Page 18 of The Huntress and Her Hound

Because he touched it.

I grind my teeth together as I meet my smoky eyes. “I’ll fix it. I’ll fix this.” I just need a release. That’s it. I run my fingers through my freshly blow-dried hair and take a deep breath. Desperation pulls at me as I push off the counter and head out of the bathroom...

And run right into Jude.

“Whoa, sorry,” he mutters as he stumbles backward, his back hitting the opposite wall.

I ignore the way my stomach flutters and glare up at him. “You should pay more attention.”

“Maybe you should?” He raises a brow like he’s asking me a fucking question—one that I have no interest in answering. I stand there for a few beats, my heart unevenly pumping in my ears. Jude takes the moment of silence as a reason to keep speaking, much to my dismay. “Your brother just left. He told me to tell you if you need a ride or anything to let me know.”

I narrow my gaze. “Why would I let you know? Why wouldn’t I just ask him?”

Jude’s expression is unmoving and unamused. “He’s working? Oh, and I’ve always been his errand man. He points and I go.”

“Sounds like you’re his little bitch,” I scoff, unable to keep from laughing wickedly. “If you weren’t so... you, I might feel sorry for you.”

“Yeah, I’m not concerned about earning your sympathy.” Jude takes a threatening step toward me, and his jaw tenses. I back up until I’m now the one against the wall, sucking in a sharp breath as his hand lands above me. “I think we should get something clear, Cher.”

“What’s that?” I swallow the pinch of fear as he leans in.

Don’t flinch. Don’t flinch. Don’t let him see weakness.

His breath tickles my ear. “You hating me won’t make me go away.”

I breathe in his cologne, and a shockwave of excitement rolls down my spine. My lips part to snap back at him, but nothing comes out. My brain seems to freeze... And my mind grows quiet for the first time in years. Warmth floods through my stomach, and I relax entirely. His body is within inches of me, and if his move was meant to intimidate...

It worked.

I’m suddenly terrified of what he’s doing to me.

I shove at his chest as hard as I can, my nails digging into the fabric of his T-shirt. “Just stay the fuck away from me!”

Jude stumbles back with a narrow gaze on me, and then sighs as he leaves me shattered with the worst four words I’ve ever heard. “I’ll figure you out.”

I spin on my heels and rush away from him, nearly falling on my face as I grab my purse from the counter. My chest feels heavy as I fumble with the front door, and rip it open, the stale hallway air doing nothing to relieve the dread washing over me.

‘He’s going to hurt you.’

‘He’s going to ruin you.’

I stumble toward the elevator and punch the button over and over, glancing over my shoulder. Leave me alone, Jude. Don’t follow me.

“Cher,” his voice calls from the hallway. “Are you okay?”

I can’t look at him. I refuse. The doors slide open, and I rush inside, ignoring the beat-up white Converse in the corner of my eye.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” Jude’s shadow appears in the threshold, and my hands start to shake. I smash the door close and glance up, seeing the concern etched across his face.

“Go away,” I choke out in a near whisper.

His reddish eyebrows crease as something painful flashes in his expression, but he steps back, letting the doors close entirely. I squeeze my eyes closed and collapse from the waist up, resting my hands on my knees. Gasping for air, I try to count to ten. I try all the methods I’ve read about. I know they won’t work. They never have, but...

Why is he getting to me like this? I haven’t been this triggered in years.

My demons jump with the answers. ‘Because he’s a threat. He’s just like him.’

I shake my head in defeat, running my fingers across my forehead and peeling away the damp hair as I stand up straight. Jude is unraveling all the progress I’ve made, and I just need to do what I do best to put myself back together.

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