The Hunter: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance

My bad. Anyway, that’s the bottom line. I’m stupid in love with you, Sailor Brennan.

The first was that I couldn’t let go of you, even if you asked really, and I mean really nicely. The second was that I was unworthy of keeping you. I ran away from you my entire life without even knowing you, Sailor. But the moment I met you—okay, maybe a few weeks after that—I figured out not having you was not an option. So, here I am, asking for a second chance. And some ass. But the ass can definitely come later. I just want us to be us. Together. Exclusively. DoorDash and Netflix galore. Like a real couple and shit.”

You said I never wanted you, but the truth was, I never wanted anyone but you.

I wanted to take back the sentence, take it all the way back. What was I saying? I didn’t have feelings for Carrot Top, did I? Only she hadn’t been Carrot Top for a long-ass time. She was the girl I wanted to talk to every day, all day, if I could. The girl who made me laugh. The girl who gave me a hard-on, not only up close, but just thinking about her. The traces of her scent alone made me want to hump the shower tiles.

I hated that I cared about Sailor Brennan, that I couldn’t stop thinking about her, worrying about her, obsessing over what she was doing, thinking, DoorDashing. The little huntress had gone and conquered every inch of my brain, filling it with herself, and without my notice—without my fucking permission—slipped from my brain to my heart.

I cannot keep you from making mistakes, because then you’ll never learn from them. The world is tough, and cruel, and mostly unfair. It’s our job to find a way to navigate our way in it. The more I shield you, the less chance you’ll have of surviving.

Face your problems, ceann beag. Because guess what? They’re not going anywhere.”

“Let me warm you up, aingeal dian.”

I turned back, walking into his room like I was facing death row. With every step I took, I felt like I was shedding, leaving something behind.

Step. Fear.

Step. Anxiety.

Step. Obsession.

Step. Overthinking.

He said if you love someone, and they love you, there’s no point taking offense in what they say or do to you, because they never mean you harm, anyway. And if you don’t love someone, if you don’t care about them, then there’s no point in taking offense in what they say or do to you, because you don’t care about them. Either way—”

“You don’t get offended,

“I love you, ceann beag. More than this kingdom.” Da smirked, slow and deliberate, trying not to burst with pride.

I grinned back, fingering the Dala horse on my neck. Sailor had given it back to me the day she’d moved back in. It was no longer colorless, though. She’d painted it orange—like her hair.

“I love you, old sport. More than pu—”

“No.”

“Puppies! Chill.”

I turned around and made my way to my office, laughing.

I totally meant pussy.

True, I didn’t love them like brothers the way I did Knight and Vaughn, but for that, I actually had a brother.