5. Carter
Chapter 5
Carter
H er limp body puddled into my arms, falling against my chest, her cheek flattening as her mouth fell open.
God, why did she have to look like an angel?
She was always an angel in my eyes—save for the last two weeks of my life.
June held a rent-free space inside my mind for eleven years, her silky skin a fragmented fantasy on my tongue.
But not anymore...
I ground my teeth, forcing the unwanted thoughts to the back of my mind as I scooped her up, cradling her against my chest. Her light, limp form hung in my arms as I carried her to my car.
My heart thundered in my chest, each beat louder than the last, drowning out my quick shallow breaths, and my pulse pounding in my ears like a relentless drum.
I dropped her into the back seat, the dull thud echoing in the enclosed space. Sliding into the driver’s side, I yanked off the goat mask and flung it into the passenger seat.
I can do this.
She deserves it.
I backed away from her crashed car, tires kicking up gravel as I sped off into the mountains, the small dose of ketamine buying me time. Towering pine trees flanked the washboard road, their branches draped in lichen, like a creeping infection spreading through the darkened forest—an infection like June, who needed eradication before she tainted the rest of the world with her pervasive disease.
The headlights carved a path through the thickening gloom as I pressed deeper into the wilderness, every jolt in the road sending a tremor through my already frayed nerves—adrenaline coursing through my veins.
Above, the full moon cast an eerie glow, the stars twinkling like distant eyes, guiding me closer to the inevitable—a ten-hour countdown to the reckoning.
I stole a glance in the rearview mirror, dark crimson smeared across my brow and cheek. My gaze shifted to June’s limp body sprawled in the backseat. Her arms dangled over her head, knees bent.
Even in sleep, she radiated an innocence that belied the darkness within—the lies she told, the murderous impulses she hid beneath that angelic exterior.
Had she murdered anyone else?
Did she suffer from that proclivity?
But was I any better for killing her boyfriend?
I shook off the conflicting shame.
She deserved to see the man she loved dead beside her.
Casualty of justice.
The little black sensor Paul gave me sat in the windshield and triggered the large black iron gate open, revealing a long cobblestone driveway lined with soft lights, shrubs, and towering trees.
Other cars parked along the path with dark silhouettes. My foot pressed harder on the gas, the wheels bumping over the cobblestones, the looming pines closing in around us.
As I reached the end of the driveway, a cabin emerged from the shadows, half-suspended over the still waters of a lake, reminding me of the night he’d forced me to join or die.
I pulled up to the cobblestone path leading to the door, the cabin’s reflection rippling on the lake beneath it. I took a deep breath, the sense of dread tightening in my chest as I glanced back at June’s unconscious form before stepping out into the night.
There it is.
Wicked paradise, nestled in the glorious Rocky Mountains .
A faint whimper drifted from the back seat, cutting through the steady hum of the engine.
“Hold on for a little while longer.”
My knuckles turned a pasty shade of white as I gripped the steering wheel tighter.
I had one chance.
I can’t fuck this up.
For Amber.
Because there is no going back, no redoes.
Finding a parking space in the yard, I got out with my mask in hand and opened the back door. Dragging her off the back seat, I tossed her over my shoulder as though she were a stag, ready for slaughter, and fixed my mask over my face.
Laughter and screams filtered out of the vaulted cabin, the windows fifteen feet into the air, giving a full view of red and black silks hanging from the ceiling.
A burly man with a shining bald head and a tight black suit stood at the large black door, barring anyone from entering who didn’t get scanned.
I gave him a slight nod, bared the back of my neck, and he scanned it with a satisfying beep, the screen illuminating his face in a green hue.
“Enter.”
June’s weight shifted on my shoulder, her belly concave against me. I stepped into the vast mansion, the nightmares of my initiation coming back in full force.
Two men and a woman dangled from silks, their bodies undulating and writhing in a macabre dance. Music ricocheted off the walls like unseen ghosts. Moonlight slashed through the large windows.
Ten years hasn’t changed it much .
“There you are. I was wondering when you’d join in.” Paul sauntered towards me with a drink, his hyena mask covering his face.
“I had to catch my prize first.” I patted June’s exposed ass, her silk negligee doing little to cover her.
“She looks delicious.”
My body tightened as I cringed beneath my mask.
You won’t ever touch her.
She’s mine.
I checked the time on my watch, straying away from the possession that took hold of me.
Ten P.M.
Right on time.
“You’re bleeding.” He tipped his head to the side and swiped a finger through the blood drying on my neck.
“She gave me a bit of a surprise, but I’ve got her.” June moaned, making my feet itch to move. “I’ll find her a room and catch up with you later.”
“You do that.” He slapped me on the back. “And Carter, do try to enjoy yourself. It’s not every day you get to take revenge without consequence.”
I arched an eyebrow beneath my mask and gave him a quick nod before turning on my heel and weaving through the crowd, heading towards the back of the cabin.
Now, where was that room?
I walked through the rows of doors and opened one, poking my head in. The room was a study in contrasts: dark-stained wood, shelves crammed with books both ancient and modern, and a large bearskin rug stretched across the floor, its head mounted like a grim trophy.
Slipknot played in the background, and a woman moaned as three men stood around her. I raised my brows, pulled myself out of the room, and shut the door.
Jesus.
June wiggled, her arms swinging against my ass as I moved faster through the way.
Two women stood outside the door, their clothes stripped from their bodies. The door beside them opened, and a man and a woman covered in a vibrant mix of paint stepped out. The naked women glanced at one another as I approached, took each other’s hand, and stepped into the orgy room.
Moans and cries of ecstasy escaped the open door, sharing their rapture with others before the door snuffed out the evidence.
Taking the black wooden staircase winding up to the second floor, I made a wide berth around the door with the fingerprint lock beside it, bumping into the banister with my elbow, causing tingles in my fingers.
Elijah’s room.
I shuddered.
Cracking open the next door five spaces down, I surveyed the room with a wary eye. Someone decorated the room in a country theme, with patchwork quilts and faded gingham curtains that were like a cruel joke.
With a grunt, I stepped inside and dropped her onto the bed with a bounce—her hair spread out against the comforter.
Now what?
I stood above her sleeping frame with my arms crossed, my gaze sweeping over her plump breasts confined in the black lace negligee.
Once upon a time, that could have been mine.
Bending over, I fingered the thin little number and peeked beneath.
My rebellious cock hardened when the matching black thong came into view—the small roses printed on the front disappeared between her legs.
Damn .
My gaze trailed down her slim legs, the small blonde hairs on her upper thighs fading into smooth, tanned skin, despite the diminished sunlight in this godforsaken town.
June moaned, her head tipping to the side as I dropped her negligee and stepped back, my ass landing in the square chair situated in the corner of the room.
I crossed my ankle over my knee and leaned back into my chair, my thumb swiping across my bottom lip.
A deep, guttural scream boiled out from the hallway, drawing my attention away from Sleeping Beauty , then stopped as though someone squeezed his vocal cords... or sliced them.
Knowing the company kept in this cabin, including myself, it wasn’t so far-fetched to believe—although I was in the business of taking care of the bodies after they’d passed, I’d never taken part in their passing.
June should have been my first... and only.
I turned back to her and glanced at my watch.
Not long now.
Shucking off the mask, I placed it on the floor beside me as her leg kicked to the side—the ketamine metabolizing through her system at a textbook rate.
The black horseshoe décor rattled against the wall, followed by a muffled, sensual groan. I ground my molars together.
June’s eyes darted open, and she inhaled through her nose. “What’s happening?” She sat upright, her eyes roaming around the room as she palmed her forehead. “Oh God. I think I’m going to vomit.”
Her face turned pale white, her body swaying as if off kilter.
“There’s a trash can to the side.”
June turned her head slowly, her eyes wide. “Carter?” Her brows furrowed. “Where am I?” She glanced around the room again, her hand dropping to her belly. Tears pooled in her vibrant, red, irritated eyes.
I held my arms out to the side. “Hell. Do you like it?”
A hand clamped down over her mouth, stifling the cry that rose in her throat. Her wide eyes darted to the door, panic flashing in them like a warning beacon .
“We’ve been there before. I think you’ve learned there is no point in running from me.”
She shook her head, steadying herself as she found her feet. Her gaze locked onto the nightstand.
Here we go.
I stood as she yanked the lamp from the nightstand, ripping the cord from the wall. Her side of the room plunged into shadows as she hurled it at me.
The porcelain missile crashed into the wall, shattering into a million pieces two feet from where I stood.
I snickered and crossed my arms over my chest. “I thought you played softball in high school?”
She cocked her head to the side. “I—“
“Oh, right. Only for half the season, until Judy Stonebeck dislocated your shoulder with a curve ball.”
She frowned. “How do you know that?”
I shrugged. “It’s easy to watch you from a distance when you were always hanging out in Amber’s room. You two were inseparable.” I snarled. “What changed?”
June shook her head, the deep lines between her brows sinking in. “She died, Carter.”
I stormed the distance between us in three long strides, my boots stomping the ground. My right hand gripped her throat, lifted her into the air, and slammed her onto the bed. “Don’t speak about her.”
Her hands wrapped around my wrists. “You asked...me.”
My palm tightened.
End it now.
Be done, and never think of this moment again.
The muscles in my shoulder trembled as she clawed at my arm, fighting for breath.
It only takes thirty-three pounds of pressure to crush the trachea.
I’d seen the results of strangulation: the purple, swollen tongue, the bruising around the throat.
The derelict images of my deceased patients flashed in my mind’s eye, causing my hand to relinquish its hold on her.
Could I see her that way?
What am I doing?
This isn’t me.
She gasped and sputtered as I pulled myself off of her, my hair fisted in my hands. I released a deep guttural yell and slapped the top of my head.
Focus.
She deserves everything she gets.
“Carter.” She rolled to her side, her hand gripping her bruised throat. “I lost her—“
I turned toward her, my hands falling from my hair and scowled, causing her to freeze.
Her chest rose with heavy gasps.
“ You lost her?“ I laughed and resumed my position over her, my knee knocking between her legs. “You’re sick. You know that?” Spreading her legs wide, I gripped her wrists and pinned them to her chest and pressed down.
Her struggling breaths, brightening her hazel eyes with specs of brown. “I don’t understand—“
I pressed down with all my weight. “No, June. I don’t understand.“ Shaking my head, I scowled, baring my teeth, and bent closer to her pained face. “Why her? She was your best friend.”
“Sto...p” The air rushed from her lungs, my weight restricting their capacity. “I... can’t... breathe.”
“Just imagine how Amber felt moments before her death.” I gripped her hair and tugged her head to the side. “She choked on her own blood and died in my arms. But you know that already, don’t you?”
I lightened my pressure on her chest, and she sucked in a lungful of air with a wicked gasp. “No...”
“Lying will only add to the suffering before I end your miserable existence.”
“I’m not lying. Please , believe me.“ June sobbed.
“Why would I?” I shook my head. “She trusted you, and you killed her.”
“I would never. She was my best friend.” Her mouth dropped open. “Where is this coming from?”
“You’re recanting your confession?”
Her brows furrowed. “I’ve never confessed to anything. She was my best friend.”
Best friend?
“Stop saying that.” My knuckles cracked as I squeezed her wrists, causing her to wince. “I have the video evidence.”
Tears overflowed in her eyes as she stared up at me. “That’s not possible. ”
“Why?” I leaned closer and cocked my head to the side, my gaze dipping down to her plump, trembling lip, her skin smooth like porcelain. “Because you thought you’d really gotten away with it?”
Her dark hair fanned out and wedged between my fingers. “But I didn’t—“
“You were the last one seen with her before she went into the backyard. I saw texts from other classmates saying they saw you follow her.”
“They’re lying.” She twisted her hands in my grasp, scrunching her negligee, her pert nipples on display through the sheer fabric.
I squeezed, released her hair, and double-fisted both her wrists. “Why did you slip out of the party after they found her? What kind of friend does that?”
“Ethan and I left earlier in the evening.” She shook her head and struggled against my hold. “I didn’t hear about her death until the next morning back at the hotel.”
My jaw pulsed as I pictured her sneaking back into her house the next morning after fucking him. “You disgust me.”