Deadly Deception - By Andrea Johnson Beck Page 0,19

pointing back at you yelling ‘Daddy’ and you would scoop him up in your arms and kiss us both.”

Anne choked, feeling her heart ache with loss. The pain was almost too much to bear. Falling to his knees in the muck and mud, he placed his hands on the sides of her legs. She removed his baseball cap and ran her fingers through his disheveled hair. Strands of auburn reflected the shaft of sunshine that peeked through the holes of the dry-rotted roof.

Anne continued. “When Sam called and told me that you had disappeared and were presumed dead I blacked out and woke up three days later in the hospital, where they told me I had lost the baby. I had lost our baby.”

Carter laid his head in her lap, searching for words of comfort but he had none to give.

“Shit, we were going to have a baby,” he choked out.

“So Carter, not only was I mourning you but I was mourning our baby too. The last connection I had to you was gone just like you were.”

Carter grabbed her, pulling her into his embrace, trying to soothe her plaguing agony.

“I’m so sorry, my Anneliese. I’m such an idiot.”

Carter wiped away the black mascara that streaked down her face. She tilted her head ever so slightly and kissed his lips. They both inhaled deeply, feeling the rush of air expand in their lungs. Carter ran his hands inside her dress and up her thigh, leaving a trail of white as the blood vessels were thrusted away. The thumping of her heart increased to the point it thudded in her ears.

“I want you always, Anneliese,” Carter whispered between breathes.

The palm of her hand pushed against his stalwart chest to cease what would have been Anne’s yearning since she set eyes on him last night.

“What is it?”

Muddled by her abrupt decision, he moved back from her an inch or two.

“This is…I can’t….,” Her voice trailed off. “But I don’t want you to leave me again.”

“You have me right here, right now.” He replied, interlacing his fingers through hers.

“What about tomorrow, Carter, and the next day? We have to figure something out. You can’t keep running.”

Carter pulled himself away from her.

“There is no we in this. I will fix it. I know who I’m dealing with and I’m not going to put your life at risk.”

“Um, isn’t that a little too late due to the fact I’m engaged to the man who was going to supposedly kill you? Plus everyone is going to find out you’re alive.”

Carter cringed at the sight of the engagement ring but quickly calmed when seeing the strand of pearls grace her ivory neck.

“You need to keep quiet,” he demanded.

“Adam will figure out what is going on. He isn’t stupid,” Anne contradicted.

“I know but in the mean time you need to play it off like everything is perfect.”

Anne threw her hands up in the air. Was he serious?

“I am so pissed at the both of you. This is something out of the The Sopranos. This kind of stuff doesn’t happen here.”

“You’d be surprised, and these people are dangerous. They will come after you, so let it be.”

She picked up his cap that was lying on the ground next to her feet and flung it at him with such force he flinched at her aggressive actions.

“Let it be! Are you joking? To be honest with you, Carter, I don’t know what to believe or who to trust. How do I know that you aren’t lying to me? Looking me right in the eye and lying—it seems to come so naturally!”

Carter’s face flooded with anger. His movements toward her were swift and forceful.

“How could you say that to me? You know me better than anyone. I’m risking everything being here right now!”

“I’m so done with this!” she barked.

Anne’s attempt to walk away was unsuccessful as Carter grabbed her by the arm and jerked her back.

“I’m not playing with you! Your impulsive behavior is going to get us killed!”

Anne yanked her arm away, feeling his grip reluctantly release.

“My impulsive behavior? You lurk around in the dead of night. You have your best friend do your dirty work for you and stalk me. Who the hell does that?” She looked him and down. “I don’t know this Carter and I didn’t know that one either, I guess. Everything that I once believed in is gone. How can I trust you? When it all fell apart you left me. You handed me right on