12. June
Chapter 12
June
C arter parked the car on the side of the road next to the beat-down red truck I’d seen every weekday since the start of school and glanced at me. “Now what?”
“Am I doing this on my own, or are you coming?” I reached into the back of the car and snagged the bat, my hands shaking and my stomach twisted in knots.
Carter put his hand over mine, steadying the trembles. “If you go in there and do what I think you’re about to do, there is no going back.” His gaze narrowed, the early morning sun casting just enough of a glow to offer a fleeting glimpse into his expression. “Do you understand that?”
I gulped and nodded, my skin slick with perspiration. My knee bobbed up and down, shaking the car.
“Then we do this together.”
“Okay.”
His hand slipped from mine, and we exited the car, meeting each other at the back door, my negligee peeking out from beneath his shirt wrapped around me. Dry cum crusted my thighs, my slip-ons scuffing the cracked cement stairs.
“Ready?” Carter crouched down, his hand on the doorknob.
I nodded, my throat parched like the Sahara Desert.
“No turning back.”
“Just get it over with,” I whispered.
I twisted the bat in my damp hands as he turned the knob. The door creaked on its hinges, causing me to shudder and duck down.
I can’t do this.
Oh my God.
I can’t do this.
Carter chuckled under his breath, swung the door open, and stepped inside with a confidence I could only dream of possessing.
He squared his shoulders, and I walked in behind him, my knees shaking, my heart racing a million miles a second.
The kitchen was a scene of decay, with rotting food left abandoned on the stove, its foul stench causing my nose to twitch—a horde of flies claiming the furry feast. The floor was a chaotic mess of discarded clothes and crushed beer cans, each step a mysterious landmine.
In the corner of the dim, cluttered living room, an old box TV flickered, casting an eerie light across the worn and sagging armchair where the one and only David Tatum sat passed out cold, oblivious to the squander.
I knew there was something wrong here.
My fists clenched around the bat as I brought it to my shoulder, rushed forward, and brought it down hard against his chest.
The drunk man’s lungs deflated as he exhaled with a whine, his bloodshot eyes bursting open, his lips wide as he gave a silent cry.
“That’s for not taking care of Caroline.” I brought the bat back over my shoulder and back down on his hand resting on his leg, his other pressed to his chest.
Crunch.
“AHHHHHH.” David screamed as the bat crushed his wrist.
“Oh, don’t be such a pussy, David.”
Carter raised a brow as he settled on the other side of David, his arms crossed over his chest with a nonchalant smirk as though my abuse of a grown man wasn’t appalling.
“What the...” David glanced up at Carter. “Who are you?”
“Me? I’m no one. It’s her you should be worried about.” He pointed at me and chuckled. “Hell hath no fury and all...”
“I didn’t do anything to—“
“You didn’t do anything?” I clenched my teeth, grinding them until my jaw ached. “Just look around.” I raised the bat, and he cowered. “You’ve damaged that little girl. The one person who she should be able to trust in this godforsaken world, and you violated that.”
My bat connected with his knee, the weight of emotion lifting off my shoulders as I exhaled on his scream.
“Daddy?”
I glanced down the dark hall, catching the small shadow of little Caroline. My heart stopped in my chest, the rush of blood falling from my face.
Why didn’t I think she’d witness this?
Shoving the bat behind me, I took two steps down the hall toward her. “Hi, little miss Caroline.”
“Miss Collins?”
“Mmhmm.” I nodded as I knelt, taking her hand in mine. “Your daddy and I are having a little chat, and when we’re done, he’s going to clean the kitchen and make you some breakfast.” I gave her a saccharin smile. “How does that sound?”
Her eyes lit up. “Really?”
I nodded. “Yup. But you have to go back into your room and stay there until the policeman says you can come out. Okay?”
“Miss Collins?”
“You’re dead, bit—“
Carter grabbed David around the shoulder, causing him to seize up, his knees hiking into the air as though he were a kitten held by the scruff. “ Shh.” He held his finger to his lips. “We don’t want to worry the kid.”
I turned back to Caroline. “Yes, sweetheart?”
“What are you wearing?”
“ Um...” My brows rose as I looked down at my negligee. “I wanted to wear my Halloween costume today.”
“I like it.”
“Thank you.” I squeezed her hand. “Now, off you go.”
She turned back to her room, shutting the door with a snick .
My heart shattered, and my eyes prickled. I turned back to David, meeting him at the chair he quivered in. “Now, where were we?” I raised the bat, and Carter let him go.
“Wha-wha-wait.” He held his mangled hand out in front of him.
I paused mid-strike. “Make it good.”
“What do you want from me?”
“I want you to suffer like you’ve made her suffer.”
My bat struck his knee, the vibration running back into my hands, causing my elbows to ache. He screamed, and Carter flung a hand over his mouth, muffling his sobs.
“Are you planning on killing him or... teaching him a lesson?”
I can’t take someone’s life... but if he thought I could...
I wrung my hands around the bat, making a squeaking sound in my ear. “I haven’t decided yet.”
“Please. I’ll do better.” His muffled words broke through Carter’s fingers.
Carter removed his hand, and I raised my brows. “Will you?”
Nausea filled my belly, the bile burning the back of my throat .
“Yes. Yes.” He nodded, his cheeks jiggling. Sweat glistened on his forehead. “I promise.”
I jerked the bat, causing him to flinch. “You promise?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know.” I bit into my lip. “Your word means nothing to me.”
Sharp pain pinched my palm, the muscles spasming as I gripped it with all of my might. I loosened my hold and wiggled my fingers, then tightened them around my weapon again.
“I will. I’ll do better, just please...” he sobbed, “please don’t kill me.”
I shook my head. “I’m not going to kill you, David.” I huffed out an exhaustive breath. “That little girl needs her father and a good one.“ I nudged his broken knee with my bat. “You’re going to sober up, hire a cleaning crew, and get this house in tip-top shape.”
He nodded, the sweat dripping down his temples.
“You’ll make her meals every day and do her hair.”
“Yes, I will. I swear it.”
“If I hear or see that you haven’t been taking care of her, I’ll come back here and end you myself, David. So help me God.”
“I’ll get help. It hasn’t been the same since her mother died.”
“All the more reason for you to do better.” I let out a heavy breath. “I want you to become the goddamn father of the year. Do you hear me?”
He nodded. “Yes. Yes. Thank you.”
“Don’t let me down—don’t let her down. ”
“I won’t.”
“You better not.” I held out my hand. “Give me your cell.”
David reached into his back pocket with pained groans, his face grimacing. He plopped it into my hand, his rough callouses brushing against my soft but scraped palm.
“Step one, get help.” I punched in 911 on the phone and brought it to my ear.
Carter’s brows furrowed, and he cocked his head as he stared at me.
“I need an ambulance. My neighbor has fallen and can’t get up.” My throat clenched as I feigned worry. “555 Cordelia Lane.” I pressed the button, ending the phone call, and tossed it into his lap. “No mention of us.” I shrugged. “Not that it matters.”
David coughed as though his were ready to fall out.
“Remember what I said.” I spun on my heel, Carter in tow, and exited the house.
David’s yells penetrated the brick-and-mortar home.
“That was...” Hands gripped the back of my neck, and my momentum shifted backward, my back hitting the side of the home. “Amazing.” Carter pressed into me, his hips grinding against my lower belly, his cock hard.
“I only did what needed to be done.”
He raised a brow, his gaze bouncing between mine. “And that turns me on so much.” His lips slammed into mine, taking what he needed and leaving the rest. His tongue licked the seam, and I opened, allowing him to plunge into my mouth with fervor .
I groaned, his hand slipping around the front of my throat, giving a little squeeze, sending a titillating shock between my legs.
Police sirens wailed in the distance, and our intemperate breaths blended in a wicked potion of desire and thrill. I broke away, his warmth leaving my body like severe hypothermia. “We have to go.”
“Dammit.” His forehead pressed against mine, his hand releasing my neck and sliding into my hand, his fingers interweaving with mine.
Blue and red lights bounced off the trees, the sirens disturbing the morning serenity. “We need to go.” A striking vibration hit my chest as I pushed away from the house and away from him—my feet racing toward the car.
It’ll be okay.
Caroline will be fine, the police will see.
Slamming the passenger door, Carter slipped into the driver’s side, started the vehicle, and took off the opposite way of police traffic. “Do you think he’ll comply?”
“He has to. Once the police go in there and see the deplorable environment with a child, they’ll call CPS.”
Like I should’ve done from the beginning.
My stomach clenched, and nausea sat in my belly like a ton of rocks.
“You were great back there.” He reached for my hand, and I pulled it away, disgust roiling through my system like a viral disease .
My arms clenched over my belly, and I leaned into the door, nausea bubbling like a cauldron.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
We pulled onto I-70 and chased the sun toward the east.
So what now?
I leave everything behind, move in with him, and pretend like this horror show never happened?
Is that what he wanted?
The clock struck eight on the dash, and a weight pulled off my chest. “It’s over.”
“Those ten hours felt like eternity.” He gave me a lopsided grin.
“You’re telling me.” I chuffed.
Carter’s hands twisted on the steering wheel. “There’s nothing I can say that will make it up to you, but I’d like to show you how much I regret what I did.”
I hung my head, my dirt covered legs marred with red angry scratches stealing my attention, my knees flaming red
Was he sincere?
Did it matter?
“It’s all too fresh right now.”
“I know it is.” He patted my hand, and I flinched. “If I could erase this night for you, I would. I’d do things differently. I would have come back for you and not have wasted all this time.”
Tears stung my eyes, and I closed my lids, holding them back as I turned my face toward the window. “You don’t get to erase what you did to me. It’s not that easy.”
“But I’ll do everything in my power to make you see how sorry I am.” He released a heavy sigh. “This isn’t me. This isn’t who I am. You know that. Don’t you?”
I gave a slight nod.
“There’s no excuse for it, but...”
No ‘buts’ when apologizing.
“I need you to promise me something.”
“Anything.”
Opening my eyes, I sniffled and turned his way. “I want you to get my parents out of there like you did yours.” I curled in on myself. “They’re getting too old to deal with this shit.”
“Done.” He gave a curt nod. “I’ll set them up in a house close to me so you can see them whenever you want, just like at Avon.”
I pinched my lips, turned away, and resumed my position against the door.
“Is there anything else?”
“Not for now.”
My eyelids grew heavy, his shirt hugging my body in a gentle embrace, his scent lulling me into a calming rest.
The morning sun turned my sleep into a bath of crimson blood, showering my dreams in memories I’d be hard-pressed to forget.