There is no way that I’d ever want to leave him. He is the most amazing man I’ve ever met in my life. “I never want to leave you. You’re all I’ve ever wanted.” I crush my mouth to his, causing him to let out a low moan. I took the opportunity and slipped my tongue inside. There is so much passion in this kiss that it takes my breath away. The way our mouths move together is so sensual and perfect. He is perfect. This time it is me who pulls back from him. “If you want me, I’m here and I never want to leave.”
“Good because, after that kiss, I might not be able to chase after you without scaring the neighbors.” We both break out in laughter, and it feel amazing to be able to be with him like this. “So, what do you want to do today?”
“Truthfully, if it’s okay with you, I’d like to lie in your arms and take a nap.”
“That sounds perfect.”
***
I feel a hand running through my hair and down my side. I smile at the fact that I was getting to wake up next to Carter. I open my eyes and a hand clamps down on my mouth before I can scream. Chris is standing over me, giving me a smile that makes my stomach turn.
I scan the room for any trace of Carter, but I can’t find him. My stomach drops and I am paralyzed by fear. Please let him be okay. My hands shoot up to remove Chris’s hand, but he grabs them and pins them above my head.
“I told you I’d be back for you. He can’t protect you from me, no one can. You’re mine, and I’m never going to let you go.”
I started to sob because it was the only thing I could do. Just then, I heard the sound of Carter’s car. He wasn’t home when Chris got in. I can’t help but wonder where the hell he could have gone. Chris hears it, too, because his face drops. I hear the front door shut and Carter singing to himself.
“Don’t think I’m done with you. I’ll be back, baby,” he whispers.
He kisses me on my forehead and then hops out of the window.
Chapter Twenty Three
Carter
Damn, sushi is fucking expensive but it would be worth it just to see her smile. I woke up early and couldn’t sleep, so I decided to run out and grab Maddy some of her favorite food for lunch. She loves the crap they serve at school, and this restaurant is ten times better. I can’t wait to surprise her. I hear the window open in the bedroom. Maddy must be up. Although, I don’t know what the hell she is doing opening a window in December.
I walk into the bedroom and when my eyes find her, it looks like she’s seen a ghost. Shit, she must have had a nightmare. I should have just stayed with her. I close the window because it is freezing in the room, then walk over to the bed, sit down and wrap her in my arms. “Shhh, baby, it was only a dream. I’m here.” She cries in my arms for at least another ten minutes.
“He was here,” she whispers.
My whole body stiffens. “What do you mean? When?” My eyes find the window that had been open when I got in the room.
“Chris was here when I woke up. I thought it was you at first. He was rubbing my head and I just assumed it was you. He put his hand over my mouth so I wouldn’t yell and told me he’d come back for me. Then, he heard your car and went out the window.”
I jump up from the bed, ready to kill the fucker. He’d taken this shit too far. I was going to find him and make sure he never even thought about her again, much less came near her. I feel her grab my arm and turn around to meet her eyes. She looks so scared that it only fuels my anger more. I shake her off and head for the door.
“Carter, wait, please!”
I turn around, but I don’t answer her. I don’t trust my voice right now. I am too angry and I need to go find him.
“Carter, please don’t leave. Please just stay with me. I know you’re mad and I’m sorry.”
Wait, what? She has nothing to be sorry for. I need to calm myself down. “What are you talking about, baby?”
“You’re mad because Chris was here. It’s my fault he even came. I never meant to bring all of this drama to you, and I know I’m putting you in danger by just being here.”
Is she crazy? She really has no idea how much I love her. She is so used to the dysfunctional relationship that she had with Chris. It makes sense that she thinks I’m mad at her. He always blamed her for everything.
I have to fix this. I pull her into me and hold her until we both calm down. I lead her to the couch and sit her next to me. Before she even gets all the way down, she is climbing into my lap. She wraps her arms around my neck and buries her face in my chest. I can’t leave her like this. She needs me here, but that didn’t mean this was over.
Madison
If I hold him long enough, maybe he’d forgive me. I hate that I brought Chris and all of my problems into Carter’s life. He deserves better than me, but I’m not sure I can live without him. He turns his head toward me and gives me a kiss on the lips.
“I’m not mad at you, baby.” How is he not mad at me? This whole situation is my fault. “I’m mad because that asshole came in my house and had the nerve to put his hands on you. It kills me that I wasn’t here. I’m mad at myself for that. I never should have left you here.”
Until right now, I completely forgot that he’d ever left. “Where did you go?”
“I woke up because I was hungry and when I went to the kitchen, I barely had any food. So I took a ride to Raw Bar to surprise you. I’m so sorry, baby. I should have just stayed here with you.”
I shake my head in disbelief at how thoughtful he is and now he just feels guilty about it. Just then, my stomach growls and lets Carter know he made the right decision. “That was so nice of you to do that. I’m not mad at you, and neither is my stomach.” He chuckles. God, I loved hearing that sound.
“I’d do anything for you. Come on, let’s eat.”
Carter
After lunch, we lie on the couch and watch TV, talking and laughing. It was a perfect afternoon, but we were ignoring the elephant in the room. I had to get it out. We need to talk about this. She needs to know I’m not just going to let this go. I sit up and she follows. She looks at me with confusion written all over her face. “We need to talk about everything.”
“Okay.” I can tell that her mind is preparing for the worst.
“I don’t want you going anywhere on your own. If I can’t be with you, Shawn or Jason will be. I already talked to them about it. You need to let me know if he tries to contact you. The only class you have with him next semester, I’m in too. I’ll take care of him soon enough.”
I’d texted Jason about what happened earlier and he decided to pay Chris a visit. When he got there, he found out that Chris had gone back home till the start of next semester. I didn’t care, though. I didn’t trust that he wouldn’t make a special trip down here just to get to her.
“What are you going to do?” She has fear etched all over her face, and I hate it.
“I don’t know yet but I’m not going to let him get away with it.”
She looks at me and I can see the tears that want to escape, but she is trying to hold them back. “I’m scared, Carter. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you because of me. Chris has serious anger problems. You don’t even know everything.”
“Then tell me.” I want to know but, at the same time, I didn’t want to hear all of the things he used to do to her. It makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about it.
“Most of the time, he’d just hit or kick me, really. He did it in places you normally didn’t see like my legs, stomach or back. Toward the end, though, he used to make me give him hand jobs and blow jobs.” She lowers her head like she is embarrassed.