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As Charlie’s door clicks closed behind her, I stand from the couch and walk to where Peter is tying the last stitch in Julius’s side.
“You need to take it easy. I’ll come by and remove these in about a week.” He removes his gloves and throws them in a disposable plastic bag beside him.
“You got it,” Julius remarks.
“I’m serious, boy. If you tear those, you’ll bleed out.”
“It isn’t that bad. I’ll be good, I promise.” He crosses his finger over his heart.
Dr. Kelly just shakes his head and stands facing me. “I know telling you guys to be safe is pointless, but I’m going to say it anyway. Be safe and take care of him and Charlie.”
I give him a firm nod, and he walks out the door.
I extend my hand to Julius and help him off the floor. When he’s level with me, I give him a light push. “What the fuck, Jules?”
He stumbles backward holding his side. “Dude, you heard the doctor. I’m supposed to be taking it easy.”
“This isn’t fucking funny,” I grind out through clenched teeth.
“Hey,” I hear Cat call behind me. “Maybe you should take it easy on him.”
I roll my eyes, then look at Julius. “Get rid of her.”
His eyes challenge mine for a moment before he looks over my shoulder to Cat and points down the hallway. “There is a door down there to the right. Wait for me there.”
I can hear her footsteps grow softer and softer until they’re completely gone. “Julius, I told you not to do anything stupid. What were you thinking?”
He shakes his head before walking to the front door. As his hand grips around the knob, he looks at me. “Are you coming or what?” I shake my head and follow him.
Stepping outside, the cold air hits my bare chest and sends a chill down my arms. I lean against one side of the porches railing as Julius leans against the other. He reaches in his pocket and pulls out a pack of cigarettes, then lights one. He takes a long drag and stares into the distance for a moment before letting it out. “When did it happen for you?”
I cross my arms, trying to keep what warmth I have. “What are you talking about?”
He smiles and takes another drag. “With Charlie. When did you know you loved her? Or are you still denying it?”
I huff. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know when or you don’t know if you’re still denying it?”
I think back and try and pinpoint the moment. The one that made me fall so hopelessly in love that I forgot about everything else. She and I shared so much, but I can’t put my finger on the exact time. It could have been the first time I saw her. When I was watching her with Teddy, making sure she was safe. Or maybe even the first time she kicked my ass, but then there is the first time we kissed too.
“I don’t know when it happened. It just—”
“Happened,” he finishes.
I nod. “Exactly. It feels like I’ve loved her forever at this point,” I admit.
“I know. And that’s how it feels with Cat. Maybe not love, but it’s something. Something strong.”
I let out a breath. “I get it, but what you did was stupid. I only wanted to wait to make sure we would all be safe.”
He smiles with a slow shake of his head. He takes another puff of his cigarette, then flicks it to the ground. “And now you know why I couldn’t wait. I wasn’t going to just let her sit there while we tried to figure things out.” He walks back inside without another word.
I linger outside and think about everything he said. I get it, I do. And now I feel like nothing more than a hypocrite. He’s right. If it were Charlie, I wouldn’t think twice. I’d kill anyone who stood in my way. I just wish he would have told me. Would it have changed things? I’m not sure, but it would have been nice to know his true intentions.
I push open the door and walk to Charlie’s door. When I hear the shower running, I push open the door and step inside. Steam rolls out of the bathroom as the sound of water hitting the shower floor sounds out. I see my phone on the floor and grab it, then slip back into the living room before she can notice.
I send Carl a quick text and ask if he’s found anything, then dial Sebastian’s number. It rings a few times before it connects. “Sebastian?” I settle onto the couch.
