Carson's pov
Afterwards, I went outside and tried to get Cable on the phone.
"Dude!" her voice rang out over the phone.
"Cable, is it done?" I asked him.
"Done?" She shrieked over the phone, forcing me to take the phone away from my ear.
Sometimes I forget that even though Cable was a legendary hacker in the dark web, she was also Melissa Hargrave and nineteen years old in the real world. Not very good with impulse control.
"All of my hard work just went up in smoke, Hunter! You've have no idea how difficult it was to create Carson Gibbs identity...all for what, for you to stand in front of a billion camera and get announced to the world that you are married to the hottest celebrity gossip of this century!"
"Sorry" I told her. Dealing with teen hacker was tricky especially ones you've known since they were fifteen years old.
"Sorry?" She asked me. "Did you just say sorry? Dude, You are lucky, I love you."
I smiled and wiped my face. "Cable?"
"Fine. Dump Carson Gibbs. Grab the twins, dump the bride, I'm backdating some documents and you will be a new person soon enough, Hunter. I'm thinking Trent Gibbons—"
I grip the phone tighter.
"No. No. No" I told her. "I need to be Gibbs. I can't leave her"
I pulled the phone away from my ear, her scream would have damaged my ear drum.
"That's not just idiotic..."
"Cable"
"It's down right moronic..."
"Cable"
"And might I add foolish...and dangerous..."
"Melissa!" I called her to order. She went quiet instantly.
"I know" She breathed. "You are quite capable of murdering me, I know that. But you are my family, Hunter. Keeping you safe is my priority."
"I know, Kid but I need to help her. Can you make it work?"
There was silence for a few minutes before she said. "I will try"
"Thank you. And Cable, dig up everything you can on Emilia Vanderbilt. Focus on good and kind relatives that can take her in in case things goes south and I needed to leave at a moment notice"
"You like her, don't you?" Cable asked me.
I broke the burner phone into two. It was a silly question. Of course, I do not. Right?
I let out a breath.
What am I doing? All I wanted was help with the twins not this?! Someone desperate but uncomplicated but ...This, was complicated and messy and dangerous.
I turned around and went back inside.
**
It was hours before Emilia opened her eyes again.
I was fast asleep on the armchair in the bedroom, didn't want to take the couch in the living room. I wanted to be close by, in case she needed me.
I felt someone's gaze on me, I opened my eyes and she was just standing there, hands folded, looking furious. The warrior princess was back and by the looks of it, she wanted my head.
"Hey, you are awake–" I was interrupted by her.
"Who changed me?" She asked gesturing to my shirt that I dressed her in. "How did my dress get over there?" She pointed to the hamper near the bed.
I sat upright. "How are you feeling? Are you hungry?"
She blinked. "Well, yes but... I'm more concerned with why I'm wearing your shirt and how I got here, Carson. Who changed me?!"
"The motel was no place for a pregnant girl and your dress was too wet. So, I took you out of it and dressed you in my shirt"
"You saw me naked?!" She screeched and I found myself who didn't scare so easily, taking a step back.
"You were gonna catch a cold and I—"
"Take off your clothes" She told me.
"What?" I blinked back.
"Well, you saw me naked. I wanna see you naked too, Carson. I like getting even"
"You are joking, right?" I asked her but she simply folded her hands and held my gaze. People weren't lying, Vanderbilts were a special kind of crazy.
"We don't have all day, Carson Gibbs. Let me grope you. Now"
I blinked. "I'm gonna go make you dinner, okay? Do you want dinner?" I asked her.
She thought about it and then nodded. "Alright. I will grope you later"
"Thanks. I think"
She followed me out. She took in the small living room, the old couch, the kitchenette. It was probably smaller than her old closet.
"This your place?" She asked me.
"Yes"
"It's dry," she whispered. And that was that.
I got her a glass of water. She drank it like she'd been lost in a desert. I found a pair of sweats.
"You can change into that. Your feet will be warmer in those" I said, putting it on the arm of the couch. "Bathroom's through there."
She just stood there, holding the cloth, this look of horror appearing on her face.
"I tried to kiss you" she whispered.
"It's okay" I told her.
"You pulled away" she said with a touch of horror on her face.