Page 69 of Imperfect Saint
Her ex had broken into her home. He’d brought a gun. He’d hurt her. He’d tried to kill her. Millie had defended herself. She’d survived. And here she was trying to comfort Hunter instead of the other way around.
“I love you. I love you so much. God, Mills.” He pulled back and held her face between his hands, the tears blurring his vision now, “You scared the hell out of me, baby. I’m so glad you’re okay. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
She didn’t smile but some of the light returned to her eyes and she raised her unhurt hand to cover his, “That’s why I couldn’t let him kill me. I couldn’t go. If I’d died, you’d never know…”
“Know what?” He frowned when she trailed off.
“That I love you too.”
“God. Mills.” His heart gave a painful squeeze and he pulled her back to his chest and hugged her tight, “I love you and I love hearing you say that but please, please tell me again when you’re safe, okay?”
“I am safe. You’re here now.” She nestled against his chest.
“I’m here.” He confirmed, stroking her back again, “I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. I promise. I’m never letting you go.”
Millie stayed just like that, wrapped in his arms, her every breath reminding him that she was alive and helping to keep him sane, until the cops and the paramedics showed up. After that, their quiet, peaceful moment was broken and they were thrust back into the wreckage of the apartment, the crime scene, and their lives as they knew them. The first person that tried to take Millie away from him nearly got his nose broken but as luck would have it, Vaughn had been close and showed up only seconds later, pushing his way through the barrier of cops and breaking through Hunter’s fear enough to let the paramedics take Millie to be looked at.
Hunter had never been so happy to see his older brother, or his younger brother for that matter. Tyler had come with Vaughn, they’d been together at the office when Hunter had called and they’d come running at the first sound of Hunter’s strained voice.
He loved them for it even as he knew that their presence was pissing off the cops that wanted to talk to him.
Vaughn was in full on big brother mode. He was acting as shield and bodyguard. He’d spoken to the detective in charge on the scene and once he’d given his credentials they’d unhappily let him stay. Not that he’d have been forced out even if they’d tried to get him to leave the scene. Nobody got Vaughn to do anything he didn’t want to do.
Tyler on the other hand, was twisting his hands and attempting to nurse Hunter back to health with glasses of water and pats on the back. His younger brother looked shaken by the scene he’d walked in on which was somehow more reassuring than Vaughn’s utter control of the impossible situation. This was crazy and Tyler’s lack of experience in how to deal with it made Hunter feel a little bit better. He’d accepted the water Tyler kept forcing on him and then sent his brother to check on Millie again and again and again as the paramedics cleaned up and assessed her injuries.
A second group of paramedics had rushed to Joshua as soon as they entered the apartment and gone straight to work. Hunter had watched them with only the vaguest of interest once he assured himself the guy was still alive. He might want him dead but he didn’t want him dying here and now from something Millie had done, for protection or not. After a long time Joshua was strapped to a stretcher and hauled out of the apartment and some part of Hunter that he hadn’t realized was holding his breath, waiting for the boogeyman to get back on his feet like he did in all the horror movies, finally breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Hey, you okay?” He looked up to find Tyler hovering over him again like a mother hen.
“Yeah. I’m okay.” He assured his younger brother with a nod.
“You don’t look okay, dude. You look shell-shocked.” Tyler squatted down next to where Hunter had collapsed into a chair what felt like hours ago.
“I’m fine. I’m just worried about Millie.”
“That’s the girl, huh?” A slightly crooked smile played on Tyler’s lips and Hunter would recognize that teasing tone anywhere. “She’s the one that works for Lemon? The one you can’t stop talking about?”
“Yeah. That’s her.”
“She’s pretty and strong as hell. She…”
“Don’t even think about finishing that sentence.” Hunter growled through clenched teeth.
Tyler only grinned, flashing his own pearly whites, “What?”
“Don’t start. You say one word about her and the police will have another crime scene to deal with because I’ll straight up beat your pretty face in.”
Tyler gave a low whistle, his smile never faltering, “Yep, Vaughn was right. You’ve got it bad.”
Hunter glared at his brother, “Why have you and Vaughn been talking about me and my girl?”
“It’s been over a month now since you started calling her that. Your girl. Your woman. Yours. We were just talking about how it would be nice to meet this girl that’s got our brother all twisted up in knots. I mean, we didn’t really want to meet her like this but…” Tyler gave a relaxed shrug, “Still nice to meet her, even under the circumstances.”
Hunter groaned and swiped a hand over his face. This wasn’t happening. It really wasn’t happening. He’d somehow fallen asleep and this was just a bad dream. Maybe he’d fallen asleep at his desk writing the report about his day with the Senator and this whole thing was nothing but a bad dream. That seemed about as likely as all of this being real.
“You’re kidding.”
“What?” Tyler looked surprised when Hunter rolled his eyes.
