“Uh-oh,” Kelly breathed. “Warpath.”
“Shut up,” Joe hissed at him. “She’ll hear you!”
“We can all hear you,” Mark said.
Mom ignored them. She only had eyes for me. I tried to look away, but I couldn’t.
She said, “That man out there. That wonderful man followed you for years. He put himself between you and harm’s way time and time again. And when he thought his father was going to take you away from him, when you were screaming as Livingstone’s magic was pouring into you, he made his choice. He found it within himself to crawl from the depths of whatever feral hell he was in. For you, Carter. How are you so blind to that? I know he’s not what you expected. I know you never thought about one such as him—”
“I don’t care about that.”
Her eyes blazed. “Then it’s time you pulled your head from your ass and got your shit together.”
“Whoa,” Kelly whispered.
“Hard-core,” Joe whispered back.
My mother’s eyes faded from orange to blue as she took my face in her hands. “I wish things could be different. I wish you had all the time in the world. And if I’d….” She shook her head. “If I’d done my job as your mother, you might have understood what it meant sooner. And I’m sorry for that. And I’m sorry that you find yourself in this position now. But don’t ever doubt what Gavin Walsh feels for you. Everything he’s done has been for you. Carter, can’t you see? He loves you. So much so that he was willing to sacrifice himself in Caswell just to keep you safe. He chose you over his father. It’s why he left with him. Not because he wanted to. But because he thought it would mean Livingstone could never touch you again.”
“Mom,” I croaked out.
“You deserve this,” she said quietly. “Him. And I couldn’t ask for anyone better for you. We’ll deal with Livingstone. One way or another. Gavin’s not going anywhere.” She raised her voice. “Do you all hear me? He’s not going anywhere. And if I hear anyone saying otherwise, you’re going to answer to me. Ox is right. Livingstone bleeds. Which means he can die. And we’re going to be the ones to kill him.”
I WENT OUT ONTO THE PORCH. Bambi and Jessie stopped talking and looked over at me.
“Uh-oh,” Jessie said. “That bad?”
I shook my head. I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing at all. I walked down the steps. Chris and Tanner were bent over the truck, the hood propped up. Gavin was between them, and they were telling him about spark plugs and alternators, pistons and crankshafts. He nodded along as Rico watched over them, looking oddly proud.
Gavin stiffened and turned around as Chris and Tanner trailed off. He looked at me, eyes narrowing. “What?”
“C’mere.”
He did. He had oil under his fingernails. He looked like he belonged with them. “What happened?” he asked. “Bad stuff?”
“No. Don’t worry about it. We’re figuring it out.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not. I promise. Just….”
I did the only thing I could.
I hugged him.
He grunted as if surprised, his arms dangling at his sides.
And then he hugged me back.
“Carter?” he whispered, his cheek against mine.
“It’s fine,” I said as the guys watched us. “It’ll be okay.”
“Be okay,” he echoed, and I closed my eyes.
IT WAS FRIDAY WHEN HE ASKED.
Christmas Eve.