“Pick. Up. The. Damn. Call,” I order, frustrated.
“Okay, okay, chill. Just don’t make a sound.” He answers the call.
Asshole.
“Carter here. What was all that about, Cuz?” He puts the phone on the bed and turns on the speaker.
Bruno’s unmistakable deep voice fills my room.
“It was nothing; I still have a fucking problem, though.”
“Yes, you were telling me that before hanging up,” Carter complains, looking at me for my approval.
“Right, I need to get a woman to help me with this,” Bruno announces, and Carter and I share a concerned look.
“If I don’t, I won’t be able to keep appearances. This is key.”
“Can’t you give the same excuse as before?” pretty boy asks.
“No, they won’t go for that one again. Don’t worry about that. You know why I am calling you.”
“Yeah, but I want to help with your prob–” Carter starts.
“Don’t worry about that, Carter. How’s Sarah?” TheProfessor’svoice sounds desperate.
Fuck, that was direct. Carter looks at me with a fucking smirk.
“She’s fine. You know I got my eye on her.”
Yeah right.
“Why are you lying to me, Carter?” Bruno accuses, and a loud thud follows, as if he threw something away.
“I’m not. You know I’m not lying. Come on, let’s not do this again.” He smacks his forehead and closes his eyes, but it won’t stop this painful exchange.
“I know you are lying to me. You think I can’t tell? You think I’m too far gone I forgot how you sound when you lie?” Bruno raises his voice, losing his sanity along the way. Who can blame him? I can’t sleep thinking about her either.
“Why would I lie to you? Especially when I know you can tell? I’ve been your eyes and ears all this time so you can focus your energy over there.” For the first time since we started this, Carter’s voice sounds firm.
He’s getting his shit together.
“You are right. I’m sorry. I’m on edge here. This fucking country and its fucking misery is driving me crazy.”
“It’s okay, just keep your head in the game.”
“Are you at her place right now?” Bruno says.
Carter’s eyes dart to mine. “I was a couple of hours ago. She went to bed, and I left.”
“That’s good.”
I wave to Carter, asking him to keep going. We need to catch him unawares.
“It is. Listen, Cuz, are you in a hotel?”
Silence.
Carter’s expression turns from relaxed to agitated.
