Page 73 of Imperfect Saint
“I know.”
“He was going to do a lot worse than just hurt you this time.” His eyes studied her face as he spoke the words slowly, as though she wasn’t understanding, but she was.
“I know.”
“He killed someone just to get to you, Millie.”
“I know” She pushed down the tears that tried to come when she thought of poor Kendra.
Joshua had killed her. He’d shot her in the head. All because she’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe she’d refused to let him up in the elevator or maybe, by that point, he’d already snapped and he hadn’t given her life a second thought. Whatever had happened, however it had happened, a girl that Millie knew, one that she saw every day and that she talked to about the weather and traffic and wished a good morning on her own way to work, was dead.
Kendra was dead and it was Millie’s fault.
“How are you being so calm about this?” Hunter ran his hands through her hair, “Are you in shock? Mills? Baby, talk to me. Tell me you’re okay. Please.”
“I’m not okay.” A tear spilled over onto her cheek and before she could wipe it away Hunter was there, kissing the salty liquid and then peppering her face with more kisses as other tears began to fall. “I’m not okay but I’m trying to hold it together. I have to hold it together.”
“Why?”
“Why, what?” She repeated, blinking up at him.
“Why do you think you have to hold it together right now?” Hunter frowned, “I know you’re strong and independent and you’re used to doing things on your own but you don’t have to deal with this on your own, Mills. I’m right here. You can fall apart and I’ll help put you back together.”
A sob escaped her and she bit it back, “That’s what you told me when all this started.”
“What?” He was the one that looked confused now.
“I told you I was broken and you said you’d help put me back together.” She whimpered her way through another sob. “And you did. You made everything better. You made me better. But I don’t know if I can piece myself back together this time.”
“You don’t have to.” Hunter hugged her again, “I’m here. You take all the time you need and I’ll be right here by your side the whole time.”
“A girl is dead because of me, Hunter.”
“No.” He pulled back and forced her to look at him again, “No. Don’t you dare blame yourself for that. That’s on him, Millie. That was his choice. He had the gun and he was the one who pulled the trigger. You couldn’t have saved her.”
“But I saved myself.” She whimpered in protest.
“Yes, you did. You fought like hell and I’m so damn thankful that you did. Mills, he could have shot you as soon as he walked through that door. He didn’t because he wanted to make it hurt and instead you used his own hatred against him and you got away. You saved yourself and I’m so, so happy you did because I don’t know what I would have done if you didn’t.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead, “I love you so damn much, Mills. I’m not sorry you survived. I’m only sorry that you’ll have more scars from that bastard. I should have been there.”
“No.” She was the one that pulled back to look at him in exasperation, “God. No, Hunter. I’m glad you weren’t there.”
“What? Why? I could have…”
“He’d have killed you on the spot.” Millie cut him off as she wiped at her cheeks, “If you’d been there, he would have shot you the second he saw you.”
“Mills…”
“No, you don’t understand.” She stepped back from him, “He’d snapped, Hunter. He told me that he’d been watching us. Not just me. Us. That’s what drove him crazy. He saw me with you and he saw that I was happy, and he couldn’t stand knowing that I was in love with someone else and that’s what made him snap.”
Hunter pulled her back into his arms and dropped his forehead to hers, “Say it again.
“Huh?”
“I know it’s been a shit day and we’re bound to have a lot more of them before this mess gets cleaned up, but please Millie, just say it again, so I know that you’re here with me.”
“I’m here, Hunter. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.” She reached up and cupped his cheeks, meeting his gaze, “He tried to take me away from you, and he won’t get that chance again. I love you. I love you so much.”
“God, that’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.” Hunter brushed his lips over hers softly.
