcome anytime, Hunter, do not forget that." She tells him and John nods in agreement. Hunter produces a small smile and walks from the room.

John waits until he hears the front door shut and Hunter's footsteps die away before he speaks. "I am guessing from the lack of tension that you decided to keep your secret to yourself."

"He has been hurt enough, telling him would only do him harm. I will take this with me to my grave." She looks up at her husband. "Do you think I am wrong to do so?"

"No. It would only lift away your guilt. That young man deserves to keep his beliefs in tact no matter what." He kisses her on the forehead. "I will get the little beast ready then we can go?"

"Sounds perfect."

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Hunter retrieves his horse from the stables and rides through the village until he gets to the outskirts. The men at the gates open them for with him without a word, believing him to be Orion. Hunter nods at them as he rides through but then nudges his horse straight into a fluid gallop down the path leading from the village. He veers off the path when a forest looms up to the left. Dirt flicks up from the horse's hooves as he springs across the soft grass underfoot until they reach the dirt underneath the trees. And Hunter expertly brings his horse down into a trot before allowing the pace to slow even further to an active walk.