Chapter 56 Shared pain
It has been two days since Charlotte left; I watched Charlotte through the screen of my laptop.
She was drinking at a club while my soldiers surrounded her.
I could understand how much pain she felt because of me and it hurt terribly; I would rip anybody who hurt her to pieces, but now I'm the one who hurt her.
Worse, I couldn't go to her; she needed her space.
How ironic, she was so close and yet still so far.
“Has my wife eaten today?” I asked Marcus through his earpiece.
“No, boss,” Marcus responded.
I clenched my fists. “Make sure she eats before she goes to bed tonight.”
“Yes, boss,”
Just then, a man in a black suit moved to the seat next to her, he placed his arm around her shoulders and whispered something in her ear.
She chuckled at what he said.
Who was that? Why was he with her? I hated that I wasn't there.
She suddenly stood up and walked towards Marcus; well… she staggered as she was too drunk to stand straight, “Marcus?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Turn off your phone,”
I straightened my posture, my gaze fixed intently at the laptop; she didn't even bother to take a glance at me.
“Ma'am, the boss is on the….”
“Turn off your phone or send you home,” she threatened.
“Boss?” He said; he was stuck between her orders and mine, unsure of which to obey.
“Don't turn it off, I want to see her.”
“Turn it off now,” she pressed.
Marcus didn't move; he froze, puzzled, until Charlotte grabbed it and hung up herself. I didn't waste time; I quickly grabbed my car keys and marched out of the hotel room. I only had on flip flops, I was sure not feet didn't match but I didn't care, I went into my car and drove off speedingly.
As soon as I arrived at the club, I marched in instantly and my gaze caught Charlotte at the end of the bar. I could now see her white dress better now; it hugged her body, accentuating her curves. The man I had seen in the video was still sitting next to her, his arm around her neck, smiling sheepishly.
I marched to them; Charlotte's eyes widened as she saw me.
I wrapped my hand around the man's shirt and landed a punch on his cheeks. She looked at me in shock, but I didn't care; I landed another and tossed him to the ground.
“¡Damein! Stop!,” Charlotte shouted.
The man grew pissed and rushed to his feet as he charged towards me, but the sounds of guns cocking halted him. He looked around, all of my soldiers aiming guns at me.
“You are Mafia?” he asked in Russian. His eyes wide in shock.
I moved closer to him, “If I ever see you anywhere near my wife, I swear I'll rip your head off,” I threatened, my voice low and dangerous.
“That is your wife?”
“Do you see a ring on her finger?” I inquired.
His gaze moved to Charlotte and then back to me. “Yes,”
“Then yes, that is my wife,”
The man took a step back, turned, and marched out of the place in haste.
Satisfied, I turned back to look at Charlotte, she looked away instantly, I wanted to talk to her, hug her, kiss her, tell her I missed her, but she needed her space so instead I turned around and began to walk away, my heart heavy.
As I walked to my car, the loud clicking of heels chasing after me caught my attention; I turned around to see Charlotte.
“Hey,” I quickly moved camper to her, but a stinging slap met my face. “Baby,” I wrapped my hands around her waist, but another slap met me, her face twisted with anger.
“You were just going to leave?” she shouted, her eyes blazing red with anger.
Just then my soldiers began to walk out of the club; they stood a few steps away from us with their heads bowed.
“I thought you needed space,” I said, my hand still tightly gripping her waist.
“You hurt me,” she cried.
I instantly dropped to my knees and bowed my head, “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that, IT won't happen again, I swear on my life.” I looked up at her; a drop of sweat fell from her and landed on mine. I didn't wipe it off; if I could feel her pain in her place, I would.
She knelt before me, “I watched you get shot.”
I immediately cupped her face in my hands, “I know.”
“I thought I lost you,” she choked.
“I know baby I'm sorry,” I apologized.
She wrapped her hands around my neck and squeezed me, “I love you.”
“You have every bit of my heart,” I responded, “You are my life, Charlotte; I didn't mean to hurt you.”
She sobbed in my arms for a few seconds before I finally led her to the car. The soldiers all went back in a different car. The car ride home was silent; she slept off, her head against the window.
I reached for her hand and grabbed it; I hurt her heart and made mine bleed in the process. I couldn't imagine watching her get shot and thinking she was dead for two weeks, but I made her suffer that.
I reached for her hand and grabbed it tight, my other hand on the wheel.
“I'm still pissed at you.” Her voice was soft.
“I'm sorry I woke you up, darling,” I squeezed her hand tightly.
She slipped her hand away from mine and pushed it away, “I would rather not be touched right now.”
The pain in her voice almost killed me. “Of course, I understand.”
As we walked past the hotel reception, she suddenly stood. I placed my hand on her back since she was unsteady on her feet. “I want a different bedroom.”
I shook my head, “No.”
“I don't want to see you right now, or sleep next to you,” she raked her fingers through her hair as she spoke.
I pressed my chest against her back and adjusted her purse on my shoulder. “I'll sleep on the floor, you sleep on the bed; I want to watch you tonight.”
Her head flung back, she was barely standing on her own, “Ask Marcus to do it.”
I gripped her hands tightly, “Marcus? I'm your husband, Charlotte, not him.”
“He didn't let me watch him get shot, you did.”
As slumped and I immediately caught her before she hit the ground, I lifted her up in my arms and led her to our bedroom.
As I placed her on the bed, she shut her eyes. I put my purse on the bed and knelt beside her.
“I'm sorry, Charlotte,”
“I had a panic attack when you got shot,” she muttered.
My heart dropped. “I'm sorry,” I brushed her hair with my fingers.
“When you hit the ground…,” tears streamed down the sides of her face, “I imagined life without you and….,”
I pressed my forehead against hers, “I'm sorry.”