"I won't let your father take you away from me if you don't wanna go," He said grabbing my face and a sudden peck on my lips was followed by a small smile. "I really really like you" He whispered before I could speak and reply because my heart melted at his sudden confession is lips laid on mine.
I moaned into the kiss and squeaked as he bit my lower lip.
"I-I" I whispered as he frowns and looks at me. His hand tilted my chin up to look into his eyes.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"I don't wanna go home, they -they pushed me out and -" He suddenly hugged me tightly. My hands stayed over his chest as I felt like I could never be happy if I did o back home.
"But I miss mom-" My voice cracked. It was raspy. I soon started crying in his arms as he rubbed his hand up and down my back. His lips laid soft kisses over my head and cheeks.
"It's Okay. I know" He said.
"Hey-" He said pulling back and pushing my hair out the way.
"If you do come at the point when you have to decide something like that, I'll always bet there with you. I don't care what you wanna do next. I just care about you" I sniffed and nodded.
I woke up as my hearing picked up the silent music noise as the car passed by some other cars on highway road. I wince as my neck suddenly felt sore, I saw Hunter shift the gear and glance at me from the corner of my eye.
"Hey baby" I heard him and noticed his jacket over my chest and hummed back feeling tired. I feel bubbles rise up in my stomach as I heard him call me that. I felt myself blush whenever he called me that.
"Your phone has had five missed calls by now" I snap my eyes at him and frown taking the phone and my heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Max never called so many times in a row if there wasn't something to worry about.
"Who is Max?" His tone was different, It made me somehow wanna speak the truth even him even asking me to do so. I had not told him about Max or Aaron yet.
I was sure, he would probably take it the wrong way if I mentioned him out of context.
I stare at the screen and dial his number back and bite my lip.
"He is someone who helped me run away on the day I was supposed to be married," I said earning a nod from Hunter. Although I could see he wanted more than just this small answer, His eyes were on the road. But they weren't soft, they were somewhat rough.
It scared me a bit. It was like he was angry. He seemed so far away. If that made any sense.
"Where the fuck are you ?" I winced pulling the phone away from my ear but pressing it back.
"What happened?" I asked calmly. I already had a feeling something bad was gonna happen soon I just, didn't know what to do and how I could approach it.
"We have to get to your location right now. I think that Aaron is on to something. I have someone who has been rushed to where you were living. I hope you are still there" I frown.
"Wait, What-What's happening?" I ask sitting straight.
"We think Aaron knows where you are" I almost gasp. I knew it, I just knew it. That person who visited the house while we were away was him.
"Max, We-We are heading there, but-but there are people in the house. My friends-" Before I could react he spoke up, I could faintly hear Hunter as me what was wrong but I was hyper-focused on what Max was saying.
"Listen to me, Eve. We are heading your way soon. Just stay inside. My men saw Aaron near the gas station after they reviewed the camera footage. Don't worry hon. I have a guy send who should be there any minute to see what's going on."
I could feel all this crash down upon me the minute I left my house. Instead of erasing myself from people's memory, I have caused them to double the problem.
Even those who helped me have food and shelter without questioning me once about my past.
I wanted to run away. Right here, right now. But I couldn't leave under like this. I could run away from everything. Next thing knows Aaron might disrupt his and other's lives.
"Listen, Eve. You might have to come back home with me" I look down at my lap. I never glanced at Hunter who had asked me twice in a row what was wrong by now.
"Yes, I understand. I will be, ready" I almost spoke softly. Hanging up as he said yes.
"Are you tell me what the fuck is going on or do I have to guess now" I look out the window to see we were now off the highway. It was a normal road as we passed through the outside of a small town.
"Hunter, Can you please pull over?" He glanced at me once before changed the route and turned away from the main road leading directly to the town we were supposed to go to.
He drove the car on a dirt road through the tree line and we soon stopped at an isolated area.
I sigh, My fingers fidgeting.
"Soon I am going get really angry Eve, If you wanna give an explanation, you better do it now"
I frown, I gulp nodding. I just blurt it out without thinking.
"Max was my fiance, The man I was going to marry, The reason all this is happening in the first place"
There, I said it. And I had no idea how to continue.
I dare to look at him. His face was full of shock. His eyes wide and he held a confused unspeakable emotion.
"As I said before, My dad decided to marry me off, I was in depression. No one spoke up for me. Not even my sister for whom I did it, Max-" I pause but continue in a short while.
"Max or Maximilian, he is my father's trusted friend's son. He had been asking for my hand for a very long time. It was perfect for them. I was forced into the engagement. Kissed without my consent. It was only when he found me on my knees crying behind the venue at the rehearsal dinner that he decided- to let me go"
Hunter listened carefully.
"His mother hated me. His father found me as a bargaining chip, I still remember-" I let out a sad but amused chuckle.
"His mother walked in on me trying to jump out my window, In my wedding dress" I laughed wiping the tears that started pouring down my cheeks.
"She and I had a long argument. When Max came in to ask me if I wanted to go on with the wedding. We three came to one conclusion. I had to leave before my father walked in and dragged me down the aisle. Max helped me leave. His mother gave me her car just so I could never come back again. But, Max-"
I sniffed.
"Max stayed in contact with me. He transferred me money when I seemed to run out of some. He made sure my father couldn't pinpoint my location. He did so much for me, I couldn't be any more grateful. To think he was protecting me from my own father after I left him on the wedding day"
"When my father got a call from Aaron, The man who gave me a job. I ran away because Aaron threatened to kill me, It was a mess, I AM a mess. I thought I could just cut all ties, and now I got everyone in this situation"
The last thing I expected was a hand on my head. Patting my hair softly.
"It's alright, I am right here" I laugh. I laughed because I couldn't believe him.
"You are trying to help a girl who could get you in deep shit trouble? " He smiled.
"You don't know who I am yet baby," He said before pulling the car out and speeding down the road.
While I just stare at him in utter confusion.
I wasn't lucky. I wasn't given mercy from the gods. All my hopes were thrown out the window as I slammed the door closed and ran.
Hunter's voice yelling at me to stop when I saw Aaron. His gun pointed at Sofia's head. She struggled as her husband was on the verge of crying. There moment we got near the gates of their house, my eyes had moved across the driveway to the unfamiliar black car, When we suddenly heard the gunshot.
Blake was on the ground with his leg shot as Charles fought with two men but in vain.
"Ahh. There she is. Now, Gonna make this really quick, Get in the car with me or she dies" I didn't feel my tears as they ran down my cheek nodding as Hunter constantly told me to stop.
"Let her go," Hunter said as I walked slowly towards the car and was grabbed by a man as he turned my hands behind my back restricting my movement.