Chapter 17
The Housewarming Party
Carter
“Remind me why we’re doing this again,” Vic said, checking her reflection in the mirror.
“Because Tye is throwing a housewarming party, and everyone’s going,” I replied, trying to sound aloof about it.
“But aren’t you two in a fight?”
“Yeah, but no one in the station knows that, so it would be weird if I didn’t come.”
I managed to avoid Tye for the last few days. Since we couldn’t find Luz, the chief decided we should talk to Sophie Malik’s coworkers again, just to make sure we didn’t miss anything. So, each of us got a list of people who knew her, and we went our separate ways. Until today. Today, I had no other choice but to face him.
I walked up to Vic, who was standing in front of a mirror and fixing the impeccable bun on top of her head.
“You look beautiful, Vic. Thank you for doing this.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she said with a smile, caressing my chest. “Although I wish you didn’t help Tye move into this building. We don’t know him enough to trust him. This stupid fight of yours is proof that I’m right.”
I told her we argued about work. No way I was telling her that asshole shoved his tongue down my throat in the middle of Nirvana.
“I’m trusting him every day with my life, Vic,” I said with a sigh. “He is my partner. This is more like lending a helping hand.”
“I know,” she said, lowering her gaze like always when she was displeased. “You’re the best person I know. That’s why I like you.”
Like. We never said love to each other. I wasn’t even sure if what I felt for her was love, but it was the deepest feeling I ever felt for anyone, so it had to be love. It had to be.
We left my apartment and climbed down the stairs as I reminded myself of the plan: in and out. We would stay there for half an hour, and then we would leave.
“Hello,” Vic said merrily when Tye opened the door, handing him a bottle of Dom Perignon. “Welcome, Tye. We’re glad to have you in the neighborhood.”
“Thanks, sweetheart,” he said before looking at me. “Carter.”
“Thorsen,” I said, passing by him.
Ignoring him was one thing, but the Hawaiian shirt with the starfish imprint he put on? Honestly, where was he finding those?
Shelly ran up to us, flushed in the face. “Carter! Wanna get wasted?”
“God, yes,” I replied honestly, looking around the crowded room. “Wow, everyone came, huh?”
Shelly led us to the table filled with booze, cookies, snacks, and homemade food.
“The word got around,” she said, handing me a shot of what looked like scotch. “Even Chief Bibb showed up. Vic, wine for you?”
“Yes, please.”
Shelly and I drank up, while Vic eyed her wine with a frown, probably because it wasn’t the price range she had been accustomed to.
“Hey, who brought the outdoor two-seater?” I said, stepping out on the balcony.
“Chief Bibb,” Shelly replied. “The king-size bed in the bedroom, too. His cousin made it.”
I chuckled because Chief Bibb was super stingy, so it was a nice surprise. Then I felt goosebumps springing over my back even before I heard a low voice behind me.
“Carter, can we talk?”
Even if he didn’t say anything, I would know it was him just by my body’s reaction.
“No.”
“Please.”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
He opened his mouth to speak when Bruce showed up.
“Tye, please get inside before Adam breaks the TV. He’s in one of his moods.”
“TV is not working,” Tye growled, rushing inside. “I told him that.”
After he’d left, I spotted a half-empty bottle of scotch next to the railing. I reached for it and took a sip, only to notice my balcony on the floor above me. I remembered how Tye brought the fertilizer the other day and kept the orchids alive. It made me realize that our argument, if you could even call it that, was pure idiocracy. He did what he did in Nirvana with the best of intentions. Holding a grudge against him was just stupid, because… I missed him. I missed his appalling dressing style, his stupid humor, his damn flirting—all of it. I missed him like hell. And the more I drank, the more I was willing to admit it to myself.
When it started to rain, I came back inside, dizzy from all the scotch that I drank. Shelly and Bruce were on their phones, while Vicky sat on the armchair next to them, deep asleep.
“Too much vodka,” Shelly explained. “She didn’t like the wine, so she switched to vodka, claiming that the alcohol in it killed the taste.”
“Hey, Vic,” I murmured, caressing her hand. “Do you want to go home?”
“Let her sleep it off in the bedroom.” The low baritone behind me said. “Don’t go just yet.”
His sudden appearance made my heart skip a beat.
“Bed,” Vic muttered, burping. “God, yes. I would kill for a bed right now.”
“Okay,” I said with a sigh. “Let’s get you to bed then.”
I took her in my arms and carried her into the darkened bedroom that was surprisingly devoid of people. I laid her on the bed and covered her with a blanket when she reached for my hand.
“Please, don’t leave me. And I despise beef Wellington.”
I chuckled and joined her on the bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering when my life became so complicated. My job… I loved it, and I hated it. Vic wasn’t a bad person, but she could be one on a bad day, and it bothered me more than I was willing to admit. And Tye Thorsen was like a boomerang, wreaking havoc on every aspect of my life. He brought turmoil to my workplace, Vic disliked him, and I didn’t know how to feel about him. I didn’t want a partner. I didn’t want a friend. Partners were a liability, and friendship was tricky, but it seemed that in him, I got both.
After a while, the sounds of music and laughter in the distance faded away. I could feel my eyes closing despite my efforts to remain awake, probably due to the amount of alcohol I’d ingested. I drank way too much, hoping it would make me feel better when only one thing could make me feel better. Well, not a thing. A person.
I didn’t know how long I’d slept when I felt someone collapsing on the bed next to me. I turned my head, only to see Shelly lying there, pale as a sheet.
“Carter,” she whispered with her eyes closed. “I’m going to puke.”
I brushed away a strand of her hair from her forehead. “Can I help?”
“I don’t know. I feel dizzy. But I always feel dizzy around you.”
“Would you like some water?”
She covered my hand with hers.
“I’ll be fine.”
“You shouldn’t drink so much, Shel. Don’t you know that if a bullet doesn’t kill us, alcohol does?
“On some days, it’s what I need to wake up in the morning, Carter.”
I wondered what got me up in the morning. My job, which I hated every damn day? My family that didn’t want to know me, just as I didn’t want to know them? Vicky Sloane and the future she had mapped out for me?
It was the last thing I could remember before falling asleep. What eventually woke me up was the sound of Bruce’s voice.
“Let’s wake Shel up, huh? I’ll take her home. I didn’t drink a lot because my ulcer was acting up.”
“Nah, leave her to sleep it off,” Tye said in a hushed voice. “The bed is big enough. Chief Bibb said it belonged to his cousin, who has six children.”
“Wow. And I thought my three brats were a lot.”
Then they left, and I couldn’t hear anything anymore. I was in and out of sleep when the door opened and closed. The bed dipped when a large body settled next to Shelly. And then… nothing.
***
“I need a painkiller before I die,” Vicky croaked, shaking my shoulder. “Carter?”
I raised my head and looked around the darkened room, feeling groggy. Where was I? Outside was dawning, judging by the faint light penetrating the shutters. And it was Sunday. Was it Sunday?
“I have Advil in my purse,” Shelly whispered. “Let Carter sleep it off. Do you have a tampon, by the way?”
“I think so,” Vicky replied, groaning. “Where is the bathroom? I think I’m going to puke.”
After they’d left, I rolled over onto my side, only to find myself facing a blue gaze. Turquoise blue this time. The restless irises kept moving over me as if deciding where it was the safest to land.
“I’m sorry,” Tye whispered, glancing over his shoulder to check if we were alone. “It was a stupid thing to do. I didn’t think about it. If I knew how much it would upset you—”
“No,” I interrupted him. “It’s fine. I overreacted.”
It was the fucking truth, and it was high time for me to say it. Yeah, I would prefer it didn’t happen, but it happened, and I had to deal with it like an adult.
“Oh,” Tye murmured, sounding confused. “So, it’s like… fine?”
“Yeah. I mean, I was upset, but I’m not anymore. To tell you the truth, I just want to put it behind us. In fact… I kinda missed having you around,” I admitted, avoiding his gaze.
He chuckled.
“I missed you too, asshole. So, we’re good?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s great,” he said, sounding relieved. “That’s fucking great. Can I… can I hug you, man? For a moment there, I thought I fucked it all up.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course you can hug me, you idiot. Just don’t tell anyone in the station. They would think I have gone soft, and it would ruin my reputation.”
He smiled and moved toward me, only to freeze on the spot.
“Okay, not to make this more awkward, but I have morning wood,” he said, looking uncomfortable. “I don’t want to…”
I looked down at his crotch, only to see the obvious tent in his pants. Simultaneously, his eyes lowered to my crotch, where I had a similar situation going on since it was the fucking morning. When the anxious blue eyes found mine, I realized it was the time for me to prove that I wasn’t a close-minded, delusional asshole.
“I have it too,” I said with a sigh. “It doesn’t matter.”
To prove my point, I moved toward him and pulled him into a hug. He hugged me back but kept his hips further away from me to avoid any embarrassing contact. He even pulled away before I wanted him to.
My gaze found the bruise on his cheek that was purple yesterday, but now it looked green.
“How is your cheek?”
He shrugged. “Meh. Fine. What about you? Any gangrene setting there that I should know about?”
When he pointed his chin at the wound on my forehead, I chuckled.
“It’s fine, I guess. It itches like the devil, so it must be healing.”
“Let me see.”
I lay on my back as he propped himself on his elbow and removed the Band-Aid, humming in approval. “It looks better. The stitches are almost gone.”
I raised my hand to scratch my forehead, but he stopped me, taking my hand in his.
“You’ll only make it worse.”
When he leaned in and blew on the itchy wound, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What?” he asked me, chuckling.
“I don’t know. The mint in your breath makes it feel funny.”
“Yeah, I went through a pack of gum while waiting for you to wake up. I was nervous. Do you want me to stop?”
I shook my head. “Mm-mm.”
When he blew on the wound again, I closed my eyes, relaxing when I felt his thumb moving in circles over my palm.
“Mhm,” I hummed in approval. “I like this.”
“I like this too,” he said, intertwining his fingers with mine. I pressed my palm against his, realizing that I never enjoyed a human touch more. I always kept my distance from other people, both physical and emotional, but with Tye was different. I was less cautious with him. More trusting, and it felt nice for a change.
After a few moments, he put the Band-Aid back on and lay down next to me. He still held my hand, but I didn’t mind.
“Is it better now?”
“Mm-hmm,” I murmured with my eyes closed. “Thank you.”
I could feel him smile. “J’aime regarder ta bouche quand tu parles.”
I frowned. “What does that mean?”
“It means that I’m glad we made up.”
“You’re lying, Tye.”
“Prove it, Dominic.”
At that point we both laughed, and it made me feel better than I felt in days.
That expression… distance makes the heart grow fonder. It was true because I couldn’t get enough of him. His nearness. His scent. Hell, his touch. He was a touchy-feely guy, and some of it had rubbed off on me. It didn’t feel weird that he was a man, either. It felt right with him, as if he were a separate entity that was almost… sexless.
When he kissed my cheek, I hummed with approval. Fuck it. I liked it.
“More?” he asked me as if he could read my mind.
“Mm-hmm,” I murmured, feeling as if I was stuck in some kind of alcoholic haze.
“You feel like cuddling?” he said, caressing my cheek.
“I feel like you owe me.”
He chuckled and kissed my jaw. It was more like a pec. Sweet. Playful. Harmless. When I turned my head to the side, he kissed my neck. I could feel him unbuttoning the top button on my shirt before he rested his forehead on my chest, and then, for a few moments, he remained still.
I opened my eyes and frowned, wondering if he fell asleep.
“Why did you stop? Are you sleepy?”
He brought my hand to his mouth and kissed it.
“I stopped because you’re drunk. I don’t want you to regret things when you wake up.”
His words made zero sense.
“What would I possibly regret? And why do you think I’m drunk?”
He raised his hand. “How many fingers?”
“Four and a half.”
He chuckled and lay down on his back, making me frown, but my frown disappeared when he pulled me with him.
“I want to sleep with you like in the bunker,” he murmured. “Please.”
Trying not to think about that place, I lay my head on his chest and wrapped my arm around his waist.
“Like this?”
“Yeah,” he replied, kissing my forehead. “Are you comfortable?”
“Mm-hmm. Will you tell me now?”
“What?”
“What does it mean? The thing you said earlier.”
“J’aime regarder ta bouche quand tu parles?“
“Mm-hmm.”
“It means I like to look at your mouth when you speak.”
I chuckled. “You’re talking gibberish again.”
“It’s not gibberish.”
I raised my head to look at him.
“Are you drunk too?”
“A little,” he admitted, kissing the tip of my nose. “Good night, babe.”
“Good night.”
It was the last thing I could remember before falling asleep.
***
“I guess they made up.” Shelly’s voice barely penetrated my sleep. “Tye is practically lying on Carter, bless his heart. Gosh, where is my phone so I can take a picture?”
“They’re spooning,” Vic said, sounding annoyed. “Why are they spooning?”
Shelly giggled. “It’s called sleep, Vicky. And spooning is fun. One time, I’d spooned all night with John Smith while we waited for the blood reports to come in.”
“Blood reports?” I muttered, turning on my stomach and wincing when my hard dick came in contact with the mattress. “For which case?”
Shelly laughed and slapped my ass. “Get up, Carter. I made you some coffee.”
“Don’t do that!” Vicky protested. “It’s inappropriate. He is my boyfriend.”
Shelly rolled her eyes. “Oh, chill. It was just for fun. We all know he’s yours, don’t worry.”
I straightened up, only to feel a heavy arm wrapping around my waist. I pushed it away as Tye reached for the blanket and pulled it over his head.
“Vic, are you okay?” I said when a wave of nausea hit me, and I buried my face in my hands. “God, I feel sick.”
“Let me help you, darling,” Vic said, hurrying toward me. “My poor thing.”
She sounded worried, but something was off. My suspicion turned out to be correct as soon as we entered my apartment.
“Carter, you know I’m never jealous,” Vic said, shaking her head in disapproval. “But tonight... I mean, really.”
I frowned in confusion. “I don’t understand. What did I do?”
“Okay, then let me explain. First, you let that hideously dressed man of unsavory reputation move into your building. Then, after we arrived at the party, you left me alone for most of the evening. I had to suffer through Bruce hitting on me while you spent most of your time with Shelly.”
It was kind of true. I saw Tye looking at Shelly, and I didn’t want him around her, so I spent as much time with her as possible.
“On top of that, I found you spooning with Tye. I know that you were asleep, but you should steer clear of that man. Did you know he slept with Mayor Bogg’s daughter because he thought it would help him rise through the ranks? My daddy asked around, you know? I don’t know what Tye told you, but he’s lying.”
“He’s not lying,” I said with a sigh, rubbing the back of my neck.
If I knew one thing, I knew that Tye Thorsen never lied to me. I would bet my life on it.
“And Adam,” Vicky continued, rolling her eyes. “That guy will do just about anything to get your attention. That escapade with the TV… come on.”
“Adam hates me!” I exclaimed. “What are you even talking about?”
“Yeah, but don’t you get it? Those are the people you surround yourself with. Incompetents, bullies, and pardon me for saying it, Shelly is a nice girl, drunks.”
“That’s enough, Vic. You’re talking about the people I care about.”
“Yeah, but what about me? You don’t let me in, Carter.”
“That’s not true.”
Vic raised her chin in defiance. “Shelly is in love with you. What do you have to say about that?”
I lowered my gaze. What was I supposed to say? Because I knew it. Deep down inside, I knew it.
“I’m not responsible for other people's feelings, Vic. And besides, Tye likes Shelly, so…”
Vicky laughed. “Tye and Shelly? Oh, give me a break.”
I frowned in confusion.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know who Tye likes, but it’s certainly not Shelly. Please, let’s just… let’s think about us for a moment. As the future mayor of this town, do you think it’s smart for you to hang out with those people? They have no prospects, Carter, unlike you. As the future mayor—”
“Stop saying that!” I shouted. “Have you ever asked me if I want to be a fucking mayor, Vic? You and your family, and your money, and your fucking connections. You think you can make people do whatever you want, but I’m not one of them.”
She gasped, clutching her hand to her chest in shock.
“Oh, my God, Carter. You never spoke to me like this before. What has gotten into you?”
I made a face, regretting every single word I’d said. I didn’t want to hurt her. I didn’t want to hurt anyone.
“I’m sorry, Vic. I truly am,” I said, rubbing my chest as if it would help with the pressure inside me.
Vic’s smile was bitter. “It’s them, isn’t it? They turned you against me, just like I thought they would. And you have changed, especially since that buffoon downstairs showed up.”
“I haven’t changed, Vic. And I’m sorry if I offended you. It wasn’t my intention.”
She raised her hand in dismissal, her expression stony.
“You’re not getting away that easily, Mister. You said terrible things to me. Terrible. And just so that you know, I have invested a lot in this relationship, Carter. I was a business major before I started to work in fashion, so I’m not a fool you take me for.”
“Vicky, please.”
She headed to the door as I followed her, not knowing what to say to make it all go away.
“I’m leaving tomorrow,” she said, sniffling. “We’re going skiing. To Crans-Montana, probably. Don’t call me, because I won’t answer.”
“I really am sorry.”
“You know what? I don’t think you are. But you will be.”