A Masterpiece Of Our Love (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 1) (35 page)

He thought back to what he'd yelled earlier in front of everyone. "Beverly, about what I said-"

She waved him off. "Don't. You stunned every one of us with that outburst, but it shows that you need to let it out. You and Eva are both angry, but you laid all that ugliness out on the floor today. It's a start. If Eva is serious about sorting out her life and feelings, then we'll do what we can. I promise you, Sienna will not be a pawn anymore." Her stern, low voice gave him the chills.

"Thank you for everything." He wrapped her up in a hug, then bolted from the room to find Becca. He found her downstairs, talking to Todd. Eva was nowhere in sight. Both froze when he entered the room, looking up nervously. "Ready to go, Becca?"

"Whenever you are," she replied in a shaky voice.

"Hunter." Todd's voice was rough. "You're not really walking away from flying, are you?"

"I think this is a conversation we should have when we've had a chance to calm down and think." Hunter reached for his car keys from Becca's extended hand.

The man he'd come to see as a fatherly figure set his lips in a thin line, acting like he wanted to say more, but didn't. Instead, his shoulders rose and fell in a helpless shrug. "Okay."

There wasn't much else to say to anyone. Hunter hated the silence between him and Becca all the way home. As much as he missed Sienna and would have loved to bring her back home, tonight was probably a good night to have her stay with her grandparents and mother.

In the driveway at home, Hunter stared up at the house with dread. There were so many things to say, so many that needed to be said. All he felt was dread and emptiness, like he'd lost everything. Where did that come from, and how did he get rid of it? If he didn't fix things, he would lose everything. He still had a chance, if he would just open his mouth and make the right moves.

Why couldn't he say anything? He sat there, staring at everything, but nothing at the same time. He nearly forgot he wasn't alone in the car until Becca reached out and touched his leg. He flicked his gaze to her.

"Why would you threaten to quit something that makes you feel free?"

Free. That was the way flying made him feel. Or at least, up until a few months ago when all he felt was dread, fear and unnerved. All because of one bumpy landing. It didn't make sense. If he could push himself to get over how he'd felt about planes, then what stopped him now? Hell, what caused that fear to come back now?

"Didn't I tell you I was losing my mind?" Hunter shoved the car door open and headed toward the house. His mind spun in about a million different directions. He stabbed the key in the hole and pushed the door open, wanting to get inside. Becca ran in behind him, calling his name.

"Stop, Hunter. Just stop! Talk to me!" she pleaded.

He stared at her, taking in her tear-stained cheeks and the bloodshot eyes as she tried to reach for him. He did that to her. He made her cry and hurt her. Why couldn't he reach for her and make it better? Why did he want to turn away from everyone, including the one woman he'd always loved and needed? It was like he wasn't in his own body anymore. He kept thinking about things he should do, but his hands didn't reach to touch her. His head pounded and his heart ached.

"I can't do this right now, Becca," he said through a deep, anguished tone.

He wanted, no needed to go. Run. Get away. Ignoring her pleas, he hurdled up the stairs and into his office, slamming the door. He sank against the door to the floor, trying to calm the raging monsters in his head.

*****

Darkness surrounded him, the air so thick with moisture it sucked the life right out of him. His body weighed down with terror, he crawled across the sand, moaning. The nearby sound of a scream startled him, jerking him to a new state of awareness. Why couldn't he see anything?

"Becca?" he attempted to call out. His voice, along with the rest of his body, was weak. What happened? Why was there screaming? He thought she'd stopped talking and hadn't heard a sound from her in a day. He couldn't remember why he'd taken off away from her in the dark. Hunter stumbled to climb to his feet. Something snapped nearby.

"I told you I'd find you. Your mind is mine. I fill your dreams and your nightmares."

He recognized the voice. It was the girl from the plane, except she sounded a lot older. She was nearby. His heart raced as he reached out to grasp onto something- anything. Nothing. He couldn't see. Hunter coughed and sputtered.

"Who are you?"

"You know who I am. I'm on the long list of those you didn't save. I came back for you."

Something landed on his foot, something heavy and hard.

"Ow! What are you doing? Where's Becca?"

"I took care of her. Those screams you heard? Yeah, she put up a fight. Better than I thought."

"Why can't I see you?" He couldn't see a damn thing! "What did you hurt her for? She's just a little girl. It's me you want. Leave her alone!"

"Too late, Hunter. I already took care of her. Now it's your turn. Except with you, I'll make the pain last."

He heard the pounding behind him. Hunter flailed his arms, trying to find her. If only he could open his eyes! With one dirt covered hand, he touched his face. Wait. His eyes were open. What the hell?

"What's happening to me?"

"You don't know? You said so yourself. You're losing your mind!" she said in an evil, pissed off laugh. Oh, that sound made his skin crawl.

"I need to get to Becca." Could she have really done something to her? He had so much to try and fix. Becca couldn't leave him, too. She promised! She wasn't supposed to give up.

"I told you already, she's gone!"

The pounding continued. What the hell was that?

"What are you doing?"

Preparing you."

He was numb. Cold. Achy. What was happening to him?

"I want you to remember. I want you to feel what I felt." Her voice was closer. Cold. A swarm of cold air slammed into him. All he felt was cold.

*****

Becca couldn't get to Hunter. He had the door locked, but she heard him behind it, yelling. Was he having a nightmare? He must have fallen asleep and shut her out to keep her away.

"Hunter! Come on! Open up!" She wasn't sure he could even hear her. It didn't stop her from trying anyway. She pounded again. Even from the bedroom fast asleep, she'd been alerted to the sound of Hunter's terrified shouts. "Please Hunter, wake up and open this door!"

The door flew open. Becca stumbled backwards from the force of how quick it opened and she'd even heard a whoosh from the air as it moved. Hunter flew toward her, his face masked in one of pure terror. Was he even awake? His skin glistened with sweat and his eyes were glazed.

"Hunter! It's me!" Terror seized her as he reached out. He was stumbling around. What happened to him? Sleepwalking during a nightmare? She'd never been so afraid of what he'd do before, but he wasn't himself. "Hunter, please!" she yelled louder with urgency.

He'd backed her into a wall, still fumbling around. He grunted as his hands found their way to her. He squeezed her arms tight.

He wasn't awake. He had to be sleepwalking while still dreaming. Did that happen? He was hurting her.

"What did you do to her? What did you do?" he shouted, his voice thick with pain and agony. "I need her! Give her back to me!"

He made no sense. Becca tried to get out of his grasp to shake him out of this, but she couldn't. Bile rose in her throat. She leaned closer, as close as she could get to his ear and screeched. "Hunter! It's Becca. I'm right here! You're hurting me. Let go! It's okay, I'm right here. Open your eyes and see me." It wasn't working. He squeezed harder. Adrenaline kicked in and Becca shoved him away. He staggered and fell backward, landing on his back.

She froze in place. Hunter sat up, blinking rapidly. "Bec? What's gong on? What- what just happened?" He gasped for air.

"Your dreams, y-you-." Becca stuttered, still unable to move. She just wanted to reach him. At least he finally woke up. Every pulse point on her body throbbed.

"What did I do?" He shot to his feet. When he neared, she flinched.

Hunter reeled back, his skin so white she thought he'd be sick. "Oh no. No. I hurt you, didn't I?" When she couldn't respond, he tried again. "Please tell me I didn't hurt you. What did I do, Becca?"

Becca rubbed her arms, suddenly so cold. Goosebumps ran all over her arms and legs, sending a spine tingling shiver through her. "You grabbed me- squeezed my arms and had me again- against the- w-wall." The stuttering. Ugh. Make it all stop! This had to be a nightmare. She pinched herself, right above where Hunter's hands had been. Please let it all be a bad, bad nightmare. Ow. It hurt. No, this was real. "You were yelling 'What did you do to her' and shook me."

"Noooo!" he yelled. "I didn't. Please tell me I didn't."

If only she could. Oh, if only she could.

He raised his hands and her first instinct, again, was to flinch. She didn't mean to. Becca took a step backwards. At her move, Hunter dropped his hands.

"Oh hell, I did. You're afraid of me. I move to hold you, and you're afraid of me." She heard the mix of anger, horror and fear in his tone. "Becca- I. I'm so sorry. I should have listened before. I should have- I hurt you! I can't believe I hurt you!" He dashed down the stairs, still sounding upset, but she barely made out the words he said. The slamming of the door echoed throughout the house and shook the walls. A car engine roared to life and peeled out.

Why did he just leave? Where was he going? Becca forced herself to move, to get to her phone and call him.

Straight to voice mail. She hung up and dialed again and again. Still went to voicemail. The last time she left a message. "Hunter. Please come back. You're in no shape to drive. It's just a-another s-storm. We'll get through it." Becca hit end and clutched the phone to her chest, her body wracked with sobs. This time, she wasn't sure.

*****

The phone rang at three in the morning. She'd barely slept as she kept waiting for Hunter to come home. He wouldn't answer his phone, and he hadn't shown up for hours. She'd never answered his house phone before, but didn't hesitate when it rang. She was desperate.

"Hunter?" she answered, out of breath.

Nothing but static on the other end.

Ugh!

Yeah, something was wrong here. A static call at three am?

"Hello?"

Still, nothing.

Then. "You need to hurry. Hunter, he's hurt!" a voice Becca didn't recognize pleaded.

"Who is this?"

"He's on his plane!" the voice said, avoiding all questions.

His plane?

He was in no condition to fly and Becca hoped that's not what he was doing. Hunter wasn't in the best shape.

"I'm on my way. Please, don't let him do anything crazy. He won't answer my calls!"

Becca slammed the phone down.

She didn't know the streets of this town very well at all, but she had to do something. She had to get to that airport. Maybe she should call someone. Shara? The Sundstroms?

No, she'd just go find him. She'd already done enough damage by bringing in someone else when Hunter obviously didn't want anyone to know.

As she backed out of the driveway, her cell phone beeped, signaling a message. She stared at the screen and wondered why she never got a call. Becca put the phone up to her ear and waited for the voice mail to play.

"Angel, I'm so sorry. You were right. I should have- I need to talk to someone. I should have done that before I hurt you. Damn it! I love you more than life, Becca. I know it's hard to believe, considering how things have been the past few days, but you're everything to me. I'm sitting here on my plane thinking about things. Don't give up on me, angel." His voice cracked, choked up at the end before the voice mail ended. He'd left the message about an hour ago. What did he do within that hour that hurt him?

Her vision blurred. "Oh Hunter," she whispered. She pictured him alone and hurting on that plane. Remembering the name of the small airport, Becca typed it in on her phone, hoping to pull up directions. Once she found him, she would hold him and never let go.

Becca had never been one to drive over the speed limit, but this morning, she found herself doing just that. All she wanted was to get to that plane and find Hunter. They had to fix this and get past it all.

She made it with no problems. No cops followed or pulled her over. Becca jumped out of the car and headed toward the building. She saw the man from the other night, Arther, and called his name. Maybe he could help her.

"Becca!" He smiled, big and friendly. "Meeting Hunter for a little fun?" he said, laughing mischievously.

If Hunter was hurt, Arther knew nothing about it. This was a small, private airport. How could he not?

Something wasn't right. Still, she kept her words to a minimum until she knew the situation. No way was she going to say something else that might upset Hunter.

She wished that was it. If she forced a smile and played along, maybe he would get the message and not talk too much. "Something like that. Is he already here?"

"Been here for a few hours. He was on the phone with his ex-wife when he showed up. Thought that was strange."

Her legs trembled, threatening to collapse beneath her. "Yes, well they've been talking about things. They're trying to keep the peace for Sienna's sake."

"You young ones find some strange places and times to talk and ... do other things. Well, go on over. Want me to drive you on the cart?"

"No, that's okay. I remember where his plane is. Just direct me there to where I'm not in the way, please."

Five minutes later, ignoring the pain in her knee, Becca ran to Hunter's plane. She noticed the door open ajar and was relieved. He had to be in there still. A jolt of nervousness shot through her, both for the plane that she had to face again, and for the unease with Hunter. She climbed aboard and wondered why he'd be sitting there without any lights. If only she remembered where he'd turned them on the last time.