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I hope it’s mirrored in my own.
For the rest of the night, Carter and I explored each other with frenzied impatience, the kind that takes my breath away. At the crack of dawn, when the first rays of gray light peek out from below the horizon, I fall backward onto the mattress, exhausted and spent. Moments later, Carter tucks me into his side, and I curl into him, sleep already calling to me. Through sleep-filled eyes, I study Carter until I can’t keep my eyes open anymore.
When sleep beckons, I succumb, the smell of Carter still on my skin.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Isabella
In my dreams, I’m in a field of grass with a bright sun overhead. There’s nothing but blue clouds overhead and only an empty stretch of land for miles on end. I’m barefoot, lying on my back and staring up at the sky, with Carter stretched out next to me. When I twist to face him, Carter disappears before my eyes, and I jump to my feet.
I see him standing at the edge of the field, but no matter how fast or how far I run, I can’t reach him.
His hand is still held out, but he won’t move closer… no matter how much I beg him to.
Our fingers are inches away when I’m jolted back and thrown to my knees, the bare fabric of the dress I’m wearing not protecting me from the fall. Pain radiates in my limbs and behind my eyelids, but none of it matters. Not when I’m this close.
I reach for Carter again, and he gives me a sad smile before disappearing. I pound on the ground, call out his name, and cry.
When my eyes fly open, I realize I’m drenched in sweat and shaking. Carter sits across from me, one leg tucked underneath him and the other planted firmly on the ground. He’s got both arms around my shoulders and a panicked expression on his face.
Little by little, my surroundings tilt and sharpen into focus.
I’m still in our bedroom, but Carter is dressed in a pair of dark trousers and a button-down shirt. There are droplets of water in his hair and on the sides of his face. He holds both of my hands in his, and some of the tension on his face melts when I lift tear-stained eyes up to his. Carter squeezes my hand and offers me a grim smile.
“I’m okay,” I whisper unconvincingly. I pause to clear my throat and try again. “It was just a bad dream.”
One I hope never comes to fruition.
Carter says nothing as he draws me to my feet and takes me into the bathroom. There, he helps me out of my nightgown, which clings to my body and is soaked in sweat. He balls it up and tosses it into the hamper. Then he switches on the water and watches me while we wait.
In silence, I shift from one foot to the other.
Once enough steam has filled the bathroom, Carter hoists me up and sets me down under the shower spray. Wordlessly, he adjusts the pressure and the temperature. His lips tip into a ghost of a smile as he leans forward and presses a quick to my lips. When he’s gone, I sag against the wall and try not to replay the dream in my head.
It’s just a dream, after all. It doesn’t have to mean anything.
When I come out, Carter has laid out some clothes for me, and I spot my suitcase from the corner of my eye. On top of the suitcase is a smaller bag with a few toiletries and the music box. I smile and change into my jeans and t-shirt, and I’m in the middle of lacing up my shoes when Carter comes in with a tray of food. He doesn’t say a single word as I eat the omelet, linger over the yogurt cup, and then finish all the orange juice.
“Tristan and Sam are waiting downstairs.”
I swallow and rise to my feet. “Already? I thought Tristan was going to meet us there.”
“Sam is here to say goodbye. She’s going to be staying with her family up north,” Carter replies without looking at me. “Tristan is here to take you to the safe house. It’s not safe for me to be the one to drive you there.”
My stomach drops, and I can’t find the words.
Until Carter leads me downstairs, and the sight of Sam makes me burst into tears. She pulls me in for a hug and strokes my back. When I finally stop, she pulls back and gives me a tight smile. “I got you a burner phone, and it’s got my number on it. Call me anytime, okay?”
My throat closes up, so I nod.
Carter wraps his arms around me from behind. I lean into his touch and press my lips together. I am blinking back tears when I give Sam another hug, and Tristan ushers her outside. Through the glass, I see Sam get into her car and Tristan linger in the window. The two of them embrace, and Sam drives off, turning into a speck on the horizon.
For a long moment, Tristan stands in the middle of the driveway, staring at the space Sam occupied. With a shake of his head, he gets into the car and places both hands on the wheel. I twist to face Carter, but I can’t keep my lower lip from trembling.
“You could still drop me off. There’s time, right?”
Carter’s expression is solemn. “When it’s safe, I’ll come and get you. I promise this will be over soon, dove. Stay close to Tristan. Don’t leave the mansion, and don’t try to contact me. Tristan will give you updates whenever he can.”
