Page 78 of Further To Fall

Carter’s face softened. “It’s okay. I’m awake. I can walk.”

I sent a small smirk her way. “You sure about that?” My firecracker was a great many wonderful things, but coordinated was not one of them.

She slapped my shoulder. “Yes, you big jerk. Now, out of my way.”

I retreated from the car, allowing her to exit. As soon as her feet touched the ground, I pulled her to my side. She collided against me with an “oof.”

“Gonna need you close for a while. Need you to be okay with that.”

Carter looked up at me with those big doe eyes, eyelashes fluttering. “Okay, Austin.”

I relaxed a little at her easy acquiescence. I was going to keep her locked away and under my constant supervision until this psycho was caught. My phone buzzed as we entered the house, and I slipped it from my pocket. When I read the name, I scowled at the screen. Fuck, this day just kept getting better.

I glanced at Carter, who had taken Blue’s leash from John and was unhooking it. This was not going to go well, but I had learned my lesson, I was going the route of upfront honesty. “Baby.” Carter rose. “Lexi’s calling right now. Do you want me to answer?”

The look on her face cut me to the core—suspicion, doubt, betrayal. “Why does she have your number? Or if she had it from months ago, why haven’t you blocked her? Unless you weren’t sure if you might want to call her up again?”

I fought the desire to snap. Would this forever be an issue? “Carter, I sometimes had to talk to her for work. You know that.” I ran a hand roughly over my head. “I thought we were past this. At some point, you have to trust me.”

Carter blew out a long breath, deflating as tears misted her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said that. I do trust you.” She collapsed against my chest, and my arms automatically encircled her lean frame. She was so delicate. Yet so tough at times, that I forgot just how delicate she really was. She tipped her face up towards mine. “I really do. She just brings out the worst in me.”

I brushed my lips against hers. “It’s okay. Everything will be okay.”

“I love you, Austin.”

“Love you, too.” My phone buzzed to life again in my hand. Glancing at the screen, I grimaced.

Carter stiffened in my arms but said, “Go ahead, answer it.”

I nodded, teeth clenched. Hitting accept and then the speakerphone button, I greeted, “What do you want, Lexi?”

“YOU RAT BASTARD! YOU CALLED THE FUCKING COPS ON ME?!”

Great. Lexi was in full drama queen-mode. “I didn’t call the cops on you. The cops are interested in you as a person of interest because of your shady-ass behavior over the past year. It’s no one’s fault but your own.”

“You’ll regret this,” she seethed. “You and that goody-two-shoes bitch of yours!” The line went dead as my stomach dropped.

“She’s crazy,” Carter whispered.

“We need to call Massey and let him know what happened.” Carter nodded, lifting a hand to cover a yawn. “I’ll do that. Why don’t you go lay down for a bit? I’ll order us some dinner after I get off the phone with Massey.”

“Okay.” Carter stretched to her tiptoes, giving me the briefest of kisses. “Thanks for taking such good care of me.”

“Always.”

Carter shuffled off towards my room, Blue following close behind while I placed a call to Detective Massey. Thirty minutes later, I had given Massey the rundown and ordered Thai food for Carter and myself. Grabbing a bottle of water, I went to check on my girl. Easing the bedroom door open, I found her curled in a ball in the center of the bed, Blue right by her side.

My heart seized. I never wanted this woman to leave me. A tremor wracked my body as I thought about how much I loved her. I was terrified by it. But I wasn’t going to let that fear keep me away from her. She was my everything.

40

Carter

Isat at the kitchen table, willing my coffee to do its job and wake me up. The night before, I had slept like the dead, and ten hours later, I was still having trouble waking up. I took another sip, and Austin chuckled. “Still not quite awake yet?” The sexy jerk had already done a two-hour workout this morning. I grunted in response, and he chuckled again.

The vibrations my phone sent across the table as it started to ring caused me to jump. I snatched it up, and then my eyes went to Austin. “It’s Detective Massey.”

Austin was instantly on alert. “Answer and put him on speaker.”

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