Hunter - Blaire Drake Page 0,71

think she'd have noticed considering the view.

She was lying next to me now, on her side, facing me. Her legs were intertwined with mine, and one of her tiny, soft hands was resting against my stomach. Several strands of her dark hair fell over her face, so I reached forward and gently pushed it out of her eyes. She sniffed, but she didn't wake up.

At the risk of feeling like a bit of a creep, I watched her sleep.

It was strange—watching someone as they gave into a necessary human desire. She was so vulnerable right now. With her eyes closed, her long lashes touching her cheeks, and her lips slightly parted. Anyone could come in here and do anything to her without a second thought. She was completely and utterly vulnerable—raw, almost.

She was also completely gorgeous.

I trailed my fingertips down the side of her face, letting them fall naturally as the swooping line of her jaw gave way to the soft curve of her neck. She didn't move as I did this. I felt strange. It all felt strange, but in this moment, when she was asleep, just a girl, and I was lying next to her, just a guy...

We were almost normal.

She wasn't a mafia princess, determined to kill her father and reclaim the biggest family in the country. I wasn't the assassin for that family, ready to do it for her, to give her everything she wanted.

She was just a girl. I was just a guy.

I guessed that if you stripped away all the bullshit, that's all we were. A boy and a girl thrust into a pretty unfortunate situation.

And she was still everything to me. Unhealthily so, possibly, but when I looked into her eyes, life meant something again. It wasn't just a means to an end, cut and dry, born-live-die. It was something that could be lived and enjoyed and cherished.

She was my light. There was never any doubt and there never would be.

Adriana Romano was the North star of the darkness of my soul.

I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Her eyes twitched, and I saw the tiny twitch of her lips as I pulled away.

She yawned and stretched out, her nails just grazing across my skin. When she was done stretching, she shuddered and met my eyes. She smiled. “Morning. Did you sleep better?”

“I didn't really sleep much more,” I admitted. I never did. It was always in and out, more tossing and turning than anything else. The only reason I didn't thrash around like normal was because no matter how uncomfortable I was, I knew she was sound asleep and comfy.

“We need to get some breakfast,” she said in a sleep-laden, husky voice. She yawned again, into her hand. “Excuse me. We also need some more clothes from somewhere. And to get across the country easily.”

“By easily, do you mean secretly?”

“I... yes. Can we do it?”

“We'd have to drive. I have no doubt that your father will have eyes in every airport in the city looking for us. We also need cash, we'd have to stop...” My mind spun uncontrollably trying to put together a plan.

“I have cash,” she said, almost excitedly, sitting up. “It's in the bag. Mamma always kept a couple thousand in the safe for this reason.”

I was beginning to think that Alexandria Romano was able to see into the future.

“Okay, well, that's a start.” I sat up with her. “Let's get dressed and go into Vegas to get food.”

She bit her lower lip. “I have an idea, but it might be risky.”

“Don't even go there,” I replied, knowing instantly what she was gonna say. “There's no 'might' about it, Addy. Going to the Gardarellis is definitely risky.”

“I know...” She slumped. “But they might be able to help us. Isn't it worth the risk?”

“Let's see.” I got out of the bed and looked at her. “Make our way to New York quietly in a car no one knows exists, or go to the Gardarellis and risk being shot on sight.”

Not to mention there was a slim chance the Gardarellis weren't my biggest fans.

“What did you do to them?” She groaned, dropping her face into one of her hands. She peered at me from the side. “Come on, Hunter. I know you did something. I'm not stupid.”

“Well.” I shuffled backward before darting into the bathroom and shutting the door.

“Hunter!” she yelled. A second later, she started hitting the door. “What did you do?! Hunterrrrr!”

I peed quickly while she pounded her fists