Page 43 of Claiming Charlotte

“I want to be there with you.”

“Absolutely not,” he shook his head, a strange look contorting his features. “I don’t want you to see me like that, plus, I don’t know if I can handle seeing you in so much pain again; like with Richard.”

I opened my mouth to protest when the door to the office opened, and I heard someone walk in. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Rowan, and by the look on his face, I wouldn’t get him to sway his decision. The meeting was about to start, though, and I had to tear my eyes away when people started filing in.

“Go put that away,” I whispered, and he walked around the desk, returning it to the drawer I got it from.

“Hey,” Nicole said.

Nicole and I seldom communicated anymore and I felt that she was embarrassed and hurt. She had no reason to be. I believed her when she said she had nothing to do with it, but she needed to come back to me on her own. I desperately wanted my best friend back, yet was thankful she was there for me in my time of need. This war hadn’t affected just myself, but many of the survivors involved. And it taught me that nobody was untouchable. I waved at her nonchalantly as I watched Rowan stand against the wall behind my desk, the position he seemed to have adopted.

He winked at me and I bit my lip, unable to control myself. I wanted him to know how much I wanted to take him right there. He raised his eyebrows, and I smirked before taking a seat next to Nicole.

“Why does he look so happy?” she whispered, glancing over my shoulder at Rowan.

“He’s found an outlet for his anger,” I said cryptically, smiling inwardly.

19

Istared into the mass of faces that once again crowded my father’s study. The meeting was all but over, and everyone was about to receive their tasks for the foreseeable future. I’d spent the last few days carefully planning what needed to be done and where I could spread out my men. Once it made sense, I was able to call the meeting. My confidence soared as I threw myself into the business. Making plans was somewhere I excelled, executing them, not so much, but I digress. I'd made a document that I projected from my computer screen to the plain white wall between the windows for everyone to see. Perhaps it was weird to do so, but I felt more organized with it. It's time to modernize, just a bit.

I flipped to a new tab and typed a few names into the blank document before standing and facing the people around me. They didn't understand me or the way I chose to do things and that was okay, they didn't need to. Roe kept guard against the bookshelf, where he’d stood since the beginning of the meeting like a sentry on duty. I smiled at him before speaking.

“If you see your name on the screen, I want you to meet with Arthur to receive instructions for an assignment. Stand up so you can see who you’re working with. The only ones that know who you are, will be in this room.” I demanded.

I stared into the faces of my men, only a few of them grandfathered in from my father’s reign. Most of them I’d had to draft to fill positions that were emptied when Jason ordered Walker's men to kill them. My heart palpitated in my chest and a melancholy feeling washed over me.

Lifelong friends and acquaintances had been murdered in cold blood as I was forced to turn my back on them and walk away. I swallowed nervously, yet remained steady, though my knees were shaking.

Nobody stood; instead, I was met with a conglomeration of bewildered, confused, and disloyal expressions. Ugh… I was growing tired of being met with a room full of sexist men who didn’t believe a woman should be at the helm, if that was even the issue anymore. My leadership was already in question, and while I needed to get away with Rowan, so I could clear my head; it probably painted me as a coward. I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could, a rage-filled scream filled the room.

Startled, I turned to face the direction from which the scream was coming. It was Roe, angrily walking toward the group and coming to a stop by my side.

“Get the fuck up!” he screamed, different shades of red overtook his features, and the vein on his neck was prominent. I heard the room gasp collectively, and then the whispers of clothing on furniture and shoes on carpet began as one by one, the men listed on the document clambered to their feet.

Shock clung to most of them. It was the first time many of them had heard Rowan speak at all. All of the new recruits had been briefed on what had happened, but I assumed most of them thought that Roe was just naturally quiet and dangerous. I’d noted most, moving out of the way respectfully as he moved through the halls, or quieted when he entered a room. Fear wasn’t how I wanted to run things, but now I saw, to an extent, I needed to.

I smirked as he asserted just enough dominance over the room. His angry booming voice penetrated even my hardened exterior. Rowan’s eyes were sweeping the room, flitting from face to face to make sure he caught everyone’s attention.

“You were given a direct order, respect Charlotte as your leader and follow them!” he demanded.

One brave man stuck his finger up in the air and spoke. “Sir, it’s not a lack of respect or disloyalty. Rather, it’s the secrecy of the missions that has us on edge. We don’t know what we’re walking into. I may just be speaking for myself of course, but I’m afraid that I’ll be led to my death,” he said nervously. “This is war, and I deserve more information on what I’m walking into. A choice to accept or decline.”

I could tell that he was a kind-hearted man, and I felt for him. But Rowan had other ideas.

“If you have a problem with Charlotte or the orders she dishes out, then that means you have a problem with me, and that’s something you don’t want,” he barrelled onward. “I’m tired of you people not jumping at her command. She didn’t give you a choice in this matter, that’s why you don’t have one. The fact is, if you want to keep this job, you’re going to do as she says without hesitation. There’s only one way out, that’s where your choice lies.”

My eyes were drawn to his face as he spoke. I always admired the way he conducted himself, and it never ceased to amaze me. The amount of love and devotion that poured from him every time he stood up for me.

A realization swept over me and I suppressed a gasp. Most women want a man who would burn the world for them, but right now, standing in front of me was a man who was more than willing to hand me the match and walk through the flames behind me as the world burned. He’d completely upended his entire life for me, and I hadn’t realized that before. Guilt rose within me.

“If she asks you to kiss her feet… Well, for your sake, you better pucker up. Am.I. Clear?” he continued.

All I’d done since we escaped Richard’s torture was scold him for the things he should have been doing but wasn’t. I’d failed to see the things he was doing for me, to keep me happy, to make me feel loved. I wasn’t giving him the love he deserved because I was so short-sighted and focused on my own damage and healing.

I knew then that I could fully depend on Rowan and that we needed to work as a team; both in our private life and in the way we conducted business. And the first act as a team would have to be standing in front of all my men, telling them how it was. I matched Rowan’s emotion and turned back to the room.

“From now on, if you think you have an opinion, you’re wrong. You’ll take your cues from me, and if you don’t comply, or you question my decisions; you will deal directly with Rowan. And if you think you’re powerful enough to cross either of us, you will be punished to the fullest extent,” I stepped in.

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