The Hunter's Angel

Confessions

"Holy shit, Layla," Hunter exclaimed, pure pride scorching through his eyes. "That's incredible. I'm so proud of you, Angel. I know how badly you wanted this, how hard you worked for it. Nobody deserves it more." 

I smiled shyly. "Thank you," I murmured, my chest warming at the pride in his voice, at his praising words. 

"You were the first person I wanted to tell when I got the news," I admitted, my eyes carefully holding his. "Nobody else came to mind but you." 

Hunter's gaze warmed, and he let out a slow breath as something deeper passed through his eyes, something stronger, heavier. 

Something passed between us, something I couldn't name but knew far too well, a sense of need, a sense of yearning. 

"Hunter..." I voiced slowly, knowing now was the moment, now was the time to tell him. To tell him what I wanted to say that night, to tell him I was finally ready. "I—" 

My confession was abruptly cut off by a loud knock at the door, the sound nearly making me jump in my seat. 

I looked at Hunter with confusion, and although he seemed slightly frustrated by the break in our conversation, his gaze sparked with something I couldn't read. 

"I almost forgot," he drawled with a slight grin, "you have visitors." 

All I could do was stare at him open-mouthed as he stood up and sauntered towards the door. 

Visitors? What the hell was he talking about? 

Hunter opened the door, my own damn door might I add, and every single word left my lips the second I saw two familiar figures walk through the door. 

Kat and Liam. 

Holy shit. 

"Kat? Liam?" I muttered, slowly standing up but remaining frozen in place as I stared at them in complete shock. 

Kat's eyes shone with relief at the sight of me, and Liam's lips curved into a slow grin as he met my wide-eyed gaze. "Miss us?" he murmured. 

Before I could say anything, Kat let out a squeal and swarmed me, running across the room and pulling me into the tightest hug. I embraced her back, laughing as she nearly squeezed me to death. 

"God, Layla, don't you ever disappear on me again," Kat exclaimed, pulling back and giving me a stern but heartfelt look. "You had us worried sick." 

I let out a shaky breath, my mouth curving into a wobbly smile. "I missed you too." 

Kat let out an impressive string of curse words, pulling me back in for an even tighter hug that made me giggle. Fuck, I had missed her. 

"Kat, let the poor girl breathe," Liam urged, his lips tilting in a warm smile as Kat stepped back, letting him pull me in for a hug. "I'm glad you're okay, babe."

"Thanks, Liam," I murmured with a soft grin, giving him a gentle squeeze. 

"I can't believe you guys are here," I voiced, shaking my head in awe. 

I hadn't realized how much I had missed them until they were here, standing before me, and suddenly I felt the urge to laugh and cry and shout all at once. 

"It's all thanks to this guy," Kat said, motioning to Hunter, who had moved to stand in front of the sink. "He called Liam yesterday and set the whole thing up." 

I looked over at Hunter, my throat tightening with emotion at his thoughtful gesture. Thank you, I mouthed.  

He nodded, his eyes flashing with warmth as he sent me a soft grin. 

"God, I missed you guys," I breathed. 

"We missed you more," Kat insisted, pulling me in for another hug. 

"A trillion times more," Liam added with a grin. 

"I'm so happy you're in one piece," Kat clamored. "You had us so scared, babe."  

"I know, I'm sorry," I urged softly, knowing they must have been worried sick when I never showed up that night. "I promise everything's okay now, though." 

"It better be," Kat spoke with an arched brow. "Because you have a lot of explaining to do, missy." 

Lord, did I ever.

I knew there was no escaping Kat's wrath once she set her mind to something, and it was clear she knew something was up and was ready to get to the bottom of it. 

And, while I knew Hunter had invited Kat and Liam over to make me feel better, I also knew this was his way of giving me an opportunity to do what we had talked about several nights ago. To come clean and get everything off my chest. To check one last box off the list. 

My gaze shifted to Hunter's for approval, and he nodded gently, giving me the go-ahead to finally admit everything to them. To finally reveal the truth I had spent the past year hiding from my best friends. 

"So," I started with a slow breath, sliding into a stool, "where should I start?" 

Liam leaned against the counter beside me, but Kat rounded the island, settling down on a stool across from me. Hunter watched over by the sink, failing to hide the amusement painting his face. 

It looked like Kat was interrogating me, for God's sake. 

"Why don't you start with that night after the club?" Kat declared. "When you had that run-in with that sketchy ass criminal. I always knew some weird shit was up with that." 

I could have sworn Hunter choked on a laugh, and I shot him a look as he pressed his fist against his mouth, a damn grin still peeking out from underneath it. 

God, this was going to be the most painful conversation of my life.

I met Kat's inquisitive gaze from across the island, swallowing down the bundle of nerves as I got ready to go back to that first night—when everything began. 

Suddenly, confessing my feelings to Hunter sounded a hell of a lot easier.