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“What did you do?” I scream as I push past Carl.
“We needed to show him what he did wasn’t right.” Julius speaks while Lucas, for once, remains quiet.
I ignore his comment and rush to Teddy’s side. Sure, he deserves bad things, but this? This is too far. As much as I would love to relish in the fact he’s in pain—exactly how I was a few days ago—I just can’t. Deep down, regardless of what he did, my heart still beats for him. What a stupid fucking organ. I shouldn’t love him anymore.
“Call Dr. Kelly, Carl,” Lucas finally remarks.
I lift Teddy’s head as Carl walks away, and the twins stand undisturbed in their spots. Blood weeps from his nose and various other wounds on his face. “Fucking hell,” I whisper, doing my best to make out his features.
“Let us help,” Lucas says, stepping forward.
“You’ve done enough. Come any closer and so help me god I will fucking kill you!”
His face falls and his shoulders slump, but he’s quick to cover it up with a glower. I almost scoff because I’m angry too. Angry they hurt Teddy for hurting me. They fought for me—protected me—the way he should have. Angry because despite everything he’s done, I still love him so much. Angry because I’m not sure I want to love him, but the part of my heart he harbors will always win.
I put Teddy’s arm around my shoulder and hoist him up from the chair he fell into when I walked in. He’s almost dead weight which makes this more difficult than I thought, but I refuse to let the twins help. I hook my arm around his waist and hold his hand that’s slumped over my shoulder with my opposite one. He’s barely conscious, but slowly his feet scoot across the floor one after the other.
“Charlie,” Julius tries to plead.
“Back the fuck off, Jules,” I hiss.
Sweat starts to slick my forehead as we make it out of the door, but I don’t stop. I continue until we finally make it to the kitchen. Normally, we all crowd around the island and perch on the barstools, but I don’t think he has enough energy for that. I continue practically carrying him further into the kitchen until we make it to the table on the other side.
It’s the type of table you’d expect in a castle. Complete wood with ten matching chairs; four on each side with one on either end, but it’s never been used. Not until now anyway. My room is only a few more feet, but I didn’t think I’d make it.
“Listen, Teddy, you have to help me now, okay?” He whispers something in response, but I can’t make it out. “What?” I lean closer to his swollen mouth.
“I’m sorry.” His voice comes out powerless and sluggish.
I take a deep breath and push back the tears that are begging to fall. “Now isn’t the time for apologies.”
I ignore anything else he says as I do my best to lift him onto the table with little to no help from him. Pain radiates through my back as I lift his last leg and slide it to the middle. When I’m certain he’s far enough from the edges to not fall, I dash back to my room and grab some pillows and my top bedsheet.
I make it back into the hall just in time to see Dr. Kelly walking through the front door. “Charlotte.” He beams, but I don’t return his smile. I rush back into the kitchen instead.
When I’m finally next to Teddy again, the severity of everything finally hits me. His face is barely recognizable; his shirt is cut open, and long burn marks go from his collarbone to his hips. His eyes are so swollen I can’t even make out if they’re there. I drop the pillows and sheet, then shoot my hand over my mouth to try and silence the screams.
“I can’t do this,” I say out loud before backing out of the doorway again.
“What happened?” Dr. Kelly asks when my back bumps into him.
If I tell him the truth, that means I have to tell him what Teddy did to me, and I just can’t. “Just fix him. Please.” My voice comes out in a desperate sob.
He nods and walks past me. I watch for a second longer as he picks up the pillows and pushes them under Teddy’s head before I walk back down the hall. Lucas and Julius aren’t in the room anymore, so I keep moving until I hit the gym.
Lucas is shirtless and sweaty, hitting the punching bag like almost just killing Teddy wasn’t enough, but Julius is nowhere to be seen. “Hey!” I scream.
He stops his punches and hugs the bag without facing me.
“Look at me when I speak to you, damnit!”
Slowly, Lucas finally turns around. “What?” he snaps.
“Why?” There is no need to elaborate. It’s obvious what I’m talking about.
He sucks in a deep breath through his nose while biting his lip. Before he speaks, a small chuckle escapes his mouth. “Why? Because he fucking hurt you, Charlie.”
My anger starts to simmer again. I don’t need a voiced reminder he hurt me. My body and mind already remind me enough every day. “I could have handled it, Lucas. I’m not your mother.” I regret the words the moment I say them, but it’s too late to take them back.
