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“No,” Carter growls, stalking forward. "Tell Benny he has to!"
“It’s not that simple, Carter.”
“Isn’t it? You have enough money. I know you do!”
“Carter,” Nathan says in warning, his eyes flashing to the door. “Lower your voice.”
The boy growls, his hands curling into fists at his sides, but when he speaks again his voice is quiet. Furious and harsh, yes, but quiet. “Benny is going to save him. Hehasto.”
“Carter…”
“You two owe me!” He whisper-shouts. “You have to save him!”
Nathan huffs. “And then what?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you prepared to have to lie to Casey like we lied to you?”
Carter straightens, looking like Nathan has hit him. Nathan supposes he has in a way. The words hurt, but they needed to be said. "We - we could tell him-"
“No.”
“But-”
“No,” Nathan says again, his voice firm. “No fucking way.”
“I’ll talk to Maison. Tell him-”
“It’s not up to Maison.”
That makes Carter pause. “Really?”
“I’msaying no to buying Casey. I pulled Benny from the side mission. It was my judgement call.”
“Why would you do that?”
“I had to weigh the risk to the mission, and I'm sorry Carter, but he's not you. He's not Maison's little brother. He's not the boy I -" Nathan looks off to the side, heart pounding. "He's not the boy I love. Casey isn't worth it. I understand that makes me a fucking monster, I do, but this - this is too important.Youare too important. Things have changed. You know the truth now. I won’t buy him if you have to lie to him. I won’t put you through that. I won't make you his monster.”
“That’s not up to you!”
“Can you imagine having to watch him be used or punished and having to sit back and stay quiet? Could you really play the role of a slave if he was in danger, or would you risk everything for him, just like you did before?" Nathan shakes his head, knowing the answer. They both know the answer whether Carter wants to admit it to himself or not. "You're handling enough, Carter. I'm not putting even more on your shoulders."
“For fuck’s sake, all of you need to stop fucking making decisions for me!”
Nathan grabs Carter’s arm, pulling him in close. “Lower. Your. Voice.”
“Fine,” Carter says in a harsh whisper. “But tell Benny it’s back on. Tell him to save Casey.”
“Carter-”
“Please.” Carter wraps his fingers around Nathan’s wrist, holding him tight. His eyes are wide and desperate. “Please.”
Having Casey here, with Carter an emotional wreck who now knows the truth, is too dangerous. The mission could be compromised. And if the mission is compromised, Carter doesn't make it out of this place alive.
Carter is all that matters.
“I’m sorry, Carter. I won’t approve it.”
