Page 101 of Carved Obsession

“I met him when I moved here. But we’ve been talking for a month, maybe two.” I haven’t kept track. It’s probably been less, but so much has happened that it feels like a short lifetime.

“He’s yourboyfriend?” Marc says that word with wide eyes.

“No—I don’t know. We haven’t talked about that.” Or anything, for that matter.

We just fucked once, and he ate me out after. And that’s no way to describe us to my fucking family.

“This is a different world, Scarlet. More complex than ours, and so much more dangerous. These men aren’t criminals like us, so I can’t help but worry,” he says.

“Likeus?” I scoff. “We both know neither of you are criminals like me.” I point around the room.

Silence falls as I take the joint from my brother and take a puff, savoring it as my family settles into the thought that actually, with my violent tendencies, I’m not all that different from any of The Sanctum. It may be a daunting thought for them, but it’s a comforting one for me. My family accepts me, but with Carter, it feels like I can truly be myself.

“We just want to make sure you’re safe. Happy. Unharmed,” Carmen assures me, her features softening.

“I’m all good. Apart from being assaulted by a pencil, I’m fine.”

“What?” Marc recoils slightly.

“When I crashed, this random pencil flew out of my toolbox and stabbed me. I’m fine.” I hold out my hand, stopping them as they rise. Worry laces their eyes. “Carter cleaned me up and patched me. We had a first-aid kit. It didn’t hit anything major. And yes, I will go to the doctor and get it checked out.”

Dad takes such a long breath in that I can see the wheels spinning as he attempts to stay calm.

“You crashed? Was it because of him?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Nah. I caused it. The rain was so thick, I skidded and actually crashed into him.”

“What exactly happened last night?” Dad frowns.

“I’ll tell you after I have a shower. But before I do...do you remember Martin Duval?”

“From the sapphire job we did a couple of years ago?” Dad says. “That was, what, about fifty miles from here?”

“Yeah. Frank Duval’s son, the councilman. What do you remember about them?”

Chapter 27

Scarlet

Crashing onto the bed, I ask my speaker to play my favorite playlist at a soft volume as I stare at the ceiling. The light is dim, the color changed to red, and my spent body can’t even muster the strength to get under the covers.

I drag in a breath, holding it in for long enough to rid myself of this dull, lingering anxiety. My fists tighten around the sheet, and I attempt to pinpoint the root cause of it as I try some breathing exercises.

It doesn’t work. I’m not even sure it’s anxiety related. I’m just...unsettled.

All day was spent either with my family or in the hospital, getting professionally patched up and going through all the usual tests I’m required to go through. It’s fucking exhausting. I’ve dreamed of my comfortable, fluffy bed since the moment I came back this morning, but now it’s not doing anything to relax me.

I need . . . something.

But I don’t freaking know what.

My phone vibrates on the nightstand, and I sigh. My family’s probably checking up on me. I love them, but I’m not going to fucking break.

Yet, sometimes I really want to.

Enjoying your big, soft bed yet, kitten?

I brighten up in an instant. It’s not my family at all, but Carter. The number of times I wanted to text him today but held back. I don’t know what the social standard is for what we’ve done. But I’ve itched so bad all day.