Part 10

Hunter was shocked at the tears running down Abbie's face. "What's wrong?" he asked her, as he rocked her in comfort.

"Steve..." she managed to choke out.

Hunter realised that she must have told her brother about them. "What did he say?" he asked her gently, as he rocked her comfortingly.

Abbie sobbed on, "He... said... that... I... w-wasn't... his... s-sister..."

"He what?" Hunter yelled. He knew that Austin wasn't going to be thrilled about them, but he'd never in a million years thought he'd go this far.

Abbie pulled away from Hunter and sat down. "He threw me away like I was nothing," Abbie sobbed. "I didn't mean to hurt him."

Hunter marched over to her, "You didn't do anything wrong. Steve is acting like a shit-head because he didn't get his own way."

"Maybe he should've."

Hunter looked at her, "Do you really mean that?"

"No," she replied. "He's my big brother and he's supposed to love me no matter what."

Hunter sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms. "It'll be okay," he told her soothingly. "I promise."


Debra was shocked, she couldn't believe how moronic Steve was acting. "What in the hell is wrong with you? That's your little sister."

"Not as long as she's with *him*."

"Him? You mean Hunter?"

Steve glared at his wife, "Don't talk about him. He tries to kill me... end my career and she fucks him. What kind of sister is she?"

"What kind of brother are you? If you'd blown the whole thing off she'd probably ditch his ass, but you're too stupid to think of that. Now she'll probably marry him and have eight kids just to piss you off," Debra told him walking away.

Steve just sat there grumbling into his beer. "Women," he muttered, "Who needs 'em?"


"Do you want me to beat him up?"

Abbie pulled away from Hunter's comforting arms to stare at him. "No," she said, "He's still my brother. Anyway Deb's probably doing that to him right now."

Hunter moved away from her and walked over to the window. "I guess this means we're over."

"What?"

"Well, you'll want your brother's approval and..."

Abbie marched over to him, "No way. It's my life and I can share it with whomever *I* choose, not who he picks. Right now I want you." When Hunter looked like he was going to interrupt Abbie silenced him with a quick kiss. "Look I've only known you a short time and I'm not saying it will last - we don't know, but I'm not going to let this chance slip by and spend my whole life wondering."

Hunter looked at her, "Okay. Let's give us a chance."