Page 3 of Gash

“It has been seven years,Gash.Do you have any idea what happens in seven years?Peoplechange.I’m not the same woman you knew, and you’re not the sameguy.”

“I am.”

“No.The guy I knewwouldn’t have shoved me up against the wall with his hand wrappedaround my neck.Neither of us are the same, and you need to realizethat it’s not going to fall back into old times.”

Gash stared into her eyes, and she forcedherself to stare right back at him.It was hard for her not to lookaway, but she wouldn’t back down.He wasn’t the same man, and shedidn’t trust him, not one bit.

“Did you and Rebecca haveanother friend?”he asked.

She frowned.“Huh?”

“I was wondering if you andRebecca had another friend that visited you while I was here.Iseem to recall a woman there, vaguely.”

Charlotte turned back to finish hercoffee.“No one else but you, me, Rebecca, and Jeff, oh, and theguy that turned up dead, who was just a boyfriend Rebecca had madesure she’d been seen with.Nothing else.”

He touched her waist once again,leaning in close, invading her space.“Are you sure?”

“I’m more than sure, asshole.”She pushed her butt out, making him take a step back.“There was nootherwoman,and Rebecca was screwing all of you.”She took a seat back at thetable, wrapping her fingers around the cup.“What’s your plan?Areyou going to threaten me to death, or do you actually have a planfor us to find the bastard and bitch who affected ourlives?”

“You knownothing.”

“What part of ‘I’ve been lookingfor them for some time’ didn’t you understand?”She didn’t knowwhere her confidence was coming from.Gash terrified her, and sodid their situation.She had agreed to kill the woman who hadfalsely accused Gash of raping her and murdering her boyfriend.Charlotte only knew half of what happened.

When she came back from herbusiness trip,she’d been feeling off, and the only explanation had beenthe unprotected sex with Gash.She’d gotten a test, returned to herapartment, and had been overjoyed to learn she was pregnant.Jeffhad been there, and he’d seen the test in her hands.What shehadn’t realized at the time was the fact she’d touched her stomach,and said Gash’s name.Jeff had obviously had no doubt that she wascarrying Gash’s baby.In the few shorts seconds of happiness, she’ddecided that, with her promotion, she’d finally get a place of herown, something that meant she didn’t have to have a roommate.Charlotte had grown tired of all of the men around Rebecca, and shedidn’t want that kind of life for her baby.The moment she heardthat Gash had been arrested, and a trial date was about to be set,she had been about to contact his lawyer in order to helphim.

From the first moment she saw Gash, she’dbeen attracted to him.Every time she saw him, and got to know him,she’d fallen a little more in love with him.She was nothing likeRebecca, who’d been beautiful, slim, and completely experienced.Charlotte was not.They hadn’t even been best friends, merelyacquaintances who shared an apartment.Neither of them could afforda place, so they shared.Gash didn’t know any of that.He thoughtthey were best friends, when Charlotte hadn’t liked Rebecca, not atall.She’d put up with her, nothing else.The promotion had beenher ticket out of that life, but it had all gone to shit.Jeff hadseen to that.Once she discovered that Gash was going down for notjust rape but murder, she’d tried to help, and had failed.Instead,her very future had been ripped out of her.Jeff had been there,and had caught her taking the test.He’d asked who it was, and sheshouldn’t have told him.Gash didn’t know everything that had beentaken from her, and she hoped he never did.Gash didn’t even knowthey had shared a night together, so he didn’t need to know whatelse had happened.She’d tried to help him, really she had, and shehad failed them both.It already hurt her too much to handle it.She doubted he would even believe it, let alone understand what shewas going through.

****

Whizz didn’t need to worry aboutCharlotte.She was fucking fire, and she was turning him on.Gashtook a seat opposite her, and watched as she blew across the cupfilled with coffee.His cock pressed against the front of hispants, and he stared into her eyes.She stared right back at him,and something ached in the back of his mind, like a memory tryingto get out, but he couldn’t reach it.

“I’ve not got a plan.Coming toyou was my plan.However, I’ve got someone who can help us.Do you thinkyou can help me locate them?”he asked.He didn’t want to leave heralone.Charlotte was by his side now for the foreseeable future.Gash didn’t know where these emotions were coming from, only thatshe was inspiring them.Her gaze was filled with so much pain thathe found it hard to keep eye contact with her.

What had she been through?Charlottehad secrets, and he bet that Whizz knew some of them.

“I’ve been to your oldapartment.It’s a shithole now, and there’s nothingthere.”

She blew out a breath, staring past hisshoulder.“I’ve not been there in years.”

“Is there anything youremember?Anything at all?”

“Rebecca was a popular girl.Before I left, she’d started making visits to some rich billionairein the city.I don’t know his name, but she told me he’d set up anapartment that he used when he was in town.”

“What name?”

“It was in her name.Theguy, I don’t know who, didn’t want to have a, er, track record orsomething.I figured he was just married, and didn’t want anytraces of him keeping a mistress.”She shrugged.“I told her totell you.She wouldn’t.Rebecca said you were only after some goodpussy, and you didn’t care who she fucked.”

“She got something right.Rebeccawas a whore through and through.She didn’t give a shit aboutanyone or anything.”Gash stood, unable to look atCharlotte when hethought of Rebecca.He’d been young, and an asshole.What did heever see in Rebecca?She’d been an easy fuck, and at the time he’dnot been interested in anything but a good time.

He frowned, thinking about where their oldapartment building was.It was a good hour from The Skullsclubhouse, and far enough away from Fort Wills.What the fuck hadhe been doing all those years ago?With the court case, prison, andthe shit that had been going on since he got out, he wondered nowwhat he’d been doing near Rebecca in the first place.Gashscrambled through his mind, and remembered.He’d been looking forhis brother when he’d found Rebecca.

“Did I ever talk to you about TheSkulls and shit back then?”

Charlotte frowned.“You neveractually talked about anything with me.You were really quiet.”Hercheeks heated.“You always had something else on your mind.”

“What are you not tellingme?”

“Nothing.”

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