Heart of Ice

Chapter Thirty-Three

Song: Bad Parts- Jake Miller

Another week passes, and although Hunter and I resume training, it ensues in complete silence. I once used to love training. Now, I can barely get through the few hours in the gym without wanting to rip my own hair out from the tension in the air. Hunter only speaks to me enough to tell me what to do next. There's one day it's particularly bad, and I can't take it anymore.

"If you aren't going to talk to me, at least turn on some music so I don't go insane from your stubborn ass," I hiss as I make my way to the sparing mat, and Hunter rolls his eyes before grabbing his phone and connecting it to the stereo. The music that blasts through the speakers is slow and sensual, nothing like what Hunter usually listens to during his workouts, which is fast rock. I bitterly laugh, preparing myself as he steps onto the mat. "Did your girlfriend decide on the playlist today?"

He shakes his head. "She's not my girlfriend."

"Right. I forgot you have a habit of getting involved without putting a label on things."

"Anything else you want to run your mouth about today?"

"Yeah. You're an asshole."

"So we've established."

I throw the boxing gloves off my hands and shove his chest. "Stop! You are being such a jerk to me, and I'm sick of it! I did nothing to you!"

Hunter scoffs. "Oh, you did something-- went behind my back and sold me off like I didn't protect you your whole life."

I want to scream. But instead, I shove him again. "And that's the icing on the cake. The minute your bimbo comes back into the picture, you lose all trust in me as if I haven't had your back too."

"She has no part in this."

"Bullshit! She is the entirety of it."

Hunter's eyes darken. "You need to get rid of the grudge you've had against her since you met her and move on!"

Something snaps in me, and without even consciously registering it, my hand flies across his cheek, his head swinging to the side. His jaw clenches as he remains eerily still. And then, it's as if the clouds above open up and release a torrent on us, because in a blind rage, I slam my hands against his chest, over and over, white hot anger flooding through my veins. I don't even notice the tears that are streaming down my face until they hit my collarbones. Hunter stares at me, remaining stiff as a brick, and the more he does nothing, the more frustrated I grow. "Fight back, dammit!"

He lets me throw a few more punches before grabbing my fists and pulling me flush against him. I let out a hiccupped sob as I jerk in his grasp, but his grip remains strong. "I will never fight you, Alaska. Even when I have every reason not to be, I'm still on your side. That's never going to change, do you hear me?"

I finally look him in the eyes, my lip wobbling even though I try to fight it. "How can you say that when you chose her over me?"

He avoids the question and wipes away my tears with the pad of his thumb. "I think you've had enough for today. We'll try again tomorrow with clear heads."

Hunter vanishes from the gym, leaving me standing in the middle with an even bigger hollow space in my heart.

***

After a long, hot shower, the exhaustion from the lack of sleep creeps in, and I realize I can't even remember the last time I had actually slept. Most nights, I sit up in bed with the light on, closing my eyes and resting for a couple minutes, but then waking up with a start when my mind becomes too dark. I desperately need to get some sleep soon or I'm a goner. Demetrius will get suspicious and instead of harassing me in my dreams, he'll just come find me and kill me.