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We should ignore it. Decline the call and dial 911.
“Carter…”
“It’s okay,” he promises. “It’s going to be okay.”
But what if it’s not?
Carter takes my hand, pulling me toward the closet for some reason. I don’t argue. It’s probably the safest place if our masters are listening through the bedroom door. He sits on the floor, the phone still ringing in his hand. I hesitate before sitting too. We exchange one last look before he flicks his thumb across the screen to accept the call.
“H-hello?” he asks, not sounding as confident as he did a moment ago.
“Carter. Shit. I - hey, baby brother,” the man who may or may not be Maison says, his voice shifting between concern and joy. “God, it’s good to hear your voice. How are you? How have things been? God, I-”
“I’m here with Casey,” Carter says quickly, cutting his possible-brother off. “I’m not calling to talk about… Well, I’m just - I’m here with Casey. Benny told him the truth.”
“Oh. Right.” The man clears his throat. “Hey, Casey. It’s nice to sort of meet you. How are you settling in?”
I eye Carter, not entirely sure if I’m buying this. He’d recognize his brother though, wouldn’t he? Or is his hope getting in the way? I lean forward so I can whisper in his ear, just in case the man on the phone isn’t who he says he is. “How do you know it’s really him?”
Carter puts a finger up for me to wait. “Can you prove to Casey that you’re my brother? I want to ask you a question or two.”
“Carter, we already did this. The first time we spoke, you didn’t believe it was me. We did this.”
“But Casey wasn’t there. Humor us.”
“Okay. Of course. Sure. Whatever you need.”
I try to force myself to relax, but he doesn’t sound very enthused about proving himself. Probably because he isn’t Maison.
“Who was my first kiss?” Carter asks.
Possibly-Maison chuckles. “That would be with Bailey Marshall. Your 16th birthday. You had a sleepover party with all your friends, and the two of you snuck off during the bonfire and kissed behind mom’s tool shed. You told me it was like fireworks. I gave you shit about the cheesiness of that for months.”
I look at Carter, waiting for him to confirm if that’s true. Carter nods. My stomach flips, my brain barely even registering what Carter says in return. “You totally did. So much shit. I hated you.”
“You got me back. Remember when you found out about me having that threesome with Mrs. Burns and her husband? To the day of your kidnapping, you still weren’t letting me live that shit down.”
“To the day of my kidnapping?” Carter asks with a psh sound. “I’m still giving you shit for that, brother. You’re not getting away with it just because I got fucking kidnapped. Good try though.”
“It was one threesome!” the man shouts, though he’s laughing too. “One night!”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Carter’s smile fades as he looks off to the side at me. “Um - that good enough for you, Case?”
No.
Yes.
Maybe?
“I just… this is all…”
“Ridiculous?” Carter asks. “I know. But do you believe us?”
I draw my knees up to my chest, taking a deep breath. I just - I can’t wrap my head around it. There’s just no way. Could it really be over? Could we really both be safe? No more pain? No more fear? No more… rape? Really?
I try to release the breath that’s burning my lungs, but instead of coming out as a puff of air, it comes out as a sob. Carter quickly puts the phone down and wraps me up in his arms, holding me close as one sob follows another.
“I’m so sorry,” Maison murmurs. “I’m so sorry.”
