Treacherous (19 page)

I didn’t know what to say to her. I
didn’t know whether to confront her about her wrists, or talk about
what happened yesterday, or ask if she was okay. I decided the
latter was the best move.

“
How are
you?”

“
Fine.
Considering.”

“
Do you want to talk
about it?”

She took her sunglasses off and gazed
up at me. She gave me small smile. “There’s nothing to talk about,
Nathan. Nothing that would fix the situation. What’s done is
done.”

“
You shouldn’t think
like that.”

“
You’ve already saved
me, Nathan. You don’t need to save me again.”

Her words cut me deep
like the knives Levi and Courtney had thrown at me. But this knife
cut particularly deep. So deep, I was afraid the wound wasn’t going
to heal.

“
Charli, I’m here for
you. You know that right?” I reached out for her hand but she
pulled hers away.

“
Let me go, Nathan.”
She walked away from me and went to stand beside her mother and her
friend, Rochelle.

I knew I wasn’t going to let her slip
away from me that easy.

* * * *

When the coffin had disappeared below
the ground, everyone began to disperse. I found Charli standing by
her car with Rochelle.

“
Hey, Nathan,” waved
Rochelle.

“
Hey, Rochelle. How
are you?”

“
Fine, thanks. Can’t
say the same for Charli here.”

“
Why?” My gaze found
Charli, but she turned her head and crossed her arms. “Charli?
What’s going on?”

She ignored me for a moment then ripped
her sunglasses off her face and turned on me. Mascara tracks
painted her cheeks and her fists were clenched.

“
Why do you care so
much, huh? Why won’t you leave me alone? I told you I don’t need
protecting, but you’re always there. I don’t need you,
Nathan.”

“
Your parents hired me
because they care about you. They love you and I… I love you, too.
I’m here because I love you, too, Charli.”

“
You can’t love me!
I’m damaged goods! I’m un-datable! I’m defective!” With each word,
she pounded her fists into my chest harder and harder until she
finally caved and only crying remained. I took her arms. She tried
resisting, but I was immune. I pulled her close and wrapped my arms
around her, kissing her head.

“
I don’t care if
you’re those things. To me, you’re perfect.”

She pulled back from
me, wiping her face and then looked down at her feet. “I have to
go.”

“
Go? Go
where?”

She didn’t say a word. Susan said the
words her daughter couldn’t.

“
She’s going away,
Nathan.”

“
Away? Away,
where?”

“
Thank you for you
help, Nathan. I truly appreciate everything you’ve done for our
family.” She placed a hand on her daughter’s back and led her
towards the car.

“
Wait, Susan. Charli?
Tell me where you’re going! Tell me what’s going on!”

“
Charlotte needs help,
Nathan. It’s time to let her go. You’ve done enough.” Charli got in
the car without a last glance and Susan shut the door behind her.
When the car began to pull away, I began running after
it.

“
Charli! Charli, I’ll
never let you go! I’ll never give up on you!”

My words were in vain
though. I stopped running at the gate to the cemetery, and I
watched the town car disappear into traffic.

I knew from that moment I wouldn’t let
that be the last time I ever saw her. It was my solemn vow.

Chapter
Thirty-Seven

Charli

The Nut
House
, as it was known, was
just as I remembered. The kids in school used to say it was
haunted. It was not untrue.

The wardens, four in total, took me
from my mother and friend, leaving them behind a locked fire door.
I knew my mother had only committed me here because she couldn’t
stand to look at the reminder of what her husband had done.

The four wardens led me to my room and
one of the female ones changed me in into a backless hospital gown
like the one I had worn the first time I was here. I let her. I was
numb anyway. I couldn’t move. I let the pain overwhelm me until I
was an empty shell.

That night after lights out, I ran into
the bathroom and wasn’t surprised there was no mirror there. They
knew what I was like. They knew what I had done, my habits. What
they didn’t understand was my need, my craving to take the pain
away.

You see, this is the
real reason I was deemed ‘un-datable’. It’s not because I am the
daughter of two of the most significant lawyers in the state, but
because I was born tortured. I was born cursed.

Disappointed and
depressed, I climbed back into bed and closed my eyes. That was the
night my nightmares returned.

It was dark when I opened my eyes,
completely dark. The only glimmer of light was the moon, and that
was partially concealed behind a cloud. I glanced over at the clock
on my bedside table. It was 2:45am.

I sat up in bed,
wiping my sweaty forehead. I usually overheated at night lying
under the covers. So I preferred to sleep in summer pyjamas all
year round. But that was not the reason I had woken up sweating. I
felt a presence, as if someone were watching me. I shuddered and
laid back down quickly, pulling the covers over my head. Geez, this
place freaked me out. I listened, lying there still and stiff as a
corpse. When I was satisfied no one was around, I closed my eyes
and lowered the blankets.

That was when the hand covered my
mouth.

Nathan

It was a hunch. I
didn’t get them often, but tonight my hunch was particularly
demanding. I threw the covers off and glanced at my clock. It was
almost three in the morning. I groaned. I don’t even get up this
early for training. Even though I was now on leave from the federal
police, I still liked to train and keep fit. My hunch was pretty
persistent this morning, making me think of Charli. My stomach
flipped at the mere thought of her. I wasn’t
supposed to be thinking of her. I had been told
to forget, but I would never forget. I threw on my running shoes,
grabbed a jacket and my car keys, and headed out, hoping my hunch
was right.

I arrived at the rehab clinic around
twenty minutes later. Turning off my engine, I quietly made my way
to the front gate. But my hunch made me turn left and head around
to the side of the building for some reason.

“
You’d better be
right,” I said to it. Oh God! Maybe I should be in the nut house
with Charli.

It had been a week
since Charli had been admitted to the clinic, and I had already
made it my job to know exactly which room was Charli’s. As I crept
up alongside her window, I heard screaming. Oh, God. Charli was
screaming! I looked around quickly for a brick and found one near
the chain link fence surrounding the complex. Screw security. I
took off my hoodie, wrapped the brick inside, and threw it against
the window. The glass broke, but it was reinforced with a wire cage
on the other side. I ran back to my car, grabbed the wire cutters I
knew I had in the boot, and ran back. Charli was still screaming,
and calling out to me.

“
Charli! Charli, I’m
coming.” I cut the wire cage, leaving a hole large enough for me to
fit through and dropped the cutters to the ground. Climbing up onto
the windowsill, I made my way through the gap and landed
hands-first on the other side. I jumped to my feet, hands at the
ready and glanced around for the danger. I no longer possessed a
gun, but I was pretty well trained in Jujitsu.

“
Charli?”

“
Nathan?” She asked,
sobbing. “Is that you, Nathan?”

“
Yeah. It’s
me.”

“
He’s here, Nathan!
He’s back!”

“
Ssh, it’s okay. Who’s
back? Who did you see?” I ran over to her and wrapped her in my
arms, stroking her hair.

“
Fr… Frankie,” she
managed in between sobs.

“
Hey, listen. Frankie…
Levi, is dead. He can’t hurt you anymore. Okay?”

“
But I saw him. He had
me… he was holding me…” sobs wracked her body until they took over
her words. I held her close, rocking her back and forth, whispering
soothing words to her.

“
No one will ever be
able to hurt you again. Okay? I swear it.”

Epilogue

Six months
later

Charli

“
Charli, would you
like to share with the class how you’re feeling?”

I looked up from my
journal, smiled, and shut the cover. “Sure.” I glanced over at
Nathan, who sat beside me, and he gave me a reassuring nod and
squeezed my hand. That simple gesture gave me all the confidence I
needed in the world.

“
It has been six
months since I was discharged from the rehab clinic and almost
seven since Frankie… I mean, Levi, stole my life. I still have
nightmares about him holding me down and…” I swallowed hard, trying
to keep the tears and memories at bay. “But coming to these
classes, and keeping my journal, has really helped me.” I looked
around at the eight other souls in the room and found them all
watching me eagerly. I continued. “But that hasn’t been my only
saviour. If it weren’t for my parents hiring Nathan,” I looked to
Nathan now, and he smiled back at me, “I don’t know where I would
be. He saved me. He changed my life from the moment he bumped into
me outside my dorm. I’ll be forever indebted to him.”

My class applauded me, but I was still
focused on Nathan. I almost laughed when I saw tears forming in his
eyes. I leaned forward and kissed him.

“
Very good, Charli.
Well done. Is there any other news you’d like to share?” My doctor
asked.

Nathan glanced from my doctor to me.
“Do you want to tell them or shall I?”

“
I will.” Still
holding onto Nathan’s hand, I turned and faced my class again.
“Well, the good news is… Nathan and I are engaged. We’re getting
married next month.” I heard a few gasps and aww’s. I let the news
sink in, then I added, “And we’re also expecting our first
baby.”

In that moment, I
knew my life had changed for the better this time. I was no longer
damaged. I was no longer tortured, and my heart knew exactly where
it wanted to be.

ABOUT THE
AUTHOR

L.L. Hunter is an
Australian author who began writing when she was fifteen or
sixteen, originally song lyrics, but then moved onto fanfiction
when she was nineteen, having published over 20 stories online- One
of which was nominated for an award. She has also written, directed
and starred in two original plays entitled, “No Frills Airlines:
Flight 123,” and the sequel, “No frills Airlines: Come Fly with
Us.” The latter of which was a musical.

She has studied
everything from veterinary nursing, forensic science and dramatic
arts but has always known her true calling to be
writing.

Her hobbies include
writing her books, reading, singing, acting, directing, watching
movies, 50’s fashion and playing with her animals. When she is not
writing she can be found reading somewhere comfortable with one or
both of her ‘furbabies’.

You can connect with
L.L. Hunter on Twitter, (@llhunterbooks) Facebook, Goodreads or her
blog llhunter.blogspot.com.au.