Holding On

Chapter 27 - Katherine

Hunter's POV

John and Alex had decided to leave soon after breakfast, leaving me home alone with Courtney once again. She had finished her toast then made her way back upstairs for a few moments. She seemed to be feeling better, but something seemed to have been bothering Alex while we were eating. I don't think I have ever seen him so into his own thoughts.

I figured he was still feeling bad about everything that happened last night, but he'll get over that soon. At least he better. The thought made me smirk to myself. He may be my brother, but I still had to be tough on him sometimes. Things were dangerous out here so it isn't wise to keep your head on something too long. I should know...

Courtney had noticed that we were running low on some things around the house and volunteered to run to the store. I was reluctant to let her out of the house so soon, but she was determined about this. She had the fire back in her eyes when she worked to convince me that she would be alright since she wasn't going anywhere near Daniel's house. I loved seeing that determination light up her eyes.

In the end, she won and I told her she could take my car. She had gone around and wrote down everything that we needed. When she came back downstairs, she tucked the small slip of paper into her pocket and stepped over towards me.

"I won't be long," she said softly, and I nodded. She stood on her tip toes and gave me a kiss, and I wrapped her into an embrace. I couldn't help but worry a bit about her heading out. However, it isn't wise to fight a woman who has her mind set on something.

As she left, I listened as the silence settled over the house. At one time, I used to love the silence, but now it pained me because it told me that Courtney wasn't here. I took a seat on the couch, deciding to catch a quick nap while she was out. However, I felt like I had just shut my eyes when I heard a knock sound at the door.

I already knew it wasn't John or Alex as I glanced over at it. Those two never knocked on the door unless it was late at night. As I got up to walk to the door, I know it wasn't Courtney either. With a glance at the clock, I saw that she had only been gone for half an hour so far. As I reached the door, my mind was still searching for options as to who it could be, but the site that greeted me was one that I wished I never had to see.

Standing on my front porch was a tall, slender woman with deep red hair that reached just past her shoulders, and emerald green eyes. The sight of her made my stomach churn and, for once, I was relieved that Courtney wasn't here. Swallowing hard, I finally got my words to form.

"What are you doing here?"

As she looked at me, she blinked her long eyelashes the way I remembered she used to do. Her beauty was still hypnotizing. Any man would still fall for her, but I know what lies beneath that beauty. "Aren't you glad to see me, Hunter?" She asked as her voice came deceptively smooth as honey. To my ears, it sounded like claws on a chalk board.

I clenched my fists at my sides. "Hardly," I growled, the edge in my voice. "Just answer the question, Katherine." A look of hurt flashed in those eyes that I had once fallen for, but I wasn't about to put up with any of her games.

"I came here to see you," she said and quickly slipped past me, into the house. "I've missed this place, and I wanted to come home." She looked back at me and placed her hands on her hips. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. Home?! She really expects this to be home after everything she did to us?! She tilted her head at me. "You don't look very happy to see me."

I huffed and shut the door, looking at her. "That's because I'm not." I definitely wasn't going to sugarcoat anything for her, no matter how many times she gave me an innocent look. "What were you expecting? That I was just going to welcome you back here with arms wide open after everything you did to me; to my family?"