Page 70 of Carved Obsession

“Goddamn it, unclip, you bastard!” I rage, screaming into this damn storm I can now feel through my smashed window. “Fuck! Scarlet!”

I need to get to her.

“Yes?”

Chapter 19

Scarlet

“Scarlet!”

The visceral notes in that scream make me pause. Concern at the edge of desperation weaves through, and I frown, utterly confused since that certainly does not sound like who I thought it would be.

Who the fuck is in this car?

“Yes?” I bend down to look through the broken window.

“Jesus Christ, woman!” The answer comes out startled.

“It was you?” I shriek when I’m met with motherfucking Carter Pierce hanging by his seatbelt. “For fuck’s sake! What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were—”

Bernard. I genuinely thought it was him trying to scare me off.

“How many houses have you broken into tonight?” The pause in his words is charged with dark promises. “Who were you expecting?”

“Just two,” I say, the giddiness in my tone shielding the slight unease I feel.

He doesn’t reply, only pins me down with that frigid stare of his.

“I’d ask why you’re following me, but I guess you’re much quicker at solving puzzles than I thought.”

Over the heavy rain, I’m not sure I heard it right, but I could have sworn he growled.

“Yes, I’ve become quite experienced,” he mutters.

If looks could cut, his would have me split in half.

This impromptu meeting is inconvenient. I had a plan, a good one I’ve been working on since I decided to fuck with him. It would have ended beautifully, and potentially peacefully too. Now...I have to adapt.

“Bet you had a bit of fun, though.” I wink.

He narrows his eyes for a split second and shakes his head. “A hand, if you will?”

“Now, why should I help you? You want to kill me, after all.”

“May I point out that I stopped following you, andyourammed into me?”

Fair, but still.

“Promise you won’t kill me,” I say.

His answer is a deep, malevolent growl buried so low in his chest, it threatens to shake the earth beneath my feet.

“Pro—”

“I promise.”

Okay, that was easier than I thought it would be.