Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 31666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 158(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 158(@200wpm)___ 127(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
She spent all afternoon using the tools he’d gotten her to look like a witch. A very sexy witch, just for him, and, well, she’d gotten him a vampire costume, to show off that expansive chest. Morgan loved it. Carver had looked at her costume and smiled, but then she pointed at his, and he’d told her straight up no.
She’d begged him and then held Roxy out, asking him if she looked cute. Once Carver agreed she did, she’d then asked him to please have some fun with her for their very first Halloween together.
Morgan didn’t know what did it for him to finally cave and agree, and she didn’t have a problem because it actually worked, and he changed into the vampire costume. They had an amazing night.
Roxy was a little firecracker, barking and yapping at people’s ankles, not biting, though. She danced with Carver, and even had a dance with Andy.
Andy thanked her for giving Carver a life, for being someone he could trust. She didn’t know what she’d done to earn that, because as far as she was concerned, she didn’t do anything, but Andy believed otherwise. She wasn’t going to argue with him. Whatever it was, she was glad to have done it.
She loved Carver. She didn’t have any wealth, so there was nothing physical she could have given him. In fact, there was nothing she could give him that he couldn’t get himself. But, that didn’t mean she couldn’t try.
Halloween had gone into November, and now they were less than a week away from Thanksgiving, and Morgan had some news for Carver. She didn’t quite know how to say it to him. There were a couple of things she wanted to say, but the timing and everything seemed off.
No one was saying anything, but she sensed a difference in the people who lived in the house. Even the maid, Flora, who didn’t like to chat, seemed more tense than usual.
Morgan had come to know all the people that lived with Carver. They each had their own story to tell. Some were happy to tell, like August, the kitchen chef. One of his eyes was missing, and because he didn’t want to cook for Romone, the man intended to take the chef’s eyes. There was no way he could cook without being able to see. Carver saved August, saved his eye, and brought him back here. Since then, August had not left. The house was large enough for all of them.
In a strange way, they were a family without being a family.
Carver had become a beast to so many people, and yet to a few, he’d become their protector, their guardian angel. He provided for them, paid them, and took care of them. Carver was a true angel.
She kissed the top of Roxy’s head.
“Don’t you think we should go and find Daddy?” Morgan asked. “I think it is best we go and find him, don’t you? We can show him your turkey sweater, which is so cute.”
She took a step, then another one, and then tensed up as she heard it. The house seemed to go still as not just one gunshot, but several went off. Morgan looked outside but couldn’t see anything. Holding Roxy to her chest, it had been a long time since she heard a gunshot. All of those she practiced with were not like this. She expected those gunshots because she’d been firing the weapon to get them.
She tried not to panic as she rushed toward the kitchen. There was no one there. No sign of August, or Steve, the guy who helped prepare the vegetables.
“What are you doing?” Flora asked, grabbing her and pulling her behind one of the kitchen counters.
“What’s going on?”
Flora put a finger against her lips.
“A van crashed through the gate. Andy got the alert, as did Carver. Andy’s been shot, and Carver’s out there dealing with it.”
“What? That’s a lot of gunshots. We need to help them,” Morgan said.
“No,” Flora said, grabbing her arm. “Carver has warned us about this. You cannot leave this house. I’ve got to wait, and when I know it is safe, I’ll get you to safety, but until then, you’re staying put.”
Morgan shook her head and felt tears coming to her eyes. “No, this can’t be happening. No.”
“Look, Morgan, I get that you’re scared, but this is real, and Carver has asked us to protect you and keep you safe, and I’m not going to be the one that fucked all of that up. Not with everything he has done for me.”
“I’m not scared,” Morgan said. “We’ve got to help Andy, and we’ve got to help Carver. Nothing can happen to him.”
“Nothing will happen to him,” Flora said. “But we can’t distract them.”
Another gunshot rang out. Tears filled Morgan’s eyes.
“I can’t stay here,” Morgan said. “I’ve got to go and try to help.” Then, she did something she never thought she would do. She put Roxy in Flora’s hands and grabbed the woman’s gun.