Part of him kept waiting, like Ari kept waiting, for him to come to his senses. To let this dangerous plan for vengeance go. But the need was just getting stronger. A few weeks had passed since his and Ari’s arrival at the Roe’s home, and Charlie stil hadn’t let go. He was training every day with Jack, learning more and more about power. Tempted every day to take out the emerald Red had given him. So far he’d been strong enough to resist.
Jack had started searching for the Labartu for him and they could both feel the bitch getting closer to them. Jack understood. He knew. He got it. Charlie had spent his young life doing everything for Mikey, looking after him, keeping him safe, keeping him happy. Wel… this was the one last thing he had to do for him.
And it helped having Jack. But it also helped having Falon too. She was like the most non-judgmental person he’d ever met.
Sighing, Charlie sat up in bed and glanced back down at Falon. She was sleeping peacefuly, her hand tucked under her chin like a little girl. A rush of affection washed over him and Charlie tried hard to push it back down. But he couldn’t. It was too exhausting. Reluctant to wake her but knowing Jack would be waiting for him, Charlie brushed her cheek until her eyelashes fluttered open.
“You better get back before your parents notice you’re gone,” he told her softly and enjoyed the sight of her as she sat up, stretching languidly.
She yawned and then shot him a wicked smile that did funny things to his insides. “It’s not even light out. Is that why you’re up so early? To wake me and protect my reputation?”
Charlie chuckled. “No. Jack likes to train early.” He eyed her thoughtfuly. “You want to train with us today? It was fun last time.”
Shaking her head regretfuly, Falon slipped out of bed and shuffled her short but gorgeous legs into her jeans. “Can’t. Got my own training with Ari. That girl is awesome. Dad’s realy impressed with her.”
Her name made Charlie tense, an inexplicable feeling of guilt chipping at his good mood. He didn’t know what had happened with Ari and Jai but he wasn’t fooled by their pretense that nothing had happened. He had a feeling they were keeping their relationship on the down-low to protect Jai. So Ari had moved on. Why did Charlie then feel like he was cheating on her? He’d always felt that way, ever since Mikey… every time he fooled around with another girl, he felt like an unfaithful boyfriend.
Falon sighed and Charlie glanced up at her from under his eyelashes, wary of the heaviness in that sigh. “Charlie, you know you just think you’re hung up on her, right?”
“There is no think about it,” he replied gruffly, not wanting to hurt her but prickling at the condescending suggestion that he didn’t know his own mind. Confused, he shook his head. “Anyway, you stil had sex with me knowing what the deal was.”
“Yeah, I did.” She shrugged nonchalantly before puling on his Twin Atlantic shirt. He should be pissed that she’d borrowed it without asking because it hadn’t been easy to find… but she looked realy hot in it. “You and I have been vibing since we met. You seriously think you can honestly be in love with Ari and stil want to fool around with other girls?”
“She doesn’t want me. I’m moving on.”
“Right. That’s why you’ve been flirting with me since the get-go, before you knew for sure Ari didn’t want you.” She shook her head at him, not angry but almost pleading. “Even though Ari and Jai won’t admit to how they feel for each other, Jai hasn’t looked at one other girl but Ari since I met him.”
Glowering now and hating where she was leading with this, Charlie growled, “Your point?”
“I’m saying, when Ari’s around you’re al teasing and affectionate and close. But not like in a needy, have to be with you kind of way. Like a friend, close. When Ari is in the room with Jai, that guy is totaly focused on her. When she’s not looking, he’s watching her. It’s like a freaking Jane Austen novel.”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” Charlie argued. “We’re totaly different guys.”
“Right,” Falon agreed, “You profess to be in love with a girl, then you give up on her without a fight, and then you screw around with her newest bestie. I doubt Jai is screwing around with anyone. I bet he hasn’t screwed around with anyone since he met her.”
“If you’re trying to say I don’t love Ari, then you’re wrong.”
“I think you love Ari. I just don’t think you love her enough.”
It was like she’d slapped him. He blinked rapidly, his heart racing a little too fast as her words brought back Ari’s own words to him. Those exact same words.
“Babe, I’m sorry.” Falon brushed a gentle hand down his cheek as he gazed down at her, lost. “I didn’t mean to go al serious on you.”
He shook his head slowly and brought her hand to his lips, pressing a forgiving kiss to her fingers. “It’s okay. Not many girls would have this conversation with a guy they’d just slept with.”
She grinned mischievously. “Wel, I’m not like other girls.”
“Yeah, I’m getting that.”
“I had a lot of fun last night. Like a lot. Like… more than I’ve had before.”
He grinned back at her now, wrapping his arms around her waist and breathing her in. She smeled like him, and Charlie felt a rush of possessiveness he hadn’t been expecting. “You saying I’m the best you ever had?”
“Wel, according to rumor you’ve had a lot of practice.”
In retaliation he began to tickle her, until their fighting tumbled them back down onto the bed. Charlie pinned her there, his eyes hypnotized by the cute little bow of her mouth. She was so adorably gorgeous, but the exterior hid a sharp mind, biting wit, and openness that he found refreshing. He liked her. Smiling at the realization and feeling a little freer for it, Charlie asked softly, “Was last night the kind of fun you’d want to repeat with me?”
Seeming to enjoy being pinned down by him, Falon made a soft little humming sound before nodding slowly. “Oh definitely.”