Hunter √

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

DEVON WATCHED HUNTER leave with his brother. They were headed for Skull Creek Choppers to pick Garret's brain more about what had happened that fateful night.

And while Hunter had given her a tender kiss on the lips, it had felt more like a goodbye than a promise of anything to come.

Because he was still leaving.

He feared the demon that lived and breathed inside of him. Not the hunger, but his own nature. He feared that he would hurt her the way his father had hurt his mother. That one day he would grow bored and walk away and she would be devastated.

She feared it, as well, and so she let him go.

But as much as she tried to pretend that it was for the best, she couldn't make herself believe it. She went home and got ready for bed, but she couldn't climb between the sheets and close her eyes.

Instead, she paced her room. Thinking. Wanting.

As scared as she was to love him, she was suddenly more scared not to love him. She wanted to experience what Louise was talking about. She wanted to see the beauty of love just once, and she wanted it with Hunter Braddock.

And while it might not last, she was willing to take that chance.

If he felt the same way.

She knew he loved her, but whether or not he was strong enough to act on it, she didn't know. But there was only one way to find out.

Stuffing a suitcase full, she locked up her house and headed to Skull Creek Choppers.

"WE'LL HELP AS MUCH as we can," Garret told him. "Dillion is a computer whiz. If she's out there, he'll track her down and then it's just a matter of doing the legwork."

"And breaking the news to Travis," Luke added.

"We're not telling him anything until we know something for sure," Hunter said. "We need to track her down and see for ourselves."

"And what about the woman?" Luke eyed him.

"What woman?"

"The hot little number back at the motel."

"Leave her out of this."

"All i'm saying is that i don't think she'll be too keen on you leaving."

"You think i care?"

Luke arched an eyebrow. "Don't you?"

"What's your point?"

"That i think it's time you stopped trying to avenge us all and let me do a little of the work. I've got my own score to settle."

"I can't do that."

"You cant or you won't?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm going with you regardless." Hunter ignored his brother's look and turned back to Garret. He had a few more questions about Rose and then he was getting the hell out of here. The last thing he needed was to slow down. He had Benny James right behind him, a championship year just ahead and Rose out there somewhere. She held all the secrets and he needed to find her.

He would because he sure as hell wasn't staying here and making a huge mistake.

While he'd finally accepted that the past wasn't his fault, it didn't change who he was or the blood that flowed through his vein.

Like father, like son.

It was time to go.

HE WAS A STUBBORN FOOL.