Chapter 40 Carter
FORTY
CARTER
It’s something out of a modern day version of Bonnie and Clyde as we run around town, cleaning up messes and purging the sins from our lives, making a mad dash from the carnage we’ve created.
Of course, my messes aren’t nearly as bad here as they are back at home, but I’ve certainly left my mark on Emory, and have vowed that Jasper and Tyson’s are mine too, sharing their burden.
After we loaded and subsequently offloaded Jasper’s major jewelry operation, we’re two million dollars richer, not including the stacks of cash he took from his parent’s house, and Tyson’s own stash that he kept safe all this time.
I’m afraid that I don’t have anything of value to bring to the table, but if I were to run home and grab my own go bag, that’d ruin the cover I’ve kept intact since the day I arrived here.
Once we’re safe and sound away from the fire we’re setting in our wake, I’ll confess everything, but we’re so close to the finish line that I couldn’t possibly jeopardize the mission now.
About thirty-six hours ago, we were given the ultimate warning, receiving three days to make our escape, but when my father delivered those words, he thought I’d be there amongst the rubble, waiting to take my throne.
Instead, I left the satellite phone in Manhattan, completely cutting ties from the Cassini Family, and choosing the boys who have my heart and soul.
After we left the suite, we’ve been moving non-stop, making plans, organizing our things, and evicting ourselves from the Emory frat house, erasing all traces of us from this small town.
Tyson has switched the plates on his truck, making it our getaway car, and I’ve packed every little thing from their rooms we’ve deemed important, tossing it into the bed as we’ve all agreed to leave as soon as the sun rises tomorrow morning.
If you’re given a timeline, there’s no reason to risk things down to the wire, and we’re planning to be on a beach somewhere, thousands of miles away before that ticking clock expires.
It came as a dire warning, but also served as a fire under our asses, revealing secrets that were kept for this very moment, and using the leverage to get out with as much as we can take.
A few hours ago, Jasper confessed that he warned his mother, unable to live with himself if something happened to her, and although Tyson was furious, thinking she’d spill the beans of our exit, she did exactly what her son said.
The tracker he placed in her purse finally started moving south, and although Jasper tried to be cool about it, it was obvious that he felt relief in that moment, making our leaving that much easier.
“You okay, baby girl?” Tyson’s booming voice makes me jump, the empty room causing his words to echo off the walls more than usual.
“Just taking it all in. I’m going to miss this place,” I smile, the memories of this room flooding me all at once, reminders of my first night spent here hitting especially hard.
I fell in love in this house.
It was never supposed to turn out this way, but I learned more about myself than I ever thought was possible, and I’m going to miss the time spent here, snuggled between my boys as we began a journey none of us saw coming.
A lot of firsts happened in this room, on this bed, and I’ll always be grateful for having a sacred space I can look back on, even when we’re far away, creating something new.
“We have one more night,” Tyson teases, climbing into bed with me, tackling me onto the pillows while straddling my lower body and pinning me against the mattress.
“What do you have in mind?” I tangle my hands in his growing hair, tugging until his lips are hovering above mine.
“You’re lucky I packed away the restraints already, or I’d have a million different ideas,” he whispers, the two of us close enough to share the same breath.
“Actually, it’s late, and we need to sleep,” Jasper says, both of us jumping at his sudden arrival, and strange behavior.
This exit plan has him on edge, his stress levels ten times higher than they usually are, whereas Tyson has been cool as a cucumber, a stark difference in how they typically behave.
It’s some kind of Freaky Friday switch, but I’m loving the more playful side of Tyson, his moods becoming more relaxed as we get closer to leaving the life he hates behind.
We haven’t even left yet, and it’s already changing him, the tension loosening from his muscles with every passing second.
“Okay fine, Mr. Responsible,” I snark, rolling my eyes and pushing Tyson’s massive frame off of mine, scooting over to make room for Jasper.
“Says the passenger princess who will sleep for the first few hours of the drive,” he argues, kicking off his shoes and climbing under the covers.
“That’s rich, coming from the real passenger princess who never offers to drive on long trips,” Tyson chimes in, a shit-eating grin on his face, and I can seriously get used to this playful side of him, it only enhancing how sexy he is.
“Oh shut up, you fucking control freak! I don’t even pump gas right, according to you.” They continue bickering while I lay directly in the middle, not taking sides but laughing at each and every barb they trade, the brotherly connection being used to hit each other right where it hurts.
“Okay boys, that’s enough.” I tap both of their shoulders, putting an end to this little argument to get some sleep, like Jasper suggested.
Both of them need to be at the top of their game, and even though we don’t have a current destination, my only request was that we find a coastline.
I’m desperate to be basked in warmth with my toes in the sand, margaritas in hand, and the ocean only a few feet away.
“Sorry, Mom,” Jasper squeaks, behaving like a scolded little boy, and I can’t help but quickly kiss his lips, then turning to do the same to Tyson.
“I love you both.” I snuggle under the blankets, my head resting on Tyson’s chest while Jasper cuddles up to my backside, the three of us fitting together perfectly.
A sudden crash jerks us all back into a sitting position, the frat idiots downstairs throwing another fucking party, and it likely getting out of control, as usual.
Normally we don’t care, they leave us alone, and we pay them no mind, but tonight, I can feel the anger radiating off both my boys.
“Fucking frat kids,” Tyson groans, pulling me back down, but the second my head lands on his chest, loud pops ring out, followed by piercing screams.
We don’t hesitate, jumping out of the bed like it was on fire, and I grab my knife, inching toward the door to get a better idea of what’s happening downstairs.
Since the ambush, we vowed to never be caught off guard again, the plan to run to the safe room is always the play, and we all move into action.
“Here, baby girl.” Tyson hands me a pistol from the stash under his bed, and both men stand in front of me, checking the hallways before slowly exiting the room with their weapons drawn.
From here, the safe room feels like it’s miles away, especially as the chaos moves closer, likely breaking down the security measures we put on the second floor and heading straight for us on the third.
It wasn’t a fool-proof system, just a few extra locks and heavier doors for more time to get to safety, but when you’re in the middle of an attack, every second feels heightened.
Jasper leads the way around another corner, his back tattoos on display as he only slipped out of bed in sweats, while I keep my hand on Tyson’s shoulder, his boxers the one article of clothing covering his body.
I’m nowhere near ready for battle either, lacy panties and Jasper’s t-shirt the closest things I could throw on, but even so, my aim has nothing to do with what I’m wearing.
Finally the safe room comes into view, and Jasper checks the opposite corner, waving us along after he’s ensured it’s clear.
He presses his thumb on the keypad, but it lights up bright red, denying his entry to the room.
“What the fuck? Ty did you change this thing?” He grunts, trying a few more times before stepping back, letting Tyson unlock the door.
“No, I don’t have access,” he says, a defeated look on his face as his thumbprint is also denied.
We’re fucking locked out, staring at a metal door dumbfoundedly, like three sitting ducks.
“We need to move. Obviously, looking at it isn’t going to magically fix our problems!” I yell, frustrated with their lack of urgency, and major stupidity.
Just as we turn back toward the bedrooms, another crash rings out, and whoever is after us has broken down the barriers, letting themselves onto the third floor.
“Fuck! We don’t have any weapons,” Jasper whispers, pulling me back by the shirt while Tyson takes the lead, his arm wrapped around my shoulder as we stick to the wall, moving slowly.
“This has to be our fathers. They’re the only ones who have access to the safe room,” Tyson adds, which causes Jasper’s body to tense in response, proving that this wasn’t exactly the perfect moment to drop that tidbit of information.
“We need to hide,” I offer, keeping my voice low as the footsteps come closer, random shouting and orders cascading off the walls.
“We need to fucking fight,” Jasper hisses, pushing us both into his room and locking the door behind him.
“With what guns, Massi? Everything was either stolen, or packed,” Tyson attempts to argue, but Jasper just waves him off, digging in his closet until he finally finds whatever it is he’s searching for, showing off his findings with a darkened look in his icy eyes.
“It isn’t much, but it’ll give us time to run once they’re down,” he says ominously, and I lock eyes with Tyson from across the room, willing him to trust Jasper to get us out of this.
“We don’t have another choice,” I bargain, adding my own two cents into the conversation, earning a nod of approval from Jasper, while Tyson stares at us blankly, the concern painted on his face.
Whether this attack is courtesy of my family, the Ricci’s, or a sick and twisted mission sanctioned by Mr. Masseria himself, the only thing that matters is our survival.
It’s us, or the men on the other side of that door, and I damn sure don’t plan on dying tonight, not when we’re so fucking close to everything we’ve wanted.