Read Online Shattered Puppet (Rag Doll) by Ava Catori - Free Book Online
Authors: Ava Catori
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“Crystal! Run!” Cree shot out before she could stop herself. What had she done?
Crystal looked at her friend, confused, but if Cree said to run, there was a reason! She saw the look in the man’s eyes who was standing beside Cree. It was almost a look of recognition. She twisted to change directions and bolted.
Carter jumped and ran, easily catching up with her. He grabbed her shoulder. “Wait.”
“Carter, no! If you love me, you’ll let her go.” Cree shot out, terrified something might happen to her friend and she’d be responsible. It all happened so fast. The pained expression in her face called to Carter.
He spun to look at Cree on hearing the words. Crystal jerked around and sank her teeth into Carter’s arm. He yelped loudly and yanked his arm away from the girl. Crystal knew this was the time to get out of there. She tore down the hallway and slammed into the door to the stairwell. Down the steps, two at a time…go, go, go. She was out a side door and running. She had no idea who he was, but it was obvious she was in trouble. Tearing out the side, she cut a path through the cars in the parking lot and then as far away as she could get. Risking a turn over her shoulder, she only slowed when she knew he was no longer behind her.
“You’re bleeding,” Cree said. “You need to get help. She’s a drug user. It’s a human bite,” Cree rambled. She pulled at his hand. “Let’s go. Hospital.” She could barely get a full sentence out. Everything was spinning, things happening unexpected, and now this.
Carter was stunned. “My keys are in my pocket . Can you drive?” He was starting to feel woozy.
“I don’t know how,” she admitted. She’d never gotten her license.
“Okay, I’ve got this.” He stopped and closed his eyes. The adrenaline of the moment was catching up. Carter bent over and took a deep breath. Cree stood watching him, feeling helpless. “Okay, I just needed a minute. Come on.” Carter dug through his pocket and pulled out his keys. “I can’t believe she bit me.” He was talking to himself as much as he was to Cree. “Who bites people? It’s archaic?”
“She was scared,” Cree said. “You grabbed her.” She didn’t say anything else. She simply looked out the window, wondering what would happen next.
Thankfully the hospital wasn’t far away and they were pulling into the parking lot in less than ten minutes. Heading to the emergency room, Carter went to check in. He sat and waited with Cree until they called his name.
There was no polite conversation, there were no rushed words. There was silence. When Carter was called back, Cree sat and waited. Watching him walk through the doorway, her mind took off. Her reaction was automatic, the one that wanted to save Crystal, and the one that worried about Carter.
She sat quietly, her hands on her lap, her mind going in circles. She’d grown attached to the man she barely knew. She’d made love to him. She felt things. The problem with feeling things is the fear that the things you care about can be yanked away, and then you’re only left with the pain. She’d had enough pain to last her a lifetime. Caring was dangerous; it left her vulnerable.
Carter finally reappeared. His arm had been cleaned up and had a prescription for antibiotics. There was a pharmacy attached to the hospital so they headed over to get it filled. Finally leaving the building, they walked to his car.
Carter froze.
“Hey Carter,” the man said.
“Dad? What are you doing here?” The tone in his voice was rigid, cautious.
“They called me. I’m listed as your emergency contact in their system. I was wondering where you’d gotten off to. Who’s the broad?”
Cree said nothing and watched the exchange between the men.
“I’m fine.” Carter’s voice was tense.
“Your uncle is looking for you.” No emotion.
Carter looked away. “Right.”
“Did you find the girl? You can’t stay away forever,” his father
“Crystal! Run!” Cree shot out before she could stop herself. What had she done?
Crystal looked at her friend, confused, but if Cree said to run, there was a reason! She saw the look in the man’s eyes who was standing beside Cree. It was almost a look of recognition. She twisted to change directions and bolted.
Carter jumped and ran, easily catching up with her. He grabbed her shoulder. “Wait.”
“Carter, no! If you love me, you’ll let her go.” Cree shot out, terrified something might happen to her friend and she’d be responsible. It all happened so fast. The pained expression in her face called to Carter.
He spun to look at Cree on hearing the words. Crystal jerked around and sank her teeth into Carter’s arm. He yelped loudly and yanked his arm away from the girl. Crystal knew this was the time to get out of there. She tore down the hallway and slammed into the door to the stairwell. Down the steps, two at a time…go, go, go. She was out a side door and running. She had no idea who he was, but it was obvious she was in trouble. Tearing out the side, she cut a path through the cars in the parking lot and then as far away as she could get. Risking a turn over her shoulder, she only slowed when she knew he was no longer behind her.
“You’re bleeding,” Cree said. “You need to get help. She’s a drug user. It’s a human bite,” Cree rambled. She pulled at his hand. “Let’s go. Hospital.” She could barely get a full sentence out. Everything was spinning, things happening unexpected, and now this.
Carter was stunned. “My keys are in my pocket . Can you drive?” He was starting to feel woozy.
“I don’t know how,” she admitted. She’d never gotten her license.
“Okay, I’ve got this.” He stopped and closed his eyes. The adrenaline of the moment was catching up. Carter bent over and took a deep breath. Cree stood watching him, feeling helpless. “Okay, I just needed a minute. Come on.” Carter dug through his pocket and pulled out his keys. “I can’t believe she bit me.” He was talking to himself as much as he was to Cree. “Who bites people? It’s archaic?”
“She was scared,” Cree said. “You grabbed her.” She didn’t say anything else. She simply looked out the window, wondering what would happen next.
Thankfully the hospital wasn’t far away and they were pulling into the parking lot in less than ten minutes. Heading to the emergency room, Carter went to check in. He sat and waited with Cree until they called his name.
There was no polite conversation, there were no rushed words. There was silence. When Carter was called back, Cree sat and waited. Watching him walk through the doorway, her mind took off. Her reaction was automatic, the one that wanted to save Crystal, and the one that worried about Carter.
She sat quietly, her hands on her lap, her mind going in circles. She’d grown attached to the man she barely knew. She’d made love to him. She felt things. The problem with feeling things is the fear that the things you care about can be yanked away, and then you’re only left with the pain. She’d had enough pain to last her a lifetime. Caring was dangerous; it left her vulnerable.
Carter finally reappeared. His arm had been cleaned up and had a prescription for antibiotics. There was a pharmacy attached to the hospital so they headed over to get it filled. Finally leaving the building, they walked to his car.
Carter froze.
“Hey Carter,” the man said.
“Dad? What are you doing here?” The tone in his voice was rigid, cautious.
“They called me. I’m listed as your emergency contact in their system. I was wondering where you’d gotten off to. Who’s the broad?”
Cree said nothing and watched the exchange between the men.
“I’m fine.” Carter’s voice was tense.
“Your uncle is looking for you.” No emotion.
Carter looked away. “Right.”
“Did you find the girl? You can’t stay away forever,” his father
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