In less than a second, before she had any idea what was even happening, Gabe scooped her up in his arms and took off running. No, not just running, sprinting through the caves. Carly threw her arms around his shoulders, burying her face in his neck as fear flooded her thoughts. What the hell was happening?
seven
Carly didn’t realize her eyes were shut until Gabe came to a stop. She opened them, only to be blinded by sunlight as she looked up over his face. Gabe was staring past her, at the mouth of the cave as first Abel emerged, followed by the others.
“Esther, Crystal,” Gabe snapped as he set Carly on her feet. “Take her home and wait there until we show up.”
Carly tried to capture Gabe’s attention, but to no avail. “What’s happening?”
His concerned eyes finally met hers. “Carly, you’re just going to have to trust me, okay? It’s not safe for you here. Go back to your house, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Carly grabbed onto his hand, the sparks suddenly having more significance for some reason. “You can’t just kick me out without an explanation. I want to know what’s going on.”
“I’m not… Please, Carly, just… You’re not safe here.”
“And you are?”
Gabe’s jaw tensed as he tore his hand out of hers. “Esther, Crystal—now!”
Esther marched up to him, throwing thin arms over her chest. “I’m coming with you, Gabe.”
“No, you’re not,” he hissed.
“Do you really want to get into this right now? Because if you’d like to open that can of worms, I’ll be happy to.”
“Fine,” Gabe grunted as he slinked past her. “But I’m not taking responsibility for you.”
“Like I’d expect that,” she growled, following after him.
“What are you guys talking about?” Carly demanded as Gabe and the others disappeared into the mouth of the cave. “You’re going back in there?”
“Come on,” Crystal said, taking Carly’s arm. “Let’s get you home.”
“But… What are they going to do?”
Crystal guided Carly back toward her Jeep. “You have your keys, right?”
“Yeah, I… Yeah, but…”
“Do you feel okay to drive?”
“I don’t know, I…”
“I’ll drive then,” Crystal volunteered. “And you don’t need to worry about Gabe—he’ll be fine. He’s always been very good at taking care of himself.”
“I’d just feel a lot better if I knew what they were doing,” Carly confessed.
“There are a lot of wild animals around here, Carly. Sometimes they go into the caves. Gabe just wants to scare them off. It’s no big deal.”
“No big deal?” Carly mocked as they reached her Jeep. She didn’t object when Crystal led her around to the passenger side. “What if they get hurt?”
“They won’t get hurt,” Crystal assured her, snatching the keys away.
Before Carly knew what was happening, Crystal was racing down the road, back toward Grant Manor. “But how are they going to fend off a wild animal without a gun, or some kind of weapon?”
“Abel has a gun in his car. He goes hunting with his dad sometimes.”
“But they didn’t even go back to his car.”
“Just… don’t worry about it,” Crystal urged. “Gabe won’t let anything happen.”
“Crystal, what are you not telling me?” Carly asked. “Because it feels like there’s definitely something you’re not telling me.”
“Nothing, okay? I mean, there’s nothing to tell.”
“Gabe, he… He picked me up and carried me out of there like I weigh nothing at all.”
“Yeah, he’s really strong,” Crystal said.
“That’s not the point, it… It scared the hell out of me,” Carly admitted. “All of this is scaring me.”
“Look, Carly, Gabe really likes you. He’s not trying to scare you, he’s trying to protect you.”
“Protect me from what?”
Crystal stared at the road ahead. “I hear you’re going to the Homecoming dance with someone from the city?”
“Yeah, but… how did you know that?” Carly asked.
“What’s his name—the lucky guy?”
“Ross. He’s my ex-boyfriend.”
“Why on earth would you invite your ex-boyfriend when there are perfectly good guys here who’d love to go with you?” Crystal questioned.
“Because I wanted to,” was the only explanation Carly had to offer.
“Okay. Anyway, Gabe said we’re all going to ride together. If you want to.”
“I don’t care. Like, at all. How long do you think they’re going to be gone?”
“Depends,” Crystal answered.
“On what?” Carly pried.
Crystal cleared her throat, making a wide turn down Carly’s driveway. “This is your house, right?”
“Yeah, that’s it,” Carly confirmed as Crystal pulled the Jeep up to the manor. Carly climbed out of the vehicle, surprised to find her dad racing out the front door, straight for her.
Howard grabbed Carly by the shoulders and smothered her in a hug. “Carly, are you all right?”
She blinked as he released her, not quite able to make sense of what was happening. “I’m fine. Why?”
“I…” Howard looked to Crystal before turning back to Carly. “Why weren’t you driving?”
“We went to the caves,” Crystal told him, stepping up beside Carly. “Gabe thought he saw a wild animal. Carly’s just a little freaked out, that’s all.”
A little freaked out? Carly thought. She wondered what Gabe was doing right now, and if he was okay.
“Yes, I know about the sighting. Gabriel, he… phoned,” Howard explained.
“He called you?” Carly asked. “From the caves? How is there even reception out there?”
“I specifically told you not to go out there, Carly, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“You guess?”
“Look, I did, and I’m sorry, okay?” she grumbled. “But Gabe is still back there—”
“Maybe it’s best you don’t hang out with Gabriel for a while,” Howard decided.
“Are you kidding me? You do realize that by telling me not to hang out with him, that’s just going to make me want to hang out with him more.”
Howard brought his hand to his forehead in defeat. “Yes, you’re right. Then you’re grounded instead.”
“Grounded?” she gasped.
“Two weeks.”
“You’re not serious.”
“I’m quite serious, Carly,” he assured her. “Do we need to make it three?”
She grabbed onto Crystal’s wrist, yanking her toward the house. “Let’s go up to my room. And don’t worry, Dad—Crystal’s leaving just as soon as Gabe gets back.” Carly held her tongue as she stomped up to her room on the third floor and gave the door a good slam behind her. “I can’t believe him!”
Carly took a moment to compose herself, realizing the horrible impression she must have already made on Crystal. “I’m sorry, I’m not usually like this.”
Crystal shrugged, her gaze scanning the room. “You’re having a bad day. I get it.”
“You must think I’m so lame.”
“I don’t, really. This is quite the setup you’ve got here. It looks like you have your own bathroom, too? I’d kill for my own bathroom. I have to share with Jeremy, but what would we have to fight about if I didn’t?”
Carly felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. “I didn’t realize Jeremy was your brother. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a brother or sister.”
“It’s fine, I guess. I always have someone to hang out with, so that part of it’s cool.”
“Do you think Gabe’s okay?” Carly asked, stepping over to turn on the stereo. The National sang through the speakers, and something about the soothing melody calmed her.
“Yes, Gabe’s okay,” Crystal assur
ed her. “In fact—”
The doorbell sounded, and Carly twisted around to sprint down two flights of stairs. She flung herself at the door, stumbling backwards as she pulled it open. “Gabe!” she cried, her arms swimming for his neck. “Thank God you’re okay.”
“I’m okay,” Gabe confirmed, his arms folding in around her.
Carly held onto him until she realized it was pretty weird that she was still holding onto him. She untangled her arms from his, reaching up to smooth her hair. It was then she noticed the large scratch on his left cheek. “Gabe, you’re cut,” she said, running her fingertip along the wound.
He flinched. “It’s nothing.”
“He’s fine, Carly,” Howard spoke from behind them. “I think it’s best you all head home now. Carly can speak with you again at school on Monday.”
Gabe stared over Carly’s face for a moment before he stepped for the door. “I guess I’ll talk to you Monday?”
“Yeah, Monday.” She watched as her friends shuffled out of the house and wondered if she could be any more embarrassed by how this day had turned out. “You didn’t have to just kick them out like that.”
“You’re grounded, remember?” was Howard’s short reply.
“Since when do you ground me? I’ve never been grounded in my life.”
“Carly, I specifically told you not to go to those caves, but you went anyway—”
“I said I’m sorry,” she hissed.
“And then there was all that fuss with Gabriel,” Howard sighed. “I think a couple of weeks at home will be good for you.”
“But we just moved here,” Carly reasoned. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to make new friends? You’re asking me to commit social suicide.”
“I do know how hard this is for you, Carly.”
“I thought you liked Gabe?”
“I do like Gabe, but I don’t like you disobeying me.”
“And I don’t like your constant need to control my entire life. Mom never treated me this way.” Carly stormed back upstairs to her room without a second thought. She locked the door before heading over to her stereo. Her fingers fumbled with CD cases as she tore out The National and put in Rancid. Up, up, up went the volume until her ears begged her to stop. Now Dad would really know how pissed she was.
Carly flopped down on the bed and stuffed a pillow over her head. This was so unfair. Dad had moved her to a new town, forced her to start a new school, and just when she was making friends, he’d grounded her. Could things possibly get any worse?
* * *
“You’re still not talking to me, huh, kiddo?” Howard asked Monday morning as Carly stepped into the kitchen to make a frozen waffle.
She ignored him as she walked over to the refrigerator.
“I ran into town and grabbed caramel rolls this morning,” Howard told her. “They’re on the counter.”
Carly opened the freezer, pulled out a waffle, and stuffed it in the toaster.
“That’s it?” he asked. “You’re never going to talk to me again?”
She gritted her teeth, and replied, “I thought you were going to start leaving earlier for work.”
“Yes, I suppose I should go. I just wanted to make sure you got out of bed okay… All right then. I’ll see you at school, sweetheart.”
Carly waited for him to leave before she stepped over to the counter, grabbed one of the cinnamon rolls, and took a big bite. Leaving the waffle in the toaster, she walked back upstairs to get ready for school. She had every right to be in a bad mood this morning, but hoped it would lift once she saw Gabe. Two days without any communication had been two days too long.
Gabe was leaning against his Jetta when she pulled into the high school parking lot. She parked next to him and hopped out of the driver’s seat. She’d had this whole big speech prepared for when she saw him again, but forgot it just as soon as she looked into his pale blue eyes.
“You okay, Carly?” Gabe asked as he peered down at her.
“You’re lying to me,” was how she chose to respond.
“Carly—”
“About something, but I don’t know what it is yet.”
“Carly, I… I’m sorry about Saturday.”
She stared over his face, as if his refined features would tell her what she needed to know. “If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. But I’m going to figure it out. I’m not stupid, you know.”
“I never said you were stupid.”
“I’m grounded for two weeks.”
“I heard that,” Gabe said.
“And my dad took both my phones away,” she added.
“I gathered as much when I tried to call you, and you didn’t pick up.”
“I guess whatever this secret is, you’re not going to share it yet?”
Gabe pursed his lips.
“Fine, Gabe, you win,” she conceded. “I lost my phones, my Internet access, my mom… I just can’t afford to lose you right now, too.”
“Hey,” he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “I’m not going anywhere.”
There were tingles on her skin, but she ignored them. “Good. That’s good.”
“Can you have people over even though you’re grounded?”
Carly shook her head. “No. Dad specifically said no.”
“And what about the dance on Friday?” Gabe mentioned as he pulled away. “I mean, is your friend still coming from the city?”
Carly bit at her bottom lip. “No, he… Dad called him and told him I’m grounded, and he’ll have to come another time.”
Gabe hinted at a grin. “Well, that’s humiliating.”
“No crap.”
“Does that mean you can’t go to the dance then? At all?”
“Honestly, Gabe, I didn’t care whether or not I went in the first place,” she admitted. “But Dad’s still thinking about it.”
“Well, I hope you’re able to go,” Gabe told her. “There’s still room in my car for you.”
She flashed a half-smile. “Thanks.”
“I guess we should probably get to class. I don’t want you to get in trouble for being tardy or anything.”
“No, you don’t. Especially since I might get in trouble for passing you notes in class.”
Gabe laughed as he started toward the school. “You’re going to pass me notes in class, huh?”
Carly shrugged as she fell in line next to him. “No phone, no Internet—I’m getting desperate.”
“That’s okay. I can work with desperate.”
eight
“Can I go to the Homecoming dance?” Carly asked Howard over dinner Thursday evening.
He cut a bite of steak, bringing the fork to his lips. “What’s that—the third thing you’ve said to me this whole week?”
“I guess I haven’t been talkative without my phones, or email, or social media.”
“Do you even want to go to this dance?”
“I want to do anything that will get me out of this house for a few hours,” she replied.
“And will you be going with Gabriel?” Howard questioned. “As his date?”
“Dad, for the last time, we’re just friends.”
“Okay, I’m just curious.”
“Okay, I can go?”
“Okay, you’re just friends.”
“Dad,” she whined.
“All right,” Howard relented. “If it means that much to you, then yes, you can go. But you’ll be home by eleven, or you’ll be grounded for another two weeks.”
“Eleven sounds great,” Carly said. “A bunch of us want to go out for dinner first. Is that cool, too?”
Howard shook his head in defeat. “Fine, whatever, as long as you cut the silent treatment.”
“Are you also willing to negotiate phone and Internet time? I’ll take either.”
He chuckled. “Honey, do you have any idea what grounded means?”
“No, I don’t. I’ve never been grounded before, remember?”
“One
hour on the phone tonight, and one hour each night until your punishment is over. But that’s it. Deal?”
Legacy: Bloodline Book 1 Page 7