My body felt cold and heavy
Charlotte’s POV
The second the door clicked shut behind me, I kicked off my shoes and dropped my bag to the floor with a thud. My chest felt tight, like I had been holding my breath all day. Without thinking, I collapsed onto my bed and buried my face in the sheets. A loud scream escaped my throat, muffled by the mattress beneath me. Why did I let him touch me? Worse, why did it feel like I never wanted him to stop?
I rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling with stinging eyes. "This is a mess," I muttered to no one but myself. My lips trembled with the words I could not say out loud, I had wanted more. I had wanted him to stay. That made me feel sick. But when I heard his footsteps moving away from the hallway, something inside me broke a little.
I wiped the corner of my eye with the back of my hand. “You’re being ridiculous,” I whispered harshly, sitting up and dragging my laptop into my lap. Sleep was not going to come tonight, not with my heart pounding like this. I opened Netflix and started watching The Originals, hoping to distract myself from the heat still crawling across my skin.
Ten minutes passed. Then something slammed downstairs. I paused the show, waiting. Another bang. Louder this time. I got up slowly, annoyed more than anything. "You are not funny, Luther," I muttered under my breath. I walked to my bedroom door, unlocked it, and peeked down the hallway. Quiet. Still.
“I’m not doing this with you,” I shouted as I stepped out, expecting him to be at the bottom of the stairs, trying to get my attention.
But what I saw made the words catch in my throat. Two men were fighting in the living room. One wore a mask. The other was huge, tall, broad-shouldered, and strong. They were knocking furniture out of the way like it was nothing. My pulse went wild.
"Charlotte, run!" the big man yelled, glancing up at me just as the masked one lunged at him again. His voice was clear and strong, but all I could do was back away, eyes wide with shock. I did not wait to ask questions. I turned and bolted for my room, slammed the door shut, and locked it with trembling fingers. My hands were so sweaty I nearly dropped my phone trying to call Luther. He answered on the third ring. “I thought you said you wanted nothing to do with me,” he said coldly.
“Help,” I managed to whisper, struggling to catch my breath. My throat was closing up. My limbs would not move properly.
“What’s wrong?” His tone changed fast. I could hear it, his panic matching mine.
“Men... in the house,” I said in a broken voice.
That was all it took. He ended the call, and my phone fell out of my hand and onto the carpet.
I stayed there, curled up near the door, rocking slightly as the sound of things crashing downstairs continued. My teeth were clenched so tightly my jaw hurt. Every part of me was tense, like I had stepped back into one of my nightmares. The ones that started after my father died. I did not know how long I stayed that way. Time stopped making sense. Then, suddenly, his voice.
“Charlotte!” Luther was banging on the door, calling my name. I jumped up, hands shaking as I grabbed the key still hanging in the lock. I flung the door open, and there he was, his eyes wild, chest heaving, checking every inch of me with his gaze.
“Are you hurt? Did they touch you?” he asked, stepping in quickly. I could not speak. I just stood there, trembling. Without another word, he pulled me into his arms. His grip was strong, and I felt the weight in his chest as he exhaled.
“You scared me,” he said, holding me like he never wanted to let go. And maybe, just maybe… I did not want him to.
"You are safe now. The man in the mask was overpowered, but he managed to escape. Your mum is on her way too."
The mention of my mother made my heart drop. I had not even thought of her when I picked up my phone. All I could think of was Luther. No matter how angry I had been at him, he was the only one who came to mind when I was terrified.
"I wanted to call the police," he continued, "but your mum said she did not want them swarming the house again like they did after your father..."
His voice faded as he scratched the back of his head, guiding me gently towards my bed.
"Thank you," I whispered, wrapping my arms around myself as I sat down. My body felt cold and heavy. He sat beside me and pulled me closer, his arm curling protectively around my shoulders.
"I should not have left," he murmured, holding me tighter. I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to blink away the tears forming again.
"I am sorry for kicking you out," I mumbled, staring at the floor.
"Shhh... What matters now is that you are safe," he said softly, and for some reason, his voice only made everything inside me ache more.
"Did you see them?" I asked, unsure if I was ready to hear the answer.
He paused before replying, "No. They were gone when I arrived."
I did not believe him, not entirely, but I let it go. Right now, I just wanted to feel like everything was okay. I needed to forget what I saw downstairs, the chaos, the fear, the man who might have saved me. Whoever he was, I knew he had not been there to hurt me. Something told me he was protecting me. Maybe the state had secretly assigned him after my father's death. It would make sense, right?
"I feel like the man who killed my father came back tonight... to finish the job," I said, my voice flat as I stared blankly ahead. My mind flashed with the detective’s words about an older woman attacked in her home. What if it was the same person? What if we were next?
"Charlotte, look at me," Luther said gently, his presence wrapping around me like a warm blanket in the cold.
"You do not understand, Luther. I could have died tonight." The words escaped my lips before the sobs followed. My chest shook as I leaned into him, the guilt of pushing him away now hitting me like a wave.
"But you are alive," he said, rubbing my back in slow, calming circles. "And that is what matters right now." I nodded, clinging to his shirt, letting his touch calm the storm inside me.
"I promise you, I will find whoever did this. I will not rest until they are caught." And I believed him. Every word. That fierce promise lit something in me, and for the first time in hours, I managed a small smile.
"Do not think I have forgiven you," I added after a moment, wiping my face.
He let out a soft laugh and tilted my chin up with his fingers. "I know. And I am not giving up. I will earn your forgiveness, Charlotte. Even if it means going through Gavin or anyone else who thinks they can come between us."
His eyes locked with mine, warm and steady, and my heart responded with a thud, not from fear, but something else entirely. Luther King might have been a stubborn man, but so was I. And he needed to learn that I was not someone he could charm and control like all t
he women before me. Not anymore.
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