Town of Chance: Sweet Caroline (The Dare 5)

He didn’t bother to tell him that he had a feeling the sister was on the run from some dick who sexually assaulted her and nearly killed her. He was in the service. Army, he believed it was and that he lost it on her, or that he was out of jail. Curtis felt a bit guilty for this. Not only was he going to give up Caroline’s location but by searching for her and finding her sister, him and his connection probably blew the sister’s cover and hideout location.

“Tell me where they are. I want to know and prepare to go get her.”

“And if she doesn’t want to go with you?”

“I’ll convince her to. Just because we’ve been apart a few months doesn’t mean she’s forgotten the rules. I’ll explain the new rules to her. I may have pushed her too hard, and breaking her arm was an accident. I’ll make it up to her. So give me the address and I can make plans. I have some vacation time coming up. It will give me the time and opportunity I need to make things right with her,” he said and Curtis swallowed hard.

“Here,” he said after he reached into his pocket and pulled out the address.

Cameron looked at it. “The town of Chance? South fucking Carolina? Holy shit,” Cameron said and Curtis watched him. He started rambling on about a plan and about taking two weeks and how that would be plenty of time to get everything done. He would rent a place near South Carolina so he could get her there and hole up for a few days or even a week and convince her to come back to New York. He had it all figured out.

Curtis listened to him explain his plan and all he could do was nod and hope that somehow his friend didn’t succeed. At least he did his part. His debt to Cameron was over. Now all he could hope was that his friend failed and Caroline escaped again.

* * * *

“Are you okay, or are you mad at me because I spent the night with the guys?” Caroline asked her sister as she folded some laundry in the living room. She was way behind after spending the weekend with the guys.

“No, I’m not mad. It was your decision and as long as you’re happy, I’m happy,” Shelby replied as she looked at a magazine and aimlessly skimmed through the pages. Caroline could tell that something was up.

“I think you’re keeping something from me. You seem upset. I know you had to work late on Friday. Did something happen at work?”

“What makes you say that? Did the guys ask you? Did Kenneth have them ask?”

Caroline squinted her eyes at her sister as she folded the last towel and then turned to look at her.

“Spit it out. What the hell happened? The guys didn’t ask anything. Kenneth didn’t ask me or the guys anything either. Come on, Shelby, we’re sisters and best friends.

She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. It was stupid.”

“Obviously it does matter because you’re in a mood and antsy. What did Kenneth do, ask you to dinner again, flirt with you, or try to kiss you?” she pushed and Shelby turned to look at her and she seemed very upset.

“He tried to kiss you?” Caroline asked, shocked as she sat forward.

“I don’t want to talk about it. It was a mistake.”

“How so? What the hell happened? You need to tell me. I just told you about my night of engaging in a ménage with three men and I gave a few details, you better fess up.”

Shelby had an expression that showed her frustration as well as surprise by Caroline’s forwardness.

She leaned back.

“It was a nightmare. I was so stupid,” she said and began to explain what went down in the office.

“Oh my God, Shelby, that was way more than a kiss. He touched you down there.”

“I stopped him.”

“But you didn’t want him to stop, did you?” she asked.

Shelby covered her mouth and seemed like she was going to cry but then got all serious, hard, and cold again.

“No. I can never do that with any man again. It’s just the way it needs to be,” she said and stood up. So did Caroline.

“What? Why? Because Skip was abusive and in the military? You’re the one who has been telling me to trust my instincts and to accept this town and what it has to offer, and how women are protected by the men. Kenneth, Sam, and Bender want to claim you and be your guardians and you won’t let them. What is really holding you back?”

“Skip. He is out there. I know he is, and I won’t put these guys, this town in any danger because of the mistakes I made.”

“Well what the hell does that say about me then? Cameron could be out there looking for me. Hell, he could show up and then what