Page 104 of Hunt Me

Luckily, it’s the last day of revisions before finals week, so this won’t last long. ‘Only a little while more.’

He nods, then kisses me before signing, ‘And then we put him in the ground.’

He doesn’t have to tell me who, and the fact that he wants to murder someone for me shouldn’t be this romantic.

But fuck. It really,reallyis.

26

DENVER

Time doesn’t have as much meaningnow that we’re into summer and I have no classes to teach and nothing to do except rot in Archie’s home. They still haven’t been able to find the piece of shit who’s been tormenting me, and the longer the wait goes on, the more frustrated Archie seems to become.

He doesn’t mind keeping me in his bed, of course. Right now, I’m waking up from a long nap after being tied up and fucked silly, Archie holding my legs up and my panties to the side so he could feel the slide of silk along his dick as he wrecked my hole.

Really, it’s not the worst way I’ve had to spend idle hours. But I’m also starting to feel a bit antsy and uncomfortable because Jasper had promised they would take care of this issue, but they’ve made no progress on finding Byron—and that’s still assuming this has anything to do with him.

Milo had initially suggested we use me as bait, but the idea was shot down almost immediately after Archie almost strangled his brother to death in the kitchen. Milo’s been pissed about it and spending almost all of his time sleeping at the café, and it makes me feel awful for disrupting the harmony of this home.

But I can’t leave. The stalker is MIA, and we currently have no leads. Percy and Jasper spent one afternoon going up to Byron’s last known address, but all they found was an empty apartment being prepared for new tenants. Jasper said he worked his charm on the office staff, who told them that Byron had moved out six weeks prior without notice, and they were still trying to serve him with a summons so they could get the money he owes them.

And right now, he’s either in the wind, or…hell. Maybe he’s dead. Maybe the wounds Archie gave him the last time he got too close to me were enough to end his life.

If they weren’t, it doesn’t matter. Death seems like an inevitability for him at this point. Unless he realized who he was fucking with and decided to flee the country, he has no hope of making it through the next time we have a confrontation. And that is the only thing bringing me any kind of peace as I sit on my ass, watching the start of summer, with no idea when I will be able to get back to life as normal.

We’ve settled into a routine, of course, but I am starting to get restless. My body and head are almost completely healed, and I’m really missing my shows and being able to see my friends whenever I want. When I brought up going to one soon, Archie had a huffing tantrum about it, and it was only when I stripped down to nothing and lay in his coffin that he got out of his funk.

We fucked, then talked quietly, hands moving softly between us as he told me he didn’t want me getting hurt, and I reminded him that he would be there to protect me. He still wasn’t having it though, and right now, it just doesn’t seem like it’s worth the fight. As much as I hate it, I can be patient for a little while longer as they try to solve this problem.

Grazing my knuckles along the coffin as I pass by it, I head for the basement door, my thighs gently burning as I walk upthe steps. I put my CIs on so I can listen for the sound of where everyone is, and by the time I make it into the main hallway, I can hear the low hum of conversation coming from the dining room.

No one ever uses it to eat. It’s more of a space where they gather to talk about things that I’m not part of, but I’m never made to feel unwelcome.

Turning the corner, I step into the room, and my eyes immediately find Archie, who’s at the far end near the window, pacing and wringing his hands. Jasper’s at the head of the table with a tablet open, and Percy’s in the corner, shoulder leaning against the wall, his face full of concern.

The only one who looks unaffected is Milo, but I’ve started to realize that’s his default state. He’s leaning back in his chair with one arm behind his head, the other holding a plastic bendy straw that he’s been chewing on.

Nico is missing, but he often is these days, and after asking a few times about what he’s up to and not getting an answer, I’ve given up trying to track him.

“Everything okay?” I ask, my question directed toward Archie.

He stares at me, then swallows thickly. His lips do the thing they always do when he’s trying and failing to speak. He lets out a frustrated hum and turns back to the window.

“I’ve upset him,” Jasper says softly.

I look over at the man who might one day become my father-in-law and raise a brow. “What’s happening?”

“I have a lead,” he says. “It’s out of town, and Archie wants to come with me. He’s not comfortable leaving you behind, but he also doesn’t want you anywhere near this.”

I appreciate that. The last thing I want to do is get in a car for a road trip to track down my stalker. My nerves cannot take it. Inod at him, then cross the room and very carefully set my hands on Archie’s shoulders.

He stiffens for a moment, making another distressed whine, and then he curls into my arms and buries his face in my neck. One hand slips between us where no one can see, and he toys with my right nipple as though soothing himself with it.

His lips part after a second, and he begins to mouth at my tendon.

“It’s okay,” I murmur. “You need to go with your dad, and I will be safe here.”

He shakes his head almost violently, then forces himself to pull back. ‘Not safe,’ he signs.