Page 49 of Above All Else

The clock struck eight on the dash, and a weight pulled off my chest. “It’s over.”

“Those ten hours felt like eternity.” He gave me a lopsided grin.

“You’re telling me.” I chuffed.

Carter’s hands twisted on the steering wheel. “There’s nothing I can say that will make it up to you, but I’d like to show you how much I regret what I did.”

I hung my head, my dirt covered legs marred with red angry scratches stealing my attention, my knees flaming red

Was he sincere?

Did it matter?

“It’s all too fresh right now.”

“I know it is.” He patted my hand, and I flinched. “If I could erase this night for you, I would. I’d do things differently. I would have come back for you and not have wasted all this time.”

Tears stung my eyes, and I closed my lids, holding them backas I turned my face toward the window. “You don’t get to erase what you did to me. It’s not that easy.”

“But I’ll do everything in my power to make you see how sorry I am.” He released a heavy sigh. “This isn’t me. This isn’t who I am. You know that. Don’t you?”

I gave a slight nod.

“There’s no excuse for it, but...”

No ‘buts’ when apologizing.

“I need you to promise me something.”

“Anything.”

Opening my eyes, I sniffled and turned his way. “I want you to get my parents out of there like you did yours.” I curled in on myself. “They’re getting too old to deal with this shit.”

“Done.” He gave a curt nod. “I’ll set them up in a house close to me so you can see them whenever you want, just like at Avon.”

I pinched my lips, turned away, and resumed my position against the door.

“Is there anything else?”

“Not for now.”

My eyelids grew heavy, his shirt hugging my body in a gentle embrace, his scent lulling me into a calming rest.

The morning sun turned my sleep into a bath of crimson blood, showering my dreams in memories I’d be hard-pressed to forget.

Chapter 13

June

The car jostled beneath me, sending my arms and legs flying out in front of me as though I were a newborn with a startle reflex.

Sucking in a deep breath, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and glanced around us at the flat plains. Fields of crops as far as the eye could see and the biggest landmark stretched in front of us with black tar lines covering weather-worn cracks.

“Where are we?”

“And she’s awake.” He cupped the back of my head and ran his fingers through my snarled hair. “We are an houror two outside of Topeka.”

My eyes widened. “Kansas?”

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