I Hear You, Charlotte (Ties That Bind #2)

Chapter 1

August 2006

Zach

Leaning down, I place the plate filled with lava pockets on the table to cool. You ain’t catching me slipping again with those fuckers. They feel cool enough to eat, but pop one in your mouth, and it explodes in pepperoni-speckled napalm. The resulting burn makes you want to rip off your own tongue.

Falling back on the couch, I firmly grasp my video game controller. The familiar mold of the plastic settles in my bones like a long-lost friend.

As I flip through the bevy of weapons at my disposal for my next match, my mind drifts to the short, sassy blonde who crept into my life. The beautifully broken shadow searching for its missing light.

The TV flashes with game still shots as it loads. A soldier covered in blood, poised to shoot, coiled tight like a snake preparing to strike its prey. Always ready to take down its adversary at a moment’s notice.

Laying my head against the back of the couch, my eyes flutter shut as a memory surges forward of the shattered enchantress who smashed her way into my chest and claimed my heart as her own. Jesus Christ, I sound like such a pussy.

Her gorgeous, long, blonde hair is splayed out on the black satin of the pillowcase. Flowing in soft wisps across her skin as she turns her head slightly to the side to allow my lips to graze along her flesh at my leisure .

Kiss-swollen lips quirk up into a heart-stopping smile, a smile just for me. Her tantalizing tongue snakes out to wet her full bottom lip before sinking her teeth into it as her hands map my body like her favorite route. Making their way down to my waist, where my dick takes it as a call to action and perks up at the barest of touches.

“Uh-uh, Little Bit,” I whisper in her ear, loving the shiver that overtakes her body. I grab both of her wrists and bring them above her head, firmly holding them in place so I can continue my mouthly exploration.

Her little moans and whimpers have me harder than Stone Mountain obsidian. For fuck’s sake, I can’t help the groan that leaves my throat.

“Please, Zach. I need you, please.” She begs in a breathy murmur.

I like to think I’m a generous man when it comes to pleasing a woman. Through my experiences, I’ve found that if you can bring her to the edge over and over, not only will she beg for it, but in the end, it’s a goddamn explosive, blissful experience that shatters around us like orgasmic raindrops.

I bite down on her shoulder, reveling in the tightening of her muscles at the pain, knowing she loves it. “Mmm, say my name again.”

My tongue darts out along the mark I just made, down to her collarbone, and I give it a hard suck.

She inhales sharply, “Zach.” Her eyes fly open to search mine. I give her a smirk and tighten my grip on her wrists when she begins to struggle.

I press my nose against the middle of her bare chest and slowly drag downward. My voice is raspy and deep, “I can smell how much you want me, Little Bit.”

Her thighs press tightly together, searching for the friction that her jeans are failing to give her.

I chuckle and move both of her wrists into one of my hands. My free hand traces a feather-light trail down her body until I reach the waistband of her pants.

“You want me to make you feel good? Hm?”

She nods, still clenching her thighs tightly against one another.

“You gonna come on my fingers like a good girl?” I swirl my forefinger against her bare navel, making a painfully slow descent to just underneath the button of her jeans.

She makes a greater–yet unsuccessful– attempt at getting her hands loose. I love it when she starts to lose control.“Yes. Fuck. Yes, I want your fingers inside me now.” She breathes out in a heavy pant.

I tsk at her needy form, “Patience, darlin’. I’m gonna play that pussy like a fuckin’ fiddle. Then you’re gonna sit on my face and let me claim all that sweet honey drippin’ just for me,” I cup her pussy over her pants and press my mouth against her ear, “Because this is fuckin’ mine, Little Bit.” I slide two fingers along her slit, feeling her warmth through the material. I press harder, “Say it.” I command, “Tell me who this belongs to.”

It’s fucking mine. We both know it. I need to hear that mouth admit it. Own it. Own me.

I lick the shell of her ear, moving my fingers softly over her clit. “Say it, baby. Tell me who owns it.” Who owns you?

My heart nearly shatters when her soft, melodic, enraptured voice sounds out, “It’s yours, Zach. It’s yours,” her eyes lock onto mine, and I know without a doubt I’m a fucking goner for this girl. “I’m yours.”

“Shug!” My mama’s booming voice shocks me back to the present.

With a jerk, I turn my body towards her. She’s standing in the kitchen behind me, her hand covering her mouth and her brows furrowed in concern.

I set the controller on the coffee table and entered the kitchen.“Mama? What’s wrong?”

She’s shaking her head but hasn’t looked away from the small TV on the counter. I put my hand on her shoulder, “Mama, are you okay? What’s goin’ on?”

She finally looks over at me, her eyes glassy, and waves a hand at the TV. “Have you seen this?” she asks.

My hand falls back to my side as I look at the screen; the scene is unfamiliar. I look back at Mama, confused. “What is this?”

Before she can answer, the news caster’s voice fills the air.

“… Michael Cochran with Channel Six News at Six. Thank you for joining us tonight. We have some breaking local news. Late last night RVPD, along with the assistance of Federal Law Enforcement Officers, raided a highly sought-after drug den in River View. We have our own Sandra Techmeyer on the scene to give us the latest. Sandra, can you let us know what occurred and what the residents of River View can expect moving forward?”

“Yes, Michael, I have contacted some local LEOs about tonight’s incident. They can’t divulge much as it is an ongoing investigation, but we have learned that this was part of a sting operation that has been in the works for months.

The source I spoke with assured me they wanted to impact the neighborhood as little as possible and take down the suspect without incident.

Unfortunately, there may be a fatality in tonight’s events. We are still waiting for more information, but we have gathered so far that there were only two people in the house. Which you can see behind me is now riddled with chaos and caution tape.

Gunshots could be heard from all around. Ultimately the suspect, who has been identified as twenty-six-year-old Caleb ‘Priest’ Kirkpatrick, was apprehended and will be treated for a single gunshot wound to his right arm.

The other occupant was eighteen-year-old Charlotte Johnson. Her involvement remains unknown. Charlotte was found unresponsive in the home and had life-saving measures performed on her before being life-flighted to River View Harbor Hospital. Her condition is currently unknown.

Tune in to the eleven-o-clock broadcast for any possible updates on this story. Thank you for watching Channel Six News at Six. Back to you, Michael.”

My heart thuds against my chest at a galloping pace as if roaming Cumberland Island with a herd of wild horses.

I gape at the small screen, silently begging for an explanation. A hand wraps around my elbow. “Sweetheart. Is that girl…” She brings her other hand under my chin, closing the gap and gently turning my face to look at her. “Is that the girl you’ve been seein’?”

I see her lips moving, but the words ain’t making sense. They may as well be floating above us in a jumbled mess, plucked down in random order before me.

When I don’t respond, she gives my arm a little shake. “Honey, are you okay? Isn’t the girl you been seein’ named Charlotte Johnson? It is a fairly common name I suppose, but this is a small town so I can’t imagine there are several eighteen-year-old girls with the same name. When have yo—”

Almost as if a lightning bolt struck down and jolted me out of my headspace’s muddled mess, I jerk back and stare at her wild-eyed. N o. “Mama, stop! Wha—” I thrust my hands into my hair and pull hard, looking around the room like the answers will pop out of the corners of the space.

Fucking what ?!

I must’ve heard wrong. Charlotte? Drug den? Gunshots? Fatality? My Charlotte– My Little Bit? This can’t be right.

My hands fall, and I force my gaze on Mama. “It can’t be her.” My voice sounds foreign even to my own ears; childlike, unsteady, and small. My shoulders sag, and I feel the onslaught of tears begging to be released, “Mama, please, tell me it ain’t her.”

I fall to my knees, my face buried in my hands, as the first tears burst forward. I’m engulfed by the scent of jasmine and cinnamon. A scent uniquely Mama’s. Her arms tighten around my large frame the best they can. She whispers soothing words to me. Unfortunately, I hear none of them. My mind is a cyclone of questions, confusion, anger, and panic.

My train of thought flies through the air and bounces around like a tennis ball during a heated match at Wimbledon. Not landing on one thing or another.

“Shug, I’m sure she’s fine. It’s probably someone else,” she sits before me, lightly swiping away the tears. Clearing her throat, sounding unsure, she says, “The girl you’ve described to me would have no business hangin’ around with a low-life criminal like that.”

She’s right. Right? I know Little Bit’s been going through some shit lately. I know she’s been taking the edge off with something. She’s not as good at hiding as she thinks she is, not from me.

Doubt starts to creep in.

But… why hasn’t she answered any of my calls or texts?

I pull out my phone and look at the one-sided text thread.

Me : Wanna meet at Sky Ridge and take a ride on the Zach Express?? wink emoji

Me : The train’s gonna leave the station without ya if you take too much longer to respond .

Me : My hand’s got a first-class ticket!

Me :… you don’t gotta ignore me.

Me: Okay, okay, you want romance, right? Let me try again. Little Bit, will you meet me at Sky Ridge and let me make sweet, sweet love to you?

Me : Darlin’, you’re gonna give me a complex if you keep ignorin’ me.

Me : Where are you?

Me : I’m feelin’ a bit like a stalker here. Can you just let me know you hate my guts and never wanna speak to me again or somethin’?

Me : Little Bit?

She never responded to any of them. They ain’t even read.

With shaky fingers, I type out yet another text.

Me: … just tell me you’re okay? Plz. I love you.

I wait with bated breath for those three little dots to pop up. She’ll tell me to fuck off, that she’s fine, and I’m too up her ass and need to chill. She’ll tell me if I don’t back off, she’ll keep her mouth to herself. That’s what she will say. That’s what she has to say.

No dots. No response.

I fist my hands and press them tightly into my eye sockets. Shit, what do I do?

Savannah . She’s her best friend, she’ll know what’s going on. I almost drop my phone, my hands are shaking so uncontrollably. It takes a few tries before my thumbs find the correct letters to fill out the words I need to say.

Me : Hey Savannah, it’s Zach. I ain’t heard from Charlotte in a couple of days. I seen some shit on the news about a girl named Charlotte found at a drug dealer’s house and was taken to a hospital??? Can you please call me? I’m freakin’ out here.

I open up the thread with Little Bit, staring at my unacknowledged words. They taunt me .

I’ve given her the space I thought she needed. I tried to be there when she wanted me, letting her set our pace. I hoped she would come out of this fog she’d been living in for months.

Did I miss something big? Should I have done more?

My ringtone echoes loudly throughout the kitchen as the contact flashes on the screen. I answer immediately.

“Tell me it ain’t her.” I plead. Knowing that her words will change my life forever, I still want to hold out a modicum of hope.

Savvy is silent for just a beat too long. I grip my phone with both hands as a tear slips down my cheek, “Please. Just tell me she’s okay.”

She takes a deep, shaky breath, and in the softest voice I’ve ever heard from her, she says, “She’s not okay, Zach. She’s not fucking okay. Nothing is okay.”