by Anita Gray
“Charlie, for goodness sake...” I huff out, tensing my fists.
He rounds the car and opens my door for me, just as he did the first night I met him. I don't think about the gesture. I slide out of the car, wishing he'd give me a straight fucking answer.
Of course, he won't. Charlie is nothing if not calculating. I feel he wants me to work out everything on my own.
Seven black SUV's with heavily tinted windows pull up around us. I grab Charlie's arm to keep him near and reach for my gun, thinking this is a setup.
“Relax.” Charlie closes his hand over mine. “They're my men.”
“You have a security detail?”
“Yeah.” He strokes over my knuckles with his thumb, warming me from the outside in. “I don't go anywhere without backup.”
I snatch my hand back, trying to evade the way he makes me feel.
“C'mon,” he says, nodding at the mansion before us—it’s all smooth white walls and tall sash windows.
I walk with Charlie towards the house, peering up at him from the side—I can't seem to help having a nose at him. He carries himself with pure confidence, strolling onward like he owns the world and everything in it, his handsome face as impassive as ever.
We reach the bottom of the porch, and he catches me staring. A huge smile spreads across his face.
“Ready?” he says.
In a bit of a fluster with being caught ogling, I blink away and focus on the stone steps in front of us. “Yeah, I'm ready.”
Charlie's hand hovering on the low of my back, we pace up the porch steps together.
“If anything goes down,” he says, something untrusting flashing through his eyes, “make sure you don't fucking shoot me.”
“I know how to use a gun, Charlie,” I sound offended, because I am. He gives me no credit for my skills. “Believe me, I've never shot anyone I didn't mean to.”
“Just make sure.” He knocks on the door and an unfamiliar face greets us.
14
Charlie shakes hands with a guy he addresses as Robert. He's as tall as he is wide, standing there in the doorway draped in a long black coat.
Remaining in the background, I observe the situation, listening to every word they exchange with extra awareness. I need to know why the Albanians have beef with Maksim, and then I can find a clean solution to how we can avoid a war.
Tatiana doesn’t like unnecessary conflicts.
“I appreciate you agreeing to see me,” Charlie says, withdrawing his hand. “I understand the situation is tense.”
“No. Thank you for coming on Maksim's behalf.” Robert's accent is thick and cold, like his eerie brown eyes. “I'm not sure we would have been able to resist killing him otherwise.”
Killing him!
My defensive instincts buzz in my veins.
No one is killing Maksim on my watch.
I glance between Charlie and Robert with careful scrutiny, my hand twitching for my gun.
“Do you have a picture of her?” Charlie says, and I frown, trying to read between the lines. “I see no point in pissing around.”
A picture of her...
Her... I rake through my mind for who this her could be. The only conclusion I come to is she must be the Albanian girl Maksim and his friends fucked at the Prince's party. It's too much of a coincidence.
“No. I agree,” Robert says. Peeling open his coat, he pulls out a tiny photo and passes it to Charlie. “She was very beautiful. As you can imagine, my anger is quite justified.”
Charlie doesn't bother studying the photo. He proffers it to me, of all people. I don't take it. I don't even look at it. I scowl up at Charlie, wondering why he's trying to show it to me.
“Do you recognize her?” He raises his eyebrows at me, gesturing with the photo. “The girl in the picture...”
“Why are you showing that to me?” I ask softly, beyond confused. If it is the girl I'm thinking of, then he knows what she looks like.
“Just answer the question, Blaire,” he whispers, though I can feel the urgency under his voice.
He pushes my hair back over my shoulder, trying to create intimacy between us. My eyes flicker to Robert, then back to Charlie, who is watching me like a hawk.
“So, you're Blaire,” Robert interrupts us, gaining Charlie's attention. “She's the fighter, is that right?”
Charlie faces Robert and tells him that I am, shoving one hand in his jeans pocket. “And she's good. I've seen her in action.”
“Oh, I don't doubt that,” Robert drawls, his cold gaze journeying up and down my small frame. “I've heard great things about you, girl.”
Quiet, I analyze him as he analyzes me. He's got blood on his hands. I can tell from his icy, gangster-like exterior; that puffed out chest; that hard-life wearing expression on his face.
He doesn't scare me. I've ended men greater and more dangerous than him.
“I've also heard of your silence.” He laughs, giving Charlie this sultry look, flashing coffee stained teeth. “Is she on offer in exchange for the girl who was taken from me? Because I'd be more than happy to forget about all the bad blood for her.” Smiling down at me, he adds, “She's pretty.”
I don't react to his smuttiness. I remain as impassive as ever.
“Blaire isn't on offer,” Charlie's tone leaves no room for negotiations, nor does his body language as he steps in front of me. “As we agreed, if Blaire confirms that this is the girl Maksim and his friends fucked-up, you'll tell me how much she was worth and I'll ensure she's paid for in full.”
“What!?!” I shout without thinking, and now I'm nervous. This can't be right. I had to bargain with Charlie so he'd let me come to this meeting, and now I'm to identify someone? And, he fucking knows what that girl looks like, so why does he need me to identify her?
Charlie glances over his shoulder at me. It takes every ounce of will I have not to attack him.
How dare he put me in a situation of dropping Maksim in it!
“Her name was Arjana-” Robert confirms that it is the girl from the party, “-she was worth half a million euro's for she was a virgin with Palestinian blood.”
“That's fair enough,” Charlie says, nodding a few times. He then pivots to me, holding up the photo again. “Do you recognize her?”
I don't look at the photo. I give him this wolfish glare, on the verge of ripping his head off.
“Blaire?” he says my name gravely, walking into me, lifting the photo so I can't avoid seeing it. “Do. You. Recognize. Her?”
My jaw ticks. Arjana is wearing a green Oxford college uniform, her dark hair pinned back. She looks very content in this image, hugging what looks like a bunch of school folders. Her big brown eyes are innocent and her smile is wide and pretty; carefree.
My throat is so tight that I can barely breathe.
“If you don't answer me,” Charlie says under his breath, his eyes flittering between mine, “I can't sort this.”
I swallow, standing my ground of silence. I won't do this to Maksim. I won't betray him.
Briefly shutting his eyes, Charlie sighs, then he turns to Robert. “She won't answer. Trust me on that.”
“Thing is,” Robert shrugs, “we can't take Blaire's silence as a yes or a no. Everyone is aware of her loyalty to Maksim. Everyone is aware that she won't talk without his permission. And I need to know who took Arjana from me. I need to know who has her so I can get her back.”
So, Robert doesn't know Charlie took her.
I don't know what to do. In any normal situation, I'd end Robert and be done with the bother, but I'm not sure Maksim wants that to happen.
Charlie pulls out his phone and tells me to call Maksim, to ask for permission to speak to Robert. “Make it concise,” he says.
I refrain from taking the phone, clenching my fists. I can't speak to Maksim in front of these two. They could overhear.
“I'll pay you the half a million,” I blurt out to Robert. “I'm not saying I know that girl or that I don't. I'm
just agreeing to pay the debt.”
Silence.
Robert is surveying me with curious eyes. I can feel them on my face.
“Why would you pay a debt that doesn't belong to you, girl?” Robert comes out of the house and prowls toward me.
“I won't have this looming over Maksim,” I say, wary that he's still coming at me.
One more step... if he takes one more step, I'll tear him to pieces, and then Charlie for lying his way out of knowing Arjana.
Before I can say or do anything, Charlie meets Robert chest to chest, acting as a barrier between us both. “Not another step.”
Smelling war in the air, I pull out my gun and hold it beside my leg. I then glance around the front garden, rapidly tucking my hair behind my ears so I can scan our situation. Charlie's flock of men dressed in black combat outfits are standing outside their cars. Their attention is focused on us here by the front doors, emotionless eyes studying the state of affairs, hands clasping machine guns.
That makes me feel a little better to know that we have backup if need be.
I focus back on Charlie and Robert.
“I need to speak to Blaire,” Robert says eventually, his eyes narrowed in on Charlie. “I need to look into her eyes and find the truth.”
“She won't say anything more than offering to pay the debt.”
Robert tries to walk up to me but Charlie sidesteps him, and then again.
“Leave her alone or we're gonna have a problem,” Charlie says, his voice oddly calm. “That's not a warning.”
“I can't leave this alone-” Robert presses his hands together, like he's praying or something, “-I want to see the girl's eyes when I ask if she knows Arjana.”
Charlie grabs his gun from the back of his jeans and slips back the top hammer. Robert reaches in his coat.
“I wouldn't-” Charlie says, gesturing out, “-there's over thirty of my men and one of you.”
“That's because you warned me there would be consequences if I had my security detail!” Robert is red with fury. “I only came alone because I know you are a man of your word—you said there would be no trouble!”
My heart is in my throat. I'm not scared, just nervous—I don't know what to do. Yeah, I'm not Charlie's greatest fan, but I won't stand back and watch him get shot, not after he's clearly watching out for me.
Robert is visibly conflicted, a thoughtful expression on his face as he stares at Charlie. He's not sure whether to press Charlie or not. In all honesty, I'm not sure if I ever should, either.
“You need to stop this, Robert,” Charlie says coolly. “Don't start something I'll have to finish. Just take the money and let this be over with.”
“I need to know who's got Arjana,” Robert snaps, the veins in his neck contracting. “I can't just let this go. I had her for barely two hours before someone came into my house and stole her. Someone invaded my personal space! I can’t just let that go, Charlie.”
“That's irrelevant to me,” Charlie says, and he warns, “If you start a conflict with Maksim, I'll be on his side.”
“What!?!” Robert's face lights up with shock. “Why would you side with that scumbag? He's the reason you did a stretch in a Russian jail!”
My mouth drops open. Charlie went to jail because of Maksim? What the fuck... Why?
Charlie cocks his head. “Let's just say, I've got other interests when it comes to Maksim now.”
Robert pulls his eyebrows together and looks down at me, then back at Charlie.
Charlie nods, and I sense he's grinning.
It all ends pretty quickly from there, which baffles me completely. Charlie says that Maksim will pay within the month. “Any longer, and I'll call you.”
Robert lets out a steely breath, obviously pissed off with the outcome. “Looks like I have no other choice but to accept that offer then, does it?”
I hide my gun away before anyone sees it, wondering how the hell I'm going to tell Maksim about what's happened here today. He needs to know.
“Trust that I'll find out what happened to your girl,” Charlie says, shoving his gun in the back of his jeans before fixing his t-shirt to cover it. “And anyone who was involved will suffer my wrath, as a favor to you for trusting I'll deal with the situation.” Reaching back, he grabs one of my hands and entwines our fingers together. My stomach flips, mostly with anxiety for touching him, but also with a dollop of embarrassment that he's holding my hand like this in front of Robert. His grip is firm yet gentle, his hand completely covering mine.
“We'll be off now, Robert. Take care and I'll speak to you very soon.” Forcing me down the porch steps, Charlie leads me back to his car.
Robert says a curt goodbye from a distance and then I hear the front doors close with a loud thud.
I cannot believe how easily people back down from Charlie. I don't know why. He isn't any different from all the other underworld elites—or is he? Maybe Maksim didn't tell me the full story about him. Charlie does refuse to address Maksim in the proper manner and gets no reprove from anyone.
Charlie puts his lips on my ear and whispers, “You did well, Blaire.”
“Huh?” I say, screwing up my face.
Opening the car door for me, he puts me in the passenger seat and plugs in my seatbelt. I briefly wonder why he isn't letting me drive us back to his house, but I don't really care.
“What do you mean, ‘I did well’?”
He smiles sneakily at me and my eyes enlarge.
Did he just use my loyalty to Maksim to his advantage?
He clicks my door shut, jogs around the car, and jumps into the driver's seat, firing up the engine. I vaguely see all his men piling into their cars but I'm not really paying attention.
I turn to face Charlie, gripping the edge of my chair. “Did you just use me?” I say louder than necessary, but I can't help myself. I'm fuming.
“Not exactly,” Charlie says, a stupid, naive expression on his face. “I knew you wouldn't say anything about Maksim without his consent—actually, I was banking on it.”
I'm stunned, and I know I look it. Yes I'm glad he's taken care of Maksim's problem with the Albanians but I can't say I'm happy about the way he's used me. He could have told me what the plan was. I'm not an idiot. I would have followed suit.
Putting the car in gear, Charlie pulls off the driveway, between the arsenal of SUV's that follow us out.
“Why did you just pretend you've never seen that girl Arjana before?” I ask, striving to keep my cool so I can get the answers I need.
“Because I've got her,” he steers down a country lane, “and I won't be able to keep her if Robert knows that now, will I?”
“What the... You can't be... Are you kidding me!?!” I yell, feeling sick. “Who the fuck are you, a female kleptomaniac?”
He bursts out laughing. “I can't believe you know what that means.”
“This isn't funny, Charlie. Why the hell do you have her?” My eyes are blazing, and my guts are turning over with guilt because I can't help thinking he's mistreating her, too. “You're abusing her, aren't you?” I have to ask, then I add in anger, “You're all the fucking same!”
“Jesus, calm down, Blaire,” he lifts a wary, defensive hand at me, “I'm not abusing her.”
“Then why do you have her?” I speak through clenched teeth.
“I sent her to Mexico because she said she didn'twant to stay in Europe.” He shrugs with one shoulder, withdrawing his hand. “I've sorted her out with a place to live and enough money to keep her comfortable until she can work.”
I'm gawping, absolutely baffled. “But... why? Why would you do that?”
He looks at me from the corner of his eye. “Because I can.”
What a smug motherfucker. Yeah he's done a good deed but why does he have to season it in arrogance?
“Aren't you worried Robert will discover it was you who took her?” I say. “He only has to ask around, you know, anyone who is anyone was at that party.”
Ch
arlie laughs with mockery. “Everyone who was there that night has been briefed and know that if they say anything about my presence, they'll not only have the Albanians on their asses, but me.”
I don't know what to say anymore, or how to feel about what he's just done—using me, and the fact that he's clearly saved that girl—so I don't say anything at all.
“You all right?” He side-glances me.
I refuse to look at him, holding my tongue. He's the most confusing man I've ever met.
He steers onto the motorway that is chock-a-block with bumper to bumper traffic.
He reaches over and cups my hand, giving me a squeeze. “Are you ignoring me?”
I snatch away from him, staring out of the side window.
“Oh, don't sulk, Blaire.” He gently pushes my hair back over my shoulder. “I know I used you but it worked in our favor, and as for the girl, I've no desire for her—I just wanted to help her.”
I don't utter a word. In silence, I fester in my own thoughts.
“Okay then,” he says softly, flicking on the radio. “Silence it is.”
I'm quiet throughout the entire journey back to his house, which is three fucking hours long given the traffic.
Lately, it feels like someone up there really hates me.
———
We pull up on Charlie's driveway at just shy of six in the evening. I'm thirsty, hungry where I haven't eaten for over six hours, and I'm still simmering over the fact that Charlie just used me to his advantage. But, most of all, I want to get the fuck away from him for a while before I explode. I can't take how many different personalities he has.
I step out of the car, slam my door shut with noticeable anger, and head straight for the house.
“Blaire...” Charlie calls out, sighing, “c'mon... You can't really be that mad at me?” He jogs up beside me and stops in front of me so I can't go inside the house without forcefully moving him. “If Robert found out Maksim definitely had a hand in fucking that girl, I cannot say what might've happened. It's better this way.”
I cross my arms, looking at his chest, my aggravation like a living thing in the air between us.