Chapter Twelve
CHAPTER TWELVE
CARTER
“Daddy! Daddy! Where are you?”
I hear her voice before I see her. I’m surrounded by fans as I try to get to the suite, and it’s taking me longer than it should.
“Ava!” I yell back, trying to see over everyone.
“Daddy! I need you!”
With no thought, I start pushing my way through the crowd. Her voice is high, scared. Something’s happened. I finally break through and see Nate kneeling in front of Ava, my little girl gesturing wildly and pointing at the bathroom across the concourse. Madison .
I break into a run, the last twenty feet feeling like a hundred, and throw open the door to see my ex-wife and Madison fighting. Madison, with blood on her face, Carrissa looking crazed.
“ENOUGH!” I roar, ready to rip her to shreds.
Carrissa yanks Madison’s head to the side and a horrible thud echoes in the bathroom when her head hits the ground. Both women stop moving, but Madison’s body is unnaturally still. Carrissa pushes her away, and there’s blood. So much blood. My future flashes in front of my eyes, my heart stops for a beat, and all of my emotions turn to anger at the woman on the floor with a smirk. Carrissa kicks Madison’s body and sits up, putting her head in her hands.
“Carter! Thank goodness. You’ve saved me from this…this crazy woman!”
“Nate, get some fucking help in here, and take Ava to my sister.”
“Daddy, save Madi,” Ava cries as Nate carries her away.
“Carter,” Carrissa coos while reaching out to me. She’s using the same voice she always used when she wanted to ask for something—usually money. “I’ve missed you.”
“Fuck off.” I push her away, kneeling by Madison’s head. “I don’t know what this was, but it’s over. And you’ll pay for hurting her.”
“She’s nothing. Why are you worried about her? You know it’s me you love.”
“Maybe a long time ago. Before you let the status go to your head. Before you abandoned your child. Before you became the vapid bitch you are today. I don’t know, maybe you were always that person and you’re a really good actress. But what we had? It’s been over and it’ll never change.”
Carrissa continues her manipulation games, but I’m no longer listening. Ranger rushes into the bathroom with Lottie behind him, Nate following with two uniformed officers next to him.
“Ava?” I ask my sister.
“With Trish. I’m the closest thing you have to a doctor here, bud.” She smiles, kneeling on Madison’s other side with Ranger.
“She’s not a fucking dog,” I growl.
“Fuck you,” Lottie lightly replies, not offended.
“Why’s there so much blood?”
“Head wounds bleed. A lot. She’s going to be fine, Carter.”
I sit on my knees, knowing she’s blowing smoke up my ass, but appreciating the reassurances all the same. When the EMTs arrive, they officially take over, putting a neck brace on Madison and checking her vitals.
Madison groans, but doesn’t open her eyes. “Carter,” she whispers, her fingers twitching at her side.
“I’m here, Mads,” I reply, taking her hand in mine.
“Pretty sure your ex-wife just tried to kill me.”
“Well, she’s an ex for a reason.”
“And we were worried it would be mine.”
“Still worried, Mads. Always will be.”
“Hmm.” She gives me a small smile. “Still think I’d like to keep you. Love and all.”
“I’m going to marry the hell out of you, woman.”
“Can we wait until I’m not covered in blood and on the floor of a bathroom? Maybe when my head doesn’t hurt?”
“If we must,” I sigh. “But soon. Very soon.”
“Okay.”
“We’re going to load her up now,” the EMT tells me. “You riding with us?”
“Hell yes, I am.”
As we leave the bathroom, Carrissa still yelling while being cuffed, our friends and family surround us, creating a barrier against the baseball crowd. Ava has tears running down her face, and I pick her up. Where Madison and I go, Ava will also go. My family. My heart.
“Ava?” Madison calls. “I love you, sweet girl. Thank you for saving me.”
“We saved each other, Momma.”
And for the first time, Madison doesn’t stop her, her eyes welling with tears.
This is my future.
The End