C&A Novella (Marked Heart #2.5)

by M. Sembera

  The worst part was, after all that, Kieran showed up right when Liv has yelling at Braden for letting Lily, once again, get the better of him. Charlotte could see how badly everyone was hurt but for some reason her soon to be husband didn't seem to care.

  Not long after Liv left with Penny, Kieran spent a minute privately talking to Auggie and then left also. Auggie walked straight through the double doors to the back, more agitated than sympathetic.

  "Some friend you got there." Charlotte heard Auggie shout from the office in the back.

  "Who are you tellin'?" Braden snapped back as she walked in on them.

  Giving him a little shove, Auggie griped, "You should have put a stop to him dating Penny in the first place."

  Quickly shoving back, Braden spouted, "Don't put this on me. Brooks cheated with Lily. I'm not responsible for that."

  "The hell you aren't. You brought all..." Auggie growled before Charlotte couldn't take it anymore and stepped in.

  "This is not his fault."

  With a deep scowl on his face, Auggie turned and glared at her.

  "Are you okay?" She asked Braden in a sympathetic tone.

  Pushing past his brother, Braden spit out, "Nah, I'm pretty far from okay, but thanks for askin', Charlotte," as he left.

  Shaking her head, Charlotte was furious.

  Walking behind the desk to grab her purse, she couldn't believe what an ass Auggie was being.

  Shooting him a dirty look when, he griped, "What?" at her, Charlotte fussed, "Why can't you just tell him you're worried about him and sad that he's giving up, instead of yelling and blaming him for what we both know is hurting him too."

  "Braden needs to grow up. He wears his heart on his sleeve like a damn badge of honor and you see where that's gotten him. His dumbass caused all of this right down to guilting Kieran into marking him. He's too old to only be thinking about himself, he needs to stop playing around and be a man."

  Narrowing her eyes at him, she snapped, "Oh, like Kieran? Who hides behind his legacy and treats his wife like she's done something when he's the one with the problem."

  "That's between them."

  Shocked, Charlotte shouted, "Seriously? You stay on Braden's ass about everything but you can't bring yourself to say, 'hey, Kieran, maybe you should quit being a dick to your wife?'"

  "Kieran's not my brother!" Auggie barked at her before assuring, "Braden is and he needs more guidance than beer and pizza with his buddy Liv."

  "That's right! So why don't you try being his brother! You're not his dad!"

  Noticeably taken aback by her words, Auggie replied, "I know that."

  "Is this how he would want you to 'guide' your brother?"

  Auggie's jaw clinched as he scowled and looked away replying, "I don't know 'cause I'm not him and he's not here."

  Charlotte started to place her hand on his arm, knowing she had hit a sore subject with him. Instead of accepting her comfort, he turned and walked out of the room.

  Auggie's dad Gus was many different things, depending who you talked to. According to Emerson, Gus was a thoughtful bartender when his life was in shambles. Ren always swore that Gus was one of the best men she had ever known. Penny adored her dad and often mentioned how loving and supportive he was. Braden never said too much unless they were joking around but made it a point several times to say he was always at the bar. Gus and Kieran's dad were close, she imagined the same way Auggie and Kieran were and any mention of Gus was always started with the fact that he was cool as hell. But since getting to know all of them, Charlotte knew, Gus was more than the man he was named after, funny stories, and poignant advice, to Auggie, his dad was everything.

  Stepping out of the office, Charlotte saw Auggie standing by the back door waiting for her.

  When she made it to his side, Auggie turned to her and confessed, "Braden is great at everything he does. He has the potential to be or do whatever he wants and I'm afraid he's going to waste his life being a spectacular dumbass."

  Nodding, Charlotte wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek.

  9

  Kissing Auggie as she buttoned the front of his shirt for him, Charlotte couldn't imagine how hard Liv's situation was. There was a certain amount of extra fulfillment knowing the man she was in love with wanted her every minute of every day. If one day he suddenly stopped, there was no doubt in her mind she wouldn't take it half as well as Liv was. As she slid his beanie over his head, Charlotte kissed him once more before they walked out to his truck.

  On the way to her apartment, Charlotte mentally went over her checklist hoping to get as much done as possible today.

  "Do you want to look through linen patterns with me?"

  Without giving it a thought, he replied, "I'm sure whatever you pick will be perfect."

  Rolling her eyes as she stared out of the window, Charlotte thought about all the articles she had read in bridal magazines. Finding it a little pathetic that was where she had resorted to drawing advice from, she started to laugh.

  "Somethin' funny?"

  Smiling at him she replied, "In one of the magazines I have, there was an article on abstaining from sex for at least two weeks before the wedding."

  Watching him scowl and glance at her from the corner of his eye, she couldn't resist messing with him.

  "We should do that." She teased trying to keep a straight face.

  "Nope."

  Cracking a smile she asked, "No?"

  "Not no. Hell no!"

  Put off by his tone, Charlotte snapped, "No?"

  "You must be high outta your mind if you think I'm agreein' to that."

  As they pulled into the apartment complex parking lot, she acknowledged the fact that she didn't want to abstain either but the fact that he flat out was telling her no, forced her hand.

  Narrowing her eyes at him she informed, "I actually don't need you to agree, Augustus."

  She didn't wait for him to respond before flinging the passenger door open, hopping out of his truck and slamming the door behind her.

  Storming into her apartment, she forced a quick smile at Penny but all she could think about was how he hadn't done a single thing to help with the wedding and now he was telling her no.

  "Stop following me!" She griped, when she saw Auggie walk in.

  "Quit tryin' to run things!"

  Offended that was what he thought was going on she snapped, "It was just a suggestion."

  Penny rolled her eyes and walked to the door just as he swore, "It was a stupid ass one."

  With his sister now out on the balcony with the door closed behind her, Charlotte started shouting.

  "That's right! I'm making decisions because you're stupid ass hasn't done one damn thing to..." she spouted before stopping suddenly when Auggie walked over and flung the door back open.

  Following Auggie to see who he was talking to when she heard him growl, "You!" She saw poor Seth standing there like a deer caught in headlights as Auggie demanded, "Should the woman get to make all the decisions?"

  Seth's voice was shaky as he replied, "No. I thi..."

  Without letting him finish, Auggie turned back to her shouting, "Ha!"

  Charlotte gave him a sarcastic smile saying, "Alright, forget about what I suggested." His expression started to soften until she narrowed her eyes informing, "It starts now," and slammed the door in his face.

  ~

  With a loud frustrated exhale, Auggie glanced at Seth.

  "Let's go." He growled, heading down the stairs.

  'Who the hell did she think she was,' he thought, looking up and noticing Seth was still on the balcony.

  "You comin' or what?" Auggie shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

  When Seth started down the stairs, Auggie continued to his truck.

  Stewing over how Charlotte was going to be the death of him the whole way out to Kieran's, he felt comfortable inviting Seth along. It was out of Auggie's character to bring outsiders in but Seth seemed like a good guy an
d since that made him not Penny's type, he thought it was a good show of male solidarity for him to tag along.

  Kieran and Liv were sitting on the porch swing when Auggie walked up to the house with Seth right behind him.

  The second he stepped foot on the porch, Liv jumped up and snapped, "Jackass," at him and marched into the house.

  Without getting up, Kieran laughed, "What'd ya do?"

  Reaching down and shaking Kieran's hand he swore, "Stood my ground," before sitting down on a chair next to the swing.

  With a wide smile, Kieran shook his head before acknowledging Seth as he offered, "Pull up a chair, man."

  While Seth appeared to be choosing just the right chair to sit in, Auggie looked at his cousin assuring, "I need a damn drink."

  10

  A simple fitting for Charlotte's bridesmaids' dresses turned into an awkward yet unforgettable situation, thanks to her sister Silvia.

  While they gathered in the back dressing room of Bitsie's Bridal, Charlotte's sister Silvia stared at herself in the mirror inspecting the purple satin dress she was wearing.

  "Do you think he'll like it?" Silvia whispered to Jenna.

  With a questioning expression, Charlotte asked, "Who? Are you bringing a date?"

  Jenna quickly handed Charlotte her blue dress saying, "It fit," before making her way to the bench in the corner and burring her face in her book.

  Suspicious, Charlotte asked, "What's going on?"

  "Nothing." Silvia replied with a sly smile.

  Charlotte glanced at Penny as she took a step back from them with a curious expression of her own.

  "Silvia," Charlotte stated in a firm tone.

  As if it was just a matter of time before she couldn't stand it anymore, Silvia shared, "Okay, I've decided. I'm going to seduce him."

  "What?"

  Looking at Charlotte as if she was the juvenile one, she continued informing, "I have it all planned out and I'm sure it will work."

  "What?" Charlotte repeated, looking back at Penny who just shrugged her shoulder's with an 'oh my' expression on her face.

  With a heavy sigh Silvia explained, "Weddings are the perfect setting for romance."

  "Oh-kay..."

  With an 'I know what I'm doing' air about her Silvia proceeded to say, "Braden wants me. I can tell. And after we walk down the aisle together..."

  Charlotte instantly cut her off insisting, "No! No he does not!"

  "Yes he does."

  Penny's face started to match the green of her dress when she realized who Silvia was talking about.

  "My brother Braden?" She clarified with a nauseated expression.

  Nodding at Penny with an excited smile she replied, "Oh and don't worry, it's okay. I'm eighteen now."

  "That doesn't make it okay." Charlotte stressed.

  Making a 'whatever' face at Charlotte, Silvia turned to Penny saying, "Oh my gosh, Penny, Braden is like so... Mmm. He's like so incredibly hot!"

  "It's bad enough he's staying with us, I don't need to hear this." Penny fussed, looking back at Charlotte.

  Silvia's eyes lit up as she questioned, "He is?"

  Penny just stared at her with an expression that fell somewhere between disbelief and exasperation.

  Thankfully, Amila walked in before the conversation could go any further.

  "How's it going?"

  Silvia instantly replied, "Great!" before informing, "I'm going to stay at Charlotte's tonight."

  "No you're not." Charlotte snapped, wondering if her sister had lost her mind.

  Confused, Amila asked, "Why not?"

  Not wanting to rat her sister out, Charlotte simply stated, "She's just not."

  Silvia shot a nasty look at her sister before eyeing Penny as she pleaded, "Please?"

  Penny shook her head in disbelief.

  "Ugh... Fine!" Silvia pouted before storming away.

  "I guess she's wearing her dress home, then." Amila laughed watching her daughter make her way through the bridal shop and out of the front door.

  Hanging Jenna's dress up, Charlotte griped, "Gah, that girl is something else."

  Walking toward them from the corner of the room, Jenna took her dress from Charlotte and glanced at her mom commenting, "Braden."

  "Oh well, she's young and Braden is handsome. All the Caffrey boys are. After all, Gus had that rough, sexy..."

  Scowling at Charlotte, Penny exclaimed, "What is wrong with your family?" As she walked away.

  "What did I say?"

  There was nothing left for Charlotte to do, except laugh as she gave Amila a hug.

  11

  After shutting down Braden's idea of having the bachelor party at a strip club, almost choking Seth out for mentioning wanting to do his little sister, and several beers, Auggie sat in a chair on Kieran's porch. No amount of alcohol could replace what he needed or alleviate the misery Charlotte's ban on sex was causing him.

  By the time Charlotte arrived with Penny and Liv, it was late in the evening. He was tired and it was hard to focus on anything but Charlotte standing behind him with her arms draped over his shoulders.

  Adjusting in his chair, to look back at her, Auggie asked, "Are you staying with me tonight?"

  "If you can handle it." She replied in a soft tone.

  Leaning his forehead to her cheek, he assured, "I wanna handle you."

  He felt a smile form on her face against his forehead before she pulled back and whispered in his ear.

  "Only thirteen more days."

  Charlotte's words offered no relief. In that moment, they made things worse. He felt like she was being cruel. Dangling herself in front of him with her almost there but not quite assurance, Auggie was sure she was punishing him.

  ~

  Charlotte walked into Auggie's bedroom wearing the Dog House t-shirt he gave her almost a year ago and a pair of his plaid pajama bottoms.

  "Oh, what the hell?" He griped, shaking his head at her.

  "What?"

  Focusing on the drawstring hanging down the front of her legs, like the bow on top of a gift just waiting to be unwrapped, he barked, "Are to trying to give me a damn stroke?"

  "I was trying to make it easier on you." She fussed back, irritated but clearly confused.

  "Wearing somethin' of mine sure as hell isn't the way to do it."

  There was no response from her this time as she stood there staring at him.

  Whatever painful side effects waiting until their wedding day had caused, almost seemed pleasant at the moment. He was in agony. This wasn't a battle of wills because he had no willpower when it came to her. You can't give a man a taste of heaven and expect him to be satisfied walking the earth.

  Lack of willpower aside, he wasn't willing to go one more minute playing along with her ridiculous mandate.

  Pulling her against him so she could feel the proof of his words, Auggie swore, "I need you..."

  He watched her pull her lips into her mouth before insisting, "You want sex."

  "Ya damn right, I do." He exclaimed, without realizing how harsh he sounded, until Charlotte started to pull away.

  "Wait." He pleaded before sharing, "It's more than that."

  In her eyes he saw her resistance, although she allowed him to keep his arms wrapped tightly around her.

  Out of desperation, he shared, "Everything is empty without you. My bed, this house, me... I need you."

  Her expression changed to sympathy as she sighed and lightly kissed him.

  "Remember Sophia's baby shower."

  Auggie scowled as the recollection of locking himself in the back office of the bar in order to drink himself into oblivion for wanting to be with her filled his mind.

  With a pained expression, he swore, "Lotte, I'm never gonna let..." Trailing off as she placed her hands on the sides of his face.

  "I'm not talking about that. I want our wedding night to be special."

  Scowling at her, he nodded.

  Punishment wasn't what this was, it was penance. Pe
nance for letting his stubborn as pride ruin the night she had planned for their first time together, and the next night that he had planned as well. When seeing her was still a secret and he had no idea how to handle feeling the way he did about her. He almost lost her forever and she forgave him.

  However, the whole sex veto started in the first place didn't matter anymore. If special is what she wanted, that's what he would give her. He owed her that at least.

  12

  There is nothing quite like attending a Society function to make getting drilled with a needle the highlight of the day.

  Even though Penny agreed, set up and had the tattoo gun in her hand, she still wasn't tattooing her.

  "You can do it. It's just three little lines." Charlotte encouraged as she lay fully reclined in the chair with her skirt off and one side of her panty's pulled down her thigh.

  "I'm very uncomfortable with..." Penny started before Charlotte cut her off saying, "No you're not."

  Frowning at her, Penny replied, "What if I mess up? These things are permanent you know."

  Counting back from ten in her head, she took a deep breath and replied, "I wouldn't have asked you to do this if I didn't believe in you."

  Penny took a slow deep breath of her own and nodded.

  The area on the inside of Charlotte hip was sensitive and the second the needle broke her skin she winced, drawing air in through her teeth.

  Suddenly, Penny sat straight up blurting, "Oh my gah! Did I hurt you?"

  "Really? Penny!" Charlotte snapped out of frustration.

  With an embarrassed expression she apologized, "I know. Okay. Sorry. Sorry. I'll keep going."

  Closing her eyes, Charlotte leaned her head back and tried to relax and once Penny actually got started, it didn't take long at all to finish.

  Charlotte hugged Penny out of appreciation before helping her close up Kieran's shop.

  "How are you and Seth?"

  Penny's face lit up as she replied, "Amazing."

  "Is he taking you to the hospital benefit?"