Page 13 of Shadowing Charlotte

Chapter thirteen

Charlotte

B usy tonight, babe.

Sorry.

I let out a small huff and dropped the phone on the floor beside the tub. Of all the nights for him to be busy. It was Saturday, and I was so fucking horny. What the fuck was he doing that was so important?

With dripping fingers, I reached for the phone again, pulling open my texts.

2091 Constenance Drive.

It's 45 minutes, with traffic. Be here by 12 or I'm going to bed.

Thirty seconds later, Adam's reply appeared.

Fuck that. I'll be there in 30 ;)

I smiled at the phone. Adam could be a controlling asshole who only ever wanted to have sex, but at least he was dependable.

I climbed out of the bath fifteen minutes later and began to rifle through my drawers, finding the sheer blue nightgown he'd bought me for my birthday.

Slipping on the matching thong, I pranced around the room, growing more excited with every minute that ticked by.

I turned on my little LED lights, flicking them to the pink setting, illuminating the room in a romantic glow.

As if he'd been counting time in his head, the doorbell rang at 11:43. Thirty-two minutes. Not bad. I didn't bother with a robe, answering the door in my nighty. The roses he held up hung limply in his hands as Adam's eyes raked over me.

"Fuck, Lottie… "

"Leave those on the couch," I demanded, pulling him inside and slamming the door closed. Before I knew it, I was in his arms, legs wrapped around his hips, giggling with excitement as he hauled me to the bedroom.

"I thought you weren't supposed to have boys over," Adam said playfully, depositing me on the bed and already tearing my underwear off.

"Good thing you're not just any boy," I echoed what he had told me, the teasing words morphing into a gasp as he buried his face between my legs.

Adam wasn't infallible, in fact, he had many flaws, but one thing I loved about him: he always made me come before he did. Most of my friends complained that their boyfriends never bothered to try and get them off. Adam never failed me in that aspect.

"Come on, Lottie. Focus, baby…" he groaned, curling his fingers inside me.

He kept trying to push me over the edge, but I couldn't find the relief I desperately needed.

I focused, but not on him. I found myself thinking about blue eyes as I finally came.

My back arched off the bed as I tangled my fingers in hair—hair I imagined as much darker.

"Finally, fuck…" Adam sighed with relief, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. "Took you long enough…" I sagged back against the sheets, trying to catch my breath. "You alright?"

"Yeah, sorry," I replied, "It's been a long week."

"Well, that's why I'm here, right? To make it all better?" he asked, running his fingers through my damp hair. I nodded, trying to focus my full attention on him. Adam reached for his jeans, pulling out his wallet. "Fuck…" he muttered. "I'm all out."

All out? Adam always had a condom in his wallet. How could he be all out? I didn't dwell on the thought, sure that he must have just dropped it somewhere.

"Top drawer…" I murmured. Adam shifted on the bed, pulling open the side table and rifling through it, his hand stilling.

"What's this?" My brows knitted in confusion as I sat up. "What is this, Charlotte?" He held up the card, the words echoing in my head. Thanks for the show.

"O—oh… That's nothing… Just a prank from work," I lied, my voice unsteady, tone damning.

"Is that why you couldn't get off?" he demanded, rising from the bed, his face contorted in anger. "Are you fucking someone?"

"No, Adam! I'm not fucking anyone!" I snapped. It was the truth, even if it felt like a lie.

"And the roses?" he asked scathingly. Fuck. They'd wilted, but they were there, in the vase on the dresser. Adam was visibly shaking, his eyes burning with jealousy.

"Adam, I'm not—" The denial was cut short as something collided with my face.

I fell back on the bed, my eyes flying open in shock, tears of pain welling in them as I clutched my stinging cheek.

Adam had always been an asshole, but he'd never struck me before.

I stared at him, frozen in shock as he glared at me.

"What the fuck, Adam?!" I shouted, when my voice finally decided to work.

"Who is he?" he asked in a snarl, looming over me. In the four years I'd known him, I'd never seen Adam so pissed.

"There's no he! I'm not fucking anyone!" Tears spilling down my cheeks, hot and angry.

"Fuck this. Fuck you, Lottie. I knew you were moving up here to fuck around!

" He yanked up his jeans and pulled on his shirt as I sat there in a daze, still pressing my hand to my cheek.

Even when he stormed from the room, I hadn't moved.

It wasn't until I heard the glass shattering outside that I managed to get my limbs working.

"Adam, stop it!" I screamed as I stumbled out of the house and toward the driveway, watching him smash my Jeep windows with the tire iron in his hand.

When he turned toward me, a look of fury in his eyes, I backed away, fleeing into the house.

With frantic fingers, I twisted the lock behind me, my heart pounding in my ears.

I scrambled to find my phone, my hands shaking as I typed three numbers into the keypad.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"My—my boyfriend…" I choked out. I didn't even know what to say, the words tumbled out in disarray, Jeep, hit me, crazy…

By the time the police arrived, Adam was gone, and I'd collected myself enough to give them a report.

"Are you going to file charges?" The officer finally asked after he'd written everything down.

"No…" I finally whispered. "I don't think he'll ever speak to me again. I'll be fine…"

"You should think about it. Maybe consider a restraining order," he suggested softly, "I've seen things like this get out of hand."

"I'll think about it…" I agreed hesitantly. I didn't want to make a big deal about it. Adam was gone and he wouldn't be back. I would call Daddy and the insurance company in the morning.

"Alright, miss. Call us if you need anything else.

" He handed me a copy of the report and gave me a nod, before climbing into the car with his partner.

When they were gone, I locked the door, sinking to the floor against it.

What was supposed to be a night of orgasms and comfort had instead become a night of violence and shock.

I glanced at the clock and sighed. It was almost two in the morning.

I called the number to Hewart and pressed three.

"Saydiah, it's Charlotte. I'm so sorry, but I'm going to be late on Monday.

My car was vandalized, so I have to get a rental and deal with insurance…

I'll be there before lunch, I promise." Hanging up, I dragged myself back to my room .

The card from Alexander had been crumpled, lying on the floor.

I didn't know what to do with myself. I sank to my knees, picking up the card and running it between my fingers, trying to straighten it out.

My boyfriend had just attacked me, and the only thing I could think to do was save the ruined card.

For some reason, the sight of it hurt more than the fact that my relationship with Adam was over. What the fuck was wrong with me?