Page 26 of Carter's #Undoing

“Yeah, that’s fine.” She brushed some of the mud off her face, glaring at Colt. “But all the washing in the world won’t convince me that big ass Colt isn’t a wolf.”

“How can you say that? He licked you and everything. What wolves do you know that lick and wag their tail like a dog?”

Serenity crossed her arms over her chest and nodded to Colt. “I’m looking at one.”

I just laughed it off, but I would never tell her that Colt and I ran into a wolf in the woods one time and Colt was almost twice as big as it was. I’d been ready to protect my dog, but Colt had handled that wolf with ease, his growl damn near scaring me, too.

Once Serenity went back inside, I looked down at Colt. “Damn, boy, I think she’s right.” I rubbed him behind his ears. “I did find a wolf and make him my damn pet.”

And I was pretty sure I was losing my mind a little because Colt’s headed nodded like he was agreeing with me.Fleas, bruh. It’s probably just fleas.

* * *

SERENITY

He was beginningto seem more human. That was the first thing I told Avery when she asked me how I was doing.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I’ll tell you what I mean when you explain how the hell you managed to keep such a big secret from me.”

“Didn’t you listen to the message Caden and I recorded?”

“Yes, I heard it. It’s the only thing that stopped me from completely freaking out that I was handcuffed.”

“He handcuffed you? On some freaky shit?”

“Not the sexual kind,” I said bluntly. I wanted to tell her everything that had happened since I’d woken up on the couch, but didn’t share many details like Carter had instructed me not to.

“My dad really respects him,” Avery mentioned. “My dad never talks about his job or the people he crossed paths with during that time, so I knew he was special.”

Special.I knew he was, but it sounded weird to hear one of my friends say it. “Next time, can you try to give a sista a heads-up?”

“You wouldn’t have even believed me.”

“Probably not. You do realize he’s communicated more with you than anyone in his family in years, right?”

“I know,” Avery said. “But, sis, I was only the outlet he needed to talk about the people he really cared about. Like you.”

“Sometimes, I forget we’ve been apart and it seems like we pick up where we left off,” I admitted. “He’s beginning to seem less dangerous and more … like the man I remember.”

“I can’t wait to see you and finally hear the stories I’ve waited to hear our entire friendship,” Avery said.

“I know.” I grew quiet after that, wishing I could see my friend in person and get one of those hugs she was always freely giving out.

“Hubby is telling me our time is up,” Avery stated a minute later, “but I don’t want to hang up.”

I glanced at my bedroom door. “Me neither, but I’m pretty sure the shadow in the hallway outside my bedroom is my warning, too.” Carter peeked his head in then. “You know that’s creepy when you stand outside my door like that, right?”

“Wrap it up,” he said, before leaving again.

I frowned, wondering why he seemed so short with me.

“It’s because you’re on the phone with me,” Avery said.

“What is?” I asked.

“If you’re wondering why he seemed different just now, it’s because talking to me is a reminder to him that he’ll have to face his family after all of this is over.”

I sighed. “You’re probably right.” In fact, I knew she was right. I didn’t know exactly how much the Maddens had been told, but it was probably not everything. Something told me no one would ever know everything about Carter. Myself included.

“I love you,” I told her.

“I love you more,” she said. I was still holding onto the joy of hearing my friend’s voice long after Carter had gotten the burner phone and did whatever it was that he did to get rid of it.

---