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I run my fingers over the bruises on Lucas’s body as he stares at me. His skin is still soft under my fingertips despite all of the trauma. He’s warm against me, and it gives me a sense of security, but it still doesn’t give me the push I need to give him my heart.
“You’re mine,” he whispers.
I bring my eyes to his and smile with a shake of my head. “This isn’t a good time to fall in love with me.”
His smile matches mine. I think he can feel my wavering resolve. “You’ll cave one day.” He dismisses what I say and kisses my nose.
I get a laugh out before his phone rings, breaking our moment. He throws his head back and groans before leaping from the bed and going to the bathroom.
I can hear he’s upset, but I can’t make out his exact words. When he walks back through the door, he goes straight for his pile of clothes and jumps into his slacks. “I’ll handle it, okay?”
He throws his shirt to me and motions for me to put it on as he listens to whoever is on the other line. I pull it over my shoulders and watch him intently as I button each button. I want to question what’s going on, make sure everything is okay, but I don’t get the chance. The front door flies open, smacking the wall behind it, as I push the last button through its hole.
“I have to go, Sebastian.” He hangs up and rushes out my room as I follow.
Julius limps through the door with a blonde glued to his side.
“What the fuck?” I mumble. “Julius?” I snap my fingers, trying to make him look my way. When his face turns toward me, I continue. “What happened?”
I try and reach for the woman, but she swats my hand away. I look to Lucas, and he’s just as confused as me. “Julius! Speak the fuck up!” he bellows.
“I told you I would handle it alone, and I did.” He almost laughs before collapsing.
“Shit!” the blonde, who I’m assuming is Cat, hisses. She falls to her knees beside him and starts tapping his cheeks.
Lucas and I both rush to his other side and squat down. “Call Peter,” he says as he grabs Julius’s face.
My heart starts to beat faster, and my hands shake. Things I didn’t notice before become very clear all of a sudden. Julius’s knuckles are bruised and bloody, which very well could be from his fight with Lucas, but the blood seeping from his side definitely isn’t.
I ignore Lucas and push Julius, rolling him to his side. “Was he shot?”
Cat moves her hand over her mouth as tears run down her cheeks.
“Was. He. Shot!” I yell, enunciating my words.
“I don’t know,” she cries “Everything happened so fast.”
“Charlie.” Lucas pushes me away. “Go call Dr. Kelly.”
I stand and walk to the counter where my purse is. I fish out my phone and dial his number. I try and listen to Lucas and Cat as the phone rings, but my mind only wants to focus on one thing. The ringing in my ear sounds louder than normal, and I’m not sure if that’s from the adrenaline pumping though me or the absolute fear.
My eyes zero in on Julius’s still body on the floor, and then it happens. The flashbacks start. Suddenly, it isn’t Julius anymore, it’s Teddy. Almost like flipping between two channels too fast, the image in front of me changes back and forth between Teddy and Julius. Two men I care about. Two men I love. Both on the verge of death.
“Charlotte?” The voice sounds muffled and faraway. Like someone screaming through a megaphone from a long distance. “Charlotte!”
Everything comes rushing back, and I hear Cat’s soft cries, Lucas’s hushed curses, and Dr. Kelly screaming in my ear.
“Charlotte! What’s going on?”
“We—um—we need you. Hurry. Julius is hurt.” I hang up before he can ask any more questions. He’s one of the only people to know our location. That’s all he needs.
I drop my phone and rush back to Julius on the floor. When I sink back to my knees, I see his lips are blue. I look around for a second, then stand again. I pull the blanket off the back of the couch and clutch it to my chest, then go to the front door and close it.
“Lucas, put more wood on the fire.”
He stares at Julius the same way I did. Almost like he’s in shock. A single tear rolls down his cheek as he leans back on his knees.
“Lucas!” I grab his face and turn him to me. “Wood. Fire. Now.” He nods with a deep breath before taking one last look at Julius and standing.
