The Arrangement

Chapter Sixty-One

If I thought Carter hated me before it's nothing compared to how he reacted when me and Ashton finally came out of my room.

I had attempted to make myself look a little less disheveled but from the way his expression morphed back into one of anger and disgust, I'm pretty sure that it must of been obvious what had happened because he was not happy in the slightest. 

It's not like I exactly planned for it to happen, especially not after everything. Yet he looked at me like I was literally the devil. 

Somehow he managed to sit through a very tense lunch with us before he stormed off and wasn't seen again for the rest of the day. He didn't even bother to come and have dinner with the rest of us once Henley and Lennox were back, he just spent the whole time locked away in his study doing god knows what. 

I'd like to say that in the days following, I'd managed to get a grip of myself and keep away from Ashton, but that hasn't been the case at all. A kind of pleasant routine has settled in, one I've actually come to enjoy. 

Most days Henley and Lennox will work for a few hours, or go off on a hike or something, meaning Henley always comes back in the best mood. Whilst they do that, in truth me and Ashton pretty much spend the whole time in bed together having sex, or in the bathroom, or like yesterday right in the lounge. Then once the evening comes we all eat together and spend the rest of the time playing games, drinking or watching TV together. 

It almost feels normal. Not like we're all stuck here because Carter continues to be in a strop. 

As for him, well he spends his whole time in that study working. Or well that's what I think he's doing. He'll join us for lunch and dinner, silently brewing at the end of the table with a drink in his hand, a drink I've come to gather is never actually empty, especially if his untrimmed stubble is anything to go by, then he disappears for the rest of the evening on his own. 

He's completely pulled himself away from everyone and in truth it's really sad to see. 

I've tried to convince Ashton to just go and speak to him, settle this whole thing between them but his resistance is like nothing I've ever experienced. I still don't think they've said more than a few brash words to each other and I don't know if it's because he's still angry or if he just doesn't want to have that conversation but it's pretty clear to see their avoidance of each other is the biggest wedge between all of them. 

What I don't think is helping is the fact Ashton sleeps in my room with me every night. I know that's bound to be causing Carter to behave worse by the day. 

We're a week in and even though Carter and Henley have put their differences aside, nothing is any better. If anything it's worse and I really don't know if they can manage to come out of this on the other side. I genuinely think that when we all leave it might be the end for them and in all honesty that thought isn't a nice one at all. 

I haven't forgiven them fully, especially not Carter. But I don't want the worst for them. Like Lennox said when this two weeks is done I can walk away but it's not the same for all of them. 

With that said and even though I tell myself I have every intention of leaving, I haven't even attempted to look at the exit contract that's still sitting on my dresser when Carter left it. I've convinced myself that it's been because I've been using Ashton and the others as a distraction but as the days roll by I'm starting to doubt whether that's really the case or not. 

"Right sunshine, what we watching tonight?" Henley asks as he settles himself on the couch next to Lennox, the two of them getting comfortable as we all settle in for the night. 

Ashton sits next to me, which has become his regular spot. A blanket wrapped around us both as his hand gently strokes my thigh in a soothing motion. 

"Criminal minds" I reply pulling it up on the Tv. None of them complain that it's fast become the main thing we all watch recently they just sit through it whether they actually enjoy it or not. 

"I'm starting to wonder if this is your way of planning your escape plan, kill us all off in the dead of night." Henley chuckles earning him an elbow in the side from Lennox. "What? I'm joking obviously, I thought we'd all agreed Blair wasn't trying to off us? Or well we agreed, I'm not sure Carter thinks the same" 

All it takes is that one comment to cause the atmosphere in the room to shift and Ashton to go complete still next to me, his hand pausing on my thigh. 

"What do you mean?" I ask. 

Lennox sighs, rolling his eyes before he's the one to answer. "Carter just a bit on edge, the drinking and locking himself away definitely isn't helping his paranoia." he explain but I still don't get it. 

"He still thinks I'm a threat?" I ask, absolutely bewildered. 

"Nah I don't think he actually considers you a real threat," Henley replies with a scoff, "but fucking Ash at all hours definitely isn't helping." Again he gets another elbow from Lennox that causes him to flinch this time. 

I gape at him, obviously I'd gathered that Carter had figured it out but neither of them had mentioned anything about me and Ashton. Or well they hadn't until now. 

"You know?" I breathe, my cheeks suddenly flushing. 

He throws his head back and laughs, the sound reverberating around the room. "Of course we know. Your room is right next to ours and you do realise this whole place is fixed up with cameras right?" that revelation has every part of my body heating as mortifying embarrassment practically engulfs me. "So whilst you two were all over each other in here the other day Carter was definitely watching every second" 

"Will you shut up for once" Lennox snaps at him but there's no real maliciousness in his tone. 

Henley glares back at him but then sighs as he turns his attention back to me. "I'm sorry sunshine I thought you knew and that it was your way of sticking it to Carter," 

"No it wasn't" I quickly reply, my words truthful. 

God no wonder Carter's been spiralling as the days have ticked by, god knows what he's been making of all of this. I don't really get chance to contemplate it much though as the next words leave Henley's mouth. 

"Well Ash? What's your response because you definitely knew about the cameras and how they're set up directly to Carter's laptop" he says and that has my head snapping round to Ashton, where he's still silently sitting next to me not having said a single word during this whole exchange.