Off the Wagon (Users #2) by Stacy, Jennifer Buck Read Free Book Online Page A

high.”
    “Please don’t interrupt,” Walt said to Carter. “Are you using Pow?”
    “Yes.”
    “Were you high when you popped your spikes on that drug dealer?”
    “Yes.”
    “Do you want to go back and stay with Carter and continue to go to school?”
    Barber took a deep breath before he answered. “Yes.”
    “Then you need to stay off the junk, get back on track, and get on with your life.” He paused and looked directly into Barber’s eyes. “Just so you know, I don’t think going back to live with Carter is the best thing for you right now, but I’m going to allow it despite my inclination toward the contrary.”
    A toothy grin spread across Barber’s face.
    “But you gotta promise me no more drugs.”
    “Deal,” Barber said.
     
    *****
     
    The beat up pickup truck rumbled to a stop in front of their apartment just after dusk.
    “Looks like a nice building,” Walt said.
    “You wanna come up and check the place out?” Barber asked.
    “No, I gotta get back to the compound.” The usually straight forward talking man seemed hesitant to answer. Walt looked ahead at the road like he had somewhere else to be.
    “Well, thanks for the ride,” Carter said getting out of the truck followed closely by Barber.
    “Yeah, no problem.”
    “See ya,” Barber called as he made his way to the building’s front door.
    “Bye, kid,” Walt hollered after him and Carter was about to say goodbye when Walt motioned for him to come over to the rolled down truck window. “You remember what I said about taking care of that young man.”
    “I do.” Carter assured him.
    “Good.” And without another word, Walt rolled up the window and was gone, barreling down the street in his old pickup.
    “What an asshole,” Carter said to himself as he shook his head, but honestly he was going to miss the guy.
    Carter turned and entered the building to find Barber holding the elevator up for him, much to the annoyance of another one of the apartment’s patrons.
    “About time,” Barber said as Carter stepped into the elevator.
    “Indeed,” the man who had been waiting with Barber said.
    Carter and Barber exchanged a knowing glance. This overstuffed pompous old man didn’t know who he was dealing with. The building was nearly thirty stories tall and when the bell dinged on floor five, their floor, Carter stepped out, but Barber waited back a second. He then ran both hands over the buttons for every floor, lighting the elevator buttons up like a Christmas tree.
    “Indeed,” Carter said doing his best impersonation of a pompous ass and Barber about died laughing as he stepped into the hall.
    The old man just stared speechless, his mouth agape, as the doors shut in front of him.
    “What a dick move,” Carter said.
    “Right?” Barber agreed and they both laughed again as they sauntered over to the door to their apartment, mighty pleased with themselves.
    “Everything is exactly the way we left it,” Barber said as they entered the apartment.
    “Yeah, that’s the plus of living in a swanky building. You’re not getting robbed every time you leave the house.”
    “So, whatcha wanna do now?” Barber flopped down on the couch.
    “I…gotta go,” Carter said hesitantly. “I’ve got work to do.” He grabbed the duffel bag from the corner he had shoved it in the other day.
    “What do you mean you’ve gotta go? We just got here,” Barber said.
    “I’ve gotta stop whoever is supplying the Pow to this city,” Carter said, and more importantly he needed the distraction.
    He needed something to remind him that was he still alive, something to fill the time and keep him from facing himself. The day had gone well. Barber admitted to having used and with some help from Walt, he was committed to staying clean again. They had shared some laughs, and spent the day relaxing at the compound.
    Carter was sure that something bad was going to happen.

Chapter 7
     
    Carter spent every night for the next week knocking down