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head rush I’d felt. “You’ve been running on adrenaline since the robbery. You need to rest.”
    And slowly he opened the passenger door, helping me slide inside. I buckled up, leaning my seat back, unaware when Hunter had even gotten in the car or when he started driving. All I knew was that away from the commotion and the salon, I was finally safe—with a stranger, but safe.
    Hunter held me under my arm as he walked me to my apartment. I leaned against him desperately, needing his stable stance. I found it odd that he was supposed to be the one in need of mental help, yet I felt like I’d just had my brain chewed out by millions of cockroaches. I handed him my apartment keys as if he’d been there thousands of times and let him guide me to my bedroom, where I lay down and passed out.
    In my dreams, bullets flew past me as I bent back like Neo in The Matrix trying to avoid them. But one managed to hit me right in my chest. A red stain spewed over my white shirt. The hole in my body didn’t hurt. Although I’d been shot, there was no pain. Not until I looked down at the floor, where Hunter’s body lay motionless beside me. I crouched at his side, patting him down with my hands, looking for the source of the puddle of blood underneath. “Hunter! Hunter! Please, no! Hunter!”
    I heard my own voice scream out his name as my eyes flew open.
    “Shh. I’m here, Grace. I’m here.” His strong arms eased in around me, holding me to his firm chest.
    Sweat beaded down my cleavage.
    “You were shot. You were bleeding.”
    “No, Grace. It was just a nightmare.”
    Relief flashed through me as the events of today’s robbery slowly began making sense and I realized where I was.
    “You’re here.” I reached up, cupping his freshly shaved jawline. He was so handsome and striking. The chiseled features of his face stood out prominently. It was difficult to believe that this was the same man who had walked into my salon this morning looking like a caveman. A man whom I’d promised a haircut but hadn’t given one to yet.
    “Of course I’m here.”
    “What time is it?”
    “Six. Frankie and Marcie stopped by when you were sleeping.”
    “They did?”
    “Yes. All appointments have been rescheduled and Frankie booked people to clean up the mess at the salon. They’ll bring boxes with anything salvageable to the apartment. He said you should be back up and running in a week and a half. Your phone has been buzzing too. I turned off the volume.”
    “Thank you. I don’t know how I got so tired.”
    “It’s the adrenaline. Letting your body rest after a rush was exactly the right thing to do. If you don’t it can turn you into a zombie. Trust me, I know.”
    My stomach grumbled.
    “Is that what happened to you?”
    “You’re hungry.” Hunter ignored my question. “I ordered Chinese. It’s in the kitchen.”
    A delicious aroma of Asian cuisine overpowered the room.
    “Yes, but I need a shower first.”
    “Need help with that?” His mouth curved up. “I owe you.”
    “Yeah. How about when I’m a zombie, then I’ll take you up on the offer?” I chuckled, secretly wishing I could turn into a corpse, like now.
    “You’ve got a deal. Listen. I know I didn’t get a chance to do so, but I want to thank you for helping me this morning. Hopefully I can make it up to you.”
    “Anytime, Hunter. And please remember that we’re even. You saved my life. From a man who is still on the loose. He knew my business, Hunter. Quite well. And I felt like he knew me too.” A shiver of fear flew through me.
    “We’re going to find him, Grace.” Hunter answered as if he’d read my mind. “Go take a shower and call Emma back. We’ll chat about the incident later.”
    Washing up in the bathroom was like a remedy prescribed by the best doctors in the city. The water and soap removed the sweat from my body, along with the layer of emotions I couldn’t comprehend. Each time I thought about what could have happened back