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41 | A Lie Well Spun

The lies I tell myself are the truth I tell to others.

Carter’s hands had seized my thighs when the vehicle was struck from the side. He grunted, rushing to hold on to something, anything, as we flipped. Our bodies flopped together, traveling the length of the inside of the vehicle, smashing recklessly against the seat and walls. Dazed, I whimpered, reaching out when we finally came to a stop.

Dante lay beneath me, his body was battled and covered with cuts and scraps. His eyes met mine, searching my body for injuries. Painfully, I sat up and dragged myself away from him. We both glanced at the rear of the car, searching for Carter’s form.

Suddenly, a shadow cast over me. Craning my neck, I halfway turned to find him standing above me. Blood was smeared across his face from a large gash across his forehead, his hair was wild and the suit he wore was dirty, but he was otherwise unharmed. Harshly he reached down and yanked me from the floor into his arms.

“Thought you were rid of me, Dev?” He teased, tracing my chin with his hand. “I’m not that easy to kill.”

He forced his suit jacket around my shoulders and buttoned it before leading the way to the crumpled door. Easily he kicked it open and pulled me into the grim aftermath of the crash. Multiple vehicles were overturned and off the side of the road. Two black SUVs were destroyed by a blazing fire, forcing billows of coal-black clouds at the sky.

Some men were strewn about, their bodies missing limbs and full of gunshot wounds, their mouths silently screaming at the sky. I pitied them, but the emotion was fleeting as I felt Carter’s hand lock securely around my elbow. He turned me towards the road and began to walk, leading me to a second round of quickly approaching black SUVs.

Ballarina was pulled from one of the other cars. Her beautiful clothing was ripped, and she had a busted lip, but she was conscious and walking. When our eyes met, she passed me a tight-lipped sad smile trimmed in fear. Then, she once again disappeared behind the tinted windows.

Carter tossed me inside the vehicle, barely missing my head on the seat.

“What the fuck happened, Rick?” He hissed, sliding in next to me. Dante wasn’t far behind. He was shivering in his speedo, casting a wary glance all around him.

“Your location was compromised.”

Hope bloomed inside me, renewed by the hushed conversation.

“How?”

“We are tracking down the origin of the leak. I don’t believe it was anyone on the security team.” Rick landed an uneasy look in my direction. “Are you positive that there was no part of her security team in the building?”

“I’m sure, Rick.” Carter grunted, stretching his arms out. “If there was any hope that her security team was around, she wouldn’t have panicked in the parking garage. Plus, Ballarina is the one who brought her outside. Neither one knew what was happening.”

I shuddered as his hand traveled up my thigh, sinking between my legs to hook inside me. My fingers locked around his forearm, trying to push him away. Annoyance flashed across his face briefly before he boxed me against the seat.

“Haven’t you learned by now that resisting me only results in you getting hurt?”

I snapped my teeth at his other hand as it traveled the length of my chin.

“I will do everything in my power to get away from you.”

“Oh, honey…” he cooed. “I look forward to it.”

He held me against the seat for the entirety of the ride back to the MPD mansion. My stomach turned as the familiar form came into view and I fought back tears at the implications of returning. Dante remained silent for the entire ride, his bruised body was folded in on itself as he groaned in pain.