Fierce(65)

Hunter just stares at me, his jaws clenched tightly.

“You’re always hiding things from me. Why can’t you just tell me what you’re doing? Why are you dealing drugs? Is it just for the money?” I yell.

“Partially … but it’s not the biggest reason,” he says.

“But you’re broke all the time, just like me! What the fuck have you been doing with that money?”

“Saving it.” The look on his face changes from angry to offended. “I told you I’m trying to get Jessie out of jail.”

“By dealing? Doing the same thing that got him in there?” I say, pissed.

He steps closer, and his face is now hovering close to mine. “I’m doing what’s right,” he hisses.

“Right? Drugs?” I snort. “And here I thought you were a good thing in my life.”

His eyes are growing dimmer by the minute. The flame behind them is dying out slowly, and it’s my fault.

“Don’t say that. You don’t know what I’ve been through. You don’t know how fucked up my life is. I told you it wasn’t easy.”

“My life isn’t easy either, but now it’s only getting harder with you doing things like this. I don’t want to see you end up in jail. Your brother’s in there because of what he did, and you’re going straight after him.”

“My brother is in jail because he tried to take care of me!” Hunter snaps. “We lived in the slums for years. He was the only one I had, the only one who cared for me. The only way he could earn enough to support us was by dealing. He doesn’t deserve to be in jail for that. Not when the frat club practically used him as bait.”

I’m shocked by his story, but I’m horrified as well.

“Then why in God’s name are you in the club, too? They could do the same thing to you!”

“Because I owe it to my brother! I’d risk everything to get him out of there. That’s why I need the money; to bail him out.” Hunter squeezes my arm. “Wouldn’t you do the same if your family was in jail?”

“I guess …” I stammer.

“I want my brother back … It’s because of him that I’m in college now. He saved up every freaking coin he could so he could get me some education, even with my learning problems.”

My God. It’s all starting to make sense now.

He’s doing this all because of his brother. He loves him so much, he’s even willing to risk jail time for it. And I’ve been so ignorant, so judgmental about it. I should’ve known better.

At the same time, I’m still scared Hunter will end up in prison. Why doesn’t he just earn it in a legal way? I know it’s less efficient, but at least there are no risks.

“B-but there are other ways to make money and to get someone out of jail,” I stammer.

“Maybe, but there are other reasons why I chose to do it this way.”

“Why? Does it have something to do with that guy you’re looking for? The boss?”

“I can’t tell you.”

I sigh, rolling my eyes. “This again.”

“Don’t you see? I’ve tried to tell you, but you won’t listen to me. I cannot tell you, because it would put you in harm’s way. I don’t want you to get hurt. I’ll do anything to prevent that,” he says.

Hunter wraps his arms around me and presses me firmly to his chest, almost smothering me. His heart is beating like crazy. He’s shivering, too. I wonder why.

“I know I’m a screw-up, but I’m trying to get things together. You’re the only good thing that’s happened to me in my life,” he murmurs.

Suddenly I feel all warm and fuzzy.

“College life has been hard on me, but I want to succeed so badly. I just don’t know how. I thought that I could stand a chance with you. I thought, if that girl helps me out, teaching me how to learn quickly, maybe I can make it. Maybe I can make Jessie proud. Maybe the investment he made in me won’t be in vain.”

“It’s not,” I whisper. “I’ll help you. I promise. I want you to be okay, too.”

I look up at him, feeling glad he’s finally given me at least a glimpse into his life. It’s more than I ever thought was real. But now that I’ve seen how far he’s gone for his brother, how much he cares about him, how much pressure he feels to save him because Jessie did the same for him, I have so much respect for him. I’m in awe at his kindness and pure will.

He smiles back at me, and I feel like I’m the luckiest girl in the world to be in his arms right now.

“I’m sorry for …” I mutter.