𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐘𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐒
Haverhill was meant to be a fresh start for me. What I didn't anticipate was attracting the attention of Carter Knight and his friends, the wealthy, enigmatic boys who seem to own the entire town. After my parents' death, I t...
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Elle
"Carter. We were you talking to last night? And why did you sound like you were threatening someone's life?" I asked casually, taking a small bite of my pancakes, not fully expecting him to answer seriously.
It was already 10am, and though the morning was beautiful and peaceful, I had to admit that leaving the warmth of our bed had been hard. I'd slept peacefully, like a baby, with him holding me tight, his presence grounding me. I could still recall the soft, sweet sensation of his lips pressing gentle pecks on my shoulder to wake me up, a peaceful, almost intoxicating way to start the day.
"Maybe I was?"Carter replied, his tone light and teasing, though there was something in his voice that made me think he wasn't entirely joking.
We were sitting side by side on the couch in the living room, the soft hum of the TV playing in the background. Between us, a tray of breakfast was carefully placed, but even the food couldn't distract me from the curiosity gnawing at me. I turned my gaze from the screen, glancing at him before swallowing my bite of pancakes. The tension between us from last night had not entirely dissipated, and I couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with the call he'd taken in the middle of the night.
He had been acting strange afterward, distant in a way I couldn't quite put my finger on, as though something was lingering in his thoughts. Maybe it was nothing, or maybe it was something I wasn't meant to know, but it still bugged me.
The way he brushed it off, half-joking, didn't make it any easier to ignore. I waited, hoping he'd offer more, but Carter simply turned back toward the TV, casually taking a sip of his coffee, as if my question had already been answered.
There was definitely more to this. But for now, I decided to keep my mouth shut and let him talk when he was ready.
"Elle. This masked motherfucker hurt you last time! What do you think I'm gonna do when I put my hands on him? He will get what he fucking deserves."Carter replied before standing up and heading toward the kitchen. Without thinking, I followed him, but something made me pause halfway across the room. My eyes were drawn to an old picture hanging on the wall.
In the photo, three kids were playing in a garden. One of them, the boy in the middle, had his arms crossed and was watching the kid to his right, who was playing with a few toys. The kid on the left was smiling widely and waving at the camera.
"Is that you?" I asked, clearing my throat as I pointed toward the boy with his arms crossed. Even as a child, he looked pretty intimidating, a scowl on his young face that seemed out of place for a picture of kids playing.
"Yeah," Carter whispered, his voice lower than usual. He surprised me by suddenly circling his arms around my waist, pulling me close.
I leaned into him, feeling the warmth of his body and the comfort of his embrace. "And Madden?" I asked, looking back at the other boy in the photo.
