Page 17 of Marks of Rebellion
"You don't know why, or you won't say?"
Fear grips me that he may get angry I'm not telling him what he wants to hear.
I rise. "I need to go. Thanks."
He reaches for my biceps, and I withdraw farther away from him.
Hunter holds his hands in the air. "I'm not going to do anything to hurt you. Ever. I promise."
Carlos told me he wouldn't hurt me again. He promised, too.
Hunter hasn't hurt me.
Not yet. I just met him.
"I'm going to sleep now. Thank you again." I tell him.
His expression changes but I can't figure out what it means. "All right. I'll walk you back. Careful you don't trip in my sandals."
He escorts me into the tent. The women are already divided up. Penelope and Julieta are in one bed. Zoe is in another.
"Where are Naomi and Emilia?" I ask Zoe.
"They went with Andre to the other tent. Hop in." Zoe pats the spot next to her.
"What are you wearing?"
"Dirk gave me a T-shirt."
"Vanessa, you want one?" Hunter asks.
"Okay."
He digs in his backpack, removes one, then hands it to me. "I'll let you change and be back later. Get some rest."
I reach for his arm. "Hunter."
He raises his eyebrows.
"I really do appreciate everything you've done."
"All part of the job. Get some rest."
My heart sinks on his words.Of course, he's just doing his job. What did I expect anyway?
I'm a jumpy mess of nerves, and he probably has a girlfriend. Or a wife.
He doesn't have a ring on.
Lots of married guys don't wear rings.
Yes, he definitely has to be taken.
Doesn't matter. Plus, he asked me questions, and I didn't answer. That isn't a great way to start a relationship.
A relationship. Jeez. I've been living in the jungle for too long. And the last thing I need is another man.
But he's not like Carlos or any of the other men I've been living with the past eight months.
