Hunter (Broken Bad Boys 1): A New Adult Bad Boy Romance by Skylar Heart Read Free Book Online Page A

them. All these tools, just waiting around until they would be used to make amazing art. I could almost feel the creativity in the room.
    But then I went to boarding school for high school and was away from here for so long. A boarding school for gifted children. I had to basically beg my parents to let me go there. It’s where I met Tessa—we loved the same things and learned so many things together. And then Joey, my younger brother, got sick, so sick. I almost didn’t graduate and I turned down all colleges. I just couldn’t leave my parents to deal with Joey on their own. So many good things turned bad, sometimes I wonder why I’m even still here. I lost Joey, I lost Tessa. I lose everyone I love. In three years I went from a happy guy to… I don’t even know anymore.
    “Hunter.” Tamara’s voice is quiet as she stands behind me. “Are you okay?”
    I try to smile. I try to not make her worry. “I’m okay, just remembering the good old days.” And then the not-so-good days.
    “Yeah, you were so young. I remember how you fought to get the metal for the bench under control.”
    I roll my muscles. “There are some upsides with working with materials that aren’t as pliable.”
    Tamara laughs. “Yeah, I can see that. Do you still have your workshop at your parents’ place?”
    “Yeah, I can’t fit it in the studio apartment. Plus, I don’t think my neighbors would appreciate it.”
    “I can imagine that.” She turns around. “These are all available—if you need anything else, tell me and I’ll try to get my hands on it. I don’t think working with metal would be best here, but I can do lots of other things.”
    “Thank you.” This is as much of a safe haven as it is a creative space. I hung out at Tamara’s last workshop a lot before I just… stopped. After Tessa’s crash… I didn’t want to do anything anymore. Tamara understood, luckily. “Hey, I’m gonna go home. I’ve actually got homework to do.” Finish that damn book.
    “That’s cool. Do you want me to get you a key to this place, or are you okay for now?”
    “I’m okay. I’ll just make sure there are other people around when I want to come in. Maybe I’ll even socialize.” I joke, but I can see that Tamara takes it exactly as I meant it. I’ve not been very good with other people around, I know that she knows about the fights I’ve been getting into. I don’t want her to know. I want her to see me as something else, but I’m not. It’s my own fault.
    “Just… Stay safe. And I’ll see you soon, I guess.” She lets out a small smile as she gets back to her other students.
    Yeah, staying safe. I’m not sure how good I am at that these days.

    * * *
    I tip back another beer . It’s late and I know that if I want to get up on time tomorrow I should leave now. But the atmosphere in the bar changed a while ago. There is some nervous energy going around, something volatile. It makes my skin itch and I can’t leave here now. The beer in my system puts me on edge and I just want to do something.
    A guy bumps into my back, and I twist around, grabbing him close. “What did you do that for?”
    “Sorry,” The man slurs. “I didn’t mean to do that.”
    “You don’t seem that sorry. You just kept walking on.” My voice rises and I know that people around us are now paying attention.
    The guy’s eyes go wide and I raise my other hand, balling it into a fist.
    “H.” A low voice tries to pull my attention away from the man in my hands. “Don’t do this.”
    But it’s too late. My fist flies and connects with the drunken man’s nose. Blood immediately starts dripping on my hand and I let him go as I hear footsteps all around me. Then a fist collides with the side of my face. I try to mow the guy on my side down, but it only scrapes his shoulder. Another guy hits me right on my jaw and I blink, trying to make the stars go away. I did it again, didn’t I?
    I take a deep breath and rush into the guy at my other