Page 123 of Debts and Desires
Outside, I had thought I was alive. But now? Now I was on fire, burning up from the inside. And I never wanted to put it out.
Carter helped me clean up the food in the kitchen. He then made us a late lunch, and for dinner, decided to grill.
And for—as Carter put it—being the best fucking good boy on the whole damn Earth and protecting his mama, Mac got his own steak from the grill and lots of treats.
After dinner, of course, dessert came.
And came. And came.
And came.
Love was a beautiful, terrible, wonderful thing.
48. CONSEQUENCES
November 9
Day Seventy-Four
Igroaned as I sat up, untangling myself from Emogen. The clock beside the bed said it was damn near six in the morning. Another heavy knock came from downstairs, and Mac started losing his shit again. I grumbled to myself as I stood and stretched, wiping my eyes. Another knock, another bark. Emmy stirred just as I found my sweats on the ground.
“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice heavy with sleep.
“Nothin’. Go back to sleep, baby.” She nestled herself back under the blankets, a sated smile still on her lips. I’d kept her up until just a few hours ago.
I ran my hand through my hair, trying to smooth it out some as I walked down to the door. Mac greeted me from the couch, somewhat pointing to the annoying ass guest on my porch.
“Good boy, Mac,” I patted his head, undid the deadbolt, the lock, and opened the door.
Fuck.
“Officer Jameson,” I greeted.
“Carter.” He nodded.
“What brings you here?” As if I didn’t know.
“Your father?—”
“I don’thavea father,” I gritted. Randy knew how I felt about my dad.
“Right.The Reverendwas in some sort of altercation yesterday.”
“And I care why?” I raised a brow. Randy sighed.
“I’m here to ask you some questions. Can I come in?”
“No, you can’t,” a small, feminine voice called behind me, sidling up to me a moment later. “What’s going on?” Emmy asked. “Why do you need to talk to Carter?”
I did not like the look Officer Jameson gave her. I knew he didn’t like her much after the bar fight. Good. The old fucker. But that didn’t mean he got to glare at her like that.
“There was an altercation yesterday with Reverend Black,” he answered dryly. Emmy crossed her arms.
“What does that have to do with Carter?”
Instead of answering her, he turned to me to continue, “A witness says they saw you leaving around the time of the incident.”
“What time was the incident?” Em asked. Officer Jameson ignored her again, looking at me expectantly. When I didn’t say anything, he begrudgingly turned to her.
