36. Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Hunter
When I walked in the door from work, Charli was already feeding Carina her dinner. From the lack of aroma in the air, it was obvious she hadn’t cooked. I couldn’t really blame her after what happened last night.
I set my briefcase on the kitchen island and kissed Carina on the head. “Hello, princess. Did you have a good day with Charli?”
Carina reached for my face and patted my cheeks. I never thought such a little gesture would mean so much, but warmth spread through my chest at the feeling of her chubby hands on my skin.
“And how was your day?” I asked Charli.
The look on her face told me her pisstivity level hadn’t subsided any. She crossed her arms and scowled at me. “Did you get Ben fired?”
I’d seen her text but conveniently ignored it all day. I leaned against the counter and crossed my ankles. “He wasn’t good enough for you.”
She stomped her foot like a child. “That wasn’t your decision to make. Getting him fired was selfish. I know you have beaucoup bucks, but for us normal people a job is everything. You can’t mess with someone’s livelihood like that. Not to mention he’s a good guy. Acting like a jealous prick makes you an even bigger asshole.”
As fierce as she tried to be, I found her rant amusing. “You about done?”
“Not even close.” She poked me in the chest. “I may work for you, but you don’t get to control my life. You crossed a line. A big one!”
“I’m not going to apologize for looking out for your best interest.”
“MY best interest? You’ve got to be kidding me!”
“Yes, your best interest. What did you even know about him? Did you know he had a sexual assault charge against him last year?” Her jaw dropped. “So, yes, although you might not approve, it was in your best interest. You’re welcome.” When I found out that little nugget of information, I had zero guilt about my actions.
“But… but… he… shit.” Her shoulders sagged. She couldn’t come up with a single retort. “He seemed so nice. How could my radar have been so off?”
“Because that’s what sexual predators do. They come off as nice guys and lure you into feeling safe. Ever heard of Ted Bundy? Perfect example.”
“That’s a bit extreme. Ben isn’t a murderer,” Charli said, rolling her eyes.
“I wasn’t willing to take that chance with you.”
She crossed her arms tighter and doubled down on her anger, not willing to concede. “I’m still mad at you. I know we’re just fucking , as you so eloquently put it, but you acted like a total ass face last night. It was completely rude and uncalled for.”
I chuckled. “So I’ve graduated from jerk face to ass face?”
“Like I said before, if the face fits.”
Even mad, she was adorable. I held out my arms to her and she reluctantly walked into them. I held her tight and rested my chin on her head. “I’m sorry about last night. You’re right, it was rude and uncalled for. I’m not good at relationships of any kind, so I freaked out. I’m sorry. It’s more than just fucking .”
She looked up at me with her big blue eyes. “I don’t want to fight with you.”
“I don’t want to fight with you either. I really am sorry. Can you forgive me?” Charli was the one good thing in my life besides Carina. I didn’t know where it would go, but I wanted to find out.
“You’re forgiven. For now. Pull that shit again and it’ll be a different story.”
“Understood.”
“Are you hungry? I can heat up some of last night’s meatloaf for you.” She moved to the fridge and began pulling containers out. “Also, I need to go to the training facility tonight. I can take Carina with me if you can’t watch her.
I took the containers from her hands and set them on the counter. “You don’t need to go to the training center tonight.”
She began to puff up again. “Yes, Hunter, I do. It’s bad enough that the gym was closed today, and I didn’t get to work out, but I’ve got to get more practice in. This isn’t negotiable.”
I picked up Carina from her high chair and walked to the door. “Come on. I want to show you something.”
Charli squinted her eyes at me. “What are you up to?”
“Come on.” I motioned with my head for her to follow. “For once, be a good girl and do as you’re told.”
“You’re not the boss of me.” She scowled but followed anyway.
Putting my hand on the small of her back, I led her to the elevator. “Technically, I am.”
When the doors opened, she stepped inside. “Professionally, not personally.”
I smirked at her and hit the button for the athletic center. “We’ll see.”
The whole way down, Charli eyed me suspiciously. I could practically see the gears turning in her head as she tried to figure out what was going on.
Once the doors opened, I led us to the gym and handed Carina to Charli. “Close your eyes.”
“Why? ”
“For fuck’s sake, woman, close your eyes, or I’ll have to blindfold you with my tie.”
“Kinky, but not in front of the baby,” she said with a huge grin.
I lifted her chin. “That sassy mouth of yours is going to be the death of me. Now close them.” When her eyes were firmly shut, I opened the door and guided her inside. “Keep them closed.”
“I am.” She laughed.
I turned on the lights and took Carina from her arms. “Okay, you can open your eyes.”
The look on her face was worth every penny I spent and every string I pulled to make this happen. “Oh, my god! What is this?” Her hands came up to cover her face and a single tear ran down her cheek.
“What does it look like?”
She tentatively walked toward the equipment hanging from the ceiling and ran her fingers through the long silks. “It looks like a dream.” Charli pulled herself into the hanging hoop and sat on the edge, causing it to spin without any effort at all.
“It’s your own personal training center.” I kicked the thick industrial mat beneath the equipment. “Complete with safety precautions, god forbid you need them. And when you’re done for the day, everything ties up off to the side.” I pointed to the rope that would pull the equipment out of the way for the other tenants.
“You did all this for me? Why? It’s too much.” She wiped at the tears that kept falling down her cheek.
“See that’s the thing. It’s not too much. You have no idea how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for us.” I held up Carina’s hand. “You’ve made our lives so much better. You deserve the world, but for now, you’ll have to settle for this. I care about you, Charli, and I want you to chase your dreams.”
She flew off the ring and launched herself at Carina and me, wrapping us in her arms. “I love it so much. I don’t know how to thank you.”
“You can thank me by showing me what you do. I want to see you in action.”
She nodded her head furiously. “I’m so excited.”
“Do your thing, dollface.”
Charli kicked off her shoes and grabbed hold of the silks to pull herself up, hooking her feet into the fabric and effortlessly ascending. With every twist and twirl, she defied gravity in her show of strength and elegance. She wrapped herself in the silks, the fabric clinging to her like a second skin, accentuating every curve and muscle. I was hypnotized as she spun and stretched her body, with only the support of some flimsy material to hold her weight when she let go.
Nothing had ever been so beautiful as watching Charli in her element—the sheer joy and determination painted across her face.
Every maneuver spellbound me.
Amazed me.
Tantalized me.
Made me fucking hard.
Then a rush of adrenaline raced through my veins as she recklessly unraveled, falling toward the floor at an astonishing rate. My heart stuck in my throat, and I only caught my breath when she dangled from the fabric by her ankles. Damn near put me into cardiac arrest.
The woman was as crazy as they came.
Bold.
Fierce.
Fearless.
This was her passion, and I knew when it was time for her to leave, I had to let her go.
I wouldn’t be the one to hold her back.
For the first time in my life, I would be selfless instead of selfish.
I just wasn’t ready for her to go yet.