Page 42 of The Hunt

“No, it’s okay. You’ve already done so much for me, and… you don’t even like me.”

I smirked. “You can’t stand me either. So why not take that loathing out on my wallet? Order the whole fucking menu.”

“I’m not hungry. Really,” she said. Right on cue, her stomach loudly grumbled.

I snorted and stepped over to the room’s landline. “Any dietary needs I should know about before I order?” I asked, brows rising.

Ev nodded. “I’m a vegetarian.”

“Of course you fucking are.”

She bristled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing bad. Just that we couldn’t possibly be any more different.”

“You got that right,” she said, lips thinning.

I ordered two burgers—one with double meat for myself, one with fried halloumi for Ev—along with beer-battered fries and soda. After I hung up the phone, I gestured toward the bathroom. “I’ll wait for the food while you get cleaned up.”

By the time the burgers arrived, Ev had taken a quick shower and changed into a white terrycloth gown. Her hair, still damp, hung loosely around her shoulders, and her skin was bare. Even with the soft glow of exhaustion in her eyes and her partially swollen bottom lip, she looked... stunning. Annoyingly so.

“You were right,” she said after she’d chewed and swallowed her first few bites of the halloumi burger. “This is amazing. Like, I barely even register how much my mouth hurts whenever I take a bite. It’sthatgood.”

“Glad you like it,” I replied stiffly. I was trying to focus on my own food, but the sight of Ev sitting there—so naturally beautiful, so effortless—made it hard to focus on anything else.

She took another bite and slowly chewed. Then she glanced at me again. “So, um… what’s the deal here?”

“What?” I said, brows furrowing.

“How long can I stay here? And how can I pay you back?”

“It’s booked for a week. No need to pay me back.” I nodded to the left nightstand. “Keycard is over there, and you can order whatever food or drinks you need as long as you’re staying here. My credit card is on the room.”

“Thank you,” she murmured. “That’s really generous of you.”

“It’s nothing for me. Don’t worry about it,” I said, waving a hand. “I think a week should be long enough for Hollingsworth to sort out a safe dorm for you.”

“Safe from everyone?” she asked in a timid tone, forehead creasing.

“I won’t sneak into your dorm and break your shit again, if that’s what you’re asking. I think you’ve been punished enough.”

“Thanks, I guess,” she murmured, staring at a fry.

“Anyway, if it takes longer than a week for Hollingsworth to get their shit together, you can call the front desk and extend your stay in this room for another week. Like I said, my card is attached, so no payment from you is necessary. Oh, and there’s also a bus that goes from here to campus. That might be quicker and easier for you than driving.”

Ev was silent for a moment. “Why are you doing this, Rhett?” she finally asked. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m beyond grateful. You’ve been a total lifesaver tonight. But… you hate my guts. So why help me like this?”

It was my turn to go silent.

WhywasI helping Ev? I couldn’t stand her. Was it purely because she was hot, and I was just that much of a shallow asshole? Or was it because I couldn’t stand to see any woman look so broken, so vulnerable?

I didn’t have an answer. At least not one that made sense.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence, I spoke. “I don’t know,” I said, my voice low. “Just seems like the right thing to do, I guess.”

“Right,” Ev murmured. I could see it in her eyes—she’d been expecting to hear something more. Maybe even hoping. She took a deep breath and scratched the back of her head. “Do you think I could ask you for one more favor?”

I raised a brow. “What?”

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