14. Hunter

HUNTER

M y thoughts are like unleashed hounds,chasing each other in circles as I storm through the streets of Tribeca.Anger,disbelief,and hurt tear me apart.She’s not who she said she was, and I can’t even wrap my mind around that kind of deception.The woman I fell for is a carefully crafted illusion and nothing more.

Of course it wouldn’t be real. A relationship with Stella was a dream, one that was easily shattered in the harsh daylight. Every block I pass is a battleground, my mind racing, conjuring scenarios, accusations, doubts.

As I pass the cozy coffee shop where I found her the day after the gala,a fresh surge of anger ignites within me. No wonder she was acting strangely after I asked her to dinner and messaged on her phone. I bet she had to ask Stella or Rachel for permission. She probably didn’t even want to go out with me in the first place .

I run my hands through my hair and pull at the ends trying to calm my spiraling thoughts. Elodie and Stella’s deception is like a twisted joke. The cobblestones crunching beneath my feet feel more like shattered dreams. The towering buildings loom over me like judgmental giants. Every face I pass is a potential witness to my humiliation. I need to get off the crowded streets. Finding a park, I sink into the first empty bench I spot.

Was her laughter genuine or a carefully constructed performance? Were her confessions true or a rehearsed line? I can’t help but dissect our history, word by word, searching for clues to a reality I can trust.

There were things that were odd but now make sense, like her texting someone nonstop when we first met or her freezing on the red carpet when asked about the soundtrack. Hell, Elodie didn’t know where anything was in Stella’s kitchen. It should’ve tipped me off, but I chalked it all up to it being part of who Stella was.

My thoughts are a relentless tide, so I force myself to focus on the world around me. A man across from me is lost in a sandwich, his focused munching a stark contrast to my internal chaos. Further down the path, a woman is absorbed in a book, while two elderly ladies share a lively conversation. In the mundane rhythm of their lives, I find a temporary respite, a chance to gather my scattered thoughts.

With it, realization seeps in—Elodie was bound by an NDA,a contractual straitjacket that silenced her truth.It's a bitter pill to swallow,but I begrudgingly understand the impossible position she was in. She couldn’t tell me, even if she wanted to.

I hate to admit it, but it takes a certain kind of bravery and dedication to switch places with the biggest popstar in the world. It says a lot about what kind of person Elodie is to do that, to go to such extremes, to help Stella and her mom.

I blow out a long breath.

What hurts is the fact I don’t know if I fell for Elodie or some version of Stella she made up. If I didn’t fall for her, I doubt I’d feel this betrayal. I was ready to throw our contract out, to make my feelings known to her, but now I can’t trust how I feel for her.

Not until I know if I fell for the real Elodie or not.

As the sun creeps across the sidewalk, I mull over my options. Do we continue to fake date, or should I cut ties with her now? Either way, I need to talk to Elodie now that I’ve calmed down.

I make my way back to Stella’s apartment, and her security lets me inside. Stella’s still on the couch, Kai hovering nearby.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“I don’t know.” I sigh. “I know you want me to keep an open mind, but it’s difficult.”

“I get it, but Elodie is one of the best people I know. She didn’t want to hurt you. ”

“Is she still in the room?” I ask, ignoring her endorsement of Elodie.

“Yeah, we went to check on her, but she refuses to move.”

I nod and walk down the hardwood floors. When I’m outside the door, my hand shakes as I reach for the knob and twist.

Elodie’s head snaps up and her red-rimmed eyes widen when she takes me in. I shut the door behind me and sit next to her on the bed.

There’s a pile of tissues on the floor next to her, and I hate that she’s been crying.

“Hey.” It’s a bad opener, but I don’t know what else to say.

“Where did you go?”

“For a walk, to clear my head.”

“Are you okay?”

I snort and shake my head. “It feels like a betrayal, to find out you’re not who I thought you were. I get that you didn’t have a choice and that you were protecting Stella, but it makes me question everything we had. Did you…” I break off and stare at the floor, swallowing hard. “Did you even enjoy spending time with me, or was it all just part of the act?”

It’s one of my biggest fears, and I’m worried that it’s just come true. She grabs my hand, but I refuse to look at her. I can’t bear to see the pity in her gaze, or worse, the confirmation. Instead, the floor is a safer place to focus on .

“Spending time with you,” she says, “was the best part of my day. Through it all, I looked forward to your texts and seeing you. You made everything better.”

I glance at her, not sure if she’s saying it to be kind or if she really means it.

“I’m serious,” she says. “I was struggling for the first few weeks, and you helped me more than you know.”

I search her face, trying to determine if she’s telling the truth, and come up empty-handed. I don’t know if I can even read her anymore. “Where do we go from here?”

“Well,” she says, “I still need your help with Jax, and I’m assuming you still need help with Evren?”

“I do.”

“Then let’s still continue to fake date. I understand that what’s between us isn’t real, and can never be after I hurt you, but I still want you in my life.”

She does? I squash the hope that causes my stomach to flip at her words. I selfishly don’t want to give her up, not yet. Not until I discover if the woman I fell for was really Elodie or not.

“Okay,” I say, “but I want to get to know you as Elodie.”

“But you already know me. I wasn’t pretending with you.”

“I’m going to need some time before I can believe that.”

“I understand,” she whispers .

“We need a nickname for you, so I don’t accidently call you Elodie in front of others.”

“What about Ella?”

“Ella.” I try out the nickname, and it feels natural, like it fits her more than Stella ever did. “I like it.”

“Hi.” She sticks her hand out for me to shake. “Nice to meet you. I’m Elodie, but you can call me Ella.”

“Hi.” I grab her hand in mine, the spark that’s between us still there. “Nice to meet you. I’m Hunter.”

And just like that, we start over, but this time without any secrets between us.