Razor Sharp | ✓

Twenty-Eight

♡♡♡

When I'm finally able to adjust to the light and my eyes can open, I find that Ridge has left. Nothing of his remains in the room, almost as if he didn't even stay with me for the night.

I sit up just as the door opens and I hardly have any time to react before Hunter comes barging in. He's the last person I expected to see again. I'd thought he'd want to stay away after learning the truth behind my intentions.

He sits down on the bed next to me, raking both his hands through his hair and tugging at the roots. His face is contorted and he's breathing harshly in and out of his mouth.

"What's going on?" I whisper, rubbing his back soothingly with my hand.

"Oh god," he croaks, and the brutal anguish in his voice is enough for me to crack. I get out from under the blanket and sit behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist and leaning my head against his shoulder. He pulls me tighter against him and laces his fingers with my own around his waist.

"You can tell me," I gently nudge. "Whatever it is, I can take it."

"He's so mad about your dad, El. I've never seen him this livid in my entire life," he squeezes my hands gently and runs his fingers through my hair.

I feel the life drain out of me at the realisation of why Hunter is so upset.

"He's going to kill me, isn't he?"

Hunter sucks in a breath and I feel him shudder against me. "He's going to take you home...but you won't be alive."

I don't know what to say. I don't have the words to express how I'm feeling. It isn't like I didn't expect this to happen. I've been waiting for it, really.

"Say something," Hunter says. "Please say something. I can't stand this."

"Are you angry? At me?"

"What?" He pulls away, staring at me.

"About what you found out today?"

"I've just told you that he's going to kill you and you—no. No, I'm not angry at you. Fuck, in the beginning I was hurt, but I understand. I would have done that same thing in your position."

"When is this happening, then?" I whisper.

The realisation that I'm going to die hits me suddenly.

I'm not going to graduate high school, go to university, get married, have children, buy a house. I'm never going to get the normal life I always dreamed of. I'm never going to see my family again. I'm never going to see my best friends again. I'm going to die alone in this house, the source of all my nightmares. I'm going to die miserably and if it's at the hands of Andy, I know it will be slow and painful.

"Don't," he begs.

"When, Hunter?"

"I don't—I don't know."

"At least he'll finally be sent to prison. At least you'll be able to start again."

He jumps to his feet, shoving any piece of furniture that is blocking his path. He starts to pace, rubbing his hands over his face angrily and then tugging at his hair again.

"No," he says angrily. "I won't let you give up on yourself. You're stronger than this. You can't let him win."

He stops and he turns to me, gently tugging at my wrist so that I'll stand up. He cups my face and I'm staring right into his soft blue eyes. The eyes that I could get lost in for days at a time.

"I never said I'm just going to give up," I say, sternly. "I'll fight until my last breath."

"So, what? You're okay with the fact that you are going to die as long as he goes to jail? Listen to yourself!"

"No, you listen to me!" I scream at him, slamming my fists into his chest. "What am I supposed to do, huh? I am one person in a land full of people who despise me. I will do everything I can to—to stop him, but it will only do so much. I'm outnumbered here and I have to be realistic about this!"

"No," Hunter whispers, cupping my face again. "No, I won't lose you."

His voice cracks and he begins to sob. I'm so shocked that at first I don't register what is happening. He sinks to his knees and draws his hands into fists.

"I can't lose you."

I sit down in front of him, cupping his face and wiping his tears. "Hey, look at me. Hunter, look at me."

His eyes meet mine and I've never seen a more pure, heartbreaking moment in my life.

"You were always going to lose me. We were always going to have to say goodbye."

He shakes his head and his blonde locks fall into his eyes. "But not like this, I was never going to lose you like this. I was okay with the fact that I couldn't see you again. I was okay because I knew that you'd at least be out there, somewhere, happier. I could live with that. But this...I can't live with you not being around anywhere."

I've never seen him like this. I've never seen him so open and vulnerable. I've never seen him so broken and upset over something.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I should have been better, I should have stopped him from the start. I should have—"

"I understand now. I may not agree with all of it, but I've learnt to see it from your perspective. Why you find it hard to turn against him," I brush his hair back from his face, wiping away his tears. His long thick eyelashes blink closed from my caress.

I kiss his lips gently, wanting to remember the way they feel. It may be the last time I ever get to see him and I don't want his last memory of me to be sad.

"Listen to me, Hunter," I say, leaning my forehead against his. "If I never get another chance to tell you this, I want you to run. I want you to leave this place. I want you to see the rest of the world, I want you to live. I need you to live for the both of us."

"I have a plan," he whispers against my mouth. "I'll fix this."

I want to believe him, I want to feel hopeful, but I know he's just in denial. I know that he's struggling to face reality.

"I have a plan," he repeats like a mantra and his voice soothes me. If I'm going to die, I want to remember what it's like to be with Hunter, even if it's for a short time.

If this is my last day alive, I'm not going to think about dying. I'm going to live.