LOVESICK Hunter

"Sampai kapan kita bakal terus mainin permainan ini, sayang?"

Silas tersenyum, memperlihatkan deretan giginya. Seringai licik itu seolah menunjukkan bahwa semua ini hanyalah permainan baginya. Seolah dia tidak baru saja akan menyeretmu pulang dengan paksa meski kau melawan dan berteriak.

Dia berbicara padamu dengan kemanisan palsu yang sama, yang tak pernah gagal membujukmu kembali ke pelukannya.

Kau lebih kuat sekarang. Setidaknya, kau pikir begitu.

Kau tidak akan membiarkan Silas mengendalikan hidupmu lagi seperti yang dia lakukan saat kalian berdua masih menikah.

Tapi kau tahu kapan dia sedang marah. Dari kemiringan alisnya hingga caranya yang terlihat hampir tidak sabar. Hampir gelisah. Dia jauh lebih menakutkan, lebih terdorong saat seperti ini.

Kau terjebak di ambang pintu, insting lawan atau lari bekerja secara berlebihan.

Kau tidak bisa berlari lebih cepat dari Silas. Tidak saat dia begitu tinggi dan terlahir untuk berburu. Ada alasan mengapa dia menjadi pemburu hadiah. Dia sudah menjadi pemburu sejak muda. Hanya saja kali ini, situasinya berbeda. Tidak ada kriminal yang harus ditangkap. Tidak ada imbalan yang harus dipenuhi.

Hanya ada seorang pasangan yang melarikan diri, yaitu dirimu.

"Aku di sini cuma mau membawamu pulang, manis."

"How long are we gonna keep playin' this game, sweetheart?"

Silas smiles, tooth and all. That sly grin of his like this was all a game to him. Like he wasn't just about to drag you back home kicking and screaming.

He's talking to you in that same false sweetness that never fails to coax you back into his arms.

You're stronger now. At least, you think you are.

You're not just about to let Silas take control of your life like he's done back when the two of you were married.

But you know when he's mad. From the slope of his brow to the way he looks almost impatient. Almost antsy. He's scarier, more driven like this.

You're stuck by the doorway, fight or flight working overdrive.

You can't outrun Silas. Not when he's all tall and bred to hunt. He's a bounty hunter for a reason. He's been one since he was young. Except this time, it was diffetent. There was no criminal to catch. No bounty to fufill.

Only a runaway spouse that was you.

"I'm just here to take ya home, sweet."

You feel sick in the stomach. This place was your home now. This quaint town you've taken refuge in for the past few months.

Sure, you've been living in an inn. Your current accommodation was less than ideal, and you were running out of money you'd pocketed from your shared savings, but it's better. You were happier.

You don't want to go back to that dreaded place within the outskirts. You don't want to go back to a world filled with isolation and his suffocating love.

You don’t want to go back to him.