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“I need to get back to my customers, at least they don’t ignore me,” Becca said, her expression guarded.
“I’m damned sorry about that,” I said, somewhat scared now. I’d never known Becca to hold a grudge. This wasn’t like her, but I guess if you kept hitting something for long enough, it was bound to react sometime.
“Relax,” Becca said, laughing. “You should’ve seen your face,”
“Not cool,” I said, mimicking Mark.
“You’re a big boy, I’m sure you can take it,” she said.
“The big boys hurt the most, Becca,” I said, my voice somewhat tight.
“They don’t die from the pain, you’ll be fine,” she replied.
I shook my head, pressing down the panic welling up in my chest. This would be the worst place for any of that to happen.
“I’ll pick you up tonight?” I asked Becca.
“I can meet you at dinner,” Becca replied.
“You forget this is a proper date, I want to pick you up,” I replied.
“Fine, I’ll see you at eight,” she replied, before getting off the chair and walking back to the counter. I watched her go, shaking my head. Then I called out to Abby, who was passing and asked for a cup of coffee. She deserved to make some money off me. This was work, after all.
***
Becca’s POV
I opened my eyes to a room that was still dark, but I could feel Hunter's body shaking next to me. I slowly blinked my eyes, feeling a sudden jolt as Hunter's hand landed on my face.
I blinked again, trying to adjust to the darkness of the room, as I realized Hunter was shaking and writhing beside me in bed. It took me a moment to understand that he was having a nightmare.
I could see his face contorted in fear as he gasped for air. I reached out to him, touching his chest and softly calling out his name. Hunter's eyes snapped open, wild with panic as he shot upright, knocking my hand away as he reached for his chest.
Hunter's body was tense and sweating profusely, his face contorted in fear and agony. I could hear him mumbling something, but his words were garbled and incomprehensible. I gently placed my hand on his chest, trying to soothe him, but he jerked away from my touch.
"Hey, hey, it's okay," I said soothingly, placing my hand back on his chest. "It's just me, you're safe here with me."
Suddenly, Hunter let out a loud cry and his hand flew out, hitting me in the face. I winced in pain but held on to him, not wanting to leave him alone in his terror. I knew he needed me, even if he didn't want to admit it.
"Hey, it's okay," I whispered, trying to get his attention. "It's just a nightmare. You're safe."
Hunter continued to convulse, his heart racing under my hand. I tried to think of a way to help him but didn't know how. I wanted to know what was causing his fear but didn't want to push it when he was still wrapped in the throes of the nightmare.
"What's happening?" I asked softly, hoping he would tell me.
Hunter's eyes flew open, and he looked at me with a mixture of fear and confusion. "Nothing," he gasped, trying to catch his breath. "It's nothing. Just a stupid dream."
I could tell that he was lying, but I didn't want to push the issue too hard. I knew he had been through a lot, and that he needed to deal with his demons in his own way. So, I simply nodded and stroked his hair, trying to comfort him as best I could.
"Okay," I whispered. "Try to go back to sleep. I'm here with you."
Hunter's breathing began to slow to normal as he became more aware of his surroundings. I watched as he tried to shake off the nightmare.
He nodded, and I could feel his body relax under my touch. I stayed with him, holding him tightly as he fell back asleep.
I felt a pang of disappointment., I wished Hunter would trust me enough to confide in me about his demons. I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close as I whispered soothing words. I felt his body relax as he nuzzled his head into my neck, and we both fell back asleep.
But in the back of my mind, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Hunter didn't really trust me. I knew he must’ve been through some serious trauma, and I wanted to be there for him, but I also knew that I couldn't force him to open up if he wasn't ready.
