Page 79 of Hunter

Noble …

“What is it?”

Mallory’s voice caught me off-guard. I looked up, seeing her standing over me with her hands on her hips, her red hair falling in front of her face. She looked concerned, her eyebrows upturned and her big brown eyes wide in worry.

I opened my mouth to tell her it was nothing, that I was fine, but she pressed her finger against my lips before I could.

“Oh, and before you even think about lying to me, know that you’ll be getting none when we get back if you do,” she warned, her mom look returning.

I shook my head. I didn’t want to tell her. Hell, the fury was still burning deep inside me. I wanted to hit something, lash out, not talk about it. Not to mention, I had already told Mallory women didn’t get to know club business, to which she had greatly protested. But this was a different story. This was about her. She deserved to know.

“Sit down,” I said.

Mallory looked over to where Adair was happily playing on a slide, entertaining himself, before she nodded and sat beside me on the bench.

She was quiet the entire time I talked, nodding every so often, even when I told her about the letter, the reason Noble died, and Wolf’s big plan. The only emotion I ever saw out of her was during the brief mention of my dark period after Hunter’s death. And when I was finished, her silence continued to reign.

I was pacing by the end. Hearing it all out loud for the second time made me realize how furious I was.How dare Wolf lie to me? How dare he keep me out of the loop?It was my own brother! Who gave two shits what state I had been in? If anything would have focused me, it would have been getting in on the revenge for that piece-of-shit club. Even if it didn’t, it still should have been my choice. Wolf always spouted about loyalty, but this felt like a betrayal. And to use Mallory like that …

“I get it,” Mallory finally said, her words causing me to freeze.

“You get it?” I echoed.

“Yeah.” Mallory looked across the playground at Adair, who was now playing on the merry-go-round. “I don’t think what he did was right, but I get it.”

“Mallory,” I snapped. “They fuckin’ used you as bait!”

“I know.” Her voice was so calm. “But he did it to protect the club, and to some extent, protect me on the run. I tried not to, but I did wonder why none of the men who had expressly shown that ‘I was next’ weren’t coming after me. Well, up until you, of course.”

“Unbelievable. How can you defend what he did?”

“Hey. Don’t make this into an argument between us. I’m on your side, Hunter.”

“Sure as hell doesn’t look like it,” I retorted.

“Hunter, stop,” Mallory growled, standing up. “Stop being like this, or you’ll regret it later.”

“No, Mallory, you’re supposed to be furious; pissed that they put you in danger. Put Adair in danger. Why am I the only one mad?” I yelled, turning away from her.

“Don’t walk away from me, Hunter.” Mallory moved in front of me, standing in my way. “I am mad they put Adair in danger. I’m beyond furious. I also know how much your brother and your club mean to you, and I’m not gonna be the woman who stands between you.”

“Brothers don’t lie to each other,” I hissed.

“Maybe they do. Maybe they don’t. But from what I can see, every single one of those brothers would dive in front of a bullet for you. You can’t tell me they didn’t lie to you out of love. Just like you lied to them for Adair. You can’t tell me you forgot about that already.”

“I was forced into that one, if I remember right.” I leaned down into her face and saw the split second her face turned from anger to caution. “You forced me to lie. I don’t remember Wolf ever being forced. He could have told me. My attitude at the time was a bullshit excuse to lie. So, next time you want to get pissed at me for being mad at the man who put my nephew in danger, don’t be a hypocrite.”

Mallory’s face sank. I should have cared, should have apologized straight away, made it better.

I didn’t.

Whether it was the upset, the rage, or the betrayal from Wolf, I never should have taken it out on her. Mallory was right, and I knew I would regret it later.

Right then, though, I couldn’t give two shits. I couldn’t even stand to look at her.

I left.

Chapter Twenty-Six

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