Frayed (Torn #2)(5)

“It was nothing, Linds. Stop prying.” Carter answered her sharply, telling her that the subject was not open for discussion.

Like that would really shut his sister up.

“Better be nothing, Carter. I don’t think I need to mention it again that Emma is better off without you. You f*uked up, five times in one go, bro. She’s better off.” Lindsey looked at his brother with a determined stare. Carter stuck to driving without glancing at her.

I was sure the man got the point. “Linds, that’s enough. I think your brother knows the extent of his f*uked-up-ness. We all give him shit for it.” I managed to voice out. We were all protective of Emma. Even the guys that we were friends with are all giving Carter shit for it, too. He deserved what he got.

Carter gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles were white. “Emma might be with Bass now, but how long will that last until he dumps her? If you guys think I’m dirt because I get tempted from all the girls that throw themselves at me, then imagine the kind of treatment a Hollywood actor gets. He will end up hurting her.”

Lindsey snorted and shook her head. “Yeah, I get that. Emma gets that, too, but it depends on the guy. Bass might be a playboy like you, but he will definitely focus on our girl. He’s that kind of man, Carter.”

Yeah, just stab it where it hurts, chica.

Bass was the hottest piece of yumminess, but I agreed with what Lindsey had just said. If anyone saw how that golden boy looked at Emma—like he was seeing the sun for the first time—his eyes glowing in awe and fascination, they would see that he only had eyes for her. That same fire was alive in Emma’s eyes, too. It was crazy to describe it like that, but that’s how it was with them, honest. If you watch them long enough, you get burned from the heat they exude.

The awkward silence stretched out and I didn’t want to ponder my own demons that were on a temporary leave in my mind. “Where’s Brody?” I absentmindedly asked.

“Probably f*uking someone Carter already plowed through.” Lindsey paused, “if you need a run-through, let me update you. After Cece got deflowered by my dear brother . , S s he had a threesome with Brody and Cooper. This all happened when we were in high school. That didn’t change the fact that her venom expanded that far beyond that. f*uking gross bitch. You and your friends Carter… are seriously nasty. You need to get yourselves checked.”

Carter snapped at those last words. “I can guarantee you that I’m clean through and through.”

“I already knew about Carter and Cece,” I murmured. Cece was in love with Carter and she didn’t hesitate to grab the opportunity when Carter was drunk. Cece thought Carter would take her seriously afterwards, but when he treated her like nothing happened, Cece got desperate. She hooked up with Carter’s friends to ‘hurt’ him, but it never worked. I was completely convinced that to this day, Cece was still obsessed with Carter.

Lindsey stabbed the radio button on and switched it to KIIS FM, not wanting to talk any longer. We rode quietly until we got to LAX.

With all of stuff out of the SUV, Carter rounded the car and gave me a hug first. “Don’t forget to give her the present, please,” he whispered in my ear, pleading. “Thank you. Take care and have fun, Tris.” He murmured before kissing my forehead.

Carter then went over to his gloating sister and gave her a bear hug. “I feel like you’re leaving me or something. Weird right? I’m going to miss your annoying butt, Baby Sis’.” Carter pulled out a credit card from his wallet, handing it to Lindsey. “Here, shop your heart out. I don’t want you to spend any of your money. Make sure you pay with this when you guys go to London and wherever else you guys are going.”

That gesture sure made Lindsey happy. “Yay! You’re the best! I love you, Big Bro’ Man. Thank you!”

“I love you, too, Linds. Now you girls be careful and always stay safe. No going home with random men, got it? Or I’ll haul both of your asses back home.” Carter gave us one more hug before he started to back off and head back to where his car was.

We started to drag our luggage inside to checkin, but we heard him, he was yelling from his window. “Hey! Don’t forget to tell Emma that I’m still crazy about her. Bye girls!”

We both rolled our eyes at him. “He’s one hopeless man,” Lindsey muttered, smiling.

It really was too bad that he cheated because he and Emma would’ve been great together. It’s impossible to compete with Bass in the picture now, though. I mean, how would Carter win against a man who was so devoted to Emma? Bass took her seriously, and Carter simply did not.

All checked in and through the security check, we still had one hour to burn until boarding, so we were both seated with our eyes stuck on our iPads, reading, when my phone beeped.

Was it him? He knew I was leaving today. It must be him. With my heart beating wildly against my chest, I checked. My heart sunk that it wasn’t him, but I was a tad happy that it was Amber, instead.

Amber: Hi doll. So sorry I haven’t been in communication. But I should be home in a month. All I have to do is go through a treatment facility in Phoenix. I don’t know why it’s that big of a deal. My parents didn’t think it was, so I don’t know why my grandmother is. Guess, I’ve really shaken the wrong matriarch this time, huh? It’s my only chance to get back to school. Grandma won’t let me go back until I finish. I will be checking out of the hospital tomorrow and will fly out there afterwards. Please don’t call. I don’t feel like talking, but I love and miss you guys.