Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 50

Briar

I sat up, and Carter stood. He glanced at me, like he was unsure if he should walk outside with her. I squeezed his hand in reassurance and he just nodded and stepped out with Rosie. I peeked out the window to see him tangle his fingers in his hair and stare up at the moon, his fingers interlocked behind his head, gaze skyward. His shoulders sagged, he looked away, and began to pace like an animal in a cage. 

This was my fault. I shouldn’t matter so much to someone who was a stranger to me a week ago. I wanted Carter to like me, not pity me, but my options were limited. I needed someone and he was all I had. Sure, there was Martha and Henry, however something about Carter’s presence seemed to ease just about everything my heart, mind, and body were going through right now. It seemed stupid, selfish even to lean on him.

I thought back to the scared woman and her daughter, the old woman, and Beck, to the waitress, and truck driver that was kind enough to get me here. I had accepted their help to escape, to find myself here. I had never been one for fate, but maybe, just maybe, I should trust her this time. Those people had risked themselves for me and I’d be throwing that away if I didn’t keep trying, didn’t keep moving forward. Carter was my best bet, my salvation. However, it felt like I was using him. I didn’t have much else to offer but my piss poor company, saturated by all my problems. Something about this man made me feel at home, more so than I’d ever felt in all my life.

Of course, there were my grandparents, but there was something about them I didn’t trust. There were words unsaid, words missing. I wanted to trust them, to love them, but right now, it was a struggle to love myself enough to carry on. Carter had positioned himself like a guardian. I had no doubt, if he failed me, ever, it wouldn’t be from any intent of his. We were just people and people made mistakes.

Rosie came back and paused a few feet away from him. I heard her whine from inside. Carter took several deep breaths, his gaze returning to the moon. I swear shadows rippled around him before his posture fully relaxed.

When Carter came back, he seemed haggard, yet resolved, and he plopped beside me after grabbing us each a beer from the fridge. He popped the tab and handed me one and threw his arm around my shoulders.

“Tomorrow we will go get the rest of your things from my place. We are gonna change the locks and Ole Betty stays at the door. You go anywhere on the property, you take her with you. You need to look into security cameras next.”

“Carter, that’s a lot all at once.”

“Your safety is important to me.”

“Why? You just met me.” I found myself asking him again. It was a question that, deep down, I needed him to answer truthfully.

“A lot of reasons. For one, Jake was important to me, you were important to him, therefore, you're important to me, also.” So he was going to use Jake as a scapegoat.

“You have said that before,” I pointed out, annoyed he wasn’t being forthcoming. I took a long drink and he did the same.

“I don’t want to talk about the rest tonight,” I let him know. I was pretty sure I wasn’t ready for all his reasons but I figured he’d assume it was what I had been telling him before. That, I also wasn’t ready for. I had told him some, but not everything.

“That asshole has another thing coming if he thinks he can come into my town to get to you.”

“The last thing I want is for you to get involved with my mess,” I countered.

He eyed me, “that mother fucker shows his face here and I’m going to tear him to pieces.” 

His eyes told me everything. He’d murder Creedon for me, if it came down to it. On one hand, I felt a perverse sense of  jubilation at his vow; on another, I didn’t want him anywhere near my ex. Carter was too good to stain his hands over me.

“Let’s just hope it doesn't come to that.” He nodded in agreement, but I knew he didn’t think that was a possibility.

“Tell me something about you, Briar.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Anything and everything.”

I paused a bit, caught off guard… what to tell him.

“I like to hike in the woods, my favorite color is lavender, and I’m terrified of frogs.”

He snorted. “Frogs?”

“Yeah, one jumped on my face once, they are all demons now,” I said, seriously.

Carter chuckled.

“How about you?”

“I also like to hike, but I love long motorcycle rides, and my favorite color is green,” he replied.

“What shade of green.”

His eyes met mine, I don’t know what to call it; pale, like spanish moss, but deep, like an evergreen.” I laughed a little, unsure of why he was being that specific, which sent me into a groan of pain.

“Easy!” he insisted, as he fussed over me. I struggled to control my breathing through the fit. He took my beer and set it on the side table where he had deposited his. He pulled me with him laying down, and I steadied myself to the beat of his heart against my back.

“You should sleep.”

“Only nightmares wait for me there,” I responded, honestly.

“I’ll chase them away,” he promised, pulling Jake’s jacket over me. If only it were that easy, I thought.

“When you are healed enough, you will train,” he mumbled against my neck.

“Whatever you say,” I agreed, my will to argue nowhere to be found, my eyes suddenly heavy.

“Nothing can get you as long as I'm here. I won’t let anyone take you away,” he murmured. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to hear that, I thought, so I immediately dismissed it. A deep sleep encompassed me within the safety of his arms. No nightmares came.