Page 29 of Saved from Deception

As I pull into the parking lot, I glance over at Charlie for at least the fiftieth time in the last fifteen minutes. She’s not paying attention, her mind somewhere else, so when I call her name softly it takes a few tries before she turns to me. “Is there anything I can get for you, hun? Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital? Urgent care? Your doctor?”

“No.” Her voice is so small. It’s like all the life has been sucked out of her. “It’s just a few bruises. I’m fine.”

She’s obviously not fine, but I’m not arguing with her about it.

When we get back to the apartment, Charlie makes a beeline for the bathroom, the shower turning on almost immediately. Shit. I wish I could hold her and she wouldn’t have to be alone right now, but I have to respect her wishes.

If I was with her, it would be different. She wouldn’t feel like she had to hide her pain from me. I could comfort her. Instead, I’m stuck out here feeling completely useless.

Leo comes out of the office, his features rigid with simmering anger. “How is she doing?”

Sinking onto the couch, I let out a heavy sigh. “Not good. Obviously. What happened in there… shit. How could she be okay?”

“I looked up that website you told me about,” Leo says through a clenched jaw. “Nothing traceable, just an anonymous account set up with a fake email. I deleted everything.”

“Until something else gets posted,” I bite out, my anger rising again. “When does it stop? First, it was comments, then people physically harassing her, and now she’s almost—”

I take a steadying breath so I don’t lose my temper. “It's too damn much, Leo. Who can take this much without breaking?”

Leo leans forward, elbows on his knees, shoulders slumping. “I feel like I’m failing her, Ry. I’m the tech guy and I can’t get this damn thing figured out.”

“What about me?” I fire back. “I was there. I was supposed to be protecting Charlie. And look what happened.”

“You did protect her,” Leo says. “You got there in time.”

“But I should have anticipated something like this. It should never have even gotten to that point.”

We both fall silent, grim-faced, the only sound in the apartment the clink of ice in the freezer.

Then I realize the shower is off. And I can’t wait any longer to check on Charlie. Not knowing if she’s crying, if she’s on her bed under mountains of blankets, feeling so damn alone…

I might not be her boyfriend. But I am her friend. And I’m not going to let her suffer through this alone.

“I’m going to talk to her,” I tell Leo, standing up from my seat. “Or at least offer to.”

He lifts his chin at me. “Good idea.” He pauses, then adds, “When Georgia was having such a bad time—I know it wasn’t like this, but still—I just let her know I was there for her. No pressure.”

Will she want to talk to me? Will she blame me for this?

I have to try.

So I head to her bedroom door—it’s attached to the bathroom so I’m guessing she’s in there—and I knock gently.

“Charlie, hun. I just wanted to check on you. And if you want someone to talk to, or just sit and keep you company, I’m here. If you want.”

CHAPTER TEN

CHARLIE

I’m okay.

If I keep telling myself that enough times, maybe I’ll believe it.

Rylan got to me in time.

I’m only bruised, not broken.

Other women have had it so much worse than me. I was terrified, but I believed Rylan would come for me. And he did. Like an avenging hero, he rushed in there, pulling me to safety.

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