Page 61 of Hack
Once in the car, Archer clicked his seatbelt into place and glanced over. "One thing I can promise is I'm not letting you go in there with no sleep. You're going to be ready. So keep that in mind when you pull your long hours data collecting. Let the other guys help if you have to. I didn't tell them anything you hadn't already, but they are all willing to help with anything you need."
"I'm so sorry I left you to deal with them. Was it horrible?"
"Faith saved me." Archer grinned. "That girl is something else. She told me her story. It's amazing to see her so strong now after all she went through."
Carter was surprised. "She must like you. She doesn't talk about that stuff with many people. She's one of the strongest people I know. She's going to make a damn good doctor someday. She was so little when I first met her. It's hard to see her as a woman now. That girl never fails to amaze me. Xander calmed down and didn't give you much shit, did he?"
"No, he was okay. We all talked a little. As I said, I wouldn't tell them anything. It's not my place. They're your friends and this is your case. You'll tell them what you want them to know. They want to help."
"It's not their problem." Carter gripped the steering wheel tighter.
"The way I see it, any case where kids are being injured is their problem. It's what your team is set up to stop. It's what they do. I'm not telling you what to do, but personally, if they can help make sure this all goes without a hitch, then I'd let them." Archer rubbed his hand over his pant leg. "Even if it's to keep an eye on the satellite images when you go in so you aren't surprised by anyone."
"They'd have no way of contacting me. I won't be carrying my cell phone." Carter stopped at a red light. "We'll talk about it tomorrow with them. I promise I'll think about it, but seriously, I'm not sure what they can do from so far away." He reached over and covered Archer's hand with his own. "I'm really sorry I ignored you for so long. I feel like an ass."
"Don't. I'm a big boy. I know how to make friends, and honestly, I liked the team. I didn't talk to Becca much, but I did everyone else. Xander and Matt came down and challenged Faith and me to a few games. You've got a good group of people around you. I'm almost jealous that you have so many who understand you."
"I'm not sure they understand me. I think it's more a shared cause that unites us. We've been forced to learn to become a family, to trust one another. We're putting lives on the line almost nightly, and that means if we don't trust the people we work with, we are going to fuck up big time. We're all different, have our own lives outside the team."
"You do?" Archer's voice was filled with sarcasm.
Carter shrugged, but didn't answer, because the truth was, he didn't have a life outside the team. He didn't have anything to do, anyone to hang out with, anything to even think about other than the team and seeking vengeance for his family. Being with Archer was the closest thing he'd had to a life in years, and that was really sad since they'd spent most of it in a motel room.
"I feel like I need to tell you to get out and live a little, but then I look at my own life and figure I should just shut the fuck up because I'm nearly as bad as you are."
Carter smiled. "At least you get to travel a bit. See new places."
"True, but I'm tired of living out of motels and on fast food. The few days at your place were nice. I didn't have to be anywhere, do anything. We were working, but there wasn't any pressure to meet a deadline or be somewhere."
"My door's open to you anytime if you need to get away." Carter pulled the car into his driveway. He wondered if Archer would come back once things were done. Would they see each other again? Carter hoped so, but knowing how Archer liked to keep on the go and work all the time, he wouldn't blame him for walking away and not looking back. Once they took down Lyle, there was a good chance that Archer would want to forget, and he couldn't do that if he was staring him in the face every day. Even though they'd talked casually about doing things, it had been talk.
"I'll keep that in mind." Archer got out of the car, grabbed his travel bag, and headed to the door of the house. "I'm not sure what I'm doing once we're done here. I'm tired of cheating spouses and people lying to insurance companies. I don't know what the fuck I want to do with myself, but I'm pretty sure I'm done doing P.I. work."
"You could go into massage." Carter grinned as he opened the door and let them inside.
"I don't know about that. As much as I enjoy doing it, I'm pretty picky about who I put my hands on. I can't imagine hiring out and working on whoever walks in the door. I'm a little too private for that."
"Aww, does that mean you don't mind your hands on me?" Carter dropped his own bag on the floor as he sorted through his mail.
"Do I really need to answer that after the last two days?" Archer asked. "I'm going to drop this shit in my room and grab a shower."
"Yeah, I think I'll do the same. You want to join me in my room when you're done?" Carter glanced up, unsure if Archer still wanted to share a bed since they were home. He hoped he did. He found he slept better with Archer beside him. He hadn't had a nightmare the whole time they were gone, and if he was honest with himself, he enjoyed having someone beside him, having arms around him.
"I'll be in." Archer walked off.
Carter tossed his mail on the kitchen counter and leaned back, staring at nothing across the room. He was mentally exhausted, but he still couldn't stop thinking about Lyle. He was moving through the house in his mind, working through security he'd found on doors and windows. The good news was, the girls were kept away from the house so, hopefully, unless Lyle brought one to the house, he would be able to do everything he wanted without any of the kids hearing or seeing what was going on. What he didn't know was what to do about the adult woman there. His gut told him she was one of his victims who he'd brainwashed, but he couldn't be sure. Killing Lyle was one thing, but killing this other woman was something he wasn't sure he could do. If she was a somewhat innocent victim, she deserved a chance at freedom too.
So much to think about.
He made sure the doors were locked, alarms set, and turned off the lights, stripping out of his clothes as he walked down the hallway to his room. A hot shower sounded amazing, but even more, he needed sleep. He just hoped he could shut off his mind enough to get any.
Leaving his dirty clothes lay on the floor, he turned on the shower, not even bothering to let it warm before stepping into the stream. He blew out a long breath as the sweat of travel and stress rinsed from his skin.
The sound of the shower door had him looking up, and he smiled when a very naked Archer stepped in with him. "Need help washing your back?"
Archer grinned. "I figured there was no point in wasting water." He slid his hands over Carter's hips. "If I'm honest, I just missed you. Missed this." He dipped his head and claimed Carter's wet mouth with his own.
This was exactly what he needed. Carter pressed closer, sliding his palms over Archer's back, bringing their bodies close together. He hardened against Archer's thigh, but he barely noticed it because he was lost in the closeness. How was it that being in Archer's arms like this made him relax, made him feel as if all was right in the world?
