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"Goddess, this is Victor," Hunter said, his tone casual but Hera detected the exhaustion in his voice. "He\'s a friend," he added as if to confirm her thoughts. 

\'He always knows what I\'m thinking!\'

Hera\'s lips twitched on their own accord in a barely-there smile. She tried hard to hide her smile because if she didn\'t, unshed tears would flow out of her eyelids. Hera blinked back her tears before glancing at the stranger. Somehow, he didn\'t look scary anymore. 

\'Because Hunter is standing right beside you.\'

Her smart brain supplied helpfully. It was true, though. With Hunter by her side, spreading his stance protectively, nothing and no one would scare her off. 

.

Hera smiled at the new boy and took notice of his form. He was bulkier than Hunter in size but shorter in height. The length of his hair long enough to reach his shoulders, thick mane of blond curls. His skin complexion was wheatish, an Asian, Hera guessed. He had a big pointy nose. The look in his brown eyes was soft, and his smile friendly. 

"Victor, she\'s Hera," Hunter said to Victor. Hera took his offered hand and shook it once before retracting her hand. All the while, Hunter never let her go from his side. She felt his fingers closing over her arm in a gentle yet possessive grip when Victor\'s gaze lingered on her face longer than necessary. Hera hugged her boyfriend with both arms and smiled at him. 

Victor cleared his throat, and Hera returned her attention to the new person. "I lost the race, but a man can dream, right? Thought I could try my luck once," Victor said, and Hera seemed confused at what he said. 

\'He didn\'t make any sense did he?\' 

"Victor here wants to take you out on a date, baby girl," Michael said in an amused tone, bringing Hera\'s attention to him and she scowled at him as if he\'d said the most absurd thing. 

"What? It\'s true, ask him if you don\'t believe me. I don\'t understand though, what he saw in you," Michael said, grimacing at her in disgust. Hera moved away from Hunter, and before Michael could see it coming, she grabbed his hand and bit it hard. Michael yelped, rubbing his thumb over the impression of her teeth on his wrist. 

"Have I ever told you how much I hate you?" Michael asked, baring his teeth at her. Hera grinned, showing him the middle finger. "Every day of your life, angel Michael," she said, her tone sickly-sweet. 

Before both of them could continue with their bickering, Victor cleared his throat again. 

"Would you like going out with me for lunch tomorrow, Hera?" Victor asked. Taken aback, Hera glanced at Hunter. Standing on her toes, she leaned on his torso and whispered in his ear. "What\'s this all about, Hunter? Is he really asking me out?" Hunter inclined his head once in reply.

"Hey, let her decide, Ace," Hera heard Victor say. Hunter didn\'t look angry or upset. Instead, he smiled at her, but Hera could see the pain hidden behind that charming smile. He was trying so hard to hide it from everyone. Hera couldn\'t dare to look at his legs and injuries yet. 

\'He looks so exhausted. I can only guess how severe his injuries are and how hard he\'s struggling to bear the pain.\' 

Hera crossed Hunter\'s tall form and stood in front of him as if to shield him from the unseen danger. She looked Victor in the eye, her gaze sharp, the smirk playing on her lips smug. Her fingers deliberately worked slowly while undoing the buttons of her trench coat. Hunter knew what his Goddess was up to, and he smirked at Victor, pride and arrogance, adorning his smug looks. 

Hera pulled the lapels of her trench coat and held it wide open for Victor to see. Just like how she showed it to Hunter earlier, she let Victor read the two words written on her top, "My Boyfriend\'s".

Victor stared for a moment and then broke out into a wide grin. 

Hera looked over her shoulder to wink at Hunter, and he chuckled both amused and impressed by her smart move. Hera turned to face Victor again. "Sorry," Hera said, her tone sympathetic. Her lips pursed, eyebrows slightly arched up as she tilted her head to the side and shrugged. Victor\'s shoulders shook in quiet laughter. He looked amused instead of feeling offended or disappointed. 

"Your boyfriend\'s, huh?\' He asked, and Hera nodded, jerking a thumb over her shoulder, pointing at Hunter behind her. "He owns all of this," she said, pointing at herself. A hand snaked around her waist, and Hunter pulled her back to his chest. 

"Wow! She\'s a keeper. Dude, you\'re the luckiest asshole on earth," Victor said to Hunter. Hera tilted her head to the side and glanced upwards to see Hunter\'s face. The smile that graced his lips had filled Hera\'s heart with warmth. Despite all the discomfort and uneasiness his injuries brought, his delighted smile was genuine. She had made him smile, and she was proud of herself. 

Hera reached up and pecked his cheek before living him alone with Victor. She saw Eric going to fetch their jeep a while ago. Hera knew something was bothering him. Eric didn\'t even speak once to Hunter and Michael since their return. She joined him taking a seat in the front passenger seat. 

"Why are you angry at him?" Hera asked, her tone so soft as if she was worried she would scare him. "None of your business," was his rude reply. Hera didn\'t mind his harsh tone because she knew he wasn\'t in his right mind. Something was disturbing him for sure, but Hera didn\'t know what. It\'s so unlike him to act cold and aloof. 

He seemed moody, and Hera decided it\'s better to wait until they reach home. Hera sighed and looked out of the window. Squinting her eyes in curiosity, she watched while Michael handed money to a stranger and he was instructing something. Jake stood beside him, arms crossed over his chest. Hera wanted to ask Eric about it because Eric knows everything. But she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to ruin his mood further. 

She shifted her gaze to where Hunter and Victor stood. Hera could see Samantha staring at Hunter. She wore a very concerned look on her pretty face. 

\'God, Samantha, blink once in a while. You won\'t lose your eyes if you take it away from my boyfriend for a second.\'

Hera shook her head. She wasn\'t jealous of Samantha. She was worried that the girl was so obsessed with her Hunter. It wasn\'t healthy, and it wouldn\'t bring her any good. Bianca was standing next to Hunter, but Hera couldn\'t see Hunter\'s face. He had his back turned to her, his hands perched on his hips while he spoke to Victor. 

"So what\'s my penalty? What do you want as your reward? Tell me, Ace, and I\'ll do whatever you want," Victor said, staying true to his words. Hunter shook his head and took a deep breath to relax his form. He didn\'t have any more strength left in his legs. 

"I\'ll cash it some other time, Victor. Till then, don\'t forget, you vow me," Hunter said, jabbing his finger at Victor\'s chest. But there was no heat or anger in his voice. He was teasing Victor. After a brief hug and a pat on their back, they bid goodbye to each other. 

Bianca took Hunter\'s hand and placed it around her shoulder, her eyes wordlessly offering him support. "Lean your weight on my shoulder and walk slow," she said. Hunter smiled in gratitude but then shook his head. "It\'s okay, Sunshine. I\'m fine. I\'m not that fragile, you know," he said, his tone teasing. But Bianca held on to his hand when he attempted to retreat it. 

Hera watched as Bianca supported Hunter\'s weight on her shoulder and helped him. He was trying his hardest not to put too much burden on his friend. Hera could see how Hunter struggled to lift his feet, and her heart broke at that sight. "Eric, please tell me, he\'s not sporting a broken leg," she said, her voice barely audible. But she knew Eric heard it because he scoffed at her words. 

"He wouldn\'t be able to walk with a broken bone, Pixie. Relax, he\'ll be fine," he said without taking his eyes off the steering wheel. Hera bit her lip and swallowed the lump in her throat. She wouldn\'t cry, not in front of everyone. 

\'My Hunter is already so badly hurt. It\'ll break him from the inside if I cry.\'

She blinked rapidly and fought to keep her tears at bay. She wouldn\'t add more to his worries. She righted her posture in her seat and fastened the seatbelt as everyone made it to the jeep. Michael and Jake took seats in the last row while Bianca and Samantha joined Hunter in the middle seat. 

Hera viewed through the rearview mirror how Hunter winced while getting on the jeep. Her stomach churned as she suppressed the urge to cry. 

\'Wish I could take all your pain, Hunter.\'

Her heart skipped beats several times as Hunter\'s eyes met hers through the mirror. She bit her lip as her eyes watered. He shook his head, his purple orbs daring her to disobey.