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“Say it, Emilia,” he orders.
“He’s not touching me, Carter,” I whisper, my thighs quivering.
His gaze is unfocused, and I can’t help but wonder just how much he’s had to drink. He’s been so in control since I got here. Tonight is the first night that he’s truly showing me just how intensely he still cares. It’s not like the few slipped words here and there. No, this is different. It’s raw, it’s real… it’s Carter.
“I want to clip your fucking wings,” he whispers, his lips tracing over my ear. “So you won’t ever leave me again.” He kisses my neck, and I tremble against him. “I want to fuck Sam up, and I want to sabotage your relationship. I want to wreck the happiness you’ve so painstakingly found, because I can’t stand the idea of you with someone that isn’t me.”
Carter rolls his hips against mine, and I bite down on my lip in an effort to keep quiet, to hide how he’s making me feel. “I can’t stand the thought of him fucking your delicious pussy, of you screaming his name. I don’t want him to ever have the honor of falling asleep with you. I don’t even want you smiling at him. I don’t want him saying your fucking name.”
He bites down on my shoulder before pressing a kiss to it. “I want to take you away from him. I want to rip you two apart,” he whispers, before pulling away. He lowers me to the floor and looks into my eyes. “But I won’t, Emilia. I won’t, because I fucking love you.”
Carter takes a step away from me and looks away. “Run, Emilia,” he whispers. “Run, because if you stay, there won’t be any going back.”
I look at him, my legs barely able to keep me standing. I inhale deeply and turn, running away from him, just like he told me to. With every step I take away from him, the words he uttered reverberate louder through me, over and over again.
Chapter 29
Emilia
I’m nervous when I walk into Carter’s office building the next morning, Sam by my side. I regret saying yes when he asked me for a tour of the office. I’m worried Carter won’t like it.
The security guard stops me and asks me for my employee card, but I forgot to bring my wallet, so I don’t have any form of identification with me either.
I’m about to walk back out when Asher walks up to me. “Milly!” he says, smiling.
Sam grins and leans into me. “Milly? Really?”
I elbow him and roll my eyes as he laughs at my childhood nickname. Asher offers Sam his hand, and I see the exact moment that Sam realizes who Asher is. He blanches, and his smile stiffens. “You’re the Chief Technical Officer of Clarke Reed,” he says, looking just a little flustered.
Asher grins and nod. “Yeah, I’m Asher Reed, the CTO — but you can just call me Asher. You must be Sam. Emilia has told me all about you,” he says, glancing at me. I look away guiltily. I haven’t told him a thing about Sam, but I probably should have.
“Only good things, I hope?” Sam says, smiling.
Thankfully, Asher smiles and nods. “Of course. Sometimes I can’t get her to shut up about you. I’m so glad you’re finally here. Now I won’t have to hear her complain about how much she misses you.”
Asher turns to me and wraps his arm around my shoulders. “Did you forget your access card, Milly?” he asks, ushering us in. What is with him? I never once said that I miss Sam. I’m pretty sure that Asher and I haven’t spoken about him at all.
Asher walks us to his office, and I freeze when I spot Carter in the hallway. Last night is still fresh in my mind, and my heart starts to race. The things he said to me… the way he held me, and the intensity he showed me last night. I inhale shakily and try to ground myself. He was just drunk. That’s all. At least, that’s what I desperately need to make myself believe. It can’t be more than that.
Carter pauses when he sees Sam and me, and he glances at Asher. “Emilia, Sam,” he says, nodding at us politely. I can’t spot a single trace of embarrassment or awkwardness in him, and suddenly I wonder if I read too much into what happened last night.
He looks at Sam and smiles at him. “I’ve been meaning to invite you to come see my office,” he says. “Would you like a tour?”
His offer surprises me, and I look up at him with wide eyes. Just last night he told me he didn’t even want Sam saying my name, but today he’s offering him a tour of his office?
“I’d love a tour,” Sam says, and I sigh as Carter leads us deeper into the building. “I badgered Emilia into offering me one, but having you as my tour guide would be even better.”
I spot the brief flash of irritation on Carter’s face, but thankfully, Sam misses it. He’s is enraptured by what Carter tells him about the origins of the company, and truth be told, so am I.
I remember sitting on the floor in the small apartment that Asher and Carter shared. Everything Carter has achieved was merely a concept back then. It’s astounding how much he has accomplished in just under a decade. I wish I’d been there every step of the way. I wish I could’ve supported him throughout this journey. For a brief second, I can’t help but wonder what those years would have looked like for us.
Carter and Sam pause by a large glass wall that overlooks a lab. Sam looks through the glass in awe, and I take a better look. “This is the stem cell research you’re doing, isn’t it?” he mutters, clearly impressed.
Carter nods and smiles, but his smile is pained. “Yes, but the research isn’t moving quick enough.”
Sam frowns. “What do you mean, not quick enough? Your team found a way to create organoids in almost no time at all. Your team is literally creating mini organs. It’s groundbreaking.”
Carter nods and sighs. “Yes, but I need full-sized organs. This isn’t good enough.”
