Carter by Kathi S. Barton Read Free Book Online

think.”
    Another touch of her fingers to his head and Max opened his eyes. He looked like he was weak with whatever had happened to him, but he soon wanted down. Carter kept a close eye on him, and the kid glared at him as they made their way to his mom. Carter felt sweat bead and roll down his back. He might be meeting his mate, and he was just a little afraid.
    The ride up was made in silence. He wanted to talk to Max, tell him that he’d never harm him even if it turned out that his mom wasn’t his mate, but he wasn’t sure that he’d believe him. He wasn’t even sure he believed himself. What the hell was he supposed to do with a mate and a son? Christ, he had a ready-made family and no place for them to live.
    His apartment was nice, but unfurnished for the most part, with only a bed and a dresser that was empty of clothing. Most of his things, his uniforms and a suit, hung in his closet, and his underwear and socks never left the basket unless it was to wear them and toss them into the washer. He had a television that was still in the box, a couch that was only half unwrapped, and several boxes of Christmas things that his mom had sent to him with a huge-assed tree. He was positive that there was not a thing to eat in the place either, having been too depressed until today to even bother with eating, much less going shopping for stuff.
    But the moment that he walked into the room, seeing her laying there, he knew that she was the one. Her scent hit him like a train and had him going to the bed before he could think that he should have made sure that her son saw her first. But once he saw her, took her hand into his, he felt his life settle, his mind finally have peace, and he smiled for the first time in a very long time. He looked at his mom when she asked him if it was her.
    “It’s her. She’s my mate.” He looked at Max. “And you would be my son, I guess. I’ll protect you both.”
    “No you won’t. They always say that, but no one ever does. Connie knew they were coming; she let them in, and Mom trusted her. She was killed because she thought that the man loved her. And you’ll say you love her too until my grandfather comes and takes me.” Max took Carter’s hand off his mom’s. “Get away from her. I’ll take care of us both. You’re nothing to us.”
    His mom turned Max around to look at her and slapped him across the face. It was the first time he’d seen her do that since he’d been a child and the woman up the street had threatened Phillip.
    “Now you tell Carter that you’re sorry. I don’t care what you believe or don’t believe, there is no reason whatsoever for you to be rude to him.” Max looked at him with his hand on his cheek, then back at Carter’s mom. “You heard me. I’ll not stand for rudeness, young man. I don’t care that you are hurting. You will not take that tone with me or anyone else in this family. Do I make myself clear?”
    “Yes, ma’am.” He looked at Carter, then at her again. “I don’t trust him. I don’t trust any of you.”
    “All fine and good, but you don’t have to be nasty about it. Now, see to your mom and behave yourself. I don’t care how mighty you are, I will beat that bottom of yours if you act out again. There is a time and a place for such actions, and this is not one of them.” He told her he was sorry, and she told him it wasn’t her he’d hurt. Max looked at Carter, the red stain of his mom’s handprint on his face. “I’m sorry I was rude to you. I don’t trust you, but I didn’t have to be rude about it.”
    “I’m sorry too. I should have thought about how this would affect you. And I was rude as well. I’m very sorry for that.” Max nodded and looked at his mother. “I can make arrangements to have her put into a bigger bed if you’d like to lay down with her. You’d have to be careful of her wounds, but she might heal better with you there.”
    “I…she’s all I have.” Carter told him that he had