CHAPTER TWO
The next day, Hunter is gone before I wake up. The first thing I notice when I wake up is a note that he left on the bedside. It reads:
Stay home tonight. I mean it, Lorelai.
I stare at the note for a long time.
I know I should listen to him. I know I should stay here where it’s safe.
But I also know that if something goes wrong, Hunter might need help. And there’s no way I’m going to sit at home while the man I—
I stop that thought before it can fully form. But the realization hits me anyway.
I care about Hunter. Like, really care about him. Maybe even... love him.
The thought terrifies me. I’ve only known him for a week. How can I possibly be in love with him?
But I also know it’s true. Somewhere along the way, between the punishments and the pleasure, between his dominance and his vulnerability, I’ve fallen for him.
Which is exactly why I can’t stay home tonight.
I spend the day preparing. I find dark clothes in my closet—black jeans, a black hoodie. I charge my phone. I pack my pepper spray.
At 7 PM, I call an Uber to take me to the cemetery. I tell the driver to drop me off a block away.
The cemetery is old, with crumbling headstones and overgrown grass. I slip through the gates and make my way through the rows of graves, staying low.
I find a spot behind a large mausoleum where I have a clear view of the entrance. Then I wait.
For 45 minutes about nothing happens. I check my phone 8:00 p.m. Where are they?
8:01PM Nothing.
8:02PM Still nothing.
Chill out, I remind myself. It hasn’t been that long.
At 8:05, a car pulls up. Hunter gets out, alone. He looks around, alert and tense.
A few minutes later, another car arrives. Two men get out, followed by a third man I recognize from the photos. John. He’s huge, easily 6’7”, and built like a linebacker.
And behind him, stumbling slightly, is Luke.
My heart clenches. Luke looks terrible—bruised, thin, exhausted. But he’s alive.
“Hunter,” John calls out. “Good to see you, son.”
“I’m not your son,” Hunter says coldly. “Let’s just get this over with.”
“Where’s the seed phrase?” John asks.
“Where’s my brother?” Hunter counters.
John laughs. “He’s right here. But he’s not going anywhere until I get what I want.”
“I’ll tell you half of it now and the other half when Luke is safe,” Hunter says.
John’s eyes narrow. “That’s not the deal.”
“It is now,” Hunter says. “Take it or leave it.”
The two men face off, and I hold my breath.
Finally, John nods. “Fine. Give me the first half.”
Hunter pulls out a piece of paper and hands it to John, who examines it carefully.
“How do I know this is real?” John asks.
“You don’t,” Hunter says. “But if you kill Luke, you’ll never get the second half.”
John considers this. Then he shoves Luke forward.
Luke stumbles and Hunter catches him.
“Luke, are you okay?” Hunter asks.
“I’m fine,” Luke says, though he’s clearly not.
“Touching,” John says. “Now give me the rest.”
“Not until Luke is in my car,” Hunter says.
“That wasn’t the deal,” John growls.
“Neither was half and half,” Hunter says. “We’re negotiating. You’re a businessman. You understand negotiation, right John?”
I can see the tension escalating. I feel like this is about to go very bad, very fast.
John signals to one of his men, who pulls out a gun.
“Last chance,” John says. “Give me the seed phrase or I’ll kill him right here.”
Hunter’s jaw clenches. I can see him calculating, trying to decide his next move.
So I make a decision before anyone else can.
I pull out my phone and dial 911.
“There’s been a shooting at the old cemetery on Maple Street,” I whisper into the phone. “Please send help immediately.”
I hang up before they can ask questions.
Then I look around for something—anything—I can use as a weapon or distraction.