Shouldn't Have Dealt - Book II

Chapter 18 - Grace Under Pressure

Chapter 18 – Grace Under Pressure

 

Victoria Stone picked The Rossum Café which is a five minute ride away from the Marriot Hotel where Hunter lives. She went there ahead of us to make reservations and to select the best menu for our breakfast date while Hunter waited me for me to get dressed.

I understand the excitement for a mother to meet her son’s girlfriend. However, this careful consideration from me is, a matter of fact, purely forced out of respect to her. I am not too evil to suddenly cut off this transitory joy, even though I am not exactly who she thinks I am to his son. It is Hunter’s responsibility to tell Victoria the truth.

Moreover, it is his request to keep her mother in the dark, and that he should be the one to take her out from it. Of course, I did not let the opportunity pass without ensuring a bargain from him.

His fingers slides through mine, and in seconds, I just feel his entire hand grasping mine as we walk into The Rossum. The only one thing I appreciate from him is his effort to secure me a new dress. I don’t know how he bought it early in the morning without me noticing his absence. Perhaps he had somebody run to the nearest boutique and pick a cobalt blue flat shoulder and slash neck mini pleated dress. I could very well go with a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. It’s as if he knew this is going to happen.

“Let me remind you of our deal, Hunter,” I tell him as I squeeze his hand.

Hunter beams and moves his mouth closer to my ear. “Shall we talk about the deal later, shan’t we?”

“Don’t take your hopes high, mister. I’m not going to sign your damn contract!”

He knows I am only doing this for the kind Victoria, and after this, he’ll have to live up with my own terms. I already have them in my mind, and I am eager to let him know about them. Hunter will have no choice but to succumb to my demands this time. After all, I have done him so many favors already.

“The contract will remain, Angel. But I gave you my word about hearing you out, so save them for later, okay?”

With my free hand gently slamming onto his chest, I deliberately put Hunter Stone to a halt. “I will stick pins to your eyes when you do something I don’t like. Your mother is such a sweet woman, and I am not going to fool her. Don’t lead her too long to believe your bogus story!”

The corner of his mouth twitches, and I thought I saw challenge in there. His eyes glint, not with agreement, but total protest.

“I know what I am doing, Angel.” He quickly grabs the hand I used in slamming onto his chest and makes sure he has inflicted pain from it. “And believe me, my mother knows when she’s being cheated.”

Why does he always have to hurt me?

He releases my hand after seeing me wincing of pain. There is a slight worry on his face but I am sure it is just guilt. I don’t think Hunter is capable of mercy neither is he a sadistic psychopath. However, maybe he just always falls short of temper.

“Sorry…” Hunter vaguely utters, with his gaze quickly leaving me.  Or more so, I think I heard him.

Hunter Stone just said he was sorry.

Did I hear him correctly?

I watch him walk away from me, his back facing me. He heads towards the table near the end corner of the restaurant where his mother has been waiting for ages.

It is a surprise he did not drag me there. Usually, the Hunter Stone I know, when pissed off, acts like a brat child and would use his all his power to step down onto people, and force people to follow his command like a puppy. However, this time is a little different. Is he letting me go? Doesn’t he need me anymore to play as accessory for his mother’s amusement? But what about the bargain?