Page 94 of Crave

“Someone’s after me,” I said finally, the words shaky but certain.

He nodded, grabbing a small notebook and pen. “Who?”

“My brother,” I said, and the word felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. “Silas.”

Carter’s pen paused mid-air. “Your brother, Silas?” He asked, his tone dipping with something unreadable.

I nodded quickly, all of a sudden rushing to make him understand. “He’s not normal. He’s…dangerous. He’ll find me. No matter what I do, and no matter where I go. He’ll drag me back there, to that place.”

A flicker of that room in the Order came rushing back.

“To what place?”

“Home,” the word slipped out before I knew it as the memory of that stark room was replaced with another and the dim light of the den on our family home filled my mind. “He’ll take me home.”

Carter leaned forward slightly, his expression sharpening. “What do you mean by dangerous? Has he hurt you?”

I swallowed hard, looking down at my hands. My fingers twisted together, my nails biting into my palms as I tried to ground myself. The words felt stuck in my throat. How could I explain it? How could I describe the way Silas controlled everything around him, including me?

My lips parted, but no words came out. My mind flickered to the others—Theo’s cruel smirk, Jude’s cold stare, and Gabe’s desperate broken gaze. They weren’t just brothers. They were shadows I couldn’t escape. And no matter how much I wanted to run from them, part of me still ached for their presence.

Carter’s voice pulled me back. “Did he hurt you?” He asked again, his voice quieter this time, like he already knew the answer.

I slowly nodded, my voice barely breaking a whisper. “Not…the way you think.”

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t push. Instead, he learned back, tapping the pen against the notebook. “Then, why do you think he’s after you?”

I hesitated. “Because I ran,” that gnawing feeling twisting in my stomach. “And Silas doesn’t let go of things that belong to him.” Especially me.

Carter’s eyes flicked up to mine at that, something unreadable flashed across his face. He didn’t write anything down, just watched me with that same, unnerving intensity.

“He controls everything—my life, my choices. I can’t breathe without him knowing about it. And if he finds me…I…I don’t know what he’ll do.”

Yes, yes you do and that’s what terrifies me the most.

Carter set the pen down, folding his hands over his knees. “You did the right thing coming here,” he said, his voice calm and steady. “I can help you.”

The words hit me like a lifeline, and for the first time in a long time, I felt a flicker of hope.

“I need to make a call,” he slowly rose and pulled out his phone. “I’m going to bring in someone who can help you. Can you wait here a minute?”

I nodded without thinking. Too tired to question him.

Through the glass window, I watched as he stepped out of the room, his voice low as he spoke into his phone. He didn’t seem hurried, didn’t seem worried. He was helping me.

My body trembled with the thought as I watched him, the sound of the fluorescent lights buzzing in my ear. I waited for what felt like ages, staring at Carter’s back as he stood there, talking until finally he pressed the button and ended the call.

But he didn’t turn around, not for a while and when he did, he didn’t meet my gaze.

My pulse skipped, then raced as he slowly turned and looked over his shoulder to where I waited. But there was a sureness about him, one I had to trust.

“Someone’s coming,” he said when he stepped back inside the room and headed for his desk. “They’ll be able to help.”

I glanced at the open door to the police station behind him. “Here?”

He gave a slow nod and moved closer, placing his hand on my shoulder once more. “You’re going to get through this, you understand that right? You’ll figure out what you have to do to be safe. You’re a smart girl, Angelica. You’re a very smart girl.”

He slid his hand from my shoulder, grabbing the back of my seat instead.