Page 80 of Oathbreaker

She tilts her head to the side. “Interesting,” she says. “Ben was so sure he would have killed you. You’re like a cat with nine lives. Or maybe a cockroach.”

Winter gasps, releasing a small whimper. It doesn’t take much to know that Blair is talking about Adam Collins. My shoulders tense, and I’m ready to raze the ground. I take a step toward Blair, fully prepared to spill her blood against the gleaming marble floor.

“Careful,” she says sharply. The slide of a round being chambered causes me to freeze every muscle in my body. I tamp down the urge to say fuck it and kill Blair where she stands.

From the movement I feel to the side of me, I don’t have to look to know my men have their guns trained on Blair’s tail, just as Blair’s people have their guns trained on me.

But Winter is right there, right behind me, and I’ll be damned if I let her see any more death.

I step away from Blair, and Winter presses her body against mine. Her head falls to the center of my back, and she places a palm flat on my right shoulder blade. Her touch and Kitty’s rapid breathing in her other arm calm me in a way I didn’t know I craved until now.

I don’t say anything else to Blair, but when she gives a brief look to her guards, they lower their weapons. My men do the same.

“Well, I expect to see you at the rehearsal dinner.” She turns on her heel, and when she reaches the doorframe, she looks over her shoulder and says, “Oh, Hunter? Do be careful on the roads. You don’t want to have another accident. Next time, you might not be so lucky.”

Then she’s gone.

“Hunter,” Winter slurs from her safe space at my back. “What was she talking about?”

I close my eyes and pull Winter’s arm, pinning it to my chest.

Inhale. Exhale.

Silently, I guide her to my bedroom. She doesn’t protest; she just follows along with Kitty in her arms.

Once I slam the door closed, I feel her walk deeper into the room as I rest my head on the closed door with my back to her.

“What was she talking about?” Her voice trembles.

I don’t respond.

A sob breaks through, and the jingle of Kitty’s collar clicking against his ID tags indicates she’s put him down.

“Hunter.” Her voice is small. “Did your father have something to do with Adam taking me?”

I turn around, resting on my hands as I lean against the door.

I suppose, on some level, I want to barricade her inside so she can’t run away from me like she should.

“Why did you answer the door, Sunbeam? Don’t ever answer that door.”

She shakes her head. “Tell me the truth.” Her voice is so, so fragile, and hearing it causes my heart to break again. I don’t know how it can keep beating.

“Winter,” I say. Air seizes in my chest.

She holds a hand up. “No, Hunter. Answer the question.” She keeps her hand in front of her, and the sight of it trembling makes me want to rage.

“Yes,” I blurt out. She drops her hand.

“Oh,” she says. “Oh, okay.”

She sits on my bed, then pops up as if it’s burned her. She moves to stand in the corner with her arms crossed over her chest. Closed off.

Kitty circles her.

“How did it—what happened? How? Ex-explain it all to me.”

“Winter, I?—”

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