Loyalty Or Honour (Book 3)

Chapter Twenty Nine

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Midnight arrives with agonising slowness. Hunter ducks out of the door when he is sure his brother's attention as well as his men is otherwise occupied. The only one who notices him leave watches him with curious, slightly worried eyes. She bites down on her cheek till she tastes blood. Orion had not minced his words when he spoke with her. He was concerned about Hunter and she could tell that it had been completely genuine. He did not give reasons but he asked her... no she had already decided to ignore what he had asked of her. To be so deceitful is not in her genetics and she had told him as such.

Hunter finds his way to the maze with little difficulty. She is not at the entrance so he can only assume that she waits for him within. He strides within and takes note of each turn he takes; annoyingly he meets several dead ends and has to retrace his steps. His impatience soars. Was this really the best place that she could suggest to meet? His mind clears with his anger and he starts to second guess his decision to meet her alone, in the dark. But then he is on the path to the centre, he knows this because the hedges are dotted with tiny blooms of hopeful flowers.

A shadow appears out of the darkness and staggers straight into him. The bulk is easily identified as male as it pushes back against Hunter and with surprisingly agility bypasses him at a run, disappearing very quickly from sight. Something white flashes in the pocket of the man's coat but only before a free hand pushes it down, securing its safety. A letter. Hunter frowns and his gut tells him he should follow the man. Who is he? And what is he doing so deep within the maze at this time of night?

He is about to chase after him before another thought occurs to him. Is Arabella safe? Would she have encountered this man in his desperate escape from the maze? That makes up his mind and he delves further into the maze, his pace quickening as he sees the arch up ahead. He enters the middle of the maze where a bench sits beneath a metal arch covered in crawling ivy and tiny closed white buds. Underneath sits the most beautiful vision and Hunter feels his heart quicken within his chest.

She rises to her feet, her hands shaking a little with nerves and perhaps a bit of excitement. "Hunter." She breathes out his name and he quickly covers the distance between them. She hurriedly places her hands against his chest to keep him at a distance. Instead it just causes the electricity between them to crackle and threaten to explode and destroy the both of them. Hunter swallows roughly, his hands on her slim waist. "This cannot happen." She tries to convince the both of them but the words sound hollow even to her ears.

"You did not say to meet here to tell me that." Hunter replies, his tone confident.

Arabella licks her lips and Hunter's heated gaze drops there. She closes her eyes, long dark eyelashes brushing against warm caramel cheeks. She takes a deep steadying breath before opening them to find it did not help at all.

"I..." She struggles to continue. "You must realise how dangerous this is."

"I am willing to risk it if you are." Hunter answers and she gulps. The electricity is at a boiling point and neither of them wish to step away to preserve themselves from the burning damage it could become. "Arabella, are you really going to keep fighting what is between us?" Chocolate eyes gaze up at him, darkening slightly. She shivers in the cool night air but feels nothing but the warmth of his scrutiny.

Despite the danger, despite the obvious truth that this could mean both of their deaths, despite the fact that this could only last for the moment, they give in. She pushes herself up on to her tiptoes and melds her mouth with his. Hunter chuckles and she feels the rumble against her hands before he pulls her closer, forcing her hands to go up around his neck and fasten there. Lightning strikes around them, searing their lips together with ferocity.