Chapter 38

Jacob just shook my hand with a polite smile and led his wife out. Hunter walked them to their car leaving me with Aaron and Veronica.

"I'm sorry if we made you uncomfortable tonight but it was great seeing you again."Aaron expressed.

"You didn't and I'm okay. It was great meeting you two again. Please drive safe and have a good night."I said leaning into the brief hug.

Veronica and I had said all we needed to so we just shared polite smiles. She took her husbands arm and they left the house. Hunter was busy talking to his parents so I left the door open and went back inside to clean up.

I was feeling overwhelmed because at some point during the dinner I'd recoiled into my shell and let my demons talk. The same ones that always insisted that Hunter was way out of my league and that we had no chance together. Out of nowhere I got the overwhelming urge to cry but I swallowed the lump in my throat and continued working.

I put all the left overs that could be saved in the fridge and stacked the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. Hunter came back just as I was about to head upstairs.

"So that wasn't a complete disaster."He cheered smiling at me.

"Yeah it was great."I replied forcing myself to smile.

"Are you okay?"Hunter asked his smile turning to a frown.

Looks like it was hard to fool him.

"Yeah just tired. I think I'll go up and rest."I said to him.

"Okay, I'll be up in a bit."He replied leaning in to kiss me.

I kissed him back basking in his affection.

"Thank you for tonight baby girl. I couldn't have done it without you."He expressed.

Yes you would have.

That's what I wanted to say but I bit my tongue.

"My pleasure."I replied.

I kissed his cheek and detached myself from him walking away. I went directly to the bedroom hoping for a few minutes to myself. I looked around the big room and felt that it was too big. Literally everything in the mansion was too big screaming that I didn't belong. I walked into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I got into the tub fully clothed with my shoes on.

I didn't know when the tears started but soon enough I was full on sobbing. It's like I had been wound up so tight all evening trying to be someone I wasn't and finally the mask had fallen off. I wasn't angry at the Mutua's, they were just living their life while I was the intruder. I was mad at myself for thinking I could belong in Hunters world.

What was I thinking? That cooking them dinner and performing wifely duties would somehow make them like me so I could fit in better. I was just kidding myself. I wasn't even his girlfriend yet and here I was cooking a feast for a family that had no business associating with me. To them I was just a subject and nothing more.

"Baby girl. Are you in here?"Hunter yelled from the bedroom.

I clamped my hand over my mouth to keep my cries silent. I didn't need him seeing me in such a state. I should have chosen a different bathroom. The house had a hundred rooms and I chose the most obvious one to have a breakdown in.

"Doll."He called out again his voice getting closer to the door.

I curled further into myself fitting completely in the tub. The door knob jiggled and I realized the door was locked so he couldn't get in.

"Baby why is this door locked?"He asked me jiggling it some more.

I didn't reply, just focused on keeping myself silent.

"Baby girl open the door."Hunter demanded his voice raising an octave.

"At least say something so I know you're okay."He pleaded when I didn't reply.

He was getting agitated but my voice was too clogged up for me to say anything without making him suspicious.

"Nala open the door."He demanded banging on it.

I obviously couldn't in my state so I sat still hoping he would go away.

"Baby girl what's wrong? Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?"He asked worriedly his voice changing from angry to concerned.

"Okay I'm coming in."He declared.

I expected him to burst in like they did in movies but instead I heard his footsteps fade away and the bedroom door open and close. I thought he had left but I heard him come back in a minute later. I heard the jiggling of keys and I immediately knew he was coming in. Maybe I would be safe in the tub and he wouldn't find me.

"Fuck why are there so many? Nala open the door."Hunter demanded knocking again.

"Fine if that's how you want to do it."Hunter gritted out as he started trying the keys one at a time.

Five minutes and lots of curses later, the door swung open slamming against the wall making a couple of things rattle. I held my breath and covered my face as if that would help me hide better.

"Baby girl."Hunter called out his voice closer.

The tub was large enough that he didn't see me immediately but a minute later I felt the light over me fade meaning Hunter was standing over me.

"Doll."Hunter exclaimed frantically dropping to his knees.

My lungs were starting to hurt so I breathed out and Hunter sighed in relief.

He actually thought I was unconscious.

"Don't scare me like that. What's wrong baby girl?"Hunter asked prying my hands off my face.

He was stronger than me so no matter how much I resisted he managed to reveal my face.

"Doll why are you crying?"Hunter panicked once he saw my tear stricken face.

I opened my eyes to see him looking down at me worriedly.

"The usual, you know. Rich family poor girl."I replied with a sob.

"Not this again."Hunter scolded with an eye roll.

"Yes Hunter, this again."I cussed out feeling even worse that he was dismissing my feelings.

"Get out of the tub and we can talk about this like adults."Hunter requested.

"I don't want to."I replied earning myself a disapproving look from him.

He didn't even argue with me, instead he got to his feet, bent over the tub and scooped me up into his arms.

"Put me back in the tub and let me wallow in my pain."I demanded.

"No, you are going to change into your pajamas and so am I then we are going to brush our teeth, wash those tears off your face and sleep. You're clearly tried, overthinking and overwhelmed. We will talk about this in the morning when you aren't so upset."Hunter declared.

I opened my mouth to argue but the look he sent my way had me swallowing my words. Hunter was right even though I hated to admit it so I agreed to do everything he asked without fighting him on it.

Ten minutes later we were cuddled in bed, me lying on his chest fighting yawns after crying myself past the point of exhaustion.

"Sleep baby girl with the thought that you're not going anywhere so we'll have to find a way for you to deal with your insecurities that does not include running away."Hunter said kissing my forehead.

I didn't even have a reply to that because there was nothing to say. I just closed my eyes, focused on the feeling of safety that came with being in Hunters arms and drifted off to sleep.

The tears and long conversation could wait until the next morning.