Page 60 of Clap Back (Carter Brothers)

My pants and shirt were stained with blood, some mine, from my head wound, and some from my stepmom.

Turning my back to the room, uncaring that Ellodie was there to see my near nakedness, I dropped the gown they’d dressed me in and pulled the pants on over my underwear.

I’d just started on my shirt, trying to be careful of the cut on my forehead, when I felt a presence behind me.

I didn’t stop Auden from helping me, in fact, I gave him complete control.

He carefully threaded the head of the shirt over my head.

“Arms,” he instructed.

I put my arms into the holes, very aware of my swaying breasts and the way one of his hands brushed against the tops of my ribs. So close, yet so far away at the same time.

He pulled the scrub top into place, then pulled me into his arms, very carefully hugging me and letting me know he was there, and whatever happened next, he was going to be there every step of the way.

“We couldn’t find any shoes, but I’ll give you a piggyback ride to Quaid’s truck. He’s gonna give us a ride home,” he said.

I swallowed hard.

“Hey, before you leave,” Athena said. “Give me the address. I want to ask you a few questions, so I’ll follow. Maybe distract as you slip out.”

Auden gave her the address without thought, then said, “Ready?”

I nodded.

He presented his back to me and said, “Hop up.”

He crouched down slightly, and I jumped up, threading my arms around his neck loosely.

He hitched me higher with two hands on my ass—two very large hands that splayed the entirety of each ass cheek—and said, “Ready, ladies?”

Ellodie went first, Athena fell into step at my back, and together we walked out of the small side room that was allotted to me when I’d arrived in the ambulance.

My eyes were everywhere as we left, but I was warm and safe on Auden’s back—Auden’s very muscular back.

I was terrified. But with that terror was giddiness. I was on Auden Carter’s back.

I was going home with him.

He was going to make sure that my dad didn’t come anywhere near me.

He didn’t care about his job, or what my dad could do to him.

He wasn’t like any of the other men I’d been with.

It was… liberating.

To find someone who would stand up to my dad, the chief of the police, and his boss? It was so exciting.

I squeezed his neck a little tighter and laid the uninjured side of my face against his shoulder, burying my face against his skin.

He squeezed my thighs, and we walked.

“Let me talk to her,” I heard ordered.

It was down the hall, quite a bit away from us, but I knew that wouldn’t stop my father.

“A whole army couldn’t stop him when he wants to be somewhere,” I grumbled to Auden.

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