Page 4 of Playing A Risk
I nod on autopilot, my body just going through the motions. I go and sit. Hunter joins me within seconds.
My eyes burn like tears are about to come again. “You don’t have to listen to me. It’s late and we have to be at work early. Can you have your driver take me home?”
Agonizing memories splinter in my mind. I don’t want to be alone, but I turn away while I try to hold my broken heart together.
Hunter hooks his gaze with mine, grabbing my attention. “Here’s what I’m going to do. You’re in no shape to make decisions, so I’m going to help you through this. You need to take some time off work.”
“Why?”
“The last time you were this upset and tried to work, it was a complete mess. With Christmas being next week, the time off won’t be that big of a deal. I’ll have the team cover anything pressing. We don’t have much planned until after New Year's anyway.”
I shake my head. “What about my stuff?”
“My assistant will pick up your belongings from Jamison sometime tomorrow. You can stay here as long as you like. I have plenty of room.”
Hunter has been nothing but accommodating and he has no reason to be. I don’t deserve his generosity, especially since I was going to cut our relationship off completely before this happened. My insides clench with guilt.
I nod, ignoring my feelings and focus on being grateful for his help. “I appreciate that. You’re right about work. There’snot much for me to get done and I could use the time to figure out?—”
“Enough about work. Tell me what has you barely hanging on.” He tilts his head and gives me a sympathetic smile.
I release a confused sigh. “Jami and I were talking. He got a call about an error with the app, so he went to his office to work on it. While he was on the phone, I took a tour of his place. I shouldn’t snoop, but he said to make myself comfortable.”
“You’ve never seen his home before?” Hunter’s eyes widen, genuinely surprised.
“No. I’ve only been in his kitchen and living room. Anyway, I went to his second level because he was up there in his office. There was a room down the hallway. The door was closed, and that piqued my curiosity. What I found when I went in there…” Tears fall without warning.
Hunter excuses himself to retrieve some tissues from the bathroom and returns a moment later.
He hands them to me and sits facing me. “What was in there?”
“It was a baby’s room—his son, Aricin’s room.” Pain spears me in the heart.
Hunter’s expression doesn’t change. He just nods with sympathy streaming from his eyes to mine. His warning about not knowing Jamison swings before me.
“Oh. You already know, don’t you?”
Hunter reaches for my hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but it didn’t seem like it was my place.”
Needing comfort from this nightmare, I slide my hand into his. “It’s okay. Jami should’ve told me the day I first saw him in town.”
“Yes, he should’ve.”
“I don’t understand why he would keep something like that to himself. It doesn’t make sense. I’m not even sureAiden knows. He probably doesn’t because he was on assignment.”
“Jamison will explain everything once you two get a chance to talk. I’m sure of it.” Hunter squeezes my hand. “I have to ask. Why did he let you run out without your shoes? It sounds like something else happened because the Jamison I know would be chasing after you.”
A burning flame reaches through the earth, setting my shattered heart on fire. My body catches ablaze with searing pain, melting me to my core.
I take a deep breath and slowly release it. “Jami came out of his office and saw me standing in the doorway of the baby’s room, then Lauren started pounding on the front door.”
Hunter’s eyes widen. “Oh shit! She was there?”
A sinking feeling stirs in me. He knows about Lauren too. How could he not if he knew about Jami’s son? The muscles in my ribs tighten. I push the betrayal aside, knowing it’s not because of Hunter I’m in misery.
I shake my head as more scorching tears of deceit leave trails of fire down my cheeks. “She stopped by. She smacked us both and told me that Jami and she are engaged.”
“She hit you? And he allowed that?” Hunter’s chest balloons.
