Chapter Twenty Two - Part One

Charlie

The pitch black room doesn’t make my escape any easier. After prying Maxwell’s arm off me, I slip out of bed in search for the door. I contemplate opening the curtains, allowing me to see where the exit is without bumping into furniture, but I decide it would be best to have Maxwell continue sleeping. So, with my eyes open as wide as possible, which is useless, and my arms outstretched before me to guide the way, I start the treacherous walk.

I hold my breath with each tiptoe across the floor. The fact that I probably look like Frankenstein crosses my mind. The rattling of something on top of what I believe to be the dresser echoes throughout the room as I walk face first into it. The point of my hands protecting me from that very outcome proves worthless as I underestimate the fact that my brain doesn’t register objects until it’s too late. My body goes rigid until the rattling object becomes silent again. Wishful thinking of if Maxwell does wake up he won’t be able to see me…another pointless thought.

“Charlie, what are you doing exactly?” Humor fills his voice.

“Nothing.” I don’t know what else to say besides the fact that I’ve been caught.

“It’s quite amusing to watch, but I figure I’ll save you some time or pain and let you know that you are nowhere near the door.”

What? Not even near the door? All I have to do is round the bed and take a few steps forward. A huff of annoyance puffs out between my lips. How in the hell am I going to get out of this room when I can’t see a thing? I would flip the light switch, but that’s by the door and if I were by the door I wouldn’t need the light switch to begin with. To be honest, I could open the window to wipe that smirk off Maxwell’s face that I know is present without visually seeing it, but I’m not even sure I can find the window.

“Do you wish for me to help you? If you don’t want my help, I’ll warn you that there’s one more piece of furniture you are most likely going to run into.”

I hang my head in defeat. “Can you help me?” I mumble

.

“I’m sorry, what? I didn’t quite hear you, can you say it again?”

I raise my head to stare at him. Well, I think I’m staring at him. “Can you help me.” I don’t say it as a question. It isn’t a question so to say, as agreeing to a last resort and I know well that he heard me the first time.

Before I can finish exhaling my anger from him mocking me, I feel the iciness that always accompanies him surround me. His hand clamps down on my forearm. “I thought you have super hearing to go along with your super human speed.”

“I do,” he says overly confident.

“Then why did you make me repeat myself?”

“I just wanted to hear you say it again. Don’t roll your eyes at me. It’s not every day that I hear the great independent Charlie ask for my help.”

I forgot he can see me. “You’re dressed, right?” The chill from his body is extra strong, making me second guess the amount of clothing he’s wearing.

“I have some articles on. I was sleeping right next to you before you slipped out of my grasp. You didn’t notice if I was wearing clothes or not?”

“Well, there was a blanket in between us since I probably started to show signs of hypothermia.” I laugh in his face with over exaggerated expressions. He finally starts to lead me out of the room.

The rest of the suite is lighter than the bedroom, although everything is still shrouded by darkness. I can at least make out objects and my own extremities. Therefore, I look from Maxwell’s hand to his face, back to his hand again. “You can let go now.”

“Where are you going?”

As far away from you and your half-naked glory is what I want to say, but I decide against it due to him probably getting the wrong idea. “To work. Well, home to change, then to work.” As if it were any of his business.

“Are you going to the hospital?”

“Of course.”

“Promise me you’ll leave work and be inside the hospital before the sun sets.” I can’t ignore the concern in his voice or the somber look on his face.

“The sun is high in the sky. I’m fine.”

“Promise me.” The seriousness he portrays straightens my spine.

“Yea, yea, I promise.” I’m sure the grumpiness in my voice shows on my face.

“I mean it, Charlie.”

“I said I promise, Maxwell. What else do you want me to say…yes, Father, or better yet, yes, master.” I bow to him like a well-mannered slave.

Roughly he grabs me by my elbow, bringing me upright to face him. I wince with pain, but regret it instantly. I slap his chest with my free hand as I bellow. “Ow, that hurts.”

“I know you would rather die than be with me, but you don’t understand how close that is to becoming true. When that sun is close to setting you need to be in a well populated area. We’ll discuss further arrangements later tonight. I’ll meet you at the hospital.”

He still has a grip on my arm and he doesn’t seem to be letting up. “Can I go now?”

“Remember, Charlie,” he says as he lets me go.

“And where did you park my car? So I’m not wandering the streets looking for it.”

“Your car is in the parking ramp across the street. First level, right side, four cars inward.”

Quite precise, isn’t he. I make a dash for the door and just as I expected, I’m stopped.

“Maybe a kiss for good measure before you go.”

A laugh finds its way out of my pursed lips. “Good measure? What’s that supposed to mean exactly?”

“For you taking my words seriously. A thank you for protecting you.” He’s completely serious as he expects me to agree with him.

“You’re serious…you can’t be serious…right? You must be confused or something, because I wouldn’t need protecting if it wasn’t for you. So you and your good intentions can go fly a kite.” I rip away from him and begin to pace the floor.

I mutter to myself. My hands shake wildly in the air due to my rising anger. “I can’t believe him…I-I just can’t believe that man. Mr. Tall Dark and Heartless wants a kiss as if he deserves one. Juliet’s sitting in the hospital not because of me,” I say aloud as if I were the only one in the room.

“I’m right here, Charlie.” I can only imagine how annoyed he is at my talking to myself.

“Shut up,” I bark at him as I stop to point my finger in his face. My eyes drift to the table that’s beside the door, which is a few feet behind Maxwell. “Where are my keys?”

He begins to dig in his pocket to withdraw my keys. Dangling them in the air above my head, he smiles at me. I can hear his mouth spread apart. The sound makes me furious. With my anger taking over every cell in my body, I tackle him, jumping up, trying to catch the clanging metal keys he taunts inches away from my outstretched hand. His laugh only makes me angrier.

A flood of curse words spew out of my mouth as I grow tired of his game. I drop my head in defeat and take a deep breath to before I give him a small kiss on his cheek.

“Not good enough.”

“What?”

He grabs ahold of my waist and tightly hugs me before his mouth is upon mine. I want to pull away so badly, but at the same time, I can’t find it in me to break away from him. My arms stay at my sides stick straight with my hands balling into fists from his grabby hands, but my willpower doesn’t last long as the urge to bury my fingers in his hair grows stronger, to drag my nails down his back.

And then I’m moving without thinking. Acting without regret.

One hand tugs at his hair, while my other hand slides over his sculpted chest. In all truth, no matter how many times I say my snide comments, I don’t feel at ease without him. As he squeezes his arm tightly around me, he lifts me off the ground and quickly stands me back on my feet. Thankfully, he breaks the kiss. I stand mesmerized with my eyes still closed.

I clear my throat, physically shaking myself. My hand jolts out, palm up in anticipation of my keys. Maxwell refuses to hand them over. “Keys…now,” I demand.

“Say please.” His fangs dig into his lower lip as he smiles taunting me yet again by jingling my keys above my head.

He’s still pushing it. He got what he wanted and now that doesn’t seem to be sufficient enough. “Keys. Please,” I say through gritted teeth. With the cool metal of the keys in my hand, I immediately leave.

In a rush, I make my way to the parking ramp. Sure enough, right side, four cars up there’s my car. The drive to my office is comforting. The space away from Maxwell lets me think instead of feel. Once I arrive I see Morgan's car out front. Late. I’m late.

“Charlie, I thought you would be at the hospital,” Morgan says as soon as I enter through the door.

“Well, I would still be there if you wouldn’t have notified Maxwell.” I stare at her not even ten seconds before her eyes drop. “It’s for the best. I’m going to try to catch up on some work.”

Truth is that even though there are several things to do, I can’t seem to concentrate on any of it. Strands of my hair fly as I flip through pieces of paper, trying to settle on one task at a time. It seems as if only an hour or two at most goes by, but with a quick glance at the clock, I freeze up. “Crap.”

Gathering my belongings as fast as possible, I sprint out the door, yelling to Morgan on my way out. “Got to be at the hospital. See you later.”

Shit…shit…shit, I grumble to myself. There’s no way I’m going to be inside the hospital by sundown. The drive from my office to the hospital is fifteen minutes away and the sun is almost completely set. I can’t even think of the lecture Maxwell is bound to give me, but more importantly its the disappointment that’s going to be on face.