Gifted

Chapter Sixteen - Hunter

It had all happened so quickly and I didn't have a clue what had happened.

One minute we were all sitting happily eating, and chatting away. And then the next Sage was spooked, and more or less ran from the room like a bat out of hell. With Ruth doing a 180-degree turn asking me to end my involvement with Sage.

What the fuck?

Sat at my table, running my hand through my hair. I was trying to figure out how to fix this—only I didn't have a fucking clue what needed to be fixed.

Ruth had scurried off, quick sharp, and Sage was still locked in the downstairs bathroom.

I was wracking my brain, my mind conjuring all kinds of crazy random shit when I heard her speak.

"Hunter," she said but kept her eyes lowered. "I need to get home. I'm not feeling well. If you could call me a cab, or..." she trailed off.

I heard the thud of my jaw on the table and I would have looked like one of those crazy cartoon characters with my eyes bugging out my head.

She was fine ten minutes ago and I wanted to call bullshit.

But I held back because she did look freaked out as she stood in the doorway now wearing her crumpled dress with her fingers gripping the material. I hadn't even heard her go upstairs.

I rose slowly from my seat lifting my hands to show I meant her no harm. "Sage..."

She looked up and hopped a step back. I wasn't sure if I should go towards her or not.

My wolf let me know his feelings. He wanted to be closer. I tried again. "Sage, I don't know what the fuck just happened, but something has you freaked." I paused hoping she might jump in, but she didn't. "Talk to me. I can sort this, yeah?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but then bit down on her lip instead. And still, that simple gesture made me hard.

Quit it! I swore my dick had a mind of its own.

I stood there for at least another minute. My head said talk to her and my stomach was screaming at me to sort this out, as the constant fucking churning was making me feel sick—literally.

Again, not something I was used to dealing with.

"I really need to go, Hunter," she said, and I heard the crack in her voice.

Enough of this shit!

She responded last time when I was firm with her, so that's what was gonna happen.

Walking towards her, her eyebrows shot up and stayed there and her eyes went round. She held her hand up and out towards me, holding me off, warning me.

I didn't stop.

Her small warm hand came in contact with my abdomen, pressing lightly, The heat from her touch extended outwards, flooding me with need. She gasped.

"You're not going anywhere, Sage. Not until we talk." Her cheeks flushed. "Then, if you do that. I will call my driver or the helicopter and I'll get you home, yeah?"

She didn't move her hand but splayed her fingers out slightly. I took this as a good sign. I think she wanted to fix this too. She looked at me for a while before giving me a quick nod of her head.

Thank fuck for that.

I purposely kept my voice low, but non-threatening. "Now what just happened?"

She licked over her dry lips and then said. "I honestly don't know Hunter." Shaking her head. "I think I upset Ruth. I felt... " She trailed off and bit her bottom lip... again before she worried the inside of her cheek.