Page 44 of Hurting Hunter
Max's eyes widened, and he exchanged a glance with Rex. "Say what?"
“They stitched him up and are giving him blood, but there's minimal brain function."
Rex shook his head. "Jesus," he muttered.
Max raked a hand through his hair and shoved to his feet.
A few of the women shot them worried glances.
Hunter pulled in a deliberate gulp of air and gave the women a reassuring smile. “Sorry, ladies. We didn’t mean to scare you.”
Just then, the door to the safehouse creaked open, and Hunter's head snapped up. Ethan stepped inside, guiding four young women. Among them was Aubrey. Hunter took in her pale face, a delicate feminine version of her brothers. Their eyes met. She scanned his face and her gaze dropped to his cut. Tears started to stream over her face. “You’re ECOs. Where’s Andrew?”
Relief washed over Hunter at the sight of her, safe and sound before the name settled into his brain. She was calling Slate by his given name.
Struggling to breathe, he headed over to them. "Ethan, thank God.” Hunter noticed the exhaustion etched into Ethan's features, mirroring his own fatigue.
Ethan gave a brief nod, ushering Aubrey forward with a hand on the small of her back. "We got them all out," he said, his voice steady despite the weariness. "They're safe now."
Hunter's gaze softened as he looked at Aubrey. She was shaking, but alive, the trauma of her ordeal still fresh in her eyes. "Aubrey, it's good to see you safe. Please sit.” He gestured to a chair
She managed a small, tremulous smile as she sat down. Her posture rigid. "Thank you. Where’s my brother?”
Hunter's gaze moved over the room as he tried to steady his thoughts.
“Hunter, where’s Andrew?” Her voice was shaky, eyes wide and desperate, searching his face for any hint of reassurance.
A knot twisted in Hunter's stomach; an uncomfortable sensation that made it hard to meet her gaze. His chest tightened, and a lump formed in his throat. He knew the news would shatter her already fragile state. Swallowing hard, he tried to find the right words, but all he felt was a flutter of guilt, wishing he could offer her something more comforting.
He sank to his knees beside the chair. She was so small, so young, though he’d learned by browsing through Slate’s file that she was seventeen, almost eighteen. Still too young for what she’d been through. And now he had to break her heart all over again. “Aubrey,” he began, his voice gentle but strained. “Slate... em, Andrew… is in the hospital.”
Her eyes glistered with unshed tears. “Is he... is he going to be okay?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper, filled with a mix of hope and dread.
Hunter’s heart ached for her, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on him. He shook his head slightly, not knowing how to soften the blow. “It’s too soon to say. All I know right now that he’s in the best place, and they’ll give him all the care and attention he needs.”
Aubrey’s breath hitched, and she brought a hand to her mouth. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs. Hunter’s chest squeezed painfully, the need to help her warring with his own helplessness. He reached out, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder and met Ethan’s gaze in a silent plea for help.
The detective Dom stepped forward, and when he spoke, his voice was calm but firm. “Aubrey, we’ll take you to see him. But you need to be checked over at the hospital too. You've been through a lot.”
She looked at Ethan, then back at Hunter. Her mouth set in a determined line, so much like her brother’s stubborn expression. “That’s okay, but I’m fine,” she insisted, her voice stronger than before. “Let’s go. I need to see my brother.”
“All right.” Hunter rose and held out a hand to help her to her feet. “Let’s get you to the hospital.”
As they made their way to the car, Hunter couldn’t shake the guilt gnawing at him. He wished he could do more, offer more, but all he could do was be there for Aubrey and Andrew in whatever way he could. He hoped it would be enough.
Chapter 30
Five weeks after the rescue
Slate fought for his life for over a month, but his brain had been too damaged for him to wake up. Five days prior, a devasted, newly legal Aubrey had decided to end his life support. Slate died with his entire ECO MC family in his room and his baby sister holding his hand.
Returning from the funeral, Hunter and Ethan drove back to what was now their shared home. Just last week, after Ethan's complete rehabilitation and their collaborative success with the police force to dismantle the trafficking ring, he had moved in. As they parked the car in silence, the only sound was the gentle ticking of the cooling engine, punctuating their shared contemplation. They exchanged a long, meaningful glance, speaking volumes without words.
They released their seatbelts at the same time, moving in perfect sync. Stepping out of the car, they met at the hood. Their hands found each other naturally. With their fingers threaded, they walked to the front door. Each of their steps was deliberate. An unspoken understanding between them filled the air as they moved as one. Reaching the door, they paused. The space between them crackling with a promise.
From the moment Hunter turned the key in his front door, a simmering excitement coursed through him. As they stepped inside, the familiar creak of the old wood beneath their feet echoed his quickening heartbeat. His hands were slightly clammy as he reached to help Ethan with his coat, fingers brushing against the back of Ethan’s neck in a jittery swipe.
As Hunter watched Ethan move around their new shared space with casual ease, a deep-seated desire swelled within him. His eyes followed Ethan’s every move, lingering on the slight arch of his back as he lifted a stack of books. The simple sight sent a warmth rushing through Hunter, his heart beating a notch faster.
