Page 23 of Gash

Staring at him, she nodded.“Don’t ask mehow he hurt me, but he did.”

“Okay, why did he hurtyou?”

Licking her lips, she took a deep breath.“When I came back home, you had already been arrested, and theevidence had been building against you.The moment I heard what washappening, I tried to put a stop to it.I wanted to help you.Iknow you’re not a rapist.I know you’re capable of murder but not ajealous murder.Jeff and Rebecca were there at the apartment, andlet’s just say they made sure you were already sentenced, and Iwasn’t in a good enough state of mind to help you.”

“There are a lot of holesin that story.”

“I’m not ready to tell you thoseholes.Maybe one day I will be.”He was going to find out thetruth.Jeff would laugh in his face, and it would blow up.Charlotte’s heart started to race, and everything fell away.Whywas she hiding her secret?What did she have to gain from it?Gashwould forever be doubting her, and the only way for him to realizeshe was on his side, was by giving it to him straight.“Actually,you know what?I’m tired of hiding this.Remember you asked ifthere was a woman who used to visit our apartment?”

He nodded.

“You remember fucking a woman,right?Youwere drunk?That woman was me, Gash.Yeah, that’s right.You fuckedme.We had sex together, and the next morning, you didn’t evenremember it.I figured I’d just forget about it, too.I got thisbig promotion at work and was asked to go to England for a businessmeeting, and while I was away, that was when you were arrested.When I finally got home, I suspected I might be pregnant becauseI’d been off my food and everything.I took a test, and I found outI was pregnant.”She saw she was shocking him, and it was tearingher apart talking to him.But this had to be said.If she didn’t,Jeff would spill the truth, and the last thing she wanted was forthat fucker to ever think he had any more power over her.“Youdidn’t use any protection during the time we were together.We werepregnant, and I was going to tell you once I helped testify on yourbehalf.I wanted you to be involved, and I knew it was going to bea challenge to make you realize that we had slept together.Jeffand Rebecca were there.They saw the test that I had taken, andthey knew I was going to the cops to give my testimony.I wasstupid, and I told them I knew you were innocent.To cut an evenlonger story short, the night you were accused of committing themurder, you were with me.I remember the day because it was thebest day of my life.I knew without a doubt you couldn’t have doneit.Rebecca was framing you.”

“What happened to the baby?”Gashasked.“Iknow what fucking happened to me.What happened to ourbaby?”

Tears filled her eyes as she stared athim.

“Jeff drugged me up as I wasabout to leave the apartment, and he had Rebecca’s help.The nextthing I knew, I woke up, and he had my baby aborted.After that, Iwent a little crazy, and let’s just say I’ve been trying to killmyself every chance I got.”

Gash stepped forward, taking hold of herhand, and turning it up.She stared at his bent head, refusing tolook at the scars that covered the inside of her wrist.She sawthem every single day, a constant reminder to her.When she was atwork, she covered them up with long sleeves.There were times sheforgot that they were there.With Gash staring at them now, sherelived the relief that she felt when she pressed the broken glassinto her skin.She’d tried to end her life with broken glass,metal, anything that could cut into her skin.

Each time, before death would claimher, she’d been saved.

Her doctor on the last time had stayedwith her, talking, and asked her to consider the fact that maybeshe was still alive to give someone a message.

“We had a baby?”

“Everything you need toknow is with Whizz.Excuse me.”Charlotte couldn’t stay with himafter revealing her soul to him.

Leaving the kitchen, she made her wayoutside and took several deep breaths.The garden was small, but ithad a chair toward the back.Taking a seat, she stared up at thecool sky.

“Are you okay?”Sallyasked.

Charlotte turned, surprised to see theyoung girl sitting on the patio, doing her homework.

“I thought you wereinside?”

“I like working outside.Itclears my head.”Sally shrugged.She had a blanket wrapped aroundher.“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”Charlotte stared up at thestormy sky.“It’s going to start raining soon.”

“There’s snow forecast,”Sally said.

“Figures.”

Sally didn’t say anything else, andCharlotte couldn’t help but look back at the young girl.“Are youhappy?”

“I am.The Skulls, it’s a family,and with Lacey and Whizz adopting me, I’ve finally found a placefor myself.Besides, I’m always protected.”

“Protected?”

“The guys and the prospects, theyall work to protect us.Some of the brothers pick me up, and bringme home.I like it.For once in my life, I’m actuallysafe.”

Sally went bright red, andCharlotte just knew that she had a crush on someone.It had been too longsince she had been young, and falling in love.There were times shewished she could still be like that.

****

“I need the folder you have onCharlotte.”Gash leaned against the door.His entire world wasturning upside down, and right at that moment, he couldn’t focusfor shit.The woman he’d spent years dreaming about was none otherthan Charlotte, the woman he’d always liked but always overlooked.The woman he believed he could never have.

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