The Past Between Us novel Chapter 24

|Present|

I lay on my bed with my back against the head-board. I was trying to read but for some reason I just couldn't concentrate. My mind kept drifting off. Things in my life were getting too complicated.

How could things have gotten so messed up in such little time?

My mother was dead.

My father was marrying my ex-bully's sister who'd told me that my mother had given consent for their marriage.

I couldn't make any sense out of Megan's emails.

And Hunter. . .

I couldn't even begin to understand what was going on with him. A few short weeks ago I'd been sure I hated him but now I didn't know what to think. My brain kept warning me, telling me to stay away from him, that he'd hurt me again.

Hell, I knew I should stay away from him. I knew that I shouldn't let him in, not after what he'd done.

But the problem was, I couldn't. Every time I tried to distance myself from him I winded up getting closer to him somehow. I couldn't stop thinking about him.

He dominated my thoughts, my dreams, my emotions.

A tap on my balcony door pulled me out of my thoughts.

Shit. I forgot to lock the doors.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw something move. I could feel myself start to panic. I slowly made my way towards the balcony, my heart thudding wildly.

I screamed as the door suddenly flew open. A huge body crashed into mine. Large hands covered my mouth muffling my screams. Fear clawed my insides.

"Shhh. It's okay." A deep voice breathed in my ear.

What the-?

Hunter?

I managed to calm down a little.

He finally let go of me and stumbled back.

"Hunter?! What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded.

He just looked at me with amusement before finally shrugging his shoulders.

"Don't know." He slurred.

He stumbled over his feet, almost toppling to the ground but caught himself just in time.

My eyes widened in shock. "Oh my God! Are you. . . drunk?

He tilted his head and gave me a lopsided grin. His messy hair flopped over his eyes. He chuckled as he started swaying on his feet again and I quickly grabbed on to his waist to steady him.

Guess that answers my question.

I sighed and led him to the bed.

"What am I supposed to do now?" I asked him in exasperation. He just continued to look at me.

Suddenly he started pulling his shirt over his head and I yelped.

"W-what are you doing?" I stuttered in shock.

He gave me a confused look. "I can't sleep with a shirt on."

"You're not sleeping here." I snapped.

My cheeks started to heat up. I knew I was getting flustered.

His whole face fell when I said that but he nodded. He shakily got to his feet and started to stagger towards the balcony door.