Page 24 of No Save Point

I reach for it answering before Haven can glance down and see the name, before she can start asking questions I can’t answer.

“Not now,” I mutter, voice low.

Tate laughs. Pthat’s when I know this isn’t just a casual check-in. He’s fucking with me. “What, no pleasantries?” His voice is too relaxed. “You left so fast, little brother. Thought we might have a nice chat.”

I glance at Haven out of the corner of my eye, her focus is still on the window, like she’s giving me privacy, like she’s not listening. When Tate speaks again I know she hears it.

“Come on,” Tate hums, just loud enough he know it will carry over the sound of the car. “Aren’t you gonna tell me where you ran off to?”

Haven shifts, I can tell her body tenses. Fuck.

I keep my voice as even as I can. “Not the time, Tate.”

Tate clicks his tongue, like he’s disappointed. He knows exactly what I’m trying to do. “Relax, Carter. I just wanted to know how she’s liking our town.”

My pulse spikes. I see it the second Haven’s posture changes, the way she stiffens, the way her head tilts just slightly, like she’s processing the words, trying to piece something together. She doesn’t know who he is. But she knows something isn’t right, and if Tate keeps talking, if he says the wrong thing, she will.

I grit my teeth, praying to whatever cruel god is watching that he doesn’t push this further. “Not now,” I repeat, voice harder, dangerous.

A pause. Tate chuckles. “Fine,” he mutters, voice dropping quieter. The call cuts out. Just like that. Like he got exactly what he wanted.

I lower the phone, forcing my grip to stay loose, forcing my face into something unreadable.

I can feel Haven looking at me now. She doesn’t say anything. But I know what’s coming, I know she’s about to ask.

I have no idea what the fuck I’m going to tell her. I sigh, attempting to shift the conversation, trying to get the focus off of me, off of Tate, off of the lie that is about to fucking explode if I don’t steer this in another direction.

“Who’s Tate?”

Shit.

“M-my brother.” I say, glancing at her. “Why? You interested in meeting him?” Why the fuck did I just say that.

Instead of brushing it off like I expected her to she shrugs. Like she didn’t just make my whole body lock up. “Yeah,” she says simply. “Sure, why not?”

My stomach drops. My hands tighten around the wheel, my breath punching short. I recover quickly, masking the panic creeping up my spine, keeping my voice neutral. “You sure about that?” I ask, making it sound like a joke, making it sound like she has no idea what she’s signing up for.

Haven laughs, tilting her head at me, studying me like she’s trying to figure something out. “What, is he that bad?”

Yes. Yes, Haven, he is. He is your worst fucking nightmare, and you don’t even know it. But I can’t say that. So I keep my voice light. “Depends.”

She raises an eyebrow. “On?”

I exhale slowly, dragging a hand through my hair, stalling. “On whether or not you like guys who push buttons just for fun.”

Haven huffs out a laugh. “Oh, please. I deal with people like that all the time.”

I nod, keeping my tone easy, like this conversation isn’t making my entire body go stiff. “Well,” I say, turning back to the road, keeping my voice calm. “Guess we’ll have to see about that.”

She doesn’t realize what I mean. But Tate will, and that’s the fucking problem.

11

Haven

The ride to Carter’s house is quiet.

Not awkward quiet, not the kind of silence that stretches too long and makes your skin itch, but different.

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