Page 85 of Carry On

“About that,” I began quietly, “I’m in Seattle.”

“Wait… are you serious?”

“Yeah.” I kept going before I could talk myself out of it. “I’ve got a place here now, and I’m working on getting situated.”

“That’s not that far,” he said.

“About six to seven hours or so,” I agreed. “If you ever wanted to come visit, you could… I’d like that.”

My heart pounded hard in my chest. This was opening a door I wasn’t sure I was ready for him to walk through. I had enough trouble with the way Lincoln was weaseling his way under my skin. Was I really ready for my brother to do the same?

Do you think they want to?the voice replied.

“Yeah!” Peter exclaimed, sounding genuinely excited at the idea.

“Yeah?” I repeated.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” he repeated. That single fact left me speechless. So did the way he started prattling on about all the things he wanted to see in Seattle and added it to a list of things we could do when he visited.

Shit, what had I done?

CHAPTER 58

LINCOLN

Icrossedmyarms,mylips pressed together tightly, as I stared out the balcony door. Nash was asleep in one of the chairs outside with his feet propped up on the rail. Had he fallen asleep out there? Or was it intentional? Was he not adjusting to living here as well as I thought? Most nights, he slept in his room if he wasn’t in mine. At least, I thought he was, but I was beginning to question whether he was or not.

I debated waking him up, but I wasn’t sure if I should. He looked so damn peaceful. Ultimately, the pending storm hovering over the city won. I’d be an asshole to let him get rained on.

That thought gave me pause, my hand on the door. How had he sheltered from the rain in the past? Did he go somewhere? Or just… sat there in the rain until it passed? That thought made my heart hurt.

And, yes, I knew that thousands of people experienced the same reality, but it bothered me immensely thathehad gone through it.

He didn’t wake when I opened the door, and he didn’t wake when I said his name. Well, at least he was sleeping well. I knew sleep was a struggle for him. That only made me feel worse for having to wake him up. Reaching for him, I gave his shoulder a light shake.

His response was nothing short of volatile as he shot to his feet. I was caught in the line of fire as he lashed out. The world turned upside down in a blur.

His arm locked hard around my neck, cutting off airflow.

“Nash!” I gasped—a bad idea. The whoosh of air from my lungs left me scrambling to breathe.

Fuck, he was strong.

I scrambled to free myself, attempting to grapple with him.

My lungs screamed, desperate for air.

I smacked and yanked at his arm in an attempt to get his attention.

But nothing.

Doing the only thing I could do, I elbowed him hard in the rib cage and prayed to hell it was enough to knock him out of his haze.

He grunted, but if anything, his hold tightened.

Darkness pulsed in the corner of my vision.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.