Chapter 2 #2
Alone in the flat, Charlie took off her jacket and looked down at her clothes. The blood had darkened now, dried into the fabric. She sighed and decided to change into her dressing gown instead.
She had barely tied it around herself when the doorbell rang.
A little hesitantly, she dragged herself over and opened the door.
Reeze stood outside, dangling her car keys from one finger.
"I forgot to give you these."
He smiled broadly at her, but the smile disappeared almost at once. His gaze darkened and his mouth tightened.
"Who the fuck did that?" he growled.
Charlie's back tensed instinctively and she took a step backwards into the flat.
"My ex," she whispered, frightened.
Reeze followed her inside and closed the door behind him. With a sharp look, he studied the bruises on her neck and those visible above the neckline of her dressing gown.
"They're fresh."
She nodded. There was no point denying the obvious. Dennis had been waiting for her after work the night before and had gone at her without mercy.
"Next time that bastard shows up, you call me." It wasn't a suggestion. She could hear that much in his voice.
"You don't have to..." she tried.
"Of course I fucking do. Do you want me to kill him?"
"Please don't. He's a police officer."
Reeze drew a deep breath.
"A fucking cop? And he does this to you? Someone ought to do the world a favour and kill the fucker."
Charlie had the words on the tip of her tongue. That she agreed. That someone should do exactly that. But she swallowed them.
"He's not worth killing. You get the same sentence for killing an arsehole as you do for killing a decent human being," she said dryly.
Reeze burst out laughing.
"Yeah. You're fucking right about that. But seriously – next time he shows up, call me. I don't like men who beat women. It's not fucking right."
She nodded without actually promising anything.
"Do you want coffee?" she asked. "I was just about to make some."
His face lit up.
"Fuck, yes. Coffee's always a good idea. But let me make it. You sit your arse on the sofa and take it easy."
Before Charlie could properly protest, she was lying on the sofa with a blanket over her legs while Reeze made himself at home in her kitchen. It was strange. They had only known each other for a few hours, and yet somehow it felt as though he belonged there.
"The coffee's in the cupboard on the right," she called.
"I'll find it," he replied as he rummaged around. "You haven't got any food in here."
"I usually shop once a week. I was supposed to do it after work today."
"Want me to get some shopping for you?"
"Absolutely not. I'll survive until tomorrow."
His head appeared around the kitchen doorway.
"Sure?"
"Yes. Please, Reeze. You don't have to look after me."
He stared at her for a moment before a broad smile spread across his face.
"I know. But I want to."
He brought her coffee and pulled the table closer so she could reach the mug, then sat down on the small footstool beside the sofa.
"Here's the thing," he said, his voice slightly rough. "I can't just stand by and watch some bastard beat the shit out of a woman like you. It's not okay."
"Why not? It's not like we've known each other very long."
"Doesn't matter if it's been years or an hour. You deserve better than that, and I'm not going to turn a blind eye when I see it."
There was something in his voice, in the way he held himself, that said more than the words did. An old hurt. Something unfinished. Charlie had always been good at reading people, and she understood that this was personal for him.
"You're taking this personally," she said.
He met her gaze.
"Yeah. But that's a story for another time."
"You don't tell your life story to a stranger," she said, brushing her hair away from her face.
"No." He laughed. "And I'm too fucking tired right now anyway. I was on my way home to sleep when I got the call about Molly."
Charlie's gaze dropped to her coffee.
"And then I kept you up all day. I'm sorry."
"For what? Saving my daughter?"
He stroked her cheek gently.
"No... for making you take me to A&E."
"Stop it," he said, a little more sharply. "It was the least I could do. You saved my daughter. That was fucking brave."
His voice dropped.
"She'd be dead if it wasn't for you."
Charlie shifted uncomfortably. Praise had always made her want to crawl out of her own skin.
"It's the best thing anyone's ever done for me," he continued quietly. "And I don't take that lightly."
Reeze's phone rang.
Lotta, the screen read, and his face immediately twisted in irritation.
"What the fuck is it now?"
"I'm standing outside with your daughter. You can have her tonight."
"I can't. I've got club business and a meeting."
"So? I don't give a shit. She's your kid too. I need the night off."
Reeze ran a hand through his hair.
"I'm not even at home."
"That's your problem. She's waiting for you in the stairwell."
The call ended.
At that exact moment, the doorbell rang.
Reeze got up immediately and opened the door.
"How the fuck did you know where I was?"
"I knew Charlie's name and where she lives. Saw your bike and her car. Guessed the rest," Molly giggled.
"Sorry about this," Reeze said, turning back towards Charlie on the sofa. "I didn't mean to drag you into my mess."
Charlie smiled faintly as Molly climbed onto the sofa beside her and looked curiously around the room.
"Your flat's smaller than Dad's," Molly observed.
Reeze sighed and stroked his daughter's hair.
"I've got work and a meeting tonight," he said. "Maybe Grandma can have you?"
Molly looked up at him, her expression immediately darkening.
"Have you forgotten Grandma's away with John?"
"Fuck..." he muttered.
Charlie heard herself speak before she'd even finished thinking it through.
"She can stay here with me. We can order pizza and watch a film."
Reeze looked at her sharply, almost surprised.
"Are you sure? You're hurt, and I can't ask you to do that."
"Of course you can," Charlie said calmly. "It's no problem. I'm not going anywhere anyway, and I look after my niece sometimes."
The truth was that she wanted to. Not only for Molly's sake, but because she wanted the company herself. And perhaps, if she was honest, because it would keep Reeze in her world a little longer.
"Please, Dad, say yes," Molly begged, already spreading her colouring books and crayons across the coffee table.
Reeze hesitated. Charlie could almost see him weighing it up. It didn't feel right to dump his daughter on the neighbour, not after everything that had happened that day. But he didn't have much choice. He couldn't take Molly to the clubhouse, not tonight, and there was nobody else.
Lotta knew exactly what she was doing.
If Reeze had had the slightest chance, he would have made sure Lotta lost custody years ago. But with his background, there was no chance of him getting sole custody, and Lotta knew it.
She used it against him.
"Are you absolutely sure?" he asked again, turning to Charlie, who was already sitting with Molly and looking at her drawings.
"Yeah. It's fine. Go home and get a few hours' sleep. We'll be fine, just us girls."
"Then I'm doing your shopping tomorrow," he decided.
Charlie shook her head, smiling.
"I'll be fine, Reeze."
The way she said his name sent a warm shiver through him. He found himself blushing, something he hadn't done in a very long time, and quickly turned towards the door.
"I'll come by when I'm done, but it might be late."
"If it's really late, you can pick her up tomorrow morning. She can sleep here."
Molly nodded eagerly and did her best to usher her father towards the door.
"Go on, Dad," she urged.
The door closed behind him. Charlie leaned back against the sofa and pulled the blanket more snugly over her legs. Molly sat beside her, completely absorbed in her drawing, the tip of her tongue poking out slightly in concentration.
The flat was quiet. Not uncomfortably so. Just peaceful.
Charlie looked down at the girl and felt something in her chest soften.
She hadn't planned any of this.
Not even remotely.
But for the first time in a very long while, it felt as though she didn't have to be alone in it.