Chapter 24
Scarlett
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Three identical facessimply stare at me in stunned silence when Beck finally wraps up his rushed explanation to the triplets. Carson snaps out of it first, stepping away from Carter and Carrick, and as expected, Malcolm’s arm bands around my collar to pin my back against his chest, glaring over my head in warning.
Carson immediately raises his hands in surrender, bright orange eyes widening. “Oh shit, of course that’d look like I-” He huffs out a breath, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck before his features harden in determination and he stretches out his hand, staring directly at my face unflinchingly. “I can’t tell you enough how thrilled I am to hear the rumors are true. We’ve all either lost someone to an attack or know someone who has. There’s nothing I’d like more than to never get that phone call again.”
Tentatively, I stretch out my hand and he doesn’t hesitate to clasp and shake it. “You’ve already heard rumors? It’s barely been over a week since we made the announcement at work.”
He snorts. “No offense, ma’am, but something like this was bound to spread like wildfire. That aside?” Glancing back at his brothers, he makes up his mind and adds, “We first started hearing mutterings a month or so ago, but thought it was bullshit ramblings started by someone that couldn’t cope with whoever they lost. Can’t fault someone for clinging onto some hopeful delusions if that’s what it takes to get them through the day. Happy to hear I was wrong.”
Not even two seconds later, Beck is severing the contact, batting at his friend’s hand holding mine. “We’ve been over this; get your own.”
Carson’s answering grin is mirrored on Carrick’s face. Their brother, on the other hand, is still staring at me, frowning. “I’ll admit, I never gave much thought to... to the person that was killed beyond what a tragic way to go. My thoughts were always with how their families had to deal with survivor’s guilt and the loss.”
He goes quiet, lost in thought trying to wrap his head around the revelations, so Carrick picks up where his brother drifts off. Combing his fingers through his shaggy blonde mop of hair. “What the depressing bastard is trying to say is that we’re so godsdamned sorry for what you went through, but thankful you hung in there long enough to meet this son of a bitch.” He hitches his thumb over at Beck with a grin. “If that asshole gets a fated, I’m guaranteed to have one out there somewhere.”
Carter picks up his toolbag from his feet, slapping his brother on the shoulder on his way past. “Guess we better get this project knocked out so you can start hunting then, huh?”
***
Sweat beads on my skinas I haul yet another bundle of laminate wood planks into the house, setting them down near where Beckett is interlocking them with wood glue to waterproof them in the living room. “Wouldn’t a sheet be easier? Like up in the bathroom?”
He gently taps the current plank into place with a block and rubber mallet before swiping a paper towel over the excess glue that beads up on top. “But it wouldn’t look as nice. They could’ve gone with carpeting and staples if quick and easy was the goal, but this family’s got three under three; it’d be stained to hell within a month. Better to put in the extra effort now than needing to tear everything out and replace it in a couple of years.”
Kasen and Malcolm bring in more drywall panels with one of the triplets, carefully navigating the stairs and disappearing from view. We’ve been at this for four hours and I’m pretty sure the coffee withdrawals aren’t going to be a problem tonight; I’m going to sleep for a solid week by the time we’re done today.
“I’m going to go grab a water, want one?”
Wiping his hands on his pants, Beckett rises to his feet, gaping at me in mock indignation. “Excuse me, madam, but are you seriously proposing making it look like I’m neglecting my mate in front of my friends?”
Lifting the collar of my shirt, I wipe the sweat off my face. “I thought it was just Carson that you’re close to? He’s the only one you’ve talked about before today, at least.”
He doesn’t even miss a beat, retorts always armed and at the ready. “Carter and Carrick are still in their thirty month trial period. I haven’t decided if I’m keeping them yet or not; they’re so touchy.”
“We can literally hear you!” One of them calls from down the hall, finishing up the downstairs bathroom.
Beck shoots me a wink. “See?”
Legs crumpling beneath me, I take a spot on the dry section of finished flooring. “Far be it from me to make you look like a jerk. If it gets your rocks off and saves me the effort, fine by me. So let me rephrase things so you can save face.” Dramatically clearing my throat, I amend, “Hey, Becks, can you grab me a bottle of water before I dehydrate and die a horrific death that makes your friends mock you for sucking at your self-proclaimed job?”
He bows with a flourish, kissing the crown of my head before disappearing towards the kitchen. “Your wish is my command, gorgeous. Try not to wither in my absence.”
Flopping onto my back with a tired groan, I close my eyes. “Fat chance of that. How the hell did you do this five days a week?”
“I’m amazing, duh.” He presses a bottle into my hand, chuckling as he drags me upright again. “If you’re gonna choke, I can think of much more fun ways to go about it.”
I can’t even muster up the energy to blush, downing the entire bottle. “These earplugs might be great, but they’re notthatgreat. They can still hear you, you know.”
“You say that like I should be embarrassed,” he teases, and I roll my eyes, resting my head on his shoulder to drag out my break a little longer.
The earplugs that they gave me do wonders to muffle all of the pounding without deafening me completely, so I don’t feel vulnerable and jittery. It brings everything down to a manageable level of background noise that I can tune out; especially with most of my concentration going towards putting one foot in front of the other hauling things in from the truck in the driveway. I’m in far better shape than I’ve ever been in my life, but even enhanced speed and strength can only last so long before a person gets worn out, and I’ve never pushed myself this hard for so long before.
