Page 41 of The Hunt

“Okay,” Ev repeated. She sounded numb.

“After the nurse is done, we’ll need to sort out some emergency accommodation for you,” the head of campus security interjected. “We can—”

I cut him off. “No fucking way.”

“Excuse me?” he said, bristling.

“This dorm was supposed to be the emergency accommodation for Ev after what happened to her earlier, and look how that turned out,” I said in an acid tone. “You’ve obviously got a major problem somewhere. So until you can sort your shit out and get proper security around this campus, she’s coming to stay with me.”

Ev’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open. I knew exactly what she was going to say—that she didn’t want to stay at the Wilder house, given her chances of running into Jake after he returned from New York.

“At a hotel,” I hastily added. “There’s a good one near campus with top-notch security. I’ll book it now.”

The security head’s eyes narrowed slightly. It was clear from his sour expression that he wasn’t pleased with my interference, but he’d spotted my ring when he came in earlier, so he knew better than to argue.

“I suppose that’s an option, but we’ll still need to ensure someone checks in regularly,” he finally said. He looked at Ev. “Does that sound all right to you, Ms. Marlowe?”

Her gaze flickered between the officers and me, her hesitation palpable. I could see the conflict in her shadowed expression—she didn’t want to be around me, but she also didn’t want to be left alone in a place that felt unsafe, and campus security measures had already failed her twice today.

She finally nodded. “Yes, it’s okay,” she said, voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll go to the hotel.”

She grabbed her suitcase and hastily packed some clothes and essentials. I took the case from her when she was done, grabbed my own bag off the floor, and headed out into the hall with her trailing behind me. A few cops were still in the hall, either making notes or chatting amongst themselves.

I turned to look at Ev. “Walk next to me and hold my hand,” I muttered, extending my free hand to her.

She shook her head, eyes flashing with disbelief. “No way.”

“We need to look like we’re actually a couple, or they might get suspicious,” I said. “Now hold my fucking hand.”

She sighed, stepped closer, and slid her hand into mine. It felt small and fragile, her fingers trembling slightly as they curled around mine. A wave of protectiveness surged through me, stronger than I expected, and I gave her hand a gentle squeeze as we headed down the hall.

Once we were finally done at the campus medical center, I led Ev to my black Porsche and opened the passenger door for her. “Nice car,” she murmured.

“Yeah. A lot nicer than that shitbox you drive,” I said, lips curving in a smirk.

She frowned. “You know what I drive?”

“I’ve noticed a lot of things about you, Ev,” I said gruffly.

When we arrived at the hotel, the concierge greeted us like we were royalty, and within minutes, we were escorted to a suite on the top floor. The doors opened to reveal floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Havenport, soft golden lighting casting a warm glow over the elegant furnishings, plush carpets, and a massive bed with crisp white linens.

Ev stepped inside cautiously, her wide eyes taking in every detail. “This is... wow,” she whispered, like she was worried that speaking too loudly would ruin it.

She turned to me, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I stayed at some nice places when I was younger. Like, vacation spots my parents picked. But never anything like this. Not five-star.”

I set her suitcase down near the seating area. “You’ll be very safe here.”

Her gaze softened as she looked around again, her hand trailing along the back of a velvet chair. “Safe,” she murmured,like she was testing the word. Then, she let out a breath and sank onto the couch, her earlier tension easing just a little.

I cast my gaze over her, taking in the way the golden light from the overhead chandelier illuminated her features. Her hair framed her face, mussed from the night’s chaos, and her eyes, still wide with a mix of fear and wonder, seemed to reflect every emotion she was trying to suppress.

She was beautiful, and I hated myself for thinking it. This wasn’t the time, wasn’t the place, but the thought clung to me all the same, no matter how hard I tried to push it away.

My eyes dropped to her thin arms, and I frowned and stepped closer. “You can order room service if you want. It’s open twenty-four hours, and the burgers are amazing.”

“Oh, no, it’s really late,” she said softly, averting her eyes. “It’s so expensive, too.”

“It’s on my dime, so go crazy,” I said, shrugging. “Comfort food is a good idea right about now.”

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