AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Because I know what we have is real, in spite of the vicious voice inside of my head telling me otherwise. The last thing I want is to give Lilian that kind of power over us, to make her feel like she’s gained even one inch. Yet, a part of me can’t help but wonder what Carter is going to do while I’m gone.
Orwhohe’s going to do.
As soon as the thought crosses my mind, I banish it and gesture to the bowl in Rich’s hand. “Why don’t I whisk, and you focus on the chicken?”
Rich smiles. “You’ve got it. I know this isn’t how you want to spend your time, but as soon as the storm clears, I’ll take you back to Carter.”
I don’t want to think about how long that will take.
Or the kind of damage I’ll find when I do make it back home.
Instead, Rich and I sit down to eat, and the lights flicker off. By the light of a candle, we sit across from each other, fierce winds howling outside. When it starts to rain, Rich and I carry the dishes to the sink, and he washes them while I dry them. There is a low whistling sound outside as Rich leads me up the stairs a short while later.
He leaves me in the middle of a large room with a terrace, holding a pile of clean sheets and pillows. When I crawl into bed at night, I keep going over my stay in the hospital, but everything is hazy, like I’m looking at it through a dirty camera lens.
I know I can’t trust my memory, especially not with the amount of drugs in my system.
Rich wasn’t in my room professing his love for me; he couldn’t have been. Not when he only wants to help me and stay in business with Carter. For his mom’s sake.
By the time sleep comes for me, I’m convinced it was all the medication making me hallucinate.
In the morning, I wake to the of Carter. Will I be able to connect with him today? Hopeful that the storm has passed, I take a quick shower and get dressed. When I head downstairs, Rich has made eggs, pancakes, and coffee.
I spend the day wandering around the house and checking my phone for a signal.
On the fourth day, the storm starts to clear up, and I find Rich by the balcony, peering out at the sky. “It looks like we’re finally going to catch a break.”
I nod and shove my hands into my pockets. “Thank you.”
Rich spins around to face me, and there’s a strange twinkle in his eyes. “Isabella, there’s something I want to tell you, but I’m not sure if I should. It’s about the reporter, and this article—”
I hold my hand up. “Whatever it is, I’ll deal with it when I go home.”
Rich hesitates, then nods. “I’m sorry that you have to go through this. I know you’ve got Carter, but if you ever need anything…anythingat all, I want you to know that you can come to me.”
I nod and lapse into silence.
A few hours later, Tristan and Paul pull up in a car outside Rich’s house. In silence, I get into the car and twist to watch Rich lingering in the doorway, a crestfallen expression on his face. I push the expression out of my mind, lean back, and promptly fall asleep. When I stir awake, I have no idea where I am or how long it’s been since I left the Donahue house.
All I know is that Carter is carrying me in his arms, the familiar smell of him washing over me.
I stare at him, taking in the days’ old stubble peppered across his chin and the dark bags under his eyes. He looks like he hasn’t slept or eaten in days, and my heart twists inside my chest as he carries me into our bedroom and sets me down on the mattress. As soon as he does, I sit on my hind legs and throw my arms around him.
Carter stiffens but doesn’t pull away. “You never should’ve left the hospital, dove.”
“I know, Carter. I’m sorry…”
He draws back, and his face is haggard, his eyes bloodshot. “Take off your clothes, and don’t move.”
Without waiting for a response, he disappears out of the room, and I hear his feet walking down the hallway. With trembling fingers, I hurriedly take off my clothes and drape myself over the bed, my heart thumping unsteadily the entire time. Carter returns without his shirt on, a belt in one hand and a toy in the other. He ties my hands together, pulls me up to my feet, and runs a single finger down my backside.
I shiver in anticipation and fear.
When the belt connects to my skin, I make a low noise in the back of my throat. Carter draws the belt back and hits me again, harder this time.
“Don’t ever leave me like that again.” Carter’s breath is hot in my ears, and my legs tremble, but I don’t move. “What the fuck were you thinking by running off like that? What the hell were you thinking by sending me those messages, huh?”
I swallow. “I didn’t mean anything, I—”
