Free Hunter (Broken Bad Boys 1): A New Adult Bad Boy Romance by Skylar Heart Page B

you crying?”
    I shake my head. Of course I’m not. Why would I be?
    But when Hanna reaches out, touching my cheek for a moment, and pulls her fingers back, they’re covered in black smudges.
    Fuck.
    “Liz…” She shakes her head. “Are you sure you’re up for shopping? We can go another time.”
    “I’m not made of glass.” My voice comes out way louder than I mean it to.
    “I never said you were.” She frowns as her eyes dart around. Of course, now I make her feel awkward to be seen with me in public.
    “I’m sorry. Maybe it’s better if I go home.” I pull my bag up higher. “Talk to you later?”
    Hanna nods. “I’ll call you over the weekend.”
    I start walking away, to the bus stop, as I text Lola. Maybe she is off early and we can go home together, though I don’t expect it.
    As I step out the door, Hunter is standing near the stairs, next to his bike. “Lizzy.”
    His voice makes me want to do nothing but wrap my arms around him and disappear against his chest. But I can’t. I can’t be involved with him, for both our sakes. “No.” My voice is stronger than I feel. “Fuck off.” He doesn’t get to make me feel like this and then act like nothing happened.
    I don’t look his way again, my focus fully on getting home. On hiding in my room all weekend and not having to talk to anyone. Silence, rest, all the good things.

    * * *
    M onday morning comes way too soon. I’ve spent most of the weekend at home, wrapped in a blanket, reading books and watching TV. Lola tried to get me out of the house at some point, but luckily gave up. It’s not that I didn’t want to do anything, but my mood wasn’t the best. I tried drawing and painting, but nothing happened other than lots of black pencil and paint, and I’ve made enough paintings of only black and darkness that I quickly quit when I realized where I was going.
    I pull my clothes on and walk down the steps from my bedroom to my living space. I turn on the coffee machine and drop in a pod to maybe wake me up some more. Then I slump down in my chair and scroll through my phone, looking at images and texts on social media until the machine has stopped making sounds.
    I carefully stand up again and grab the coffee before I shuffle to the couch and curl up there.
    A knock on the door makes me look up. Lola.
    “Is it okay if I come in?” She stands in the doorway, uncertain. I probably wasn’t the best sister this weekend.
    “Yeah, come on in. Grab a coffee.” I try my best to smile at her, because it’s not her fault and she’s always trying to take care of me, make me feel better.
    She tips a pod into the machine and puts a cup under it. We’re silent while she waits for her coffee to be ready, then comes over and sits down next to me on the couch. “How are you feeling?”
    “I’m fine.” There isn’t really anything wrong. I’m just not really feeling up for the week.
    “Have you had breakfast yet?” Her voice is careful, and while I love her, I hate her for asking it.
    But I shake my head, a truthful answer. “Not yet. I just woke up.”
    “You want me to get you something?” She’s nearly off the couch before I grab her.
    “Not yet. At least let me wake up and have a coffee first.” I cradle the cup in my hands, the liquid still too hot to drink.
    Lola sits down again, moving nervously.
    “What’s wrong?” She’s normally not this tense, even if I’m not in a good mood.
    “It’s just… You’ve been a bit distant lately. We’re worried.” She looks at her hands and I reach out, taking one of hers. We’re worried— code for, O ur parents sent me here to check on you .
    “I’m okay, it’s just been a rough week.” I hold her hand, squeezing so she’ll look up at me. “I’m really okay.” Just tired, tired of trying to avoid Hunter, tired of constantly feeling on edge.
    “Okay. Is everything okay in class? Nothing bad?” College life, the easier subject to talk about.
    “Yeah, homework is kicking