Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 46

Carter

The last four days have been miserable. I’d barely slept, watching over her house in the dead of night from a distance until dawn. I had told Mazzie everything that night. From my first impressions to the mess I made of things. I had left out the things I had no right telling.

Lana, Mazzie’s other half, curled into Mazzie's lap.

“This is serious?” she asked.

“More serious than anything I’ve ever dealt with, and I’m sure I’m right.”

“Then you need to do everything possible to keep her here, keep her safe,” Lana said, as Mazzie pulled her closer, at he hip.

“Lana is right, and I’m with you on this. I know what you're worried about, and I’d be worried too, but don’t let that get in the way, though. She needs you, but maybe not in the way you think. Battered women need to feel strong; make her feel strong, help her be free of all that without the other stuff getting in the way, It’ll be a slow process for sure, but in the end…”

“She’ll know you don’t see her as broken, that you really see her.” Lana said, as she stared into Mazzie’s eyes. They had seen this through experience, so their counsel mattered. I went home that night and stared at the ceiling. Alone again, because Rosie and Tucker were snuggled up in the bed she had slept in. Maybe they felt her loss in the household just like I did. Nothing would be right until we were all back with her, as impatient as I was to get there, I knew I needed to truly find her to move forward, she was still a shell of herself, and she may never be who she was before. She would have to redefine herself. Though I doubted she could feel the thin strand between us, as I did, not with all the trauma and bullshit she’d endured clouding the way. Lana’s words had brought a thought to my mind. I wanted her to choose me because I did right by her, and I wanted to see her strong and unyielding to others, but I also wanted her to see me for who I was and not the pawn I was forced to play.

It would be tricky to pull off, however, for her, I’d do anything necessary. On the fourth day, I came home to an empty house. I knew without a doubt where my two escapees would be. So I let myself drive down to her place, finally, after days of only letting my wolf watch over her in the night, listening to her struggle in her sleep, and constantly waking to nightmares; not being able to go to her was torture. When I pulled up, she was sitting on her front porch smoking a cigarette. Tucker was lounging in her lap while Rosie lay at her feet. Fitting, I thought, as I got out of the truck and stood at the base of the porch stairs.

“I figured they’d be here,” I grumbled. She put out the cigarette and crossed her arms over her chest.”

“I didn’t call you cuz I figured you’d come,” she said quietly. Too tired for the venom to lace her words, by the looks of her. She didn’t look much different from the last time I’d seen her, the bruising still a deep yellow, and the worst an angry purple red. However, she appeared defeated, and that bothered me the most. “I don’t wanna ask you for shit right now, Carter, but the truth is, right now, I need a friend, and you're the only one I’ve got here.”

Briar

Carter looked about as beat as I felt. Weariness resided where his cheekiness should be. I didn’t like it. Perhaps I needed to ease his worry. I stroked the cat's fur as I grasped for words.

“Truth is, this is my fault, and as sorry as I am, it's not gonna change the possible outcome,” he said, before I could speak. Rosie watched him cocking her head as he spoke. “I can’t change what I did, but what I can do is help you prepare for the day he may inevitably come for you.” His slumped shoulders straightened. “You need to heal up, and you need to train.”

“Train?”

“Yes, if that bastard piece of shit shows up, you're not running.” This was not what I expected when I realized the animals being here would make him come by. “You're gonna learn how to protect yourself; you need endurance and muscle memory, but you can’t do that nursing broken ribs.”

“I can’t exactly change that fact, Carter.”

“Yeah, but in the meantime, while you heal, I’m gonna help you with all the other shit you need to do around here until you get there.”

“Oh, are you?”

“Yes, and your gonna let me because I fucked up, and I need to do this for you.”

“How chivalrous.”

“There isn’t anything chivalrous about it, Briar. I’m owning up to my mistake. I put you in danger, and I can’t be here every moment to protect you.”

“I never asked for your protection, Carter.”

“Too bad, toots, you're getting it anyway.” Oh, this Carter was spicy, I liked it a little too much.

“Fine,” I said, following Misty’s advice.

“Really? I thought you would argue with me about it.”

“To be honest, Carter, I just don’t have the energy.” His face fell at my words.

“What's going on?” he asked, concerned and taking the steps up the porch to look at me properly.

I shrugged. “Nightmares. I haven’t gotten much sleep, maybe it’s just the worry of the inevitable,” I told him honestly as he crouched in front of me. Rosie moved to my side as we stared at each other.

“Come on,” he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me up, Tucker hopping to the porch floor.

“What?” I asked.

“You’ve been eating like shit, I bet, and you have a fridge to fill. Rule number one, your body needs fuel to heal, so we are going to get dinner at the diner, then hit the grocery store or wherever else you wanna buy food,” he said, pushing open the front door. “Go do whatever you've got to do to be presentable, you have 15 minutes, or I’m coming in and dragging you out,” he said, wandering further into the house behind me.

I wasn’t sure what I would do with this Carter; his bossiness both rubbed me the wrong way and stroked an uncharted itch that liked his domineering attitude. He wandered into the kitchen and began opening cabinets and poking around. I rolled my eyes and went to change and pull myself together. Standing in front of the mirror, I realized I didn’t look any better than the day I left Carter's place. The sleepless nights had done me dirty and I needed more makeup applied than I expected. Goth glam it was, and it was a good thing I could present the look in quick order, because when I opened the door Carter was poised to knock.

I batted my mascaraed and black lined smokey eyes at him and he forgot his words. He looked down. I had procrastinated cleaning the spare room but I had found other things to do, making the boring tees I got at the local store more me. I had found a pair of scissors and cut into them. This one had a wide off shoulder neck and was slashed down the back, the alterations making it fit me like a glove. Fishnet stockings and high waisted short black shorts. I wore my hair down, since I had scrunched it after my shower at 4:30 this morning when I woke up in a pool of sweat. The corner of his mouth kicked up.

“Well, at least you aren’t boring. Every time you change, I never know what to expect.”

“I was raised in the country and my only father figure was a biker, I do what I want. I let Creedon dictate what I wore; that's bullshit. Never again,” I said, pushing past him and grabbing my bag which he yanked from me. 

“Why does this thing still weigh a ton? You shouldn’t be carrying all that weight. You gotta unpack it.” 

I shrugged, “Maybe when we get back.” Unpacking meant I planned to stay, so I hadn’t bothered, that was a big step I didn’t know if I could take yet.