He hauls me up to him, like he can feel that need too, and presses his mouth to my forehead.
“My car is here.”
“Okay,” he says, pulling back to look at me.
“I work tomorrow night.” My breath hitches.
“Red, what do you need from me right now?” he asks, holding me by the shoulders and searching my eyes.
“Can I sleep over?” I ask.
“Yes,” he says instantly. “But what do youneed,Red? How do I help you right now, at this exact moment?”
“Can you drive me to work tomorrow?”
He dips his chin again, his eyes searching mine.
“Can you stop lying to me?”
He swallows, regret flashing over his face. “I didn’t lie. Ihaven’tlied, but I’ll explain. I’ll tell you everything, alright?”
I nod solemnly. It’s enough for now.
“Then, just get me out of here,” I murmur. “Please.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
arden
“Doyou want to talk about it?” Carter asks five minutes into our silent drive.
I’m staring out the window, glaring at the world because it can’t seem to stop stinging me. I’m tired. Can’t it see that? Does it want me to completely lose it? Because I’m getting there, and I’d prefer to keep my sanity.
“Which part? My little panic attack at my workplace or the fact that I bought into all of your shit and let you sleep with me?” I slowly roll my head against the window to look at him.
He stares straight ahead, jaw set. A tiny muscle at the back keeps pulsing, like he’s trying his best to keep a cap on his anger. I’m not sure what he has to be mad about. I’m the one who looks like an idiot. I’m the one he made a complete and utter fool of.
“I’m going to give you a break here because something is clearly wrong,” he says after a second, his tone even. “But we’re not doing this shit, alright? We’re not being those people.”
“What people?”
“People who don’t stand a fucking chance,” he bites out,glancing over at me. “If you have questions, ask them or let me explain, but don’t go beating me down because you’re upset.”
“I’m not beating you down,” I snap, pushing myself from the door. I glare at the side of his face until he shoots me a tired look that sets my anger ablaze. “I’m reacting to a very real interview of a woman who is painting me as afucking mistress!”
Carter winces as I explode. He opens his mouth to speak, but I keep going. Blame it on my daddy issues, but it’s just my bruised ego. There isn’t enough room in this vehicle for the whole dying dad thing to come into play yet.
“We had a deal,” I remind him, my tone lethal.
“A deal that I abided by,” he bites back, head snapping in my direction. He leans back against his seat with a deep sigh, his arm draped over the steering wheel. “A deal that I plan on continuing to keep, Arden. Give me the benefit of the doubt, for fuck’s sake.”
“Did you see that video before you left this morning?” I ask, swallowing the ball of rage in my throat.
He stills, eyes sliding back to the road. It’s quiet for one second, then another, and then far too many seconds pass, painting the answer out for me. Yes. He saw the video before he scurried out of my bed. He heard all the things that woman said right after he slept with me, and he still ran off.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“I was trying to get ahead of it,” he says quietly.
