Chasing Carson

by Amanda Bennett

  When my sister and Ky saw the both of us coming in together, I knew there was going to be hell to pay. “Hi sis, sorry we’re late. I didn’t get in until late last night and left my car at Amelia’s house. Ruger had to pick me up. How’s it going?” I kissed Lyndley on the cheek as she gave me a huge hug.

  “Oh it’s great. Just great.” Sarcasm laced her words.

  As I took my seat next to Lyndley, I could see Ruger giving me a strange look out of the corner of his eye. Of course he had to sit right next to me, so I nonchalantly leaned over and asked him what the look was for. He didn’t say a single word, just shook his head in mock disapproval, and then began eating his food.

  Seven

  Ruger

  I wasn’t exactly sure what was goin’ on with Carson, but somethin’ was botherin’ her. Her mind seemed to be elsewhere throughout the entire brunch, and when we were all gettin’ ready to leave, she pulled her scarf thing around her as though it was fifty degrees outside. Her behavior was odd, but I wasn’t about to push her about it. I didn’t need her pullin’ even further away from me.

  I tried to find her last night at the party so I could talk to her, but she literally disappeared. I ended up seein’ her two girlfriends that she showed up with, but when I asked if they had seen her, they said they hadn’t seen her for quite some time. Somethin’ had to of happened last night. Carson was always cold towards me, but this was completely different. She had a story to tell, and I wanted to be the person she told it to.

  “Carson, you wanna ride back to the house with Ky and me?” Leave it up to Lyndley to completely fuck up my plan.

  “I was gonna take her to get her car.” I quickly shouted in response. Everyone turned in my direction with a quizzical look on their face. I was tryin’ to think of a witty response so they wouldn’t suspect anythin’, but my brain was stuck in stupid mode.

  “I’ll see you guys at home.” Carson interjected as she walked to the passenger side of my ride.

  I shook my head and silently thanked her for takin’ control. We both hopped in as everyone was takin’ off in the direction of their cars. “You sure you’re okay with this?” I gestured between her and I.

  “I mean really, what could happen in the forty-five minutes it takes for us to get there?”

  I turned and looked at her in confusion. “Forty-five minutes? Where the hell did you leave your car?”

  “Well see, that’s the thing. I kinda need your help.”

  Just when I thought she was goin’ to be a sarcastic crab with me like usual, she goes and pulls that. I glanced over at her as I pulled out onto the main road that led to the highway, and she had a serious look in her eye. “What’s up, lil Lyndley?” I smiled a wicked smile at her, as her hand came down hard across my shoulder, causing me to flinch. “Ouch.”

  “Stop calling me that. Like I haven’t had to deal with that my entire life.” She started to turn towards her window, but I reached out and grazed her arm with the tips of my fingers, causin’ an electric shock. “Talk about ouch.” She laughed.

  “Sorry. So what’s goin’ on?”

  She looked up at me from under those amazingly long black lashes and my breath hitched in my throat. I quickly turned my attention back to the road before I crashed us into a ditch. The last thing I needed was Carson’s father wantin’ me dead for hurtin’ his youngest daughter. That, and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if anything ever happened to Carson while she was with me.

  “I saw something last night that I probably shouldn’t have. Actually, I know I shouldn’t have.”

  “Is there a question in there?” I joked.

  “It’s not funny, Ruger. I think I’m in some serious trouble.” I could hear fear in her voice and I was immediately worried.

  “Where are we goin’, Carson?”

  “To get my car. I told you that.” She was startin’ to get fidgety.

  “Yeah, but where is your car really at?”

  She hung her head in defeat as she answered me. “Across the street from a chop shop.”

  Now we were gettin’ somewhere. “Why the hell would your car be at a chop shop?” I already knew the answer, but I wanted her to want to tell me on her own.

  “I went to a party last night there. It wasn’t my idea.”

  “Calm down, sweetheart. I’m not judgin’, I was just askin’.” I took her hand in mine and she flinched. I glanced over at her to see if she was uncomfortable, when I saw a smile start to form on her lips.

  “You were there, weren’t you?” She turned in her seat to face me and somethin’ inside of me did not want to lie to her.

  “I was.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Honestly?” I was stallin’.

  “No, I want you to lie to me.” She joked and the thick tension in the air lifted just a bit.

  “I was checkin’ on a guy that was there.” I lied. Her smile faded and her hand slipped out of mine. That’s when I knew I should’ve told her the truth.

  “Oh, okay.”

  Now she had my interest peaked. “Why do you ask?”

  “No reason. I thought I saw you there. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.”

  “Oh. So what happened last night?”

  “I…I’m pretty sure I saw a guy get murdered.”

  My foot fell off the gas pedal, and I swerved towards the other lane of traffic. I quickly got a hold of the truck, and myself, but I was stunned by what Carson had just said. “I’m sorry, you what?”

  “When I went downstairs to use the bathroom I heard voices. I didn’t pay much attention to them at first, but as I got closer I saw the guy lying on the ground. I crouched down behind a car and didn’t move. I swear I tried not to make a noise, but then the gun went off, and I made a noise, and then they chased me, and I just…” Her ramblin’ voice trailed off as she broke out in tears.

  Without a second thought, I pulled over on the side of the highway and wrapped her in my arms the best I could. There was somethin’ about her innocence and vulnerability that pulled at my heart, a heart that I had closed off long ago. A heart, which she now had the power to completely obliterate.

  Eight

  Carson

  I cried into his shoulder as though my body had a never-ending supply of fluids. I wasn’t sure if it was the fact that I had just told him what I had seen, or if it was the actual seeing part that had me bawling like a baby. I gripped onto his shirt as if it were my lifeline. The warmth of his body radiated through his shirt, soothing my erratic beating heart and I suddenly felt safe. And just like that, the ties that held my heart so tightly away from love, slowly began to unravel.

  “Hey Carson?”

  “Yeah?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear what he had to say at this moment, but I figured if he was willing to let me cry all over him then the least I could do was open up a bit.

  “Why don’t you have a boyfriend?”

  I lifted my head up just a bit, so we were now face to face. “Too much drama.” I laughed.

  “I bet.”

  His breath was warm as it caressed my tear-ridden face, and I closed my eyes as certain parts of my body began to react in a way that I was all too familiar with. As I slowly opened each lid, his beautiful face came into perfect view and my eyes landed directly on his full enticing lips. The memory of how they felt on mine was more than enough to make me want to feel them again, but I was too afraid to do it. I held myself back because I didn’t want to feel rejected. Not by him.

  As I pulled away, Ruger’s hands sunk into my hair, pulling me closer to him as he pressed his lips firmly against mine. My eyes rolled shut as I fell into an acute state of ecstasy with this beautiful man in front of me. Our lips moved together in harmony as the world around us faded away. I felt myself melt into him, and I suddenly lost all rational thought.

  “Carson?” Ruger muttered against my lips between kisses.

  I pulled back just slightly, “Yes, Ruger?”<
br />
  “Trust me when I say I don’t want to stop, but I think we should.”

  I pulled back from him as anger began to course through my veins. “Are we really doing this again?” I shouted.

  “Doin’ what, sweetheart?” Genuine confusion laced his words.

  “Don’t act like you don’t know. God, what is wrong with you? Is being with me so wrong? Isn’t this exactly what you’ve wanted? Isn’t this why you’ve spent the better part of the summer harassing me, and torturing me, and now you have me here, practically on a silver platter in front of you and you’re seriously just going to push me away? I should’ve known better.” I sat back in my seat, buckled my seat belt, and then sat there staring out the windshield. “You wanna know something?”

  “Oh, someone got her second wind.” I would’ve punched him if I didn’t have something left to say.

  “Have you ever thought that maybe it’s you? Your life is stagnant. You are perfectly happy doing absolutely nothing but you, and saying screw you to everybody else. It’s pathetic.”

  “Of course it’s me!” He shouted as he leaned towards me. “Why do you think I push you away? You don’t want me, Carson. You know that little voice inside your head that keeps tellin’ you this might be a bad idea? You should listen to it.”

  Before I could respond, he was sitting back in his seat and shifting the truck into drive. The rest of the ride was silent. We went from zero to sixty in less than five minutes, and I was left questioning myself instead of the smug bastard sitting next to me. Oh, he’s good. He’s real good. Turning this whole thing around on me, making me think that I was too good for him, all so I would back off of him so he doesn’t have to deal with his feelings for me. Boy was he in for a big surprise.

  “What are we going to do?”

  “I thought we just discussed this?” The irritation in his voice was growing, and I couldn’t help but take the chance, to goad him a bit.

  “No, you discussed it.” I sat here and listened like a child being chastised for wetting her pants.

  “WHAT?!” As he turned to look at me, a smile spread wide from ear to ear on my face.

  “Relax, Ruger. I’m not going to try and seduce you now. I was talking about the whole, me witnessing a murder.”

  “Oh, that thing. I don’t know, but we’re here, so I suppose we’ll find out.” Ruger parked next to my car, and then reached for the handle to push his door open.

  “Wait.” I clutched onto his arm, trying to prevent him from getting out and leaving me alone.

  “You are the most infuriating woman I have ever met.”

  “I’m not trying to be infuriating, Ruger. I just don’t want you to leave me alone. With the guy hanging outside the restaurant today, and everything else, how am I supposed to feel safe?” I could feel the tears welling up behind my eyes, but I forced myself to push them back.

  “What do you mean, the guy outside the restaurant? Why didn’t you tell me then, Carson?”

  “I didn’t think I should have, Ruger. Don’t you get it? I was trying to stay out of trouble. I don’t do this type of shit. I keep my head down, study hard, and I stay out of trouble. I swear this never would’ve happened if I would have just stayed hanging out with Lyndley.” Ruger sat back in the truck and closed the door.

  “Carson, I was here last night to follow you. I know it sounds all stalkerish, but I had to know that you were okay. Unfortunately, I only saw you once, and then couldn’t find you the rest of the night.”

  I waited for him to say something else, something that would make me mad, but honestly, I was flattered. “Well last night these guys saw me. They know what I look like and they got a perfect view of my tattoo. When we pulled up to the restaurant today, one of them was standing across the street.”

  “Okay, here’s what is gonna happen. We’re gonna get you to your car, and then you’re gonna drive straight home while I go inside and scope the place out.”

  “No.”

  “Excuse me?”

  We both got out of the truck and I made my way over to his side. “We do this together or not at all.” I looked up into those hypnotic green eyes and did one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do…I stood my ground.

  Nine

  Ruger

  I knew this was one battle I wasn’t goin’ to win, so I silently conceded. I looked down at our hands as I slipped my fingers through hers, causin’ a sweet gasp of air to escape from between her enticin’ flushed lips. My eyes stayed fixated on her lips a bit longer, before finally followin’ the beautiful lines on her face all the way up to the brilliantly beautiful sea of green that instantly captured my attention, causin’ my breath to hitch in my throat.

  Before she had a chance to react or even say anythin’, I was pullin’ her across the street and over to the front door of the building. There were a few tiny clear windows in an otherwise completely grey stone building. The outside had a sign that read, Johnny’s Garage, but it looked like anythin’ but that. Without losin’ my grip on Carson’s hand, I raised my other hand and looked inside one of the windows. The place was completely empty. Not even a single piece of garbage was left to let you know someone had once run a business outta here.

  “What do you see?” Carson whispered beside me.

  “Nothin’.”

  “You can tell me.”

  “Carson, I’m not bein’ an ass. I literally see nothin’. The place has been cleaned out.”

  “That’s not possible.” I felt her hand slide out of mine and I quickly turned to see her backin’ away from me. “Then we need to get downstairs and see if there is any trace of blood, or somethin’.” Fear was present in her voice as it raised an octave in disbelief.

  “Sweetheart, we need to get out of here. I don’t know if anyone is waitin’ around here for you to show up or what. It isn’t safe for you to be here.”

  I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and lead her over to her car. I waited impatiently for her to retrieve her keys from her small handbag, lookin’ in every different direction as she did so. I wasn’t takin’ any chances with her. There wasn’t anythin’ I wouldn’t do for this girl. I heard a loud thud, like a car door shutting, when I quickly turned in the direction of where we had just came from. That’s when I caught sight of a man in a hooded coat, standin’ across from us.

  He stood there with his arms crossed over his puffed out chest, just watchin’. Carson was still completely oblivious to what was goin’ on around her, and I was thankful for that much. I could feel my gun against my lower back, but I couldn’t reach for it just yet. I didn’t want this guy anywhere near Carson. I leaned in close to her without losin’ sight of where the guy stood.

  “Hey sweetheart, you find em’ yet?”

  “Yep.” She held the keys up in front of my face with a proud smile, but that smile quickly faded. I followed her gaze across the street and my heart sunk. So much for tryin’ to keep her out of danger.

  “Listen to me, Carson.” I gently clutched her face in both of my hands, turnin’ it so she was lookin’ directly at me. “Are you listenin’?” She nodded her head in my hands. “Get in your car and go, now. Don’t look back, just go straight home and call Ky on your way. Tell him I need backup, and then give him the address. Do you understand me?” She nodded again, and I believed that she could do this. I firmly pressed my lips against hers, and then opened the driver side door for her to get in. As soon as she slipped in, I slammed the door shut and reached behind my back. I pulled my gun out and aimed it at the no good piece of shit across the street who was now makin’ his way over to where I stood.

  “DRIVE CARSON!” I yelled as the guy moved closer. The car still hadn’t moved, and I was becomin’ extremely agitated that she wasn’t listenin’. I heard her start the car and I let out a strangled breath. “Take one more step asshole, and I’ll put ya down where ya stand.”

  “I’m not so sure you will.” The guy was taunting me, and as much as I wanted to shoot him, I couldn’t unle
ss he provoked me.

  “Test me.” I growled.

  I could still hear Carson’s car idlin’ beside me as I silently cussed her out. What part of get out of here did she not understand? I swear, the one fuckin’ time I need her to listen to the words that come out of my mouth, she has to go and be stubborn as hell. I glanced out the corner of my eye and saw that she was lookin’ down at her lap, and all I could do was silently pray that she was textin’ Ky.

  The guy was now only a few feet away from me as my gun stayed aimed straight at him. “You’ve got five seconds to go back to your car and leave.”

  “Look, we just want the girl. Give her to us and we’ll let you go, unharmed.”

  I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped my throat. “Are you serious right now. I don’t think you realize who you’re messin’ with.” As he stopped at the front of Carson’s car, I could finally get a good look at him. He was tall, probably about my height, and he had very distinct features. His dark facial hair and eyebrows would be unmistakable when it came to identifying him later. His mouth was twisted in a sinister grin as he moved in front of Carson’s car, preventin’ it from goin’ anywhere.

  “Tell her to get out of the car.”

  “Not gonna happen.”

  “Then I have no choice, but to have my friend take her out himself.” His eyes moved swiftly behind me, but I didn’t look back.

  I knew there was someone behind me. I don’t know if this guy was just stupid, or if he really didn’t know who he was messin’ with. I could hear shoes scufflin’ through the dirt, as they got closer to me. I stood there waitin’ patiently as he moved closer. Just as I heard the last footstep behind me, I ducked and swung my arm around, hittin’ the guy in the face the butt of my gun. When he fell to the ground, I put my boot covered foot on his chest and raised my gun back up in the direction of the other guy, who hadn’t even had a chance to move.

  “Like I said before, you don’t know who you’re messin’ with. Now this can end one of two ways. You can turn around and I can cuff you and take you in, or I can shoot you. Your choice.” I smiled.