29. Hunter

HUNTER

“ H ave they come?” I ask Jake in the locker room.

He holds up a box in his hands and I swipe it from him, anxious to try Elodie’s new creation.

“I still don’t get what I’m holding,” he says.

“Ella made a new dessert and I’ve been dying to try it. She sent it before…before she broke up with me.” Even though Grant and Tank are still shadowing me after Stella’s plea, I’m still not getting a reprieve. A group of five are constantly hounding me, and it’s influencing every part of my life. They’re constantly there, harassing me.

Holding this little part of Elodie, even if it’s a piece of dessert, is something tangible from her, something that will have to hold me over until I see her again. I would like nothing more than to surprise her on her vacation, but I can’t. All because of Jax fucking Stone .

“Shit, man, I’m sorry.” Marcus frowns. “Are you doing okay with the breakup?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I brush off his concern and take a bite and close my eyes, savoring the different flavors and textures. Holy shit. This is amazing.

Me: It’s official, this dessert cookie-donut hybrid is the best food I’ve ever eaten.

Ella: I like how you clarified the food point.

Me: Because your pussy is my favorite thing to eat in the entire world.

Ella: I miss you.

Me: You have no idea how much I miss you. Are you having fun on the beach?

Ella: Yeah, I am. But I wish you were here.

Me: Same, babe. Same.

Practice sucks. I’m not able to concentrate, constantly worried about Elodie and Stella, about the people following me, about Minnie, the Super Bowl. Basically, everything. My body drags through the motions, exhaustion weighing heavily on me. My lack of restorative sleep is finally catching up to me, and that’s unacceptable. I need to perform, and I can’t.

Jax didn’t listen to Stella’s plea, and there are still some conspiracy theorists that are invested in his bullshit. If he won’t listen to her, maybe it’s time I pay him a visit. Get him to stop with this nonsense.

Once I’m home, I call Andrew, my manager. “I need to find out where Jax Stone will be in the next twenty-four hours,” I say when he answers.

“Are you going to do anything that’ll get you arrested?”

“No. But I do need to have a chat with him.”

“Let me ask around, and I’ll call you back.”

While I wait, I contact my lawyer to discuss what kind of legal action we can take against Jax. I include Stella on the call, and she listens intently, ready to escalate right along with me.

Within an hour, Andrew informs me of a lunch Jax is having tomorrow with his manager in LA. For the first time, I’m happy that people are following me to the airport and tracking my flight path.

Tomorrow, it’s time to end this.

I saunter through the restaurant doors, bypassing the shocked hostess, and make a beeline for Jax’s table. More than a few people whip out their phones, and it’s the first time I want someone to video me .

Jax’s eyes widen when he spots me before he straightens his suit jacket and sits straighter in his seat.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” he asks.

I pull out the chair next to his manager and sit in it.

“So glad you’re here,” I say to his manager, “since what we’re about to discuss is of critical importance.”

His manager snorts. “I highly doubt that?—”

“Here is a copy of the defamation lawsuit and civil harassment restraining order I’ll be filing against you. These are only the lawsuits that relate to me, but Stella is filing her own as we speak.”

Jax snorts, dismissive. “This won’t stop anything. You’re wasting your time.”

“Am I? Because our lawyers are confident we have a case.” I grin. “You know, lawsuits are expensive. Stella’s a billionaire, and word on the street is that you’re suffering financially after funding your movie that has flopped spectacularly. We have the time and resources to drag this out as long as needed. After we’re done with you, you’ll be a D-list celebrity, if that.”

Jax pales, finally understanding the implications.

“What do you want?” his manager asks.

“For you to stop with the conspiracy theories and for you to release a statement that basically says you were having a tantrum because you couldn’t stand how horrible your movie has been performing and you wanted to punish Stella for it.”

Jax’s face reddens. “It’s her fault. And yours. The media are more interested in your relationship than my movie.”

“Don’t say anything more,” his manager snaps. “We’ll do it.”

Jax glares at his manager, and his manager shrugs. “You can recover from a bad movie, but you can’t recover as easily from bankruptcy, your reputation being ruined through a court case, and a bad movie on top of it all.”

“But,” Jax says, “my reputation will be ruined by making a public statement like they’re demanding.”

“Or people will respect you for being honest,” his manager says. “We’ll figure it out.”

“I want this agreement in writing,” I say, “and for you to post the video at the latest by tomorrow morning. If not, we’re filing and will be seeing you in court.” I rap my knuckles on the table as I stand. “My manager will be in touch.”

After that, I inform Andrew and Stella of what’s to come and hop back onto the plane. When I land, I have a missed call from Elodie.

Shit.

I forgot to tell her that I’d be flying, that I wouldn’t be available to talk.

There’s so much going on that I’m running on fumes. I’ve never missed a call from her before. I check the time, but it’s one in the morning.

I chance it and video call her anyway while I drive back to my house .

“Hey,” she says, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. “Are you okay? I was worried.”

“I’m so sorry, I was flying.”

“To where?”

“LA. I confronted Jax. I’m trying to fix everything, for Stella, for me, for us.”

“Babe,” she says, “you’re spreading yourself too thin. When was the last time you ate or slept properly?”

Too long, but I don’t answer, not wanting her to worry. Instead, I say, “But someone has to take care of it.”

“You’re such an amazing person, but you can’t take on everyone’s problems.”

“I can if they affect us, if they affect my livelihood.”

She winces. “I wish I could help. I feel so useless.”

“You deserve a break. This isn’t your battle to fight.”

“But it is, because it’s your battle,” she says. “I need you to take care of yourself. Your season is coming to an end soon, and I don’t want you to jeopardize your career because of Jax fucking Stone.”

I let out a shaky breath. “I’ll try.”

“I love you. And I have a surprise waiting for you when you get home.”

“What kind of surprise?” I ask.

“Something small, but I hope it’ll help you. I had Tank hide it at the top of your pantry.”

“I already love it.”

She laughs. “You don’t even know what it is.”

“I don’t need to. I love everything you give me. ”

“I love you. Have I mentioned lately how proud I am of you?”

Warmth blossoms in my stomach at her words. “Love you, too. Talk tomorrow?”

“It’s a date.”

Grinning, I rush home and find the package where Ella said it’d be. I tear it open, and it’s a journal. With it is a note saying: Dear Hunter, I'm so proud of how you're tackling everything head-on.Maybe putting your thoughts down can help sort through the chaos and give you a much-needed mental break. Love you, Ella.

I run a finger over the forest-green leather cover. The edges are hand-stitched with dark brown waxed thread,adding a touch of rustic elegance.Flipping through the thick,ivory-colored pages I spot some handwritten mindfulness prompts in Elodie’s handwriting, like “breathe,” “gratitude,” or “present moment.”

I send her a thank-you text and get to work, dumping all my anxieties and worries onto the page. When I finally finish, I feel lighter. And for the first time in weeks, I get a full night of sleep.