The Hunter's Angel

Bared To You

I crossed my arms in front of my chest defiantly, meeting Hunter's blazing gaze. As if I owed him an explanation when he was the one who lied to me. 

"You first," I bit out, narrowing my eyes slowly. "Who the hell was that man that shot at us?" 

Hunter's eyes flickered with a cross of disbelief and liquid heat. He held my gaze for a moment longer, and he must have seen my determination because he snapped a short reply. 

"It was one of the cartel's runners. There was a leak and word got out that I was in the city in search of one of their men. So he sent someone else to take care of it," he finished tightly.

Shit. My eyes widened slightly. That wasn't good. 

Hunter's eyes swept across me, and it was evident that he was pissed, both at me and the situation. "You're damn well lucky he didn't succeed. That gun was aimed inches away from you." I could've sworn his voice faltered slightly at the implication of what that meant. 

"Maybe if you hadn't blatantly lied, I wouldn't have needed to go after you in the first place," I voiced bitterly. 

Hunter laughed uncivilly, his face lighting up with anger. "You didn't need to do jack shit." 

Irritation coursed through me at his words, compelling me to advance towards him furiously. The shock had completely worn off, replaced only by the lividity I tasted on my tongue. "What would have happened if I didn't come, Hunter? I was the one who warned you, I was the one that pushed your damn body out of the way. If I wasn't there, could you really say we would be having this conversation right now?" 

Hunter's jaw ticked, and vexation settled into his features as he marched forward, until our chests were nearly brushing. 

He was fuming. 

Refusing to back away, I could feel the whisper of his breath against my cheek as he uttered sternly, "I don't give a fuck about what you did. I would rather be dead than have you risk your life for me like that ever again. You were lucky that it didn't go wrong, and that's all it was. Luck." 

My breath caught as I looked up at him, studying the pain and passion swimming in his eyes. How could he care so little about his own life? Was I really that important to him? 

Not wanting to give more thought to the heaviness of his words, I threw him a biting scowl. "Enough about me. Let's talk about you, Hunter. What in the hell gave you the right to lie to my face like that? You let me parade around all day believing that you were perfectly safe, when, in reality, you could have been shot to pieces in some fucking alley and I would have been none the wiser." I shook my head indignantly, enraged at the idea of what he had done. At what could have been done to him. 

He ran a stiff hand through his hair, fire still flashing in his eyes. "It was for your own safety. I can't have anything happening to you. I won't." 

I threw my hands in the air furiously. "Don't you think I was worried too? Fuck!" I yelled. How could he be so blind? "You don't think it scares the shit out of me to think about you putting yourself in those situations day in and day out?" 

I wasn't quitting. "I mean, I damn well know this is your job, but it doesn't mean you're not risking your life every single second," I continued fervently. "You expect me to just sit by and watch that happen? I know I'm not a fucking kingpin like you, but I thought I could try to do something if it meant I didn't have to lose you," I finished, my breaths coming out shallowly and quickly. 

Hunter took a step back, the look in his eyes transforming as he took in what I had said. It was clear that he was taken aback by my words, by my sudden burst of candor, as he examined me silently.