Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
While Carson napped, Cresley opened her laptop for the first time in more than a week and was immediately sorry she looked at the influx of email and social media comments about the stabbing at her home.
Everyone wanted an interview or a comment or something about who Carson was to her and if they were dating.
The photos of them at the premiere had been blasted all over the place, and speculation was running rampant.
In every mention of Carson, the situation with his parents was included, too, which would be the last thing he’d want.
She wished she hadn’t looked.
The response to the statement Teagan had issued had been mostly positive, with good wishes directed at Carson and Cresley.
But everyone wanted to know the “rest of the story.” They were speculating about why her ex would’ve done such a thing and where he might be hiding out.
Reporters had dug into Marlon’s past and reported every sordid detail of his downfall, including how he’d been evicted from his apartment months ago and had been crashing with friends in the interim.
His friend Rory was quoted as saying Marlon had become a freeloader, and he’d asked him to leave two weeks ago when he refused to contribute to the rent after sleeping on his sofa for months. “I love the guy, but enough was enough,” Rory had said. “I can’t believe the things he’s now accused of.”
Cresley had known he’d been evicted and was staying with Rory, thanks to the work Carson had done on her case. However, she hadn’t heard that Rory had kicked him out. Desperation had probably sparked his crime spree.
She glanced at Carson, sleeping on the chaise, and wished with her whole heart that she’d paid Marlon to go away and leave them alone. If she had, Carson wouldn’t have been so critically injured, and Ty wouldn’t have to contend with the terrible things his father had done.
Fucking tears…
She swiped at them with outrage that they refused to stop.
“Why are you crying again?” Carson asked without opening his eyes.
“Are you spying on me?”
“Just admiring the view.”
“I’m sure that view is spectacular.”
“One of the most spectacular views there ever was.”
“You need your vision checked.”
He opened his eyes and flashed that irresistible grin at her. “No, I don’t. Come here and tell me what’s wrong.”
Cresley put the laptop on the coffee table and went to snuggle with him on the chaise. “I made the mistake of looking at what’s being said about me.”
“Why’d you do that?”
“I have no idea.”
“You’ve got people to take care of that for you. Don’t look.”
“I should’ve paid him. If I had, you wouldn’t have gotten stabbed, and Ty wouldn’t have to hear about what a deadbeat his father is.”
“I can’t bear to see you blaming yourself for what he did.”
“It’s not about me. It’s about you and Ty and—”
“It’s about all of us. This was done to us by someone who was told no and responded with violence.”
“I know… It’s just hard to accept that it was connected to me.”
“Stay off the internet. There’s nothing going on there that you need to know about. Your team is on it, and you have to protect yourself from the insanity.”
“You’re right. I’m usually super boring and not used to being the source of gossip and speculation. Everyone wants to know what’s going on between you and me.”
“Let them wonder.”
“They’re talking about your parents and how your family has been in the news a lot lately.”
“I don’t care about any of that. We have to stay above it and focus on what’s right in front of us.”
As he said that, his stomach let out a mighty growl that made them laugh.
“That was rude,” he said.
“How about I make you some lunch?”
“That sounds good. I’m finally hungry again.”
“What do you feel like?”
“Surprise me. I’d be happy with anything.”
She kissed his cheek. “Coming right up.”
“Hey, Cres?”
“Yeah?”
“I don’t want you to suffer over things you had no control over. You did the right thing refusing to pay him off, and what he did is completely on him, not you. Okay?”
“Keep reminding me.”
“You got it.”
Cresley went into the kitchen to make him a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato and mayo with a side of chips and a pickle. As she carried it back to him with a glass of ice water, she said, “You like pickles, right?”
“I like everything except sardines.”
“That’s the only thing you won’t eat?”
“That’s it.”
“So if I made you liver and onions…”
“My grandmother used to make that, and I was the only one of us who’d eat it. My siblings used to call me The Dumpster because I’d eat anything.”
Cresley smiled as she handed him the plate and put the water on the table next to him. “The Dumpster, huh?”
“Yep. The nickname was well earned. They’d dare me to eat all kinds of things.”
“What was the grossest thing you ever ate?”
“A worm from the backyard.”
“What? For real?”
He took a bite of the sandwich. “Uh-huh. This is so good. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, but don’t tell Ty that you once ate a worm or he’ll want to do it, too.”
“We’ll make that our little secret,” he said with a wink.
She wrinkled her nose at the thought of eating an actual worm. “That’s really gross, Carson.”
“So I was told.”
“What other disgusting things have you been hiding from me?”
“That’s the worst of it.”
“Would your brothers agree with that?”
“There’s no need to bring them into this.”
Cresley laughed harder than she had since before disaster struck.
“I like it better when you laugh. No more crying, you hear me?”
“I’m trying, believe me.”
After he’d polished off the food, he said, “What time is it?”
“Two fifteen. Why?”
“I wanted to know how much time we have to make out until Ty gets home.”
“We’re not making out for an hour.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re supposed to be resting and recovering.”
“I can do that and make out with you, too.” He held out a hand to her. “Come here. Please?”
It was that softly spoken “please” that had her getting up from the sofa to move to the chaise. To pretend she had the willpower to resist him when he looked at her like that would be foolish.
When she was snuggled up to him with his arms around her, she said, “Are you happy now?”
“Almost. There was supposed to be kissing.”
“You need to take it easy, Carson. You heard what the doctor said about being careful with your incisions.”
“I’m being so careful. Now kiss me and make it a good one. I’ve been dying to be alone with you.”
“Don’t say ‘dying.’ It’s too soon.”
He laughed. “I’m craving you. Is that better?”
“I can live with that.”
Carson brushed his lips lightly over hers. “Mmm, that’s what I needed.”
“Me, too.”
Despite his injuries, he was remarkably adept at finding the perfect angle for the hottest kiss they’d shared since he was hurt. He slipped a hand under her T-shirt and cupped her breast through her bra, running his thumb over her nipple.
She hadn’t intended to let him get too carried away, but she couldn’t seem to find the wherewithal to stop him when it felt so good to be held and kissed by him.
When his phone rang, he moaned.
“Mmm, Carson. You should get that.”
“No, I shouldn’t.”
“It might be important.”
“Nothing is more important than this.”
He made her believe that with more passionate kisses that had her head spinning and wanting so much more.
Kissing didn’t usually fire her up this way.
Often, it took much more than that, which was one of the reasons she’d become a BDSM practitioner.
Over the past couple of years, she’d mostly lost interest in men and dating and everything that came with it, until she met Carson and found someone who truly did it for her without any BDSM bells and whistles. Then to come so close to losing him…
“What just happened? You got all tense.”
“I was just thinking…”
“Don’t do that. Relax and just feel.”
“I’m feeling.”
He gently squeezed her breast. “So am I.”
The doorbell rang.
“Goddamn it,” he muttered.
“I, um… I should get that.”
“Hurry up and make them go away. We’ve got forty-two minutes left.”
Cresley got up, adjusted her top and used her fingers to fix her hair as she walked to the front door on legs gone wobbly from his potent kisses.
On alert for unwelcome visitors, one in particular, she glanced out the side window to see Isla on the porch, holding a large container.
Cresley opened the door. “Hi there.”
“How’s it going?”
She stepped aside to admit her new friend. “Very well. Carson is home and feeling feisty.”
“That’s good news. I brought you dinner.”
“That’s so nice of you! Thank you.”
“It was no problem. I hope you like chicken parm.”
“It’s a favorite of mine and Ty’s.”
“Julian told me Carson likes it, too.”
“Learn something new every day. Come say hi to the patient.”
Isla put the container and a bag she had hanging from her arm in the kitchen and followed Cresley to the living room.
“Isla brought us chicken parm for dinner.”
“Oh, yum. My favorite. Thanks, Isla.”
“You’re welcome. There’s also salad and garlic bread and brownies for dessert.”
“That sounds amazing,” Carson said.
“How’re you feeling?”
“Pretty good, all things considered. Thanks for making your house available to Cresley and Ty when they needed a safe place to stay.”
“I was glad to do it. We’re not here very much these days.”
An adorable flush infused her cheeks as she basically admitted to living with Julian.
“Anyway, I’m glad to see you out of the hospital and settled in to rest and recover.”
“Thank you. Me, too.”
“Well, if you guys need anything, we’re just up the road. Call any time.”
“Thanks again, Isla,” Carson said. “We really appreciate it.”
“Of course.” To Cresley, she said, “I’ll check in with you tomorrow.”
“That sounds good.”
Cresley hugged her at the door and waved her off. “That was so nice of her.”
“Sure was. She seems really sweet.”
“She is. I already feel like I’ve known her forever.”
“How many minutes until Ty gets home?”
“Thirty, and I need to leave soon to get him.”
Carson groaned. “The guys can bring him home.”
“I like to be there when he gets out. Just to make sure there’s no trouble.”
“He wouldn’t dare show up there.”
“I’m not leaving anything to chance.”
“Fine. Be that way.”
“You’re very cute when you don’t get your way.”
“I’m never cute.”
“Um, yes, you are. Can I get you anything before I go?”
“No, thanks. I’m fine. Just hurry back.”
“I’ll be as quick as the LA traffic allows.” She leaned over to kiss him. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I am, too. Thanks for having me.”
“Least I could do after my ex stabbed you.”
His handsome face became even more so when he flashed that devastating grin. “Maybe I ought to thank him for helping me to further ingratiate myself with you.”
Cresley frowned. “Too soon, Carson. Far too soon.”
She left him laughing when she went to comb her hair and find some shoes.
Richie, one of Carson’s guys, drove her to the school.
Ty would be so excited to see Carson, and she couldn’t wait to get home to him.
After she left, all the life went out of the place, Carson thought.
He moved carefully to get up to find a bathroom and brought his laptop back to the chaise when he returned a few minutes later.
Moving around was still excruciating, but less so every day.
By the time he was settled back on the comfortable chair, he was sweating and breathing hard.
Being injured fucking sucked.
While the laptop booted up, he called Anthony, looking for an update on the search for Beckett. In the hospital, the police had interviewed him and Cresley. They’d told the officers everything they knew about Beckett, his friends and associates, hoping for a quick apprehension that hadn’t happened.
“What’s up, boss?”
“That’s what I want to know. Where are we with finding this son of a bitch?”
“No closer, unfortunately. He’s disappeared into the ether.”
“Which leads me to think he’d planned to hide out if needed.”
“That’s probably true.”
“Have you guys reviewed all the video I took when I was following him?”
“All of it, multiple times. We’ve tracked the plates of everyone he met with, and no one has any idea where he is. Or if they know, they’re not talking.”
“He doesn’t have the means to go far. The cops impounded his truck. Let’s take another look at any vehicles reported missing in Cresley’s neighborhood.”
“We’ve been watching that, and only two cars were reported stolen in the last ten days. Both later turned up.”
“How can a guy this stupid, without a dime to his name, just disappear this way?”
“It’s crazy, for sure.”
“I’ll talk to Cresley again later and get a list of every friend and acquaintance he’s ever mentioned to her, going back to the beginning. I’ll get back to you if she comes up with anyone new.”
“We’re here, boss. Let me know whatever you need. We feel terrible that he got to you.”
“He made sure he wasn’t seen, and no one thought he’d be dumb enough to go back into the yard after he nearly got caught there the night before.”
“Still, I wish we’d stayed on the case after she switched law firms.”
“Even if you had, the best surveillance is never a hundred percent successful. It happened, and now we move on from it. I’d feel a lot better if we could fucking find this guy. Every time Cresley and Ty leave the house…”
He couldn’t handle the fear of something happening to them.
“I get it, boss. We’re on it.
“Thanks. I’ll talk to you later.”
After he ended the call, he shifted his focus to the laptop, opening the file he’d kept on Cresley’s case and reviewing all the video again, looking for something he might’ve missed the first time. Nothing new stood out.
Frustrated, he’d just closed up the laptop when Ty came bursting through the front door, making a beeline for Carson.
“Hey, buddy, how was your day?”
“I got in trouble for being antsy. What does that mean?”
“You couldn’t sit still.”
“Yeah, that’s it. I was excited to come home to see you.”
“I was excited to see you, too.” He patted the cushion. “Have a seat, my man.”
“Mom said I can’t get too close because you’re still in pain.”
“If you go slow, everything will be fine.”
Ty’s backpack landed with a thud on the floor as he gently sat on the edge of the chair. “How do you like our new house?”
“It’s pretty cool. A lot of history attached to it.”
“Mom said someone named Mama… What’s her name again?”
Smiling, he said, “Mama Cass. She was in a famous band called The Mamas and the Papas.”
“That’s cool.”
“Sure is. How was school?”
“Long and boring. I couldn’t wait to get home.”
“I’m glad you’re here.”
“I’m glad you’re here. What do you feel like doing?”
“Honestly? Not much right now.”
“Want to watch a movie?”
“That sounds perfect.”
“Do you care which one?”
“Surprise me. What’s your all-time favorite?”
Ty gave that some considerable thought. “If I had to pick just one, I’d say… the original Iron Man.”
“Oh, good choice. I love that one.”
“I’ll ask Mom about how we can watch it. Be right back.”
“I’ll be here.”
Ty grinned as he ran off to find his mom.