Page 84 of Oathbreaker

Hunter relays this information with such detachment it sends a shiver down my spine.

“That’s terrible,” I murmur.

“Yeah,” he replies.

More silence, but as the moments move on, the warmth returns to his face.

“You must be hungry,” he says. He at least has the good sense to look contrite—to look as devastated by our breaking apart as I am.

Breaking apart.

We’re breaking apart.

I’m breaking apart.

Kitty decides to jump into my arms, and I catch him, holding him close and burying my unsteady hands into his fur.

“I know you’re still mad, but I don’t want you to go hungry. I’d like for you to come down for dinner. I got us dim sum.”

Tears fill my eyes, and I remember our conversation about our favorite food.

“It will be just the two of us. Ella and August are in the media room and pretty much all the security who aren’t staffing the perimeter of the property are in the tactical room researching what the hell happened.”

He blows out his breath and blinks hard a few times. Then the mask settles back on his face.

“I don’t want to eat with you, Hunter.” My face feels numb, but I force the words past my lips anyway.

“Winter, please,” he says on a breath. His eyes close as he leans against the doorjamb. With his hands in his pockets, the stretch across his cock makes my mouth water.

The thought is enough to shake me out of my stupor.

“Okay, H,” I say in a measured tone. His head pops up slowly. Disbelief is plain in his slitted eyes.

“Okay?” His eyebrow quirks.

“Yes, okay. You know I love dim sum. But after that, you leave me alone,” I say.

He’s silent for a long moment before he says, “Okay.”

“I actually need some stuff from my room,” I say, hoping to keep my tone on the edge of aggressive and acquiescing.

“Well, let’s go get it.”

“No, it’s actually—I need tampons!” I blurt out. His lips press together, and he stares at me for a long moment, his eyes searching my face.

“Okay, Winter,” he says, taking a single step back. “Get what you need and meet me in the dining room.” He looks at me for another moment before I’m alone in the room with the door left open.

I count to fifty before I head over to my suite. I don’t actually need tampons. I grab my backpack, piling a few days’ clothes, medicines, extra shoes, and toiletries.

I can’t go to my apartment.

I can’t go to Veronica’s house.

I’ll have to go on the run. I shift my shoulder. I’ll find a place to take this tracker out of my back. Then I’ll run. I’ll run and never look back at this godforsaken place.

I’ll never look back at Hunter and August and all I’ve lost.

Hysteria threatens to explode out of me, but I swallow it down.

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