Carter Reed Part 26

I left Carter in that apartment. There was a car downstairs waiting for me and I was driven to the safe house. Amanda and Theresa were at the dining room table, a huge gla.s.s of wine in front of both of them. When they saw I was alone, each gave me tired smiles. I showered before I joined them, but when I did there was a huge gla.s.s waiting for me. I needed it.

We sat together the rest of the night. None of us wanted to go to sleep.

They never asked what happened. They knew.

Noah arrived when it was nearing six in the morning. He looked exhausted as well. I wasn't sure why, but I didn't want to know. Theresa tipped her head back, as if waiting for a kiss, but he knelt and folded her body against his. He stood and both disappeared down the hallway.

Amanda lifted her eyebrows.

I yawned, "My boss. They're complicated."

We didn't speak another word, and Carter was the next to come in. He didn't pick me up as Noah had, but he took my hand and led me to our room.

I looked over my shoulder, but Amanda had her head down. She was resting it on the table. I knew she didn't want to sleep or she would've asked for a bed.

After we showered, Carter lifted me and took me to the bed. He put us both under the covers and we lay together. When I started to reach for a s.h.i.+rt, he shook his head. He wanted only our skin against each other.

We never talked about what I did, between any of us.

Amanda didn't want to go back to her apartment, so she stayed at the safe house. She lived there, and this time it was my turn to pack up her belongings. I had all of it put into storage. She only asked for a few things, mainly clothes and her computer.

Since Amanda stayed at the safe house, so did Theresa. I didn't understand why, but she told me that Amanda reminded her of her mother. A bond formed between the two and after three months at the safe house, Theresa took her in. There was no question, no discussion. We were all having dinner one night, Noah and Carter as well, and Theresa put down her fork, tilted her head to the side, and told Amanda she was moving in with her.

The next day, the little belongings Amanda had were packed up and both of them left.

I wasn't sure who was more relieved, Noah or Carter. Since both of my friends were at the safe house, I wanted to stay there as well so Carter stayed with me. Noah was the only one who didn't stay all the time, but he was around more often than not. Amanda asked me one night if it was weird that I was almost living with my boss, but I shrugged. Nothing seemed weird anymore.

There was no name on Mallory's headstone. She had no family.

Ben was listed as her emergency contact so she was never identified officially. I was taken to the morgue after hours one time and saw that it really was her. I knew it was, but Carter wanted me to make sure. Amanda hadn't wanted to come.

We never talked about Mallory, not at first. After Amanda moved in with Theresa, it was another three months before her name was brought up. We started a new tradition for the three of us. We spent every Friday night at their apartment. It was spent talking, laughing, and drinking wine. Lots and lots of wine. A pizza was usually ordered as well. The nights were meant for only light conversations, but that night Amanda asked if we could have our own memorial for Mallory and the baby.

She started crying after that.

By the end of the night, all three of us had each used a box of Kleenex. I was a mess when I slipped into bed with Carter that night, but I relayed what Amanda had asked and explained that the rest of the night was spent sharing Mallory stories. We even talked about how pathetic we thought Ben was. Carter shook his head, kissed my forehead, and pulled me over him. He liked to sleep with me on top of him. He ran his hand up and down my back. It was only later that I realized that he didn't sleep. He held me. Carter didn't need much sleep. The first time I noticed, I woke to him pacing in the room. He was a caged tiger.

When I felt tension in his body, I slept naked and on top of him. It soothed him for some reason.

Over the next couple months, the three of us formed a tight bond. Besides the Friday Wine Nights, there were many others spent at Octave. Noah came some of those times, though he was annoyed most of the time. Brianna continued to work at the nightclub, and she still didn't approve of a romantic relations.h.i.+p between Noah and Theresa. That p.i.s.sed Theresa off.

I asked Amanda one time about the cop she was going to date, and she looked at me like my head exploded. "Are you kidding me? After what we did?"

I never pointed out that she technically didn't do anything, but a part of me was glad she considered herself part of it. It made the guilt fade a little. Killing Ben never made me lose sleep, but I still had nightmares about Mallory. No matter what Carter tried to get me to think, I would never be rid of that guilt. It had been my job to protect her. I had failed. I had avenged her, but I had failed her. I had failed her child as well.

However, I was learning to live with that guilt.

It was the only point of contention between Carter and me.

Theresa and Amanda had each other. Theresa sort of had Noah, but Carter and I had become a team together. We grew so close that we didn't need to speak half of the time. We knew what each other thought.

This night was one of those nights.

We were at Octave, in Carter's private office with his patio dance floor. Amanda and Theresa were dancing together while Noah was discussing our latest business venture from The Richmond. I stopped listening to him and glanced over at the door. He was there. The hunger started again. I had grown used to that as well.

Noah stopped talking and grinned. "I know that look."

His eyes found mine immediately, a slow smile growing as he closed the distance between us. They darkened, full of promises, as he murmured, "Hey there."

"Hi."

He grinned and took my elbow. He moved so that he was leaning against the counter. My back was against his chest and he wrapped his arms around me. He tucked me close, between his legs. Then he turned to Noah. "Are we sparring tomorrow again?"

Noah shook his head. "You two."

Carter laughed, his voice low smooth against my ear. "I believe your other half is just on the other side of those doors if you choose."

He groaned, "Don't get her started. Brianna's on tonight. I don't need another lecture."

"It's like that?"

"It's like that." Noah looked to the dance floor. His tone lowered, "I'm going to need a full hour in the gym tomorrow, if you're game."

"I'm game." Carter pressed a kiss to the back of my neck. "But it might be worth taking what you want before someone else does."

"Not you too. That's all Theresa harps on me now. aI got asked out for a date today.' aI'm going to dinner with so and so.' Oh, and then my favorite, aOne day I'm going to get sick of waiting, and you'll regret that day ever happened, Noah John Tomlinson.'" He pretended to hit himself in the forehead. "Believe me, I am aware my chances are dwindling each day."

I turned, unable to help myself. "So why don't you? She loves you."

My boss went still at my words. Then he choked out, "She does?"

I snorted in disgust. "She wouldn't be waiting for you if she didn't. Forget your sister, Noah. You get that love once in a lifetime, if you're lucky."

He didn't wait another second. He put his gla.s.s down and went on the dance floor. Amanda danced by herself for the rest of the night.

Carter tightened his arms around me and kissed the back of my ear. He caught my lobe in his teeth, sweeping his tongue against it, as he murmured, "Once in a lifetime, huh?"

I turned around and wound my arms around his shoulders, then grinned as my lips found his.

It wasn't long before Carter said our goodbyes for us and took me home. Our departure was barely noticed. They all knew it was never long before the two of us left. As he carried me to our bed, I couldn't help to think about our own family. We found each other after so many years apart and came together, as he slipped inside of me, as one. Our hips moved together in perfect rhythm. I gasped, falling back onto the pillow, as he moved over me. My hands skimmed up his arms and he looked up, his eyes falling into mine.

There. Right there.

He was all I needed and I was all he needed. This entire experience had changed me, hardened me. I had killed two men. And as Carter continued to thrust inside of me, I knew I would do it again if anyone tried to take him away from me.

It was early the next morning when Carter woke me up. He nudged me in the side. "I want you to get up with me."

"No." And I rolled over.

After a soft chuckle, he said again, "Come on. I want you to go to the gym with me."

"No."

My pillow felt wonderful. Too wonderful to get sweaty and whatever else he had in mind. I wasn't moving and hugged my pillow tighter.

There was no warning.

Carter flipped me over. He hooked a hand around my leg and slid his other under my arm. I was lifted in the air like a rag doll. With a gasp, I clung to him to keep from falling and was carried into the walk-in closet. He deposited me on the bench as my s.h.i.+rt was taken off in record time. Workout clothes were tossed to me before he went to get his clothes.

"What is this?"

He flashed me a grin. "You're going to train with me and Noah."

I snorted and threw the clothes back to him. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are." His grin turned wicked. "I think it'd be good for you to learn some moves, just in case."

"I have how many bodyguards?"

The grin faltered. "Guards can die. You should still learn how to defend yourself."

"Oh." There went that argument. "Noah is my boss and an MMA champion."

"So?"

"So. It's awkward. And inappropriate."

Okay, I was grasping for straws here.

He shook his head, but tossed the clothes back to me before he pulled off his own s.h.i.+rt.

Oh. Consider me distracted. I sighed as I watched his back muscles bulge and stretch when he pulled a different s.h.i.+rt on. This was a tight tank but torn down the middle as if someone had grabbed for it and ripped it. Then he pulled on some pants and I was even more distracted. His obliques stuck out, rippling under his skin, and when those workout pants covered him, they clung in all the right places.

The throbbing began again. My mouth went dry. I wanted a different workout.

"Noah is the same boss that you've given love advice to and have gone drinking with. If anything's inappropriate, that's inappropriate."

I sighed. "He's my boss."

"And you're my woman." He stopped and glared.

A thrill went through me. A primal possessiveness was in his gaze. His lips flattened, though my own still tingled to touch his.

He continued, "I just think it's smart for you to know how to fight. And I want to make sure you learn the right way. I trained Noah, Emma. I'd like to train you as well."

All fight fled as he looked at me like that. His wolf-like eyes were tender and loving. My desire for him only magnified, but I contained it. Carter was waiting for me in the bas.e.m.e.nt garage after I finished dressing. A car was already there so I slid into the seat beside him, and he reached over for my hand, kissing the back of it. "Thank you."

I sighed. He was so d.a.m.n wonderful.

It was nearing six in the morning, way too early, and when we got out of the car in another bas.e.m.e.nt garage and went through a single black door, I saw that we had it to ourselves.

Carter crossed towards a fighting ring, but I lingered behind. The entire front hallway was covered in pictures of Noah. Most of them were when he was an MMA fighter. He stood in his bright red shorts with other fighters. Some pictures were with other people, whom I a.s.sumed were his family. I recognized Brianna in a few and Theresa in others. There were even photographs of Noah and Carter. One caught my eye. It was dated a long time ago, six months after AJ died.

"Carter?"

"Yeah?" He straightened from stretching.

I pointed to the picture. "How long have you known Noah?"

He came over and stood behind me. One of his hands rested on the side of my hip, but he didn't pull me in. It was just there. His chest skimmed against me lightly as he took a deep breath. "That wasn't long after-"

"After AJ died."

"Yeah." He sounded sad. "He was some punk kid coming in, looking for a job."

"Really?" I glanced over my shoulder.

His eyes were lidded, going through past memories. He laughed, a hollow echo to it. "I was there when he approached one of the new guys. It was a bakery downtown. That was where some of the product was hidden. I was collecting money for Farve, who laughed when he saw Noah. He pulled up in a fancy car, wearing khakis and a purple vest. He looked ridiculous. Rich punk with daddy issues. That's what Farve said when he pointed him out."

"What'd you do?"

"Nothing. Well, nothing to him. I told our guy not to give him a job. Then I was notified a month later that Noah was back demanding a job, so I told the guys to bring him to me. I think Farve thought I'd lost my mind. I wasn't high on the ladder yet, but high enough with enough clout by then for people to do what I said."

"What happened?"

He laughed again. Fondly. "They brought him to me and I told him if he wanted a job, he needed to take me down. He mouthed off, said he could do whatever he wanted. That's when I told him that I was the guy who'd be coming after him if he didn't make the right payments so he better know what he was getting into."

"Did he take you down?" I grinned as I asked. I already knew he couldn't, not then.

He chuckled and shook his head. "No. He still can't. He can overpower me, but I'm quicker."

"Like h.e.l.l you are."

Noah stood there, a wide smile stretched over his face, as he held a gym bag over his shoulder. He wore a similar s.h.i.+rt like Carter, ripped in places and looking like something he bought from a thrift store. His pants were even worse. Gray, faded in places so much that his skin shown through. The pockets looked like they'd been ripped out long ago. A deep chuckle reverberated from him. "Those are fighting words, my son."

Carter chuckled. "That's what I said to him all those years ago."

It took a moment before I realized Carter had addressed that to me. He nodded towards Noah, who stood next to me now. "She asked about this picture. I was telling her how we first met."

"Yeah." A dark haunted look appeared over Noah as he sighed. "That was around the time Theresa's parents died. I was close to her dad and was f.u.c.king angry at the world. I wanted to do damage. I don't know if it was to myself or to others. Anyways," he blinked a few times and the darkness disappeared. He forced a smile instead. "Don't matter now. This man never let me anywhere near that lifestyle."

Carter had been watching as well but caught my gaze and squeezed my hip. "I paid for his first fight."

A genuine laugh rippled from the bigger guy. "And all the rest since."

"You were his sponsor?"

"More or less." Carter shrugged. His icy blue eyes grew thoughtful again. A s.h.i.+ver went over me. He was remembering AJ. I didn't know how I knew it, but I did. He murmured, "He reminded me of your brother. Same look in his eye, angry and hurting. Ready to fight. When I saw the kid had talent, I knew he had a different future for him."