Trust is earned, not given freely from "summary" of The Hunter by L. J. Shen
In a world where deceit lurked around every corner, trust was a commodity as rare as a shooting star. It was something that couldn't be bought or traded lightly; it had to be earned through actions, not just words. And that was a lesson Hunter Fitzpatrick knew all too well.
Growing up in the ruthless world of organized crime, Hunter had learned from a young age that trust was a fragile thing. It was a currency that could be easily devalued by a single betrayal, a single lie. And so he had built walls around his heart, keeping everyone at arm's length, never letting them in too close. He had seen the darkness that lurked in the hearts of men, had felt its icy grip on his own soul. And he had vowed never to be caught off guard again.
But then she came into his life like a whirlwind, turning his carefully constructed world upside down. She was a force of nature, a fierce and fiery beauty who challenged him at every turn. She saw through his defenses, saw the man beneath the cold, hard exterior. And slowly, oh so slowly, she began to chip away at those walls he had built so high.
But Hunter knew better than to trust blindly. He had been burned before, had felt the searing pain of betrayal. And so he held back, kept a part of himself locked away where she couldn't reach. He watched her every move, waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for the moment when she would show her true colors.
And yet, despite his best efforts, despite his fears and doubts, he found himself drawn to her in a way he couldn't explain. She was like a beacon in the darkness, a light in the shadows. And slowly, oh so slowly, he began to let her in. He began to trust her, to believe in her.
But even as he opened himself up to her, even as he let her see the man he truly was, he knew that trust was a fragile thing. It could be shattered in an instant, destroyed by a single act of betrayal. And so he held on tight, held her close, knowing that the only way to truly trust someone was to give them the power to hurt you, and to pray that they never would.
