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“Carter, please,” Mila said. “I don’t want you to get in trouble. Not because of him.”

There was a hesitation, as if Carter was debating her request with his own urges. Finally, he let go. Brad’s legs wouldn’t support him, and he slid down the wall onto his ass.

“You’re one of them!” he gasped between coughing fits. “One of those freaks!” Brad looked at Mila. “Monster-fucking whore!”

Carter growled again and reached for him, but Mila tangled her hands with one of his to stop him. The moment they were holding hands, Carter seemed to calm a little. He was still staring at Brad like he wanted to rip him into pieces, but at least he wasn’t making strange, threatening noises.

“Monster-fucking whore?” she repeated with a sharp mocking laugh. “Not only is that a weird insult, but it’s big talk for a man who pissed himself.”

Brad looked down to see the large wet spot on the front of his pants. Rage filled his face, but it was tempered by his fear of Carter.

Scrambling to his feet, he moved away from them. “I didn’t even want you back, you fat bitch. I was only trying to be nice.”

Carter made to go at him, and Brad gave a little scream and disappeared past the ring of onlookers who’d stopped to watch the confrontation. As if all his emotions had to go somewhere, he moved close to Mila and wrapped his arms around her. He buried his face in her hair.

“I’m never leaving you alone again,” he grumbled.

“Do you want me to call the cops?” a woman with a massive purse slung over her shoulder asked as she rushed over to them. A wide-eyed teenager stepped up with her. The woman pointed to the teenager. “I had Melissa record him grabbing you, and you trying to get away. Your boyfriend showed up when I was about to call for help. It all happened so fast.”

“No,” Carter said. “No cops.”

Mila would’ve like to file an assault charge against Brad, but if Carter didn’t want the authorities involved she wouldn’t force the issue. “Everything's fine now. I doubt Brad will come near me again.”

The teen snorted, eyeing Carter. “No cap!”

“Thank you for being willing to help,” Mila said to the woman.

“Mom loves getting involved in everyone’s business,” the teenager said. “At least your trouble was legit."

“I want to make sure everyone is okay,” the mother said with a sigh. “And you staying out an hour past your curfew isn’t a small thing.”

The teenager rolled her eyes in response. The woman ignored her daughter and turned her smile back to Mila. “I’m glad things didn’t get worse, but you should really tell someone what that man did. He might hurt someone else.”

“I’ll think about it,” Mila promised.

After a few minutes of talking, the mother and daughter left. Carter still hadn’t let go of her, and she could feel him vibrating with tension.

“We should go home,” she said, rubbing a hand up and down his arm. “Gio could spend some time painting us. Then we could all snuggle on the couch and eat the last of the beef noodle dish I made the day before yesterday. We can also go out shopping another time.”

Carter seemed to debate with himself, then nodded his head. “I think I want that too.”

Chapter 21

Mila

“Rissa couldn’t make it, but you know Harper and me,” Maddy said as Mila sat at the crowded table. “That’s Briar, Imani, and Cora. I thought we—”

“What’s in the box?” Briar asked, interrupting Maddy. Without asking, she stood up, reached across the table, and grabbed the pastry box Mila set down a second ago. She dragged it over the table so it was right in front of her when she sat down. “I mean, nice to meet you, Mila. Did you bring Danishes? I was promised Danishes.”

“Briar, you’re being rude!” Maddy scolded the turquoise-haired woman.

“Often!” Briar said with an unrepentant grin, then opened the box. “Yassss! Danishes!”

Mila laughed at Briar’s antics. “I was told they were your favorite.”

“Friends. For. Life!” Briar declared before grabbing one and taking a big bite. She moaned with pleasure.

Harper hooked a finger in the box to slide it in front of her. “Oh, you’ve got the flaky pastry that Tag likes.” She picked up a palmier. “Can I take one over to him?”