Chapter 1 #3
Carter shrugged. “Okay, I guess.”
“We’ll be home soon,” Thayne said, patting Carter on the shoulder.
“Don’t go getting soft on me now,” Carter responded, rolling his eyes at Thayne, who grinned broadly at him.
It was the first time he’d let some of his normal personality shine through since waking up in the hospital.
He always gave Thayne a hard time because of his grumpy attitude at their introduction.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, shorty.”
Thayne had taken to calling him by the nickname not long after they’d met.
At first, Carter had hated it, not wanting to be reminded of his diminutive status.
He was what many dubbed a twink in the LGBTQIA+ community, topping out at a mere five feet five and with zero definition on his body.
He didn’t even have a swimmer’s build and was just flat as a board, really.
But the nickname had grown on him, and he knew Thayne didn’t mean it in a degrading manner.
Plus, Carter couldn’t help Thayne appearing like a giant next to him.
The ride back to the house was quiet. Nick and Thayne exchanged a handful of sentences, but Carter kept to himself.
He stared at the passing scenery on the familiar drive from Redwood City into Emerald Lake Hills.
The only problem this time was the beauty of the natural woods and lake didn’t cause him to catch his breath as it used to.
No, right now, Carter couldn’t seem to find the energy to care.
His physical therapy would begin the following day, and he’d have to go back into Redwood City.
Another chore for Nick or Thayne to help him with.
Carter hid a sigh, running his right hand over his thigh.
Guilt once again stabbed him. His choices, his actions, were causing even more work for Nick again.
Maybe he could see if a rideshare would come to Emerald Lake Hills, and then he wouldn’t need to inconvenience either of the two in the front seat.
They reached Nick and Thayne’s home, and they helped Carter out of the car and into the wheelchair, which Thayne pushed up the walkway. “We’re going to get a temporary ramp installed tomorrow,” Nick said as he unlocked the front door, and Thayne lifted the chair up the two steps to the porch.
Carter winced. “You really don’t have to go to so much trouble. I’m sure with my shifter healing and the physical therapy, it won’t take long for me to get back to normal.”
“It’s no trouble,” Nick said, tossing his keys onto the small table just inside the door. “Even if it’s only for a couple of weeks, it’s still something you need.”
“Okay,” he said, giving in to avoid arguing.
Thayne wheeled him down the hallway to the spare bedroom.
“I already put all your clothes away in the dresser and closet. The boxes of other personal effects are out in the garage for now. We installed a bar on the cabinet beside the toilet and in the shower so you have something to hold for balance.”
“We expect you to ask for help if you need it, Carter,” Nick said, leveling a stern look at him. “You’re not in the way and you’re not a burden. You’re family.
“Do you want to take a nap or are you hungry? Hospital food sucks.” Nick knew from experience.
He’d collapsed from exhaustion the year before and ended up in the hospital.
It had been a side effect of Thayne rejecting him as his true mate initially.
Carter hadn’t known that when it happened.
He’d found out after Thayne had shown up in Emerald Lake Hills.
Carter hadn’t really had much of an appetite since waking from the coma. He shook his head. “I think I’d like to take a nap.”
“Sure. I’ll help you get changed and into bed,” Nick said.
Carter declined. “I can do it myself.”
Thayne frowned. “Are you sure? You know you can ask for help, right?”
“I’m sure,” Carter said. Both men still hesitated, but Carter gave them an exasperated glance.
“If you’re certain… We’ll leave you to get settled then.
” Nick and Thayne left the room, closing the door behind them.
Carter didn’t move right away, just staring at his hands in his lap.
When he finally looked up, he gazed around the room.
It was nice, but it wasn’t his. A warm cream color graced the walls, with white sheer curtains on the windows and light brown furniture.
The queen-size bed had a simple headboard, and there was a small nightstand on each side.
Carter carefully stood from the wheelchair, wincing when his right leg protested and shook from his weight.
He grabbed hold of the footboard, using his good hand, and slipped onto the mattress, where he curled up into a ball, hugging his knees.
Tears welled up and slowly trickled down his cheeks. He didn’t make a sound as he cried.
The tears weren’t just because of what Darryl had done.
No, they were for all the men who’d hurt Carter over the years.
Each tear fell for every failed relationship—and the way Carter’s heart just couldn’t take any more pain.
He cursed the lies he’d believed in all the fairy tales he’d ever read.
The prince sweeping the damsel, or in his case the knight, off their feet and carrying them off into the sunset on their steed was nothing but bullshit.
Eventually, Carter fell asleep, still sniffling from the crying jag. Nightmares of Darryl’s beatings and the harsh words spewed at him plagued his sleep.