How Living with the Bad Boy Saved My Life

Chapter Twenty Two

He was alive.

My dad was alive.

My emotions were mixed between sadness, confusion and anger. On one hand, I wanted him to die and suffer a slow, painful death after treating my mother and I the way he had been. Yet, on the other hand, I wanted him to survive the attack so much so that he would have to stick around and spend the rest of his days withering away in prison. Knowing that the latter was now possible made more anger and determination bubble up inside of me. The need to see him pay for what he has done was stronger than any urge or desire I had ever felt my entire life.

My mum had been pacing back in forth her hotel room ever since I received the call telling me my dad was fine. She looked more anxious than I was and that in turn was sparking anxiety in me.

Her breathing became overly erratic as she shook her head in disbelief every so often. It was if she could not believe that the monster survived the attack. She thought he was gone. So did I. Then it hit me why she was so worried. She hasn't faced him since I was fourteen years old and now she's going to have to see him again. To her, he had died a long, long time ago. Something told me that she was probably proud of me knowing that I shot him and I was the one that hospitalised him. Truth be told I was proud of myself for being bold enough to shoot. Shooting him was my original plan but then I changed my mind because of the risks that came with it. So when I ended up using his gun to shoot him, it surprised myself.

I didn't regret it.

I didn't regret seeing him laying there in a pool of his own pathetic, sorry blood. It made me hate him even more to see that he was human and bled just like me. I hated that from seeing him bleed the police sympathised with him an immediately considered him a victim.

It feels good to know that the support system I had around me is amazing. Hunter and his dad, Ashton have been exceptionally patient with me this whole time. Savannagh and Jake, although I've not been able to see them yet, I know they were protecting my reputation in university.

Apparently I was the talk of the lectures and everyone wanted to know why I tried to kill my own father but Savannagh was having none of it and has made sure anyone that tries to bad mouth me receives a form of academic punishment. Of course, the module leaders and course tutors are entirely on board with this and came up with the idea with Savannagh.

I didn't have to worry how I was going to be viewed differently once I went back to uni as measures were being taken to make sure I wasn't gossiped about. What I did have to worry about was the roof over my head, my tuition fees and everything else my dad has been paying for. There's no way I could ask mr mum for help with money considering she seemed to be lacking in it too.

My brain was working in over drive as I was allowing myself to become anxious over everything trying to avoid the pressing matter at hand. My mum was still pacing the room with her hands on her head with a worried expression plastered on her face.

It's good news that he's alive I keep telling myself.

It means that he can face trial and we might get the justice that we deserve.

"Say something, you've not spoken in half an hour" I pleaded.

She looked at me with worried eyes. "What if he gets us again? What if he finds out I'm here? Even worse what if he finds out I used the money he was been paying his friends in Spain to get here and bail you out?" Her questions were coming out faster than I could register so I just stared at her calmly allowing her to release all of her worries. "He's going to kill me, Harpy. He's not going to be happy that I am doing everything I can to help you. I can't face him, I can't. I'm going to go back to Spain tomorrow...I-I have to. I can't stick around here and face him. I'm so sorry baby but it's what's best for me."

"What about me, mum? Do you think I want to face him again? I need you by my side please stay with and help me get through this. We can get through it together" I begged as tears threatened to spill.

"Honey, I'm sorry but I cannot stay. I'm sorry it's selfish but I need to go. Why don't you go back to stay with Hunter tonight and then meet me in the morning and we can talk things over free from emotion" she suggested.

"You'll be fine before I get here tomorrow..."

"I wouldn't do that to you but please let me have the space I need tonight to think then we can discuss everything properly in the morning. How does that sound?"

I didn't say anything but instead nodded in agreement as there was nothing else I could do. I got up from the bed sighing and starting grabbing my things before making a beeline for the door. My mum grabbed me by the wrist pulling me back trying to pull me in for a hug but I shook her off. She didn't want me here now so I don't want her forced affection.

"I'll see you tomorrow" I bitterly spat before exiting the room and attempting to slam the door behind me.

I fully understand that she has every right to be as scared and angry as I am but I hate that she doesn't want to stick around to help me get through it. She was being a coward and rubbing away leaving me to face him and deal with the wreckage he has caused. I was angry at her for not wanting to act more like my mother. I needed her to just be there for me and show me what it meant to have a parent love you but that was something that was entirely absent from both of my parents. Although there is the chance she'll change her mind in the morning, it still broke my heart knowing how soon she was ready to leave again.

I wiped my tears away with the back of my hand as I walked into the lobby. My eyes immediately landed on Hunter who was sitting on one of the plush chairs looking bored until his eyes bore into mine. He noticed the state I was in and immediately engulfed me in a welcoming hug. I melted into his touch tangling my arms around his waist and pressing my head into his chest. It made my heart swell knowing he was the one person that was always here for me no matter what. I just wondered how he knew that I wouldn't be staying here tonight.

"The minute your mum told me she wanted you to stay with her I booked a hotel room here too. I wanted to be here in case things turned out to be not so good so I just took a chance and decided I'd wait all night in the lobby if I needed to. I'm not glad things aren't good between you and your mum but I'm glad that now I get to spend tonight with you." Hunter whispered into my hair.

"Thank you for everything, Hunter. I really don't know what I'd do without you" I whispered.

"So you keep saying" he teased. "Come on let's get you to bed and get nice and cosy. I bet you've dying to have a good nights sleep after being cooped up in that hell hole the past two days" Hunter uttered as he laced his fingers through mine and lead me down the corridor and to where his hotel room was located.

I was glad that it was on the same floor as reception as it meant it was on a different floor to my mum so she would have no clue that I was still here. Not that I was any of her business anyways.

Hunter opened the hotel room door and dragged me in behind him. The minute it was closed he gently pushed me up against it and started trailing kisses along my jaw and down my neck. Initially, I wasn't in the mood for this kind of thing after the night I had but I couldn't ignore the tingle sensation I felt when Hunter's lips met my skin. He lips trailed from my neck back up to my jaw until the eventually met my own then we started kissing so much so until we ended up on the bed tangled in each other's bodies.

It didn't matter to me how much was going on right now. When I was with Hunter I could momentarily forget about all the horrors and trauma in my life. He made me feel alive again. He made me feel whole. He made my life worth living. So, when he kissed me and set my whole body alight, I knew.

I knew I was in love with Hunter Blake.

"Hunter" I whispered in between kisses.

"Yeah, baby?" He whispered against my lips causing shivers to go through my body head to toe.

I gulped nervously as his eyes bore into mine searching for what I was about to say except I knew he would have never guessed what was to come next.

"I love you, Hunter."