Page 27 of The Hunt
“I won’t leave you.”
She still shook her head, as if she didn’t want me to bring her into the guest room, so I told the staff to bring them to my room instead and headed into the warm house to my bedroom, hoping that Dad wasn’t around.
Thankfully, I made it to my bedroom without being harassed by anyone else. I kicked the door open and tried to set Daphne down on the bed, but she was clinging to my shoulders like she didn’t want to let me go.
“I have to set you down,” I said softly.
“No.”
“Please, Daph. You’re going to get sick in these clothes.”
After another silent moment, I tried setting her on the bed again, and this time, she hesitantly let me, her eyes filled with tears and her head dropped. I fell to my knees, pulling off all her wet clothes, starting with her shoes and socks.
“You’re safe now, Daph. No one’s going to hurt you.”
Her lips trembled, and I swiped a tear away with my thumb.
I worked on her pants, tugging them off her wet body. “I promise, okay?”
No response.
Lisa knocked on my door. “Mr DeLuca, I have what you requested.”
Once I set Daphne’s pants on the ground beside me, I headed to the door and cracked it open enough to retrieve the warm clothes and blankets. Lisa didn’t need to come in and see Daphne like this.
“Do you need anything else?” she asked.
“No,” I said, shutting the door and returning to Daphne.
After I finished changing Daphne and spotting a couple marks on her body where that fucker had her tied up, I knelt on the floor in front of her legs and gently grasped her face. “Daph, please, listen to me. You’re safe now. I promise, you’re safe.”
She stayed quiet for a long time.
Then fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. “Why?”
“Why what?”
Her glassy gaze met mine. “Why did you save me? I stole your clothes and left you.”
I opened my mouth, but before I could reply, she continued.
“Why did you even care about what happened to me? If I’m just some… some stupid challenge to you, why would you do all this? Why would you…” Her voice cracked, and she shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “Why would you risk your life for me? Why did you… Why did you kill him for me?”
“You’re not a challenge to me,” I said, swiping the tears away.
“That’s what you said. Everyone at Redwood knows it.”
“You’re not,” I said. “I promise you that you’re not.”
“Then what am I to you, Apollo? Why did you save me? Why are you being so nice?”
“Because I love you,” I said before I could stop myself.
Her tears slowed, and she stared at me, her lips slightly parted. Then she laughed.
“No,” she said through more tears, and I couldn’t tell if they were tears of sadness or disbelief or something else altogether. “No, you don’t. You don’t love me. Nobody loves me. My family is cursed, and you…” Another laugh. “And you don’t love me. You can’t. You–”
I closed the distance and kissed all her words away.
