Chapter 37 – Charlie
CHARLIE
When Bonnie finally pulled away, thanking me for telling her then went upstairs to work, I just stood there, watching the empty space she disappeared from hoping I didn’t fuck up.
Finally, I reluctantly started cleaning up our dishes, then I collected mine and Jace’s dirty laundry to do a load of washing just as I said I would.
When I found the washing machine filled with clean clothes, ready to be put on the line, I hung them out.
I even took the dry clothes and towels off the line to put them away.
I know we were joking about the whole 'house husband' thing earlier, but as I put the last folded towel in the basket, I can't help but feel pretty good about myself.
In the four hours since Bonnie went upstairs, I've managed to do all of the dishes, take out the recycling, clean the floors and put on three loads of washing.
I even separated the whites from the colours.
Something I've never once done in my life.
But I want to impress her, so I made sure to wash them the 'correct' way. Mum would be proud.
When Bonnie finally comes down, I'm in the kitchen pouring the chips from the air fryer onto two plates. I smile when she comes up beside me, looking around at the clean house with surprise.
By the time Bonnie comes downstairs, nearly four hours have passed and I’m feeling pretty domestic, looking at the clean floors, three loads of washing I’ve managed to finish, including Charlottes uniform and a load of whites.
“Breaktime?” I ask, keeping my voice light, trying to hide how nervous I'm suddenly feeling.
She shakes her head, watching as I put the finishing touches on our burgers then slide one of the plates to her. “You made burgers?”
“Yep.” I pop the p, shoving the burger in my mouth and taking a giant bite, surprised that it turned out better than I expected. Didn’t overcook the meat or anything, and the bun is perfectly toasted.
I could totally be their house husband.
When she takes a bite, she lets out an approving sound and I understand now why Jace would light up whenever I got home form work and comment on the stuff he’d done around the house or thank him for sorting out dinner, even if it’s just ordering take-out.
“So,” she draws the word out, setting her burger down and chewing on her lip. The urge to pull that lip from between her teeth with my own consumes me and I take another large bite from my burger to stop myself. “Hypothetically, if I wanted to come out as Bonnie again…where would I start?”
My eyes widen, and I struggle to force food down my throat without choking. “I’m not saying I’m ready for that, or if I’ll ever be ready for that,” she quickly adds, rambling. “But…hypothetically, if I wanted to…do you know?”
“Um, well…I uh, don’t personally know, but I imagine the lawyer managing Michael’s Will and your inheritance probably does,” I stammer out, surprised that she’s even considering it.
“His lawyer?”
“Yeah, it’s not the original lawyer he hired, that guy died.
A senior partner at the firm took over and well, he’s known for helping spouses and children of domestic violence get help and compensation for what they went through.
He’s shut down every attempt Michael’s parents have made to get their hands on your money. ”
“What money?"
“Bonnie…you got it all. His savings, his life insurance, properties, everything. It’s all yours.”
“But I killed him.”
“Yes, but not unlawfully so. There’s a difference.”
“I don’t want his money, or anything of his.”
“I had a feeling that was how you’d feel, but you still deserve the right to decide what happens with it. There’s no proof his parents knew what kind of person their son was, but they aren’t good people.
“The first thing they did after their son’s body was discovered, was try to get their hands on his assets. Even after they learned what he did to you and that they had a grandchild out there, they didn’t give a shit about anything but the money.”
“You make it sound like he was rich. I mean sure, he was well off but not…” her voice trails off when she sees my confused expression.
“Bonnie…the money you stand to inherit is easily a couple of million dollars, and that’s not including the value of his and his parents' houses that he owns, or his life insurance policy because the company hasn’t paid that out yet. You’re his beneficiary and you’re still a missing person.”
“What the fuck.”
“Yeah…you didn’t know?”
“No. I…how?”
“I don’t’ really know, Jace is the point of contact as your next of kin, not me but from memory he had a 1.
5-million-dollar policy for both of you, then there’s his savings which was a lot and has probably only grown.
I don’t know how interest works when its sequestered by the lawyer until you’re found alive, or legally declared-”
“Dead,” she finishes, and I wince at the callous way I laid it out for her.
“Yeah.” I sigh. “If you’re not found alive before the seven-year mark in a few months, his parents can petition the Supreme Court to have you legally declared dead, and as per his Will…they will get it instead. They’ve already started getting ready to make the petition.”
“So, you’re saying if I pass it up, or choose not to come forward, those arseholes get what, like three million dollars?”
“Yes.”
“Fuck that!” she exclaims, jumping out of her seat, completely ignoring the loud bang it makes when it tips and hits the floor.
“They knew what he was doing to me. I went to them for help, covered in bruises and told them everything. How he beat me, pinned me down then raped me. Do you know what they said to me?”
I shake my head, unable to find my voice as her rage builds and my heart hurts for her. “They said it’s not rape if he’s your husband. Then they called him to come and collect me off their doorstep like I was property, not a person.”
What the fuck.
“I don’t want his money, but so help me God, there is no way in hell am I letting them get it. Call the lawyer, I’ll donate every cent if I have to. But over my dead fucking body will they get anything.”
“Woah.” Rounding the bench, I step into her path as she starts pacing back and forth. “I mean, I certainly can do that, but how about we table this and come back to it when you’ve had a chance to really think about it.
“Talk to Mitchell when he gets back, I’m sure he will have some wise words to add to this, but Bonnie…you need to really consider what it is you’re saying. This isn’t something you should decide in the heat of the moment.”
We end up in the loungeroom, watching a movie after that, but not twenty minutes in, she’s snoring softly, and I gently shift, moving around so she’s able to use me as a pillow without straining her neck.
I find myself watching her instead of the movie, my hands running through her dyed blonde hair. All I can focus on is her breath as it tickles my neck, the feel of her chest expanding with every lungful of air she takes in.
I don’t know much time has past when she starts to stir, but the movie isn’t over yet so it can’t have been too long.
As she stirs, her nose runs along the column of my neck when she shifts her head, and a shiver runs up my spine as I fight to keep my body from overtly reacting.
“Sorry,” she mumbles, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand like she’s scared she dribbled on me in her sleep. She didn’t, but it’s cute, nonetheless.
As kids, we used to tease her about falling asleep on us, as teens we pretended to be bothered by it while secretly adoring the times she would cuddle up to us in her sleep.
As an adult, I find there’s no need to pretend so I press a kiss to the corner of her mouth, right where she just wiped the non-existent drool.
“Don’t be,” I whisper, tightening my arms around her a little when she moves to sit up, not wanting to let go just yet and I brush my nose against hers.
She lets out a soft gasp, her eyes snapping to mine before they drop down to my lips and I’m not sure who moves first, but our lips crash together.
A soft whimper vibrates through her body, her lips parting for my tongue and I greedily accept her invitation, deepening the kiss.
She follows me as I sit up, her knees naturally parting around me and I groan when it lines her up with my very hard dick.
Our kiss turns urgent, our tongues and teeth clashing as she grinds down on me. I run my hand up her back to support her as I flip us, eager to feel her beneath me.
My eyes widen when I realise I’ve misjudged the couch’s width, and we tumble over the edge. Bonnie lets out a small squeak, thankfully landing on top of me and a pained breath is forced out of me as my back connects with the hard floor beneath me.
Her giggle reaches my ears a moment later, and I open one eye, watching as she sits up, straddling my lap with her palms splayed out over my chest. “Are you okay?” She bites her lip, trying to contain her laughter.
“Yep,” I breathe out, the word barely audible as I try to catch my breath. “I’m good, just give me a sec.”
I try to focus on forcing air into my lungs, but it becomes harder when her palms start roaming, tracing a path from my pecs down to my abdomen. “Yep, I’m good.” I launch up, sealing my lips to hers.
Our kiss is fuelled by lust and over a decade of desire, and I let out a groan, my hand cupping her cheek before I run it through her hair, settling at the nape of her neck and using my grip to tilt her head back.
She immediately stiffens in my arms, and I instantly release her as if a bucket of ice water was thrown over me. “I’m sorry,” I blurt out, not sure what I did but cursing myself out for it anyway.
I go to pull away, but her hands snap out, gripping my shoulders so tightly her nails are digging into my skin through my shirt.
“No, I-I’m okay. I want this. I want you.” She leans down, pressing her lips to mine again, but I don’t immediately kiss her back.