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Even if I did feel tied to this man.
I had to leave.
Opening the door wasn’t as hard as it had been the day before. In fact, it only took two minutes of staring at the knob this time and then I was out, walking around the house. I went left this time instead of right. The hallway led me to a room where Charlie sat, looking at a computer.
Every instinct I had told me to turn around, every instinct but one: the one in my gut. The one gnawing to touch him and be touched by him.
“What do you want?” Charlie asked without turning around.
“Nothin’,” I replied, leaning against the doorway the same way he had the day before. “Just explorin’.”
Still without turning around, Charlie replied. “You go exploring, you might not like what you find.”
“I’ll take my chances.” Charlie stood up out of his chair and came toward me, faster than I thought humanly possible.
“Do you think this is some kind of game, girl?” Head bent, his Atlantic blue eyes probed deep. His mouth was set in a thin line and his jaw ticked. I was never really one to back down, though.
“I don’t know what this is, Charlie.” I emphasized his name pointedly, showing how once again he had referred to me as “girl”. Charlie drove me out of the room with the sheer magnitude of his body and shoved me against the hallway wall.
“Vera.” Charlie pressed himself deeper against me. I opened my mouth in silent surprise when I felt his hard length like a steel rod against my stomach. “You’re playing with fire.”
“Sometimes I like to get burned,” I responded, pressing myself back. It was Charlie’s turn to look surprised. I used it to my advantage and shimmied out from beneath him. I ran down the hallway and into my room, shutting the door without hesitation. When I turned to lock it, though, I paused. The logical conclusion would have been that I had gotten some kinda PTSD from being locked inside a concrete cage and so didn’t want to lock the door. Something inside me was whispering otherwise, though. Something inside me didn’t want to lock someone out.
5
VERA
I sat down next to Charlie when he delivered breakfast the next day. “If I’m goin’ to stay, maybe you can tell me a bit about yourself.” I tugged at the sleeve of the sweater I wore, hating how vulnerable I felt. Even when I did my shows for the randoms online, I still felt powerful. Now, sittin’ next to Charlie, I felt so open.
Charlie’s gruff voice warmed me like a Christmas tree. “What do you want to know?”
“How did you find me?”
“I told you—”
“People in high places,” I cut him off. “What does that mean? Why me? I’m nobody.” I could feel his stare on me even though I didn’t look. It was hotter than the summer sun and heavier than the rain. Slowly I turned to meet his gaze.
“You are worth more than anybody I’ve ever known,” Charlie said, gaze pinnin’ me.
I laughed awkwardly. “Thanks for lyin’, but you don’t have to do that with me.” I rubbed my arms and looked away.
“A man named Vic called in a favor. You were the favor.” I frowned and looked back at Charlie. I didn’t know anyone named Vic, and I especially didn’t know any Vics who could call men like Charlie.
“I really think you have the wrong girl. I mean I’m real appreciative that you came and got me…”
“I don’t make mistakes, Vera.” His voice was so hard and sure that I nearly believed him. “Vic Wall called in a favor for one Vera Araya.”
I gasped. Vic Wall? “I know Grace Wall…” I paused before asking, “Can I call her?”
Charlie’s answer was immediate. “No.”
“Now why the hell not?” I asked.
Charlie seemed to think on my question for a bit before finally responding, “You’re not ready.”
“Bullshit,” I muttered, standin’ up so I was right across from him. Charlie chuckled to himself and I nearly slapped him across the face. I stretched my hands out, tryin’ to free them of the feeling.
“Do it,” he said.
