The Hunter (Orion the Hunter) Read Online Free PDF Page B

embarrassing for us both.
     
    “I think you might be right,” her gentle voice dragged me from my thoughts.  “It is so unlike you to be nervous or stressed - this meeting must have played with your head big time.  You are all over the place.  The next one will be so much easier, you’ll see.  I think a good night’s sleep is what you need.  Come on, off to bed with you.”
     
    I nodded but still couldn’t bring myself to look at her.  I stood and began to walk over to my bedroom door.  I was almost there when I heard Angel’s voice.
     
    “Issy, if there was something else on your mind, you would tell me, wouldn’t you?” Her voice was so small that it made me feel guilty for not telling her the whole truth.  She was the only person that I had opened up to about my past - we told each other everything.  I quickly rallied, telling myself that I didn’t even know for sure that my mystery man was real - that I hadn’t imagined him.  Although I felt that it justified keeping recent events from Angel, the thought that I might be imagining things was not a comforting one.
     
    I took a deep breath and turned towards her with a forced smile on my face.  “Of course I would, Angel,” I said as convincingly as I could manage.  Then I bolted into my bedroom before she could tell that I was lying.
     
    Sleep evaded me for a long while so I decided to listen to my iPod in the hope that it would soothe me into sleep.  I selected my rock ballad play list and then hit shuffle.  A slow drumbeat that was so familiar to me made that it could have been my own heartbeat sounded in my ears.  The beautiful rhythm that was usually a comfort blanket for my soul caused an ache deep in my chest that was so strong that I realized I was sobbing into my pillow.  “Oh Daddy,” I whispered. “What is happening to me?”
     

Chapter 3
     
    I awoke feeling restless and irritable.  A hot shower and strong coffee did nothing to improve my mood before I left for my office and I found myself snapping my usual greeting at James as I left the apartment block.  I failed to notice the lively chaos that was Manhattan in rush hour - there was one thought that was consuming my attention.  As I entered the revolving door of the Orion Building and nodded to the guard, I resolved to find a way to determine whether the phantom was real or whether I was about to have a full on breakdown.
     
    I automatically walked towards the elevator but, when I noticed that my heart was beginning to pound as I watched the indicator light slowly moving down towards the ground floor, I bolted for the stairs instead.
     
    By the time that I had climbed up to my floor, my feet had begun to protest that my 4 inch stilettos were not intended for climbing.  As I retrieved my door key from my purse and slid it into the keyhole, I began to feel stupid for my total overreaction to an innocent elevator indicator.  I silently resolved that I would never take the stairs again and that I would stop acting like an idiot as I opened the door to my office. 
     
    It was the smell that I noticed first.  My office smelled just heavenly.  Wondering where the scent was coming from, I turned and my heart jumped as my eyes fell on the huge bouquet that was sitting on my desk.  There were so many different types of flowers in various shades of pink.  They were simply beautiful.  I didn’t need to wonder who had sent them so I didn‘t look for a card.  Only Angel would care enough to bother and only she had a key to my office to put them in here.  I snatched up the phone and called her, a huge smile on my face.  She answered on the third ring.  “Huh … hello?”
     
    I felt guilty that I had obviously awoken her but I needed to thank her for the bouquet.  I was so touched by her supportive and generous gift.  It was just what I needed to clear my head and stop these silly thoughts about strangers.
     
    “Thank you so much!” I shrieked down the phone.