Page 31 of Forever After All (Pine Harbour #2)

Alice

" L et's go back to the hotel." My voice wavers without me intending it to. I look down at Carter, sitting on the bench outside of my parent's home and feel an overwhelming fury at him for that fucking stunt he just pulled.

I had to spend the last twenty-five minutes explaining to my parents about everything that happened to me—and I didn't want to do that, I never wanted them to know.

I wanted to protect them by harbouring this burden.

Then I had to leave because we're flying home tomorrow.

There was no time for them to process, and no time for them to ask questions.

Let me tell you, the look on my dad's face when I had to tell him how his little girl was ground to nothing by a fucking man—or narcissistic misogynist —will stay with me until the day I die.

I put my trust in Carter, and he’s the first person I ever told. It meant something to me and I was stunned. How could he do that to me?

"Alice, I'm so sorry," Carter tries to apologise to me, but I stop him abruptly.

"Stop. I am not talking about this now. I can't talk about this now."

"But—"

"I said, stop. We'll talk when we get to the hotel, we're not doing this now."

"Let me explain, I—"

I cut him off again. "Carter, if you say one more fucking word, I’m not going to wait to get back to the hotel to shout at you.

The only reason I’m not doing it right now is because I respect you too much not to scream at you when I know my parents can hear.

" My voice starts to shake with outrage.

"Please, get up off that goddamn seat so we can argue in private. "

Carter nods his head and, to my surprise, he stays quiet on the walk to the car and the car journey back to the hotel.

At least it proves he can keep his mouth shut about something.

The hotel room door clicks shut behind us, and I erupt.

"How fucking dare you?" I rage. Carter sinks onto the end of the bed and looks down at the circular-patterned carpet as I stand in front of him with lava coming out of my mouth. "Look at me, you coward," I shout.

"They needed to know, Alice," he says in a voice that’s quieter than I know he’s capable of. Well, I am creating enough volume for the both of us, so never mind.

"That was not your choice to make. How do you think it makes me feel that you were the first person I ever talked to about this? I thought I could trust you." The rage continues.

"You can trust me, princess." He reaches out to try taking my hand and I snatch it away before he is able to make contact with my skin.

"Then you told my parents because you couldn't keep your temper in check." I’m feeling exacerbated now.

"That's pretty funny coming from the person screaming at me right now," Carter retorts.

Oh, he's feeling brave.

"Excuse me?" I ask angrily as my hands shake. "I was protecting myself, I was protecting my parents. I—"

"No, you weren't," he interrupts my mid-venom spitting. "All you were doing was protecting the man who hurt you."

I open my mouth to say something, but close it again almost instantly. I try again and the same thing happens, because genuinely, in this entire ten plus years, I have never looked at it like that .

"He deserves for people to know how much of a cunt he was—even in death. Alice, I love you, but I was never going to stay silent as your parents were led to believe that Danny was some kind of saint."

"It wasn't your choice, it was my choice—and you took that from me," I try to argue back, but my voice lowers a few decibels.

"I am sorry for that, I really am. But honestly, Alice, I would do it again. I would tell them in every single scenario, if it meant showing the world how he treated women."

He makes very valid points, which really pisses me off further.

I sit on the bed next to him and my shoulders slump a little.

"You're even more beautiful when you're angry, you know?" he asks, trying to diffuse my fury.

"Stop trying to be smooth, Carter. Bad fucking timing," I respond in a dejected voice.

My hands fall at my sides and Carter successfully entwines his fingers with mine this time.

I have long fingers like a pianist and my hands are not dainty, but his completely encase mine. It's nice to feel small sometimes.

"Fuck, Alice. Don't break up with me when you just told me that you love me." He sounds defeated and my chest twists a little at his fractured voice.

"Carter, I’m angry, I am so fucking angry, but that thought didn't even enter my head as an option," I reply and wiggle my fingers a little in his palm .

He sighs and lets out a long, deep breath, squeezing my hand tighter in response.

"You took my choice away from me and that stings so much.

I understand the reason why you told them, I really do, but I need some time.

I need time to be angry and hurt. And I need you to know that as much as I love you, when we get home, I need to be left alone for a few days.

I thought that you, out of everyone, wouldn't make me feel like that.

" I'm trying my hardest to communicate the hurt I’m feeling in a way that makes him understand.

"Space I can deal with, but a breakup is out of the question, Alice. Even if you decide you want to, it isn't happening."

I can't help but laugh a little and it instantly breaks the heavy tension in the room.

"Honestly, I wouldn't let you off that easy.

" I smile at him, and he returns a little grin.

"You'd get off lightly with a break-up. How am I supposed to be angry at you and argue with you and bring this up every time we fight for the next decade, if I break up with you now?

" I nudge him with my shoulder, and he wraps his arm around my back and kisses the side of my head, his warm breath blasts against my face.

" Sooo , I guess this isn't a good time to suggest angry sex?" he asks, a little too hopefully for my liking.

"Oh, big guy, that's cute—you are so fucking cut off," I say with a little chuckle, even though I’m quite serious. Mostly anyway.