Page 45 of Love Lies Bleeding

“Well, announce me then.” I wave my hand in irritation, trying desperately not to take my rising temper out on him.

Nodding, he makes the call and gestures at me as the doors open and I’m admitted into the private elevator.

The ride up feels interminable and makes me angsty. This family means everything to me and knowing that I’ve hurt them makes me sick. The doors finally open admitting me into the lavish entryway, where Hunter is waiting for me.

Usually, I’m greeted with a slap on the back and a smile but all I get is a cordial head nod.

“Welcome back, Jake.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

As he turns and heads into the kitchen, I follow him, suddenly unsure of my place here. Lexi has taken over, and her stuff is strewn around everywhere. Her influence in every corner I can see. I’m the outsider looking in and it’s not a good feeling.

Hunter holds up a beer. “Drink?”

I nod, taking it from him.

Popping the lid on his, he takes a sip and leans back on the island. “So, what do you need, Jake?”

“We need to clear the air.”

He waves the bottle at me. “Floor’s yours.”

I can tell he’s still fuming about what I did. Sighing, I run my fingers through my hair. “I’m sorry, okay? I was a dick. I never should’ve said what I did to Lexi. I had no right, and it was out of order.”

“Did you even look at her before you spouted your bullshit at her? Did you see the state she was in from the bastard’s hands before you kicked her when she was already down?”

“Honestly?”

“No, Jake, lie to me! Of course, fucking honestly.”

“I didn’t even notice until I saw her start to go down. I was so angry with what she’d done, I didn’t see past that. I just wanted to lash out.”

I can see the anguish on his face as I paint the picture for him, which I’m sure his father has already done. Hank was furious with me too, but at least he’d understood why I’d done it.

“He strangled her, Jake. He beat and kicked her on the ground and when I was on the other side of the fucking door. He strangled her until she passed out and left her for dead. She could have died. My son could have died.”

I’ve never seen Hunter so distraught, but I can see now his anger isn’t just toward me, it’s toward himself, too. “But she didn’t. Lexi is strong and so is your son.”

“She is but nobody is unbreakable, Jake. She came looking for me when she was desperate. When she was on the edge of the cliff with nothing left to give I wasn’t there. And, worse, she was met with open hostility from my best friend. The man I would’ve trusted with my life.”

“You can still trust me, Hunter.”

Hunter shrugs and sets his bottle down. “Can I? Because I know I can in business. I can sign over every share I hold and know you’d never let me down, but with her, with Lexi, I don’t know if I can.”

Moving closer, I fight the need to beg, the loss of his trust is like a gut punch. Gripping his shoulder, I force him to look at me. “Mac, you know me. You know I’d never hurt someone you love. I was trying to protect you and it backfired. I was out of line but it won’t happen again.”

“No, Jake, it won’t.”

His cool delivery feels like the beginning of the end of our friendship. “So that’s it? Decades of friendship done? Finished over one mistake?”

“You don’t get it because you’ve never felt this way but she’s my life, Jake. Without her, nothing matters.”

“I have felt that.”

“What?” Mac looks up at my soft confession, a question in his dark gaze.

“I’ve had what you have. I felt like my entire world only turned for one person. That she was my sole reason for existing.”

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