Page 8 of Unleashed By Eden

“Thanks, Carter,” I say, glancing over at him.

“For what?”

“For making me feel . . . I don’t know.” My eyes drop to my sopping boots. “Like this place isn’t always the worst.”

“Sometimes it is.”

When I look up, his gaze drops before I can catch it. By the time he looks back, his familiar grin is in place again.

“Anytime, kiddo.”

When we finally reach my house, Liam stands on the porch, his eyes narrowing as he takes in my drenched clothes, my limp, and Carter’s protective arm wrapped around my shoulders.

“What the hell happened?” he demands, his fists clenching at his sides. “Did those assholes mess with you again?”

Carter steps forward, releasing his hold on me. “I took care of it, man. Just leave it.”

“I don’t give a fuck. They don’t get to treat her like that.” Liam’s jaw tightens, a familiar fire in his eyes. He makes a move to head down the street, but Carter grabs his arm tight, holding him back.

“Liam, stop. It’s over. You can’t beat the shit out of everyone.” For a moment, they stare at each other, neither willing to back down.

I press my lips together, trying not to smile at the irony. Carter raised his fists for me today, but he’s always been the one to keep Liam’s anger in check, steering him away from trouble whenever his temper flares, clouding his judgment.

With a frustrated growl, Liam shrugs Carter off and stomps into the house. Carter sighs, dragging a hand down his face before glancing back at me. “You sure you’re okay, Vi?”

I nod. “Thanks, Carter . . . for stepping in.”

He gives me a warm smile, his eyes kind. “Welcome, little Vi.” Then he turns and stalks down the path, leaving me watching after him.

I head inside, where I can hear Liam muttering angrily to himself in his room. I know he means well, but his anger only makes things harder sometimes. I close the door to my room, leaning against it, my mind replaying every taunt Cindy threw my way.

My room is dimly lit, with faded posters peeling off the walls and mismatched furniture from a dozen other foster homes. I’ve been here a whole year now, which is longer than most places. Long enough that the idea this might actually be home is starting to stick.

A small mirror hangs above my dresser, and when I catch my reflection, I cringe. My hair is a wet tangle, plastered to my forehead; streaks of black eyeliner run down my cheeks, blending with flecks of mud. The cut on my lip is puffy and angry. I look like a drowned cat that lost a fight.

I wince, pressing a finger to my lip, feeling the sting of both the cut and the embarrassment of Carter seeing me like this.

I wish I could erase the whole afternoon—the humiliation, the insults, the fact he had to step in to save me. But at the same time, some small part of me is glowing. Carter defended me when no one else would. When no one else ever has . . . apart from Liam.

Turning away from the mirror, I limp over to my bed and tug off my boots. My ankle is swollen and hurts something fierce. I shrug off my jacket and let it fall to the floor, then stretch out on my bed, eyes trained on the ceiling. My finger idly moves through the air, tracing the outline of the posters that I’ve taped to the roof—faces of musicians and artists from cities I’ve only dreamed of: New York, London, Tokyo.

I reach for my sketchbook and the pencil tucked beneath my bed. The cover is wrinkled and scratched. I open a fresh page and let my hand guide the pencil.

I don’t want to be a “weirdo,” or “Grunty,” or even “kiddo.” I just want to be me: Violet.

There’s a soft knock at my door, and I sit up and wipe the mud from my face with the sleeve of my hoodie. I clear my throat, trying to sound normal.

“Come in.”

Liam’s head pokes around the door, his expression still gloomy. He walks in, closing it behind him.

“You okay?” He scans my ankle, then my lip, releasing a slow breath through his nose as he takes it in.

I nod, offering a faint smile. “Yeah. Carter showed up, so it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been.”

Liam’s frown deepens, his shoulders going rigid. “You shouldn’t have to rely on Carter. Or anyone, for that matter. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

The fierceness in his voice makes me shiver. I shake my head. “Liam, you can’t fight every fight for me. You can’t be by my side every second of the day. Besides, Carter already took care of it.”