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He would spend the rest of the day out while Cole re on, but I overheard Cole asking hiht in the kitchen, "Salba still refuses?"

Carter’s voice was quiet, but sneaking closer, I heard him say, "--matter We move forward as planned You’ll be initiated Sunday"

"And you?"

"Me?"

"Will you remain here?"

Carter’s voice was muffled so I couldn’t hear his reply, and Cole didn’t respond

Feeling guilty about spying, I snuck back to the roootten under the covers when Carter came in He stopped, shook his head, and closed the door behind hiet the answer you wanted?"

"What are you talking about?"

A faint shed and tossed a file onto the bed With one motion, he pulled his shirt over his head, and my mouth dropped His face had re sessions, but not his chest Carter had avoided showering within my presence all week, I now realized His chest was full of cuts and bruises There elts over his ribs, too

"Oh e of the bed, I stopped right before touching one of the cuts "Carter"

He looked down, surveying his chest "They’re mostly superficial wounds" He bent and pressed a kiss to the top of my head "No need to worry about me"

As he went into the bathroom, I followed him He turned on the shower, and I perched on the counter

"Is that why you’ve not undressed around me this week?" I asked over the water He’d slid into bed late at night, after an hour in the gyhts off so as not to wake one when I woke When he returned to shower and change, I orking in the office My eyes roamed over his body, and I ached for him, but not in the usual way Some of those cuts looked nasty

He stepped inside, but left the door open and angled his head so he could still see me His eyes found s "Did you get the? None of those cuts are infected, right?" I eyed one in particular A red circle had forering where e "I’h for you to join me"

I smiled, but stayed where I was "Maybe later" With hi…too much

His eyes darkened, but he ducked underneath the water, wetting his hair I waited until he finished showering, and when he was done, I waited so back into the bedroom As he went to the closet, I spied the folder he’d thrown onto the bed earlier I picked it up and asked, "What’s this--" as I began to flip through it My words died as I saw the first picture<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>