Page 22 of The Heart You've Borrowed

The drive to their house was silent after that. I try to call Lio one more time but he still doesn’t answer.

Chapter Sixteen

Lio

When I finally get service again my phone starts blowing up with all my missed notifications. When I pull my phone out of my pocket, I see over twenty missed calls from Charlie and Jackson. What the fuck? I hit call on her name but she doesn’t pick up and panic sets in. I call Jackson next and he picks up on the first ring.

“Where the hell have you been?” He answers the phone.

“What happened? Is she okay?”

“Jett found her, she’s at my place. She called me looking for you and I didn’t think she should be alone so I picked her up and brought her here.” He sighs.

“Fuck, okay okay. I’m on my way.” I hang up the phone and run to my car. I jump in and race to his place. How the hell did Jett already find her?

I don’t think the vandalism and the man from the parking lot were random. This has to be his way of letting us know that he is here. I’m so thankful that Jackson took her to his place and didn’t leave her alone. There’s no way in hell I’m letting her be alone again after this. I don’t care if I have to sleep in the office every single night to make sure she is safe.

My blood boils with the thoughts of Jett hurting her again. She doesn’t deserve that, she deserves to be loved the real way. Not the bullshit that Jett put her through. As I race to his house I try to get my breathing under control. My hands shake as they grip the steering wheel. There’s no way that Jett would know where Jackson lives, so Charlie should be safe there. But even that isn’t helping me calm down.

How the hell did he find her? She has a new phone so I know he didn’t track that, and unless he bribed someone at the airline to see if she flew anywhere I don’t have any idea of how he could have found her. I know she deleted all her social media before she left so it isn’t that.

If he thinks he can come here and try to hurt her again he has another thing coming. I won’t let him near her ever again.

Chapter Seventeen

Charlie

It’s nice to be around people right now. Jackson’s house is full with his kids and wife and I am loving every second of it. His wife Juliet is such a sweetheart and makes me feel right at home. I’m thankful that they opened their house for me until I could get a hold of Lio.

After an hour Lio finally comes flying through the front door.

“Charlie!” He screams.

“In here,” Jackson calls from the kitchen to him. He comes rushing in and when his eyes land on me, his shoulders relax.

“Hey.” I give him a small smile.

“Hey.” He crosses the kitchen and pulls me into a hug.

“I’m okay,” I whisper into his chest.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there.” He holds me tighter.

“It’s okay.” I pull away.

“I’m going to stay in the office from now on. I can sleep on the couch in my office until we get things figured out.” He kisses my forehead.

“No, you don’t have to do that.” I shake my head.

“Yes, I do Charlie. I don’t trust that he won’t come there and do something. I won’t chance it.”

“You don’t have to stay on the couch in there, you can sleep in the apartment with me.”

“Are you sure?” He raises an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I’d feel better if you were up there with me.”

“Okay, silly girl.” He hugs me again.

---