Page 5 of Unleashed By Eden

I’ve forced myself to avoid him wherever I can, to block out his existence. He’s a reminder of everything I ran from—that shitty little town, and that version of me I’d rather bury.

But no matter how far I run or how hard I try to build something new, something mine, Carter always finds a way in.

The universe is hell-bent on dragging me toward the person I used to be, tugging at the thread, and unraveling the distance I’ve worked so hard to build between us.

“Shit,” I groan, pushing myself off the couch. I grab the band from my wrist and twist my hair into a tight ponytail, pulling until my scalp stings.

I’ve come a long way from little Vi—the gaunt kid everyone overlooked yet somehow still found time to pick on. Crawling out of Riverstone was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was worth it. I had to get away from the constant abuse and whispered gossip about the foster kid, the freak show. Away from Jeanine’s soft-spoken guilt trips about how she’d “done her best.” But somehow, seeing him tonight in the flesh and now on TV, I’m right back there again. Trapped in the life I fought like hell to leave behind.

I scrunch my eyes shut, and the breath leaves me in a puff.

My phone vibrates against the coffee table, and I reach for it, unlocking the screen.

Liam

Ghosting only makes me double down. Don’t be a bitch. Call me back.

My lips twitch into a small smile. Liam and I have this unspoken rule—we don’t talk about Pulse, and we definitely don’t talk about Carter. We never needed to say it out loud. Maybe he knew that if his job ever came between us, he’d lose me. I’m grateful he’s never tested that theory.

Liam was always an angry kid, carrying the weight of his demons on broad shoulders. He lived on misplaced rage, fists flying at anyone who so much as looked at him wrong.

But he turned it around. He’s married to a woman who couldn’t be more different from him, and somehow it works. Their first child is on the way, and he’s running the band, and as far as I know, doing a bang-up job of it. I’m proud of him, even if I’ve never told him.

I start to type a reply, but delete it halfway through. Might as well get this over with. I hit Call instead.

“About fucking time,” Liam answers on the second ring. “Where’ve you been?”

“Hey, shithead. Working. Where else?”

“Stop ignoring me. It’s annoying as fuck.”

“I literally just said I’ve been working.” I roll my eyes. “How’s Anne?”

His voice softens right away. “She’s good. Morning sickness is still kicking her ass, though.”

“Mmm. Heard that can suck.”

“Yeah, it’s not fun. What about you? What’s going on?”

“I got a new commission.” I can’t quite keep the pride out of my voice.

“Oh yeah? Who with?”

“PrimeTime+.”

There’s a pause. “You’re shitting me.”

“Nope.”

“Really, Vi?”

“Did you know?”

He snorts. “No, why the fuck would I know? I’ve been working on landing this doco deal for eighteen months, but I don’t pick their crew.”

“Dunno, thought maybe you put my name forward or something.”

“I didn’t, Vi.” Another pause. “And you said yes? You’re actually doing it?”