Page 47 of Hunter

“Oh my God, man, of course!” I slap his back before shaking his hand. “No big, white wedding then?”

“You know Izzy wouldn’t be into all that. The only person she would have wanted there was Nonna, and, well, she’s no longer with us. Besides, the fact that her mom is kind of my mom is a little weird. In the end, we decided to just do it and screw the planning.”

“True,” I agree. To be fair, I don’t know why I’m at all surprised they’ve decided to go this way about it. It’s perfectly Izzy, and Theo will do whatever it takes to make her happy. “I’ll ask Lou.”

I begin chewing my bottom lip as we stop to stretch out again. Stella is rolling around on what I hope is a patch of grass and not animal shit of some kind. It’s always a risk agreeing to take Stella in your car; she loves to dive-bomb into anything gross and messy.

“Spit it out,” Theo laughs as he watches my anxious habit.

“Do you think it’s a bit cliché? Dating the PA?”

“Nah,” he says without pause. “Hey, I’m technically marrying my stepsister; can’t get much weirder than that.”

No, I guess you can’t.

_____

Daniel

My nervous habits are all kicking in at once - pacing, nail biting, lip chewing, as well as reorganizing every damn thing inside the house. I don’t know why I’m so anxious about a girl coming to my place, but ever since Lou agreed to come over, I’ve been a bundle of nerves. I kind of just wish she would turn up so I can relax.

The distinctive sound of a motorbike noisily pulling up outside doesn’t help my nervous disposition, it can only mean her larger-than-life brother has decided to bring her, which can only mean trouble. I brace myself as I walk to the door to head them off before they have a chance to ring the doorbell. Lou grins as she steps up toward me, wearing tight-fitting jeans, a short leather jacket, and her hair tied up behind her. Something stirs in my pants, and I have to mentally think of the most unsexy things possible just so Phoenix doesn’t spot the effect his sister has on me.

“Hi,” she laughs nervously, her cheeks already turning rosy red. Brother or not, I pull her in close and press my mouth against hers, sucking in her delicious scent of coconut and honey. Her hands reach up to my shoulders and I can’t help but deepen our embrace, completely forgetting the hulk of a man who is stepping up behind her. He clears his throat noisily, causing her to step back and look sheepish.

“Phoenix,” I say confidently in greeting. He smiles tightly before taking his sunglasses off, just as Lou mouths ‘sorry’ from behind his huge frame. “Are you joining us this afternoon?”

“No thank you, you’re not my type,” he replies matter of factly, and walks past me, effectively inviting himself into my house. Lou takes hold of my hand, and we walk in together all the while Phoenix does some sort of mental stock take of the room before him. “Nice place, Hunter,” he whistles when he looks at the view from my bi-fold doors. It’s a beautiful day on the beach today and there isn’t a body in sight. I’m a little way out from the tourist spots so I rarely get more than a handful of people blocking my view of the ocean.

“Can I help you then? Get you a drink perhaps?”

“We need to talk, Hunter,” he announces when he eventually turns away from the windows and walks over to where Lou and I are now standing. “Shall we?”

He gestures to my living room furniture like it’s his own. Still, I nod, and we all walk over to sit down; the armchair he chooses groans a little under his muscly frame.

“Is this where you threaten to have me beaten to a pulp if I upset Lou in any way?” I ask him bluntly. “Because I have no intention of messing around with your sister.”

Lou squeezes my hand a little tighter and I smile at her.

“Nope, that would be stating the obvious,” he says with a casual shrug of his shoulders. “I didn’t have the pleasure of taking care of the last guy who hurt my sister, but if anyone hurts her ever again, make no mistake, I would be taking care of that asshole myself.”

“Phoenix, please,” Lou practically begs, so he sighs and nods his head, obviously already having had this conversation with her.

“I need to go away for a few days next week, and I was hoping she could-”

“She can!” I reply before he even has a chance to finish that sentence. “I mean, she can stay with me; it would be my pleasure to look after her in your absence.”

“I don’t need looking after,” Lou retorts defiantly, looking as if she had no idea her brother would be asking me this today. “Thank you, Daniel, but I can stay at home, I’ll be fine.”

“No!” both he and I say together, then look at each other with disdain, as if each one of us is vying to be the alpha male in her life. Lou gasps, then stands up angrily, seemingly unsure as to which one of us she is more pissed off with. I quickly get up to try and soothe her temper; I get why she’s annoyed, so I need to explain myself, and fast.

“Lou, you are independent, strong, and courageous,” I begin, taking both her hands inside of mine, “but you are also young, beautiful, and a target for anyone who is a little bit stronger than you are. A bar in the middle of the desert is not exactly a safe place for someone like you on their own, is it?”

“Exactly!” Phoenix pipes up, though his input doesn’t appear to have helped my cause, given the look of outrage on her face.

“You can stay in your own room here, treat it like your own place; a safe place.” I pull her in a little closer to me so she can hopefully see the sincerity in my eyes. “It’s not because we think you’re incapable.”

She glances at the both of us before sighing audibly with a moment of indecision behind her beautiful eyes.

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