Page 52 of Hunt Me

He’s right. I’m not safe by myself. And frankly, I want to be in Archie’s arms and fall apart there as I let the real shock of everything hit me.

Climbing to my feet, I fumble in my top desk drawer for some gum to get rid of the sour taste in my mouth, then takea single step forward. Moving is a bit easier now, but Percy doesn’t let me go far before throwing his arm around my waist.

‘Can you see enough to drive?’ I ask.

He rolls his eyes, which are still very red. ‘I’m fine. I’ve had worse.’

I don’t know what that means, and I don’t want to know. All I want is to get out of here and go somewhere safe. And safe for me right now means in Archie’s bed, with a coffin ten feet away and his warm arms holding me so I can finally shake apart.

14

DENVER

When I finally step intotheir house, I’m met with the sight of Archie, who is rushing toward the door, fumbling with some knives. He looks rumpled and slightly off-kilter, not like the strong stalker I’ve grown used to.

His eyes flick to mine, and he comes to an abrupt stop. “Denver.” I see the way his lips form my name.

Then the knives are dumped onto the surface nearest him, and he’s moving toward me. He stops just short of pulling me into his arms, and I feel a punch of regret because god, I need those muscles wrapping around me right now.

But I can be patient.

After a short forever, he sucks in a breath, then curls one hand around my bicep and with the other asks, ‘What happened?’

Luckily, I don’t have to answer. I collapse against Archie’s chest as Percy pushes past me and into the main room, throwing his keys on the table before turning to answer his brother’s question.

‘Someone was following him. Choked him.’ Percy’s hands move up to his own neck, showing in detail how the man’shands had grabbed onto me. It’s almost too much. The room spins slightly, and I lean harder against him.

I feel the rumble of Archie’s voice, but I don’t bother trying to figure out what he’s saying. None of it matters. I’m finally here, I’m with the one person who will protect me, and now I can let everything go for a bit.

The brothers talk for a few minutes more, and then Archie taps me, and I force my eyes open as I look up at him.

‘Bed,’ he spells.

I shiver and nod, nestling in closer to Archie as he lifts me into his arms as though I weigh nothing and walks me toward the stairs. It’s only a few seconds of darkness after that before I’m back in his room, surrounded by the familiar sight of his coffin and the gentle scent of wilted flowers and damp air.

He squeezes me tightly for a second, then settles me onto his bed and tucks his blanket up around my chest. My eyes flutter up to meet his, and I see Archie staring long and hard at the wound I have.

My fingers move up to touch it, but he snatches my hand away and brings it to his lips.

‘Don’t touch,’ he signs. ‘Need to clean it.’

My fingers curl around his, and he holds me against him. I feel settled finally, and my heart stops pounding like it’s trying to escape my chest.

When our eyes meet again, his hand lifts. ‘Who?’

I know what that means. He wants to know if I recognized the man who attacked me.

‘Don’t know. But same as before.’ My fingers tremble on that last sign, and he grabs them tightly.

His eyes flicker, angry, wild.

‘I will find,’ he eventually says when he lets me go. ‘Will murder.’

My lips twitch at that because I believe him, and honestly, I wouldn’t mind if the man who keeps following me and trying to kill me would, once and for all, cease to exist.

That might make me a bad person, but I’m past the point of caring. I’m tired of living in fear.

‘Thank you,’ is all I can say, tucking myself into him. He cradles me like I’m something precious, like he’s never going to let any other harm come to me. And honestly, I’m here for it.