Protecting Her - Alexis Noelle Page 0,52

hug, trying to memorize the feeling of it. I have missed him so much that I want to engrain every memory from now on into my brain. He gets into a cab and I walk back to the elevator, knowing that when I get upstairs I will most likely need to deal with a very pissed off Hunter.

I need to try to maintain control and not fight with him. It’s been my actions that have put him in the state he is in now. As I stand in front of the hotel room, I take a deep breath, readying myself to swallow my pride. I walk into the room and he isn’t in the living room. I check the bathroom and it’s empty too. Maybe he went to lay down, he did end up drinking a lot.

When I open the door to the bedroom bile rises up my throat.

No.

Hunter is lying in the bed naked, while a woman I have never seen before is on top of him, riding him. My hand goes to my mouth as my eyes well up with tears. “Oh my God.”

Hunter looks up at me with a smile on his face. “Hey doll, you wanna join?”

“Who is she?” the blonde asks, although my presence doesn’t deter her from continuing to fuck him.

Hunter laughs before looking at the blonde. “She’s no one, babe.” His hands go to her hips and he is now pretending like I’m not even standing here. I run away from the room and into the next bedroom, not knowing what to do. There is press everywhere downstairs; if I try to leave in this condition it will be the front page story. I lock the door to my bedroom and curl into the fetal position on the bed.

My heart feels like it has shattered into a million pieces. He made me trust him. He said he was different. He made me feel safe. He told me he loved me.

I let out a scream as sobs wrack my body.

I lost him for real this time.

The sound of them having sex echoes into my room. I can’t stay here and listen to this. I pull out my phone but most of the numbers in it are no one that I can trust. That’s when I pass Jules’ number. She is the only person I feel like I can reach out to. If she even answers my call.

“Hello?”

“Jules? It’s Sam.” I choke out the words, barely able to say them.

“Sam? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Her voice is worried and she is talking quickly.

“I need somewhere to go.” I don’t want to get into all of this on the phone but I can’t stay here.

“Okay, do you want to come here? Is Hunter with you?” His name drives a knife straight through my chest.

“Would you mind? It’s just me.” I almost whisper the last sentence.

“Come on over. I’ll be here when you get here.”

I thank her and then hang up. I text Joe and ask him to get the car but it takes a little while because I can barely see the phone screen through my tears. Trying to hide myself from the waiting cameras, I pull on a hoodie and grab the biggest pair of sunglasses I own.

The ride to Jules’ house is a blur. Joe doesn’t ask me what is wrong but my hysterical crying and Hunter’s absence probably gives him a good idea. Once we pull up to her house, I race up the steps and the door opens without me even needing to knock.

“Oh my God. Sam? What happened?” Her face is full of concern as she takes in my obvious disheveled appearance.

I step into the house and head straight for the couch. I recount the events of the last week. How I pushed Hunter and everyone else away. How my dad showed up. The fight. The scene in the room.

“I can’t believe this. I mean, I know his history babe, but I never thought he would cheat on you. I’ve never seen him love someone like he does you.” Her words get to me, only causing the tears I stopped to return. “What are you going to do?”

I just shake my head.

I know what I need to do. It’s just a question of if I can do it.

Chapter Twenty Six

Samantha

My phone rings for the third time. I see his name flash across the screen and the only thing I feel is hurt. I can’t believe he even has the nerve