Page 51 of Carter's #Undoing

Nineteen

SERENITY

My nerves were all over the place as I waited to hear how Carter was doing. When Cap arrived at Malakai’s looking like they were fine, I hoped that Carter was fine, too. My heart dropped when they told me he was being treated at an off-the-books facility and taken into emergency surgery.

I couldn’t even look at Crayson and Malakai without my anxiety rising, and thank God for Jordyn because she was keeping me calm with the tea she brought.

“How do you feel?” I asked Avery, whose belly seemed to grow two-times bigger every time I saw her.

“Fat,” she replied.

“Are you sure you should be here?”

“Where else would I be?” she asked. “He’s family.”

I nodded, sitting down beside her. “I know, I’m just nervous.”

“I’m watching her,” Jordyn said from behind us.

“How are you watching me when you won’t even sit by me?” Avery asked Jordyn.

“Sis, I love you, but every time we talk, I end up spending money. If I spoil them too much in the womb, how spoiled will they be when they’re born?”

Avery shook her head as I laughed at Jordyn’s logic. At the sound of footsteps, I anxiously sat up in my seat hoping it was the doctor, but instead, it was Hennessey and Scotch. They glanced to Jackie-D and Cap, each sharing a look I couldn’t read before they each glanced my way. I eyed all four of them, before walking over, trying my best not to raise my voice.

“What is it?” I asked them.

“Nothing,” Scotch said.

“It’s not nothing. I saw the look you all shared.”

“It’s not important,” Hennessey stated. “We were just confirming some business.”

I rolled my eyes, dropping my voice lower so that only the four of them could hear me when I asked, “Does that mean I don’t ever have to see that asshole again, or is it still not over?”

“It’s handled,” Scotch said. “That’s all you need to know.”

“The man I love is in surgery for injuries that you and no one here can confirm for me even though I know he sustained those injuries while trying to protect me. This day … hell, this month, has already been a whirlwind. Please don’t insult my intelligence by assuming that after everything that has happened, killing Rodney is what’s gonna be the thing that makes me squeamish.”

I was doing that thing again where the more anxious I got, the more I talked.

“We weren’t trying to keep you in the dark,” Cap said. “We just know GB will want to talk to you himself when he gets out of surgery.”

“Which is code for me to stop asking, right?”

“Nah, it’s not in you to stop,” Jackie-D said, catching me by surprise.

“It takes this,” I wave my arms around the waiting room, “for you to talk to me?”

“I was still feeling you out,” he admitted. “I don’t trust a lot of people, especially when they don’t stay around for long. But for what it’s worth, you’ve earned my respect. I see how GB is with you and how you are with him.” He stretched out his hand. “So, in answer to one of your first questions, my name is Jedidiah Crowne.”

My eyes widened, surprised that the one who’d been as silent as a shadow was the first one whose name I learned. “Nice to officially meet you, Jedidiah.”

“I’m Creed,” Cap said, introducing himself.

Hennessey nodded. “Hollis.”

“So Jedidiah, Creed, Hollis, and …” I looked to Scotch, who I was eager to know since he was Carter’s closest friend.

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