Carter Reed(92)

Mike stepped forward, his hand to his ear. “We’re supposed to move you back to the house. Emma, would you please come with me?”

I stood without thinking. Carter had been beaten senseless and he got up. All his movements were precise, as if he knew what he was doing, as if he was waiting...Horror filtered in now. What had I interrupted?

“Emma.”

I should’ve trusted him.

Amanda helped me stand. My legs still wavered when I got up from the couch. She held onto my arm. “I’m coming with her.”

He frowned but nodded. “Fine.”

And then we were shuffled into the hallway and down the back exit. As we headed into the back elevator, I glanced to Mike. They knew the hotel inside and out. They had gotten help from someone, who knew all the back hallways and staff shortcuts. We were bustled through the storage doors and into a SUV. Mike got into the back seat with us. It was large enough for four more people. The doors from the front opened and two more guards got inside. Mike touched his ear, “Clear.”

The SUV shot forward.

I glanced back, as if to catch a look at Carter, but there was nothing. The storage doors to the hotel had already closed by the time we turned a corner.

When we got to the house, I turned to Mike. “Is he okay?”

He nodded and gestured inside. “He’ll be back as soon as he can. Your other friend was notified of your departures.” Mike glanced at Amanda as well.

Understanding dawned over her. “Oh, to Theresa. That’s good. She would’ve worried.”

He nodded again, a silent clip of the head.

I sighed. That was all we were going to get, so when we got back, I led the way inside. Amanda trailed behind me and as we went through the gym to the kitchen area, I heard her gasp behind me. This was the first time she had seen my home, my new home.

“Is this where you live?” She was breathless.

I nodded. “It’s Carter’s place.” But that wasn’t true. It was now my place too. There was no energy to enjoy this moment. Amanda was my first and would probably be the last to see the inside of my new home. I should’ve been proud, but all I could think about was him.

“Is there a bathroom?”

I nodded and showed her the one on the main floor. Then I went to the bedroom and changed clothes. My dress dropped to the floor. I didn’t care about picking it up. Carter was supposed to have been there to undress me. We were supposed to have spent the night making love and I had no idea where he was. After I pulled on sweats and a baggy sweatshirt, I grabbed another pair of each for Amanda. When I went back to the kitchen, she was searching through the cupboards. She gave me a sheepish grin. “I was going to make coffee.”

I lifted the clothes for her. “Yeah, I can make some. That’s a good idea.”

“Thanks for the clothes, not that I wouldn’t mind sitting around in this ball gown.” Giving me a crooked grin, she slipped past for the bathroom again. The coffee had started by the time she returned and it wasn’t long before I poured cups for both of us. And like my routine on the other mornings when Carter was gone for business, I took some coffee to Mike. He told me more guards had returned and taken point around the building so I filled up a thermos and climbed to the top floor. The guards didn’t even act surprised anymore. And then, I slid onto a seat beside Amanda at the table. We waited.

It was hours later when people arrived, but they were the new guards. Mike went home. A different Mike took his place. He was positioned in the garage. The only reason I knew of the change was because the first Mike came in to warn me of the shift change. He gave me a tight but reassuring smile. “I didn’t want you to be alarmed.”

“Any word from Carter?”

He shook his head and left.

Amanda asked once he was gone and we were alone inside, “Would he tell you anyway?”

“Probably not,” I sighed.

“Emma, I’m sure he’s fine.”

“I know he is.” But that wasn’t the point. I wanted to speak to him. I wanted to feel him, taste him. I wanted to hold him in my arms again. The images of him being beaten hadn’t stopped. I kept seeing them over and over again. And I hadn’t been able to stop it. Arms of cement held me back. It sent a chill down my back because there would be another time, but Carter might not be able to get out of that one like he had this time. Whether he told me he was out or not, it didn’t matter. I knew that Carter would always be connected to the mob.

I’d been kept in the dark. It was terrifying.

I wouldn’t for the next time.

“Look,” Amanda said. “Maybe I should head home?”

“No, stay.” I grabbed her arm when she started to stand. “Please.”

She caught my gaze, saw the pleading, and bent down. She pressed a kiss to the top of my forehead, skimming her hand over my hair. “It’s not the same, you know.”

“What isn’t?”

“Carter and Mallory.”

My mouth went dry. I hadn’t realized I’d been putting the two together, but she was right. I lost Mallory, even though I’d been reassured she would be fine. I swallowed over a big ball of emotion in my throat. I was scared of the same thing happening to him.

“Mallory was doomed from the beginning.”

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. Amanda had never spoken like this before. She sounded resigned as she pressed another kiss to my forehead. Turning, she rested her cheek to the top of my head and murmured, “She knew who Jeremy Dunvan was when they started together. And she knew he was a bad guy. That’s all she picked. She’s not the same as Carter.”