CHAPTER 034 :AHistory With Delilah *** ~~KNOX~~ *** IcanhearHunterretchinghisgutsoutinthebathroom,eachheaveareminderthatlastnightdiditsjob.Thatshowyouknowthebachelorpartywasasuccesswhenthegroomwakesupbarelyhumanmungover,andhalfwayquestioningeverydecisionthatledtothismoment.
Webothgotbacklate.Wayaftertherehearsaldinnerended.TheafterpartyspiraledintosomethingelseentirelyshotsofthingsIcouldntname,groomsmenandstrangersdraggingusintodifferentcornersofthebar,musictooloud torememberwhatitmeanttohavecoherentthoughts.Ihaveastrongstomach.Alwayshave.ButevenIpushedmylimitlastnight.
NowImsprawledacrossHuntershotel roomscouch,oneleghangingofftheedge,halfcovered withathrowblanket Idontremembergrabbing.Theairconditionerhumstoocold.Thelightfilteringthroughthecurtainsistoobright.Myheaddoesnthurt,butitsheavy.
Thebathroomdoorcreaksopen.Hunteremerges,paleanddampanddragginghisfeet.Hisshirtiswrinkledandridinguphisstomach,andtheresafaintsplashofwateron thefrontprobablyfromwhenhetriedtosplashhisfacecleanand missed.
Hegroansandcollapsesintothesecondcouch,handcoveringhiseyes.
Man,Igottacallinsick,hemutters.
Ihuff adrylaugh.Youllbefine.
Ifeelliketheresacannibalinsidemeslowlyeating its wayout.Hisvoiceishoarse.Youretheworstbestmanever.Youshouldvelookedoutforme.Nowitslookinglikethereisntgoingtobeaweddingtoday.
Isitupslightly,restingmyelbowsonmyknees.BeforeIcanthinktostopmyself,Ihearthewordsslideoutofmymouth: Would youthinkofmeasabadfriendifIsaidIdontwanttheweddingtohappen? Huntersnorts.IthinkIknewyourstandonthisweddingfromdayone.Honestly,ImsurprisedyoucametoAshevilleatall.Thatyouagreedtobemybestman.Youhatemyfiancée.Youvealwayshated her.
Irunahandthroughmyhair.Well…youremyfriend.Ihavetopartakeinyourhappiness.Ihavetobehappy thatyourehappywithDelilah.
Iamhappy,hesaysautomatically.Thenquieter,likehestryingtoconvincehimself.Imsohappy.
Hedoesntsoundhappy.Hesounds…tired.Butthatsprobablyjusttheeffectofthehangover.
Isitallthewayupnow,turningtowatchhimashereststherewithhiseyesstillclosed.
TheressomethingIneedto askyou,Hunt,Isay.
Shoot.
WhatisityouseeinDelilahthatmakesyouwantherwitheverything?Withallherflaws? Heexhales.Idontknow.Shesjust…different.
.Differentinthewayshespendsyourmoney? Hechuckles.Idontmindherspendingmymoney.
Ijustdontgettheappeal.
Youdgetitifyoudeverdatedher.

Thatstopsme.
Ididdateher.
AnditsbecauseIdatedher thatIdontgetit.
Sure,IlladmititDelilahbackthenwasafantasy.Queenbee.Smart,polished,seductive.Shehadthekindofcharmthatwasengineered.Sheknewwhattosay,howto smile,how toflipherhairatjusttherightmomenttokeepaboyhypnotized.Beingwithherbackthenwaslikebeinghandedatrophyinfrontofeveryone.
Buttheshineworeofffastrippedawaythe dayIcamehomeandfoundherridingFinnonmybed.
WhateverIdfeltbeforethatmomentdiedclean.
Sono,Idontunderstandtheappeal.Idontunderstand theideaofchasingsomeonewhosmadeitverycleartheydontwantyouthesameway youwantthem.
1/3 ………y cise entirely.Iwantsomeonewhocomesunhingedatthethoughtofme.SomeonewhospiralswhenItouchthem.Whotremblesundermystare.Iwantmadness.Possession.Iwantdevotion.
Andlately,whenIthinkofthosethings,itsherfaceIsee.
Sloane.
Thegirl Finncouldntstoptalkingaboutthroughthosephonecalls,emails,andlettershesenttomefromcollege.Hisso-calledbestfriend.Thestalker.Thegirlwhosomehow wove herselfintoeverystoryhetoldforasolidtwoyearsbeforeIcamebackhome.Thegirlwhohoveredandwatchedandobsessedyetneverwalkedaway.Idalwayswonderedhow thatfiredidntturnhimon.
And whenI metherattheairport,Iknew.
Iwasntgoingtobeableto keepmyhandsoffher.
SoyeahDelilah?The onewhoflirts likeshesbored?Whomakespeoplefeelliketheyreluckyjusttobeoptions?Shedoesntdoitforme.
Sloane,though? Shesa storm.Iintendtomilk every oneofthosecrazinessesfrom heruntilIveconsumedherfully.
MaybeIve letthisDelilahsituationgotoofar.Hunterdeservesbettertoo.
Hunt,Isay,voicelow,theressomethingIneedtotellyou.SomethingIshouldvetoldyoualongtimeago.
Hedoesntopenhiseyes.Isitgoingtoworsenmyheadache? Probably.
Hepopsoneeyeopen,peeringatmesideways.Thenhegroansandpeelshimselfupright,handscradlinghisforehead.Alright,hesays.Spititout.
Itakeabreath.Firstofall,IjustwanttosaythatIm reallysorryforkeepingthisfromyou.Iknow Imaterriblefriend,andIknowthisisgoingtohithard,butplease…justknowImtellingyounowbecauseIwantwhatsbestforyou,andIcantkeeplyingtoyou.Donthatemeforit.

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Huntergroans.Yourenothelpingmyheadache,man.
Justhearmeout- Hopefullybeforethethirdworldwar?hecutsin.
Ichuckle.Yeah.Okay.So…aboutyourbridetobe- Thehotelphonerings.
Huntersighsandstands,swayingslightlybeforewalkingto thetable andpickingitup.
Hello?Apause.Hisbrowsliftinsurprise.Avisitor?Name,please.Hiseyesdarttome.Alright…sendherup.
Hehangsupandturnstome,stilllookingsurprised.
Whowasit?Iask.
Reception.Apparently,yourbrothersbest friendwantstoseeme.Doessheknowyourehere? Sloane? Henods.Yeah.Shesonherwayup.
Ishiftonthecouch,myhangoversuddenlyforgotten.Mylegs spreadslightly,andmyhandsplantagainstthecushions,everypartofmealertnow.Theresathruminmybloodthathasnothingtodowiththeaftermath oflastnightandeverythingtodowithher.
Sloane.
Evenhearinghernameon Hunterslipsjustnowwasenoughtostirsomethinglowinmygut.Thekindofstirringthat makesmypantstightenandmyjawtense.ThisistroubleIknowit.Butiftroublecomes withher,then Illtakeit everytime.
Imwatchingthedoor now.SoisHunter.Helooksintrigued.Curious.
Eventually,theknockcomes.
Huntercrossestheroomandpullsthedooropen,andtheresheis.
Sloane,right?heasks.
Mr.Blackwell,shesays,stiffly.Idontthinkweveofficiallymet.
Wevenot.Please,callmeHunter.
MayIcomein,Hunter? 2/3 CHAPTER034:AHistoryWithDelilah Heswingsthedoorwide,andshestepsinandimmediatelylockseyeswithme.
ShesintinyshortsandanoversizedwhiteTshirtthatslidesoffoneshoulder,thesleevescuffedcarelesslyatthearms.Herhairistiedup,afewstrandsescaping,framingherfaceinthemostchaoticandperfectway.Nomakeup.Nojewelry.Justbareskinandfireinhereyes.

AndIcantstoplookingather.
Idonthavelongtoadmireherbecauseshestormsin.
You,sheseethes,pointingdirectlyatme.Howdareyou? Iblink.Howdaremewhat? Youtriedto sabotagemyfriendship withFinn.Whogaveyoutheright? Hervoiceissharp.Controlled.ButIcanhearitthehurtjustundertheanger.Iriseslowlytomyfeet,butsheretreatsastep,liftingahandbetweenuslikeabarrier.
Dont,shesnaps.
Sloane… Dont youdaretouchme,Knox.
Hunterisalreadyclosingthedoor,hisbrowsdrawninconfusion.Heclearshisthroat.Whatisgoingon? Sloane turnsto him,andittakeshernotimetolaunchintoherexplanation.
Mr.Blackwell,shesays,voicetremblingwithfury,yourfriendisaterribleperson.Hemadeadealwithhisbrother,sayinghewouldmakeyoucallofftheweddingifFinnendedhisfriendshipwithme.Obviously,theressomethinghesbeenhidingfromyousomethingheplanstousetomakeyouwalkawayfromDelilah.Ijustthoughtyou shouldknow.
Thenshespinsonme,expressioncold.
Youllseehowitfeels,Knox.
Ishouldbeworried.
Hell,Iamworried.ThatlittlebombshejustdroppedisgoingtoblowacraterinthemiddleofmyfriendshipwithHunter.Andsheknowsit.
Butsomehow,allIcanthinkaboutisthewayhereyesblazewhenshesangry.Thewayherchestrisesandfallswiththeweightofherfury.Thecurve ofherthighunderthosedamnshorts.Thisthisfury,thispowerisintoxicating.Shesgoingtoendupunder metoday,onewayoranother.Iwanttoabsorb thispassionbyburyingmyselfinsideher.
Huntersvoiceputsahalttomywildthoughts.
Knox,hesays,whatisshetalkingabout? IkeepmyeyesonSloaneforabeatlongerthanIshould.ThenIturntohim.
This…isnthowIwanted youtofindout.
Findoutwhat? Ihesitate.
Sloanecrossesherarms,watchingmelikesheswaitingformetochokeonmyownlies.
.Isigh.IhadahistorywithDelilah.
Huntersjawtightens.Ahistory? Wedated.Inhigh school.