Page 95 of Regret

Chapter 29

“I see you covered up at least before you came outside.”

Scarlet looked up at Hunter towering over her where she lay in the sun, soaking up some vitamin D while she tried to sort through her thoughts.

With a smirk she untied the robe and pushed it to the sides. Hunter’s eyes grew wide as he took in her naked body. “Guess not.”

Scarlet tied the robe again. “So what did you find out?”

He didn’t answer, and Scarlet pulled her sunglasses a little lower down her nose. The grim look on his face told her that he most definitely found something. “What?”

When he rubbed the back of his neck, Scarlet felt chills spread through every limb of her body. By now she knew that whenever he rubbed the back of his neck, he was either nervous or annoyed. “Ace? What is it?”

Hunter sat down on the recliner and she shifted her legs to the side, giving him a little more space.

“Scar, when was the last time you checked in on your grandmother?” He didn’t look at her. His hands were clenched in front of him and he stared down at the ground between his feet.

Scarlet scooted up and took off her sunglasses. “In case you forgot, I was on the run trying to get away from that psycho. I never checked in on anyone because I didn’t want to be found. Where the fuck have you been the last few days?” There was no way she could hide the annoyance she felt toward him at that moment. Being annoyed was the only way she could deal with the nerves that suddenly wracked her.

He held out his hands. “Calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down when you’re sitting there looking like the fucking grim reaper—only bigger.”

His back rose and fell as he took a deep breath, and then he finally looked at her. “She’s dead, Scar.”

The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks was abruptly silenced. There were no birds chirping in the background anymore, or leaves rustling from the breeze. It was eerily quiet around them, except for the sound of her blood flowing through her veins.

“My grandmother?”

He nodded.

Scarlet looked down trying to process what she just heard. It was impossible.

“It can’t be.” Her gaze shot up to Hunter. “You’re lying.”

“I wish I was.”

Scarlet got up from the recliner and walked closer to the edge of the deck.

The ache that took hold of her chest was strong, but Scarlet fought it, pushing back the tears. “How?”

Hunter got up and stood behind her. “Stroke.”

She snorted. “Seems like it runs in the family. I’m probably next.”

He placed his hands softly on her waist and he squeezed a little. “I’m sorry, Scar.”

She closed her eyes and sucked her lower lip in to her mouth. It had been years since she’d seen her grandmother. It had been so long that it felt like she didn’t have the right to grieve, like she didn’t have the right to be heartbroken over the loss.

And then she thought abouthim,the bastard who took it all from her. The bastard finally got his filthy hands on her grandmother’s money.

“So he finally got what he wanted.” She turned around to face Hunter.

He didn’t move. He didn’t even fucking blink.

“What is it, Ace?”

He shifted from one leg to the other. “You’re right, he got everything.”

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