Torment (Carter Kids #4)

by Chloe Walsh

  "I'm so happy you're having a shitty time without me," I said, beyond relieved.

  "Of course you are."

  "You know what I mean."

  "Yeah. So, how's my baby?"

  I grinned like an idiot. "She's dropped!" Patting my belly, I told my husband all about my last gynecologist appointment. "The doctor says I'm all set. It could happen any day."

  "Well, you tell that kid to hold on for her daddy," Noah grumbled.

  I heard the sound of bedsheets ruffling and the sound of a television being turned down.

  "Where are you now?" I asked nosily.

  "In bed."

  "Alone?"

  "Obviously."

  "Come home?"

  Noah sighed heavily. "Thorn…"

  I smiled sadly. "Can't blame a girl for trying."

  "I'll be home in a few days."

  "That's too far away."

  Noah laughed. "Five days is too long."

  "Every day is too long," I whispered.

  He was silent then.

  We both were.

  "Play me a song," Noah said then, breaking the silence.

  "What?"

  "Come on, Thorn," he said in an oddly vulnerable tone. "Go get your guitar and play me a song."

  "What song?"

  "Something that reminds you of us," he told me.

  "Fine. Hang on, I'll go grab my guitar."

  I left my phone on the couch while I went in search of my guitar.

  "Okay, I'm back." Sitting down, with my guitar pressed to my bump, I strained over and began to strum. "Anything in particular?" I asked, putting Noah on speaker.

  "Something for us," was all he replied.

  The song that came out of my mouth came effortlessly to me; it was Michelle Featherstone's We are Man and Wife. It was one of my favorites and had always reminded me of Noah.

  Closing my eyes, I sang every word to my husband, wishing more than anything he was right here with me. I got totally into the song, throwing my head back as I sang, feeling the chords and the lyrics right down to my bones.

  The sound of the front door slamming disrupted me and I missed a note. Seconds later, Hope flew into the living room. She took one look at me and broke down.

  "Noah, I have to go," I blurted out as I dropped my guitar. "What happened?" I demanded as I took in the tearstained face of my best friend.

  "Jordan happened," Hope sobbed, collapsing in a heap on the floor. "I'm so stupid, Teagan. So damn stupid."

  "No! No, you're not," I growled as I crawled over to Hope and threw my arms around her. "He's stupid." I had no idea what had happened, but I knew he was stupid.

  Men were stupid.

  And he was the stupidest of them all.

  In fact, I had no idea what had happened between them in Ireland either. Hope played her cards close to her chest, and I had been too wrapped up in my pregnancy to pry.

  Pulling her head down to my chest, I held her tightly as her body racked with huge, gut wrenching sobs.

  "I can’t do this," was all Hope kept repeating. "I can't go through this again, Teagan. I can't."

  "Shh," I whispered, holding onto her for dear life, wishing like hell I could take this pain away from her. "I'm here."

  "He lied," she sobbed. "Again." Turning her face into my chest, she cried hard and helplessly. "I'm such an idiot."

  "I'm going to kill him," I muttered under my breath as I tried to console her.

  "He…h-he's still e-engaged."

  "To Annabelle?"

  Hope nodded and her cries became louder.

  It took a long time, but eventually, when she was all cried out, and I had managed to calm her down, Hope began to explain.

  And when she finally did confide in me all of her darkest secrets I knew I'd been right about one thing all along.

  Jordan Porter was truly a dick!

  ****

  Chapter Twelve

  Hope

  "Are you going to be okay today?" Teagan asked when we pulled up outside my parent's house on Saturday evening.

  God, here she was almost ready to pop and about to watch her husband get his brains bashed in, and she was worried about me?

  I shook my head in shame. "I'm going to be fine, Teegs," I assured her. I wasn’t, but she didn’t need the added stress. "Are you?"

  "Honestly?"

  "Always."

  "I don’t know." Biting down on her lip, she looked at me with fearful eyes. "If something happens to him…" Her voice broke off and she took several shaky breaths before finishing, "I won’t be able to cope if anything happens to him, Hope."

  "Nothing is going to happen to Noah," I vowed, making a promise I couldn’t guarantee. But Teagan was looking so lonesome and fearful that I was willing to say anything to put her at ease. "Come here," I muttered before reaching over the console and pulling her into a hug.

  "Ugh, not too tight," Teagan choked out. "You're pressing on that cousin of yours."

  "Good," I teased, releasing her. "Maybe she'll decide to make an appearance soon."

  "She's waiting on her daddy," Teagan replied, smiling lovingly at her humongous bump.

  "God," I whispered, taking in the sheer size of her. "You are having one big baby."

  "I know," she squeezed out, looking a little nauseous now. "She's getting so big that I can't touch my feet, Hope. I can't shave my legs or sleep on my back."

  "Wow," I muttered. "Poor Mom."

  "Oh my god, can you imagine," Teagan chuckled. "Having six babies."

  "No," I agreed. "It's worse when five of those six are male."

  "Is that Cameron's car?" Teagan squeaked out, pointing at the shiny red range rover parked in the driveway.

  "What the hell is he doing here?" I hissed. "She better not be with him." I had enough drama in my life without having to deal with Cameron and his twisted love life.

  Turning to Teagan, I glared. "I mean it, Teegs. After the shit I've taken over Jordan, I'm this damn close to blowing his cover."

  "Don’t," Teagan warned me. "You're not petty and Cam will talk when Cam is ready."

  Just then, the passenger door of my truck flew open, and Lucky was standing beside Teagan.

  When I poured my guts out to Teagan the other night, I'd strategically left out the part where I got naked with Lucky and almost had sex. I figured a lie of omission was no lie at all, and I didn’t want her stuck between the two of us.

  "You ready?" he asked her with a smile. "It's about to start."

  "No," Teagan replied shakily as she took Lucky's hand and climbed out of the truck. "But I have to be."

  "Careful," he warned her, helping up the driveway. "The ground is icy as hell tonight."

  "Um, Lucky?" I called out nervously as I watched him retreat into the house with Teagan. "Could I have a quick word with you?" We needed to talk. He needed an explanation and I needed to grow a pair of lady balls.

  "Sure," he said flatly. He turned to Teagan and said, "We'll be right in," before walking back to my truck.

  Leaning in the open passenger door, he looked at me without an ounce of emotion on his face. "What?"

  "I wanted to talk about everything that's happened." Oh god, I was so not good at this. Scrunching my nose up, I took a deep breath before looking him in the eye. "I'm sorry."

  "I don’t want to hear it," he replied flatly. "Not here."

  "I agree my timing sucks," I shot back, embarrassed and guilty. "But I really need to explain some things to you."

  "No need," he countered coolly before taking a step back from my truck. "I get it, Teagan, I do. I can't hang the fucking moon for you, but just so you know?" He looked me straight in the eye. "Neither can he."

  ****

  Teagan

  "He's coming on!" Kyle bellowed from the armchair, summoning everyone to the living room. "Get the hell in here."

  "I'm not watching," I heard Lee call out from down the hallway. "I just can't!"

  "Oh my god," Hope squealed rushing into the room. S
he sat on the edge of her father's armchair before jumping to her feet again, fanning her face with her hand. "I don’t know whether to sit or stand."

  "Shutting up would be a good start," Derek teased as he sauntered into the room, laden down with several bottles of beer which he proceeded to dole out.

  The little ones, Cash and Casey, sat on their knees in front of the big screen, cheering in delight for their uncle.

  "Where's Cam?" Kyle called out, looking around for his oldest son.

  "I'm here, Dad," Cameron Carter called out as he stalked into the living room with his red-headed friend in tow.

  Kyle's brows shot up in surprise. "You brought home a girl?" A smile grew across his face. "Lee, Boy One brought home a girl."

  I heard the gasp that slipped out of Hope's mouth, but she didn’t say a word.

  "Tillie, this is my father, Kyle," Cam said, gesturing a hand between his father and Tillie. "Dad, this is Tillie. My girlfriend." I couldn’t help but notice the way Cam's arm moved around her protectively.

  "Hello," she mumbled quietly, not making eye contact with Kyle.

  "This is all great, guys," Derek piped up. "But can we do the family intros after the fight?"

  There were no words to describe the anxiety I felt when the sound of Roy Jones' Can't be Touched blasted through the Carter's flat screen.

  Thirty thousand people were on their feet, screaming for their comeback king, crazed with bloodlust and dreams of their machine winning the MFA heavyweight title of the world.

  Meanwhile, I curled up in a ball on the Carter's couch and buried my head in my hands.

  Neon strobe lights flashed from the television.

  The sound of the screams and cheers coming from the surround sound speakers caused my teeth to chatter in my mouth.

  Colton appeared on the screen first, walking with purpose towards the metal cage, with a menacing disposition. He joined up with Logan, who was already standing at the foot of the cage. And then he was there, taking up the entire television screen, and the screams heightened to an unbarring decimal.

  He walked with his head bent, arms flexed, seemingly unfazed, and I was terrified.

  It was too much.

  God almighty, he had been shot a few short months ago and now here he was, about to take on the undefeated world champion.

  "Turn it off!" I cried out, covering my eyes with my hands. "I can't. I can't cope."

  "Relax." That was Lucky. He was sitting beside me. Placing his hand on my trembling one, he squeezed gently. "He's got this, Teegs."

  My heart was in my mouth.

  What if he didn’t?

  What if he died in there?

  It was a possibility…

  "Oh dear god!"

  Noah dominated the entire arena with his mere presence. It was crazy. This guy everyone was screaming for was my husband.

  He belonged to me just as much as I did to him.

  "I can't help it," I replied, biting down on my lip with worry. "I'm so scared for him." I was shivering. I couldn't control myself. My entire body was shaking violently in my seat. "What about his shoulder?"

  "Remember all the shit he's been through," Lucky continued to say. I nodded, unsure as to what he was referring to. "All those fights and beatings." He inclined his head towards the television screen. "He earned this, Teagan," he added with a smile. "Tonight is the night Noah Messina gets his redemption."

  I wanted Noah to get his redemption.

  I just didn't think I could watch it happen.

  It was too stressful.

  Too emotional.

  But I didn't move.

  I remained where I was, with my eyes on my husband and my heart in my mouth. I wouldn't walk away again. I wasn't leaving him – even if I was only watching him through a television screen.

  He reached the cage and climbed inside. They sealed the cage, locking Noah inside and my heart sank.

  But I didn't take my eyes away.

  He turned around in the cage slowly with one fist in the air, acknowledging his fans.

  Then the ref rang the bell and the moment was gone, broken, evaporated by the drones and screams of the hordes of fans.

  He was the love of my life.

  With his scars and baggage. His pain and his loving heart. I could never love another. I'd known it when I was seventeen and I knew it now. This was it for me.

  Noah Messina was my heart.

  "I love you, Noah fucking Messina!" I screamed, not caring if everyone thought I was insane.

  Pride was bursting inside me as I watched Noah outfight his opponent over and over. He was the better fighter.

  I knew it and the crowd did, too.

  If the fight came down to the best technique, then it was Noah's night.

  But I knew it wouldn't stay like that.

  Minutes later, Cole maneuvered Noah into arm hold.

  I could see the pain on my husband's face as he struggled to free himself and protect his injured shoulder.

  The roar that came out of his mouth sounded like that of a wounded wild animal.

  "Low blow," Lucky snarled.

  "Bad fucking form, ref!" That was Derek.

  "Get up, Uncle Noah," the boys cried in unison as they mimicked fake punches.

  Jumping to my feet, I screamed at the television, willing my husband to get up off that mat. "Come on, Noah," I called out. "Come on, baby."

  He was in agony.

  I could see the pain Cole was inflicting mapped all over Noah's features.

  He was on the ground.

  He needed to tap out. But I knew he wouldn't.

  "Come on, Noah," I screamed louder, praying he could somehow hear me. "Get back up."

  ****

  Noah

  "Tap out, fool."

  As I lay on my back, fighting with everything I had inside of me, I noticed Logan and Colton at the side of the cage. My team looked nothing like what it had when I'd started this campaign almost two years ago. Instantly, my mind went to Tommy and I shook my head, blinking the blood out of my eyes, unwilling to quit.

  "…You don’t stay down, boy. You hear me? If there's blood in your body to spill, you fight…You fight or you die, Noah…"

  My father's voice filled my mind.

  Using every ounce of strength left inside of me, I forced myself to move. To block Cole's attack on my shoulder. To fight back. To get the fuck back up on my feet.

  There was a fire inside of me that this fucker couldn't put out.

  No one could.

  It was the lifelong urge to prove myself.

  To show every asshole who had ever doubted me that they were wrong.

  So very wrong.

  Climbing unsteadily to my feet, I let my senses take over, guide me.

  With my fists up, guarding, I attacked, following intuition, throwing punches wildly, blindly.

  The crowd was cheering my name, I could hear that, and I let their belief in me flood my body, pumping me up, pushing me forward.

  I could feel her gaze on me.

  Even though my eyes were almost swollen shut and I couldn't see shit. Even though she was hundreds of miles away from me, I could feel her.

  She was everywhere in this moment.

  Searching deep, I found the strength to shove Cole before staggering away and coming back at him with an onslaught of wild as fuck punches.

  I threw my fists wildly, unable to see him, but I smelled that bastard.

  He was nervous.

  Blindly, I moved around the cage, boxing on pure instinct.

  The sound of bone crunching was the last thing I heard before a heavy slap to the mat filled my ears.

  I staggered around the cage, still throwing punches blindly, until the bell rang.

  It was over.

  ****

  Chapter Thirteen

  Teagan

  "He won. He won!"

  "Oh my god, did you see that?"

  "My baby brother is the motherfucking champion, Princess!"


  "Go Uncle Noah!"

  "Did you hear me, Teagan?" Lucky hissed in delight. Grabbing my face between his hands, he pressed his brow to mine and laughed. "I said he won!"

  Tears were pouring down my cheeks.

  I was crying uncontrollably as I watched the ref raise Noah's hand in the air, announcing him the heavyweight champion of the world.

  "He did it," I repeated over and over as I broke down with pride. "He really did it."

  My hands moved to my bump. "Your Daddy's the world champion." I could hardly see through my tears.

  Everyone around me was screaming and cheering in delight.

  My entire focus was glued to the television screen where they were presenting my husband with the heavyweight belt.

  "You did it," I sobbed, staring at my husband. "You did it, baby!"

  Feeling my legs go from beneath me, I flopped down on the couch and sighed, eyes still locked on the screen.

  All that work.

  All those years of being beaten and pushed around.

  He'd done it.

  He'd proved them all wrong.

  "Are you okay, Teegs?" Hope called out in delight as she celebrated with her family.

  "I'm…I can't." I blinked and stared at the television again. Noah wasn’t on the screen anymore. "Hey – where'd he go?"

  "Relax," Hope chuckled, coming over to sit beside me. "He can't stand around in that cage forever." Wrapping her arm around me, she pulled me up against her side and sighed. "I can't believe it. Noah fucking Messina, huh?"

  "Yeah," I sighed, still blinking, lost in a haze of overwhelming joy and pride. "Noah fucking Messina."

  My cell phone rang in my pocket then, vibrating against my thigh, and causing me to yelp in surprise. Jerking to my feet, I pulled it out of my pocket and glanced at the screen. Noah's name flashed on the screen and my heart did a backhanded somersault in my chest.

  Sliding my finger across the screen to answer the call, I pressed the phone to my ear. "Congratulations, Champ," I cried, unable to stem the flow of tears. I was a blubbering mess. "You did it, baby! Noah – Noah, can you hear me?"