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Chapter Seventeen
Thebastarddoesn'tcomeback for hours. Long enough for Casey to give up on trying to comfort Carter, falling asleep on the bed while Carter paces relentlessly.
It isn't until just after 3 in the morning - Carter stole the most expensive looking watch he could find and spent hours determining if he should smash it - that he decides to grace Carter with his presence. He flinches the moment he sees Carter is awake.
"Oh. You're-"
"Pissed, yes! What the fuck, Nathan?" he hisses, making sure to keep his voice low despite his emotions. They're too damn close now to ruin things by shouting. "Where have you been? Is he okay?"
Nathan's expression hardens. "We both know he's far from okay, Carter. And I've been putting together the party. I told everyone I want it to be as soon as possible in case his team decides they want to save him. It's tomorrow night. People are moving fucking mountains to be able to come."
"What do you mean he's far from okay? Where is he?"
"He's with Benny."
It's not the whole truth. Carterhateswhen he does that. "And?"
"And most of my closest men. The usual guys from the house." Carter's stomach churns.How had they never discussed this?How, out of all his questions, had he never even considered it?
"You're letting them…?"
"Yes. Maison's orders."
"But - but you could stop them!"
Nathan gives him a look full of exhaustion. "And how the fuck would I pull that off? He's not a prize like you, Carter. They all think he's going to be killed at the party. He's a temporary toy. A way to sayfuck youto anyone who opposes us."
"But-"
"No. Stop. This is the plan. The plan that was madeyearsago. The plan that's damn near foolproof. We're sticking to it."
Carter deflates, luckily landing on the edge of the mattress instead of falling. He lets the watch slip out of his hands. It does nothing but make a softthudsound when it hits the floor. It's not nearly as satisfying as breaking the thing would have been, but Carter can't get himself to care.
"Is it still going?"
"What?"
"The - him being - Maison getting-" he shakes his head, giving up on trying to say the word. "You've been gone for hours. Is it still happening? Or is he safe now?"
Nathan winces. "It's winding down. Most of the men have wandered off. Only two of them are still in there, apart from Benny."
"Did you see that for yourself?"
"Yes. I went to tell Benny the details for the party and to make sure things were going well."
Well. Carter wants to scream. "And Maison? You must have seen…"
"He's okay. Still awake and responsive."
Carter hates that the bar is so low thatawake and responsiveis fucking consideredokay. "What happens when they're done too? Will Benny…?"
"Benny is going to lock him up in a cage. One with a key that Benny will keep with himself. If anyone comes by while he's in there, they won't be able to do much."
And now Carter is feeling thankful his brother is going to be locked in a dog cage.Seriously, fuck this life.
"You were avoiding me," Carter decides to say. "I know you had the party to pull together, but still… admit it."
"I was avoiding you."
