Page 37 of Claiming Charlotte

Moaning, I fell into his chest as he placed my thumb on the safety and growled as it clicked, signaling that I was a dangerous person right now, and I felt uneasy.

“Eyes on the tree to the left of the bank.” He whispered.

Gasping as his warm hands roamed around my waist, his touch spread a yearning through me.

He leaned down and his hot breath on my neck sent shivers down my spine.

“When do I stroke it?” I chuckled softly.

“Right now, pretty girl,” He breathed nibbling on my ear. “Shoot.”

I screeched, pulling the trigger, releasing the bullet from the chamber hearing it ricochet off the tree and into the water.

He laughed. “I know you can do better. Focus, Lottie. Try hitting the same spot or slightly to the right.”

Steadying my breath, I narrowed my eyes and held the gun up, facing it in the general direction of where it needed to go, and pulling the trigger; it hit slightly above the target, but was angled to the right. I walked up to the tree and inspected my work. It wasn't perfect, but I did it.

“Do you see that!” I jumped excitedly and he nodded back to me with a proud expression across his face.

“I knew you could do it Princess, let's go a few more times!”

17

ROWAN

Taking her on this small trip was a great idea, even if it was only for a few days. It was almost as if the silence of nature had recharged Charlotte. As I sat under my favorite tree that gave me just the right amount of shade, allowing a comfortable breeze, I watched her hand move swiftly along the canvas. The tree was riddled with bullet holes, but she got it, and it eased my mind just a bit.

My eyes wandered up her legs and a smile spread across my face as I took a mental picture of her painting in my shirt. She didn’t leave a lot to the imagination as it fell open only buttoned at her midsection. Things had been difficult, and I knew that she felt like I shouldn’t love her, but what happened to her was in no way her fault. I could never think less of her, even if I missed who she used to be.

She was no longer the happy, carefree, angelic-looking woman with a temper to match her humor. Instead, she was a ghost of a woman, but somehow it made her that much more beautiful, and it irked me that I couldn’t even be that mad about it. The most positive aspect being that she was slowly taking small steps to care for herself again and I fully support her timeline. Whatever she needs.

Standing up slowly, I walked over to her and gasped as I gazed down at the perfect rendition of myself leaning up against the tree, looking out at the crystal-clear water.

“Charlotte, it’s amazing, really,” I said, leaning down and kissing her hair softly.

She turned to face me and I couldn’t help but stare into her eyes as the sun’s reflection cast a beautiful glint in them.

“Roe, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive myself for making you take off that day. It’s my fault we were hurt. I…I can’t…” she took a shuddering breath. “I thought you were dead, and I was giving up. Really terrible things are happening in my head, especially at night when the world is quiet. I thought my mind was wired differently before but this…This is something entirely different.”

Walker's voice briefly echoed through my head.

What happens to her….is your fault… I stayed quiet and kneeled down, holding her in my arms…she’s just another number thanks to you… I held her until she was ready to continue.

“I hear my father calling me weak; I hear Nikki blaming me for Jason being gone. I…I hear you asking me how you could love someone like me, someone so used…it’s scary inside my head and I just need it to stop. Please help me. I don’t want to die, but I can’t live like this,” she whispered as the waterfall of tears started to cascade in a steady stream down her face.

Tears pricked my eyes as her words tumbled out. Hearing her say these things broke me. I feel like I failed her, but I’m going to make it right….

I clambered stiffly to my feet and offered my hand to her. She took it gently and let me pull her up and I placed my fingers under her chin tilting her head up to face mine. The punishment that Richard referred to was this…the aftermath. At least, that’s how it felt.

“Lottie…I can’t help you with the war in your head, and I am so sorry. But what I can do is be the man you need. You have my full support, an ear to listen, and a shoulder to cry on. I promise to love you even on your worst days and be as patient as I can be. If I would have known that you were crying right next to me while I slept, I wouldn’t have. I’ll stay up all night with you if that’s what it takes. I told you once before that I’d be anything you need me to be.”

I stopped suddenly as an idea crossed my mind, and a mischievous smile crossed my face as I wiped her tears away. I reached behind me and picked up the purple paint. “And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Almost as if she could read my mind, she took a step back. “Please, no. Rowan,” she scolded, giggling.

Before she could run, I poured the cold thick liquid over her, and I watched as it made its way through her hair and over her neck, into her cleavage. The paint washed over her body as though she was a piece of art herself.

“Rowan! What are you doing? This is your shirt,” she laughed.

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