Chapter 45
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
CHARLIE
When I reached my parents’ property, the gates were closed.
“We can’t let you through,” the guard said. “You’re not on the guest list.”
After throwing the car into park, I leaped out and socked him so hard in the jaw that he collapsed onto the ground.
With one arm protecting his face, he grunted and tried to stand, using his other.
I grabbed him by the collar, lifted him a few inches into the air, and punched him until his body went limp.
Once he dropped to the ground, I jogged to the security booth, pushed the button to open the gates, and hopped back into my car. I swore to fucking God that I’d torture them—no, kill them—if they’d touched Athena.
If one fucking hair on her head was yanked out, I’d lose it.
I pressed my foot all the way down and sped up the driveway. Cars were lined up almost toward the bottom. I sped past everyone and peered into the rearview mirror to see Heather and the other girls behind me, almost as pissed as I was.
When I reached the front entrance, where there was even more security, I hopped out of my car and shoved past them as best as I could. Heather hollered behind me, and a few women screamed, which could only mean that Heather probably had a weapon.
I didn’t know—or care—what it was, as long as we got Athena out of here now.
Music thumped through the house, and when I entered, everything was so dark. The overwhelming scent of perfume, cologne, and alcohol drifted through my nose. People were kissing and getting off on each other.
If I had known this was a sex party, I would’ve never come.
If I had known my parents were into this, I would’ve cut contact years ago.
If I had thought Athie would be in this much danger, I would’ve never left her side.
But I knew better now. I fucking knew better.
Scanning the crowd, I spotted the one area in the center that was brightly lit so the entire room could see. A metal cage big enough to fit multiple people inside. A metal cage that housed Athena and Derek.
Athena sat on her hands and knees in the cage, completely naked. Her gaze was cast on the ground, her face scrunched up, and her smaller hands were balled into fists. Derek knelt behind her, with his shit-eating grin.
As if she knew exactly where I was, she snapped her gaze up and locked on to mine.
Rage took over my entire body. I shoved my relatives out of the way, pushed billionaires that my father worked with to the ground, elbowed their wives so they’d move because I needed to save her.
Derek hadn’t shoved himself into her yet, though he might have already scarred her.
My legs moved faster than I’d thought possible. Just as Derek slid into Athena and she let out a piercing cry that would haunt me for the rest of eternity, I snapped open the cage door, grabbed him by the neck, and yanked him out.
I slammed him down onto the ground and hurled fists into his face, my entire body trembling with rage and adrenaline. Fist after fist after fist. My vision and memories blacked out. But I kept raining fists, colliding with his face every time.
Before I could land another punch, someone swung a large and thick wooden beam.
“Go get your girl,” Heather said to me, slamming the wood into Derek’s face again and breaking his nose. “Nobody touches Athena!”
My hands were covered in blood, and I stood up and shuffled back to make sure that Derek wasn’t getting back up. When he flinched on the ground, I raced back to Athie, who was curled up in the corner of the cage, weeping silently.
How could I have let this happen? Why hadn’t I called her a few minutes earlier? I should’ve done something. Anything.
Pain squeezed at my chest. I scooped her up into my arms and pulled her to my chest.
For the rest of my life, I wouldn’t let myself live this down. My job as Athena’s husband was to protect her, and I couldn’t even do that. I should’ve put my foot down when my father asked me to come to the party. I should’ve killed Derek that night so many weeks ago.
This was my fault. All my fault.
But at least Athena was safe now.