Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six Charles

She’s different.

Even more so than what I first realized at our reunion. Maybe reunion isn’t quite the right word seeing as how she drugged and kidnapped me.

I hide my smile in my glass as the guys throw me dirty looks when Scar isn’t looking. I guess she isn’t the only one who has changed if I’m over here laughing at not only my kidnapping, but also the murder in the eyes of some very intimidating people. The kind of people that really would follow through with the threats their expressions are promising. I’ve faced death enough times to know who is and isn’t capable of following through. No doubts about the men Scar has surrounded herself with.

She’s still the most formidable of them all. Though, she is oblivious to their obvious turmoil. For someone so aware of everything going on around her and frighteningly intelligent, she sure can be clueless. It seems some things never change even if it seems like everything has. There are still traces of the girl she left behind in that burning building.

Even in high school, every subject came infuriatingly easy to her. New and complex ideas or theories simply clicked in her mind. Facts, dates, and material came to her naturally and memorization was never something she had to practice in order to perfect. As much as she shined academically, it was nothing compared to her people skills. The way she could read people. She would always notice when two people were fighting, who had a secret, who needed a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on. Yet, she never realized how many lusted after her, how many of our friends prayed for her downfall. Even the ones she had held out a helping hand to. Maybe especially them. It made it all the harder to watch her hit rock bottom and feel truly alone for the first time.

The room now is filled to the brim with people who would never abandon her, never pull the rug out from under her, would never hurt her. She finally built a family around herself deserving of the selfless, infinite amount of love she’s able to freely give.

A shoulder bumping against mine draws me from my reverie.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Scar’s blinding smile is impossible not to respond in kind to. Think of the devil and she may appear.

“You’re gonna get mad if I tell you,” I warn her.

Her brows draw together, but a light dances in her eyes. I’ve seen many sides of Scar since we reconnected. Angry, scared, distrusting, vulnerable, erratic, manic, happy, bloodthirsty, violent, strong. But each day she shows me something new. Something I didn’t think could still be possible, except I think they’re new for everyone here, not just me.

All her shattered pieces are finally coming together in a beautiful kaleidoscope of healing. There will always be cracks, different colors that melt together and illustrate her journey full of pain, heartbreak, blood, joy, love, and revenge, but who said being whole was the goal of healing? Her mosaic of chaos is far more beautiful than the unmarred porcelain glass she once was.

Each of the men that set their hate-filled eyes on me the moment her shoulder brushed mine, have helped her put the shattered pieces of her past back together to create something totally new that still somehow holds the soul of the girl who has been my best friend for my whole life. Even when she didn’t know it. Especially then. It’s easy to say you would die for someone, but until you’re faced with that choice, it’s impossible to realize just how far you’re willing to go for another person.

There’s no other person in the world I would do what I did for her back then. The only other two lights in my life have already been snuffed out. A blonde ponytail swings as giggles fill the room and Scar’s daughter darts through the adults, avoiding the boys as they chase her. Maybe there is another person now.

“I was thinking about how much you’ve changed,” I admit, answering her question.

Her expression says ‘you don’t say’ without even a twitch of her lips. I roll my eyes. That wasn’t the part she isn’t going to like. “And how much you haven’t,” I finish.

She huffs and crosses her arms in front of her chest. “A year ago, I would have been offended had you said that.”

“And now?” She leans her head against my shoulder and the comfort it brings should surprise me, but she’s always had this effect on me. It didn’t come easily, she struggled when facing me for the first time after so long. It’s not like I can blame her. I did break her. In a different but just as devastating way as what those monsters did to her.

Scar hums a song under breath. It feels familiar, some far away, all but forgotten memory that tickles the back of my brain. So close, and yet just out of my reach. Emotion chokes me as the memory crashes into me like a freight train. It’s that Taylor Swift song she used to always sing to the twins. She was always singing to them, but this was one of their favorites. If I could just remember the name.

“For so long, I had to separate myself from who I was back then.” I squeeze her hand encouragingly and nod. It’s a feeling I understand a little too well. “I wouldn’t have survived all these years if I was still her. Even the good parts.” She wouldn’t have. The Charlotte I knew wasn’t strong like the woman in front of me. She had her own quiet strength, it shined in her fierce love for the twins, for me, for Josie. But she wasn’t formidable. Not a threat. She was naive and sweet and forgiving of people’s flaws. Everything that had made her soft has been sharpened into talons and claws. Weapons to tear down those who stand in her way, who threaten the family she’s built. She’s moved up the food chain until there was no one left higher than her. The predator that tracks and hunts not prey, but other predators. The ones who thrive on feeding off of the weak.

“You’re the strongest person I know,” I tell her, my voice shaking as the words tear from my throat.

“It’s comforting now,” she sighs. “To know somehow some of the good survived the storm. That I’m strong enough now to be weak and still survive. To love and trust and feel things again without buckling under the weight of it all.”

“It did,” I assure her. Before I can say more, Roe runs up to us squealing.

“Mommy, hide me!” she giggles as Scar swoops her up into her arms.

“I don’t think this is a very good hiding spot, Roe baby,” she teases as Roe settles in her arms.

She shrugs her little shoulders. “They can’t tag me if they can’t reach me.

I lean over and bop her on the nose. “That is an excellent point. I like the way you think.” Her smile heals something inside of me, and I can see how this little girl, this little bundle of light, was able to pull Scar out of the darkness.

“Thank you, Uncle Charles.”

The name stops my heart in my chest. “You’re so welcome,” I whisper, the words soft and hoarse. Understanding shines back to me from Scar’s gaze. I’ve only met Roe a handful of times, not even really that, yet she’s easily adapted to my presence. Someone to be expected in her new home. She’s Scar as a child. Open and bright and caring. Welcoming.

The boys come running up to us, promising Roe to not tag her if she comes back to play with them. Scar puts her down, but rather than running away to continue their games, she pulls one of the twins down to her side as they sit on the floor. The other two boys are quick to follow suit, and faster than I can even comprehend, they’re lost in a new game they make up on the spot.

“It’s not only the twins she reminds me of,” I say after a moment of watching them play at our feet. “I see you in her, and I see Charlotte in you when you’re with her. The good survived.” I finally understand why the guys took such an issue to me calling her that name after they kidnapped me.

She isn’t Charlotte. She’s Scar.

Her smile is sad but content, her eyes still locked on her daughter. “She brought me back to life.”

I track her men around the room. “She wasn’t the only one.”

She tilts her head in acquiescence but her smirk gives her away. Each one of her men brought a piece of herself that she lost back to her. “She lit the match, they just kept the fire burning.”

“Dirty,” I tease, drawing a chuckle in response. Five heads snap in our direction at the sound of her laughter. Five expressions quickly morph into variations of irritation, anger, and annoyance when they see me standing with Scar still. I nudge her with my shoulder. “Something else hasn’t changed from the old you either.” She arches a brow in question and it’s my turn to smirk. “There are some things you’re still absolutely oblivious to.”

She smacks my arm, looking affronted at my observation, but I just nod to emphasize my point.

“You’re wrong,” she declares.

“Oh yeah?” I taunt her, watching Luca and Kade excusing themselves from their conversations across the room. “I will bet you ten thousand dollars two of your husbands are about to walk up to us and two of the first five words out of their mouths will be my wife.”

She snorts and flips me off. “They’re not saying it that much.”

It’s my turn to roll my eyes and snort. “I’ve heard it at least a hundred times in the last few hours. No exaggeration.”

“Leave them alone, they’re just excited. It’s still new.” Her own indulgent smile tells me how much she herself is enjoying her new title. I can’t think of many people who wouldn’t have wanted to be a part of their own wedding, but somehow this fits her.

Luca and Kade are halfway across the room now. “Sure, but how many of those hundreds of claimings have been in front of Joe? Or Holden? Or Ian?”

Suspicion and amusement dance in her eyes. “No,” she drawls, finally understanding.

“Ten thousand dollars,” I repeat, sticking my hand out.

Her gaze narrows, but she shakes my hand. “Ten thousand dollars.”

Roe’s eyes dance back and forth between us. Just as two of her dads reach us she asks, “Can I have ten thousand dollars?” at the same time as Luca wraps his arm around Scar’s waist and Kade kisses her temple. “How’s my wife?”

“Of course, Roe,” I agree, grinning. “I suddenly have an extra ten grand to spare.”

Kade’s hand lands on his chest in a move that reminds me of an old lady clutching her pearls. The laugh I just barely manage to stifle slips free when he turns his attention to Roe. “I’ll give you twenty thousand.”

The smack echoes across the room as Scar scolds him. “Knock it off. Roe baby, why do you want ten thousand dollars?”

“I bet I could buy a whole toy store with ten thousand dollars,” she exclaims.

“I’ll buy you a toy store,” Luca promises. Scar’s face is in her hands as she shakes her head.

Ryder joins the growing group. “Oh, are we buying more businesses for Roe?”

I tilt my head and stare at Scar. “How many businesses does she already have?”

She waves me off. “Look at what you started?”

“Me?” I gasp. “You’re the oblivious one.”

As we banter back and forth, the last of her men show up. Declan pulls her against his chest. “What kind of trouble is my wife getting into now?” The emphasis on the words paired with the glare he tosses at me is enough to make me throw my head back and cackle.

Scar pulls out of his arms as she analyzes the way their body language begins to shift the closer she moves to me. Understanding dawns and she laughs in disbelief. I throw my arm over her shoulder and pull her to me just to antagonize them. Predictably, their expressions morph into murderous rage, making her laugh hard.

“I was a little offended they left me out of the whole proposal marriage thing,” I whisper conspiratorially to her. “As the only fiance you actually knew you were engaged to, I felt I should have been more actively involved. I think they were a little jealous.”

My life would have flashed before my eyes if Scar wasn’t so quick to push me behind her when Luca threw himself at me. “Are you seriously jealous?” she asks, disbelieving.

I poke my head out from behind her shoulder, enjoying all of the anger on their faces and her surprise. It’s not like me to poke a bear with a stick, let alone five of them, but their reactions amuse me. “Do I have to find my own husband to be like a package deal and get added into the harem now? Or do you prefer an odd set, Tootsie Roll?”

Her lips twitch as she puts her hands up to stop Luca’s advance again. “He’s going to take your head off,” she chastises me in a whisper.

It should stop me. It doesn’t. “Good thing I have you to protect me,” I say back, smirk in place. “Even if you’re not my wife.”

She snorts and her men look murderous. It’s a good thing they love her as much as they do or my existence would not be guaranteed for much longer.

“You guys can’t be jealous of Charles,” she explains, trying to stifle her amusement. It’s not working.

“Why the fuck not?” Ryder snaps.

Declan turns his nose up. “He’s nothing but your past.”

Damn Declan. Ouch. I put my hand to my chest and defend, “My presence here says otherwise.”

Scar reaches back to smack me. “You’re not helping,” she scolds.

“Wasn’t trying to,” I admit impishly.

She rolls her eyes, but she’s enjoying this. The easy friendship that has come back to us. The natural ease we feel when we’re together. She has her men, and I’m more than okay with that. They’ve pieced her broken pieces back together, helped her heal, and grow. Built the type of life she never would have found back home with me. With her family. It doesn’t mean I’ll ever walk away from her again. She’s my family as much as she is theirs. Which I guess makes them my family now too. I’ve always wanted a big family that wasn’t so prim and proper.

A real family.

That loves and laughs and fights. And of course, antagonizes each other.

“They’ll have to get used to me eventually,” I say with a shrug. “You know I’m not going anywhere.”

Her smile softens, the edge of amusement fading into contentment. Reassurance. She wants me here as much as I want to be here. A shared past that hurts and soothes in equal measures. A peace and chaos only the two of us can truly understand. “He is right,” she agrees, talking to her men. My smile grows wider. Triumphant. “You do have to get used to him. But you don’t have to be jealous.”

Kade crosses his arms over his chest petulantly. “He can’t be a part of your harem.”

Scar puts her fingers to her temple and sighs, “Don’t call it that.” At the same time I ask, “Even if I bring my own husband?”

Noah shifts uncomfortably behind Kade. He hasn’t said a word during this exchange and I almost feel guilty. He’s always been the nicest and most accepting of me. Some points he even felt like a possible friend. But even he has struggled with jealousy as Scar and I have gotten closer. It’s not like I can’t understand. Our shared history is daunting. None of them can touch the seventeen years I did have with her, where we were the center of each other’s worlds. I’d be jealous of myself too.

“Maybe we should talk more about this and the implications,” he tries to reason with everyone.

“I’ll start husband hunting,” I promise.

“No!” All her men but Noah snap. “We agreed that we shouldn’t share outside of the six of us,” Declan adds calmly.

“Six,” Kade emphasizes.

Scar narrows her eyes at me. “Maybe you should go husband hunting.” Something in her tone is threatening. “Then I can antagonize your husband like you’re doing to mine.”

I grin, fair enough. “What’s family for?”

“You had your fun, now leave them alone. They can be sensitive.” Only she would call these five brutes sensitive. Love really is blind.

The guys all trade confused looks as they watch us. At least they’re starting to get it. I sigh dramatically. “Fine,” I relent. “Even if I do find a husband, I don’t want to share him with you anyway.”

She rolls her eyes. “I never thought you would.” Understanding begins to creep into some of the guys’ expressions. “And you five, no more caveman jealousy and antics. Charles doesn’t want me like that. He never has. He’s gay.”

Mouths part open in surprise and I wink at Kade and Luca. “Have you forgotten how stunning she’s always been? Did you really think we would have stayed virgins until we were seventeen if I wasn’t gay? What straight teenager would not have been absolutely floored at having her as his girlfriend?”

Stunned silence is the only answer I get for several long moments. Scar and I the only ones grinning as they process what I’ve said. I can’t believe it’s something they had never even thought about. They’re thinking about it now.

Ryder is the first one to throw his head back and cackle, but the rest are quick to follow. I have a feeling my relationships with all of them will start to look vastly different now that they no longer see me as competition.

The rest of the party flows easily, everyone in much better moods after my reveal. The guys’ attitudes immediately shift and become more welcoming. Or at least, more accepting. More alcohol flows, even past the kids’ bedtimes.

It’s a chance for me to see the life Scar has built for herself in a new light. A more relaxed one, a softer view. It’s so much better than any life I had pictured for her over the years. Her happiness radiating from her in a way I never thought would be possible before. It infects me. My cheeks hurt from all the laughter and smiles we’ve shared. Something I can’t remember ever happening since I lost her.

The raven-haired beauty that I’ve met only in passing sidles up to my side, her shoulder brushing mine. Rachel. I haven’t seen much from her and Scar isn’t one to share other people’s problems, but I’ve picked up a bit here and there through staying at Scar’s house on and off over the last couple months.

“It can be overwhelming at first,” she says, taking a sip from her wine glass. “When you’re so used to being alone, having very few people to trust and count on. But before you know it, you’ll just be another part of the chaos.”

I raise a brow at her. She seems to fit right in, like she’s always been a part of this group. “Speaking from experience?”

She nods, a fond smile playing on her lips. “Scar couldn’t decide whether to save me or stab me when I showed up on her doorstep bleeding and demanding answers. I’ve gained a lot since she took a chance on trusting me. Lost a lot too, but we all have.” Her eyes fill with moisture as she looks over at the room, full of bodies as one of Scar’s friends climbs on top of a table, dragging another girl with her. “I set out to find my sister, but never thought it would lead me to a whole family. They know how to pull you in and help you discover parts of yourself you never knew existed.”

I smile, thinking about a little girl from long ago with blonde hair and a shining smile. “Scar has always been good at that.”

Before she can respond, my phone rings. A familiar number flashes across the screen. I give her an apologetic smile as I excuse myself to take the call.

“What do you have for me?”

Dave’s gravelly voice fills the line. “You were right,” he starts and my stomach tightens in knots. The free-floating feeling of this day evaporating with that simple statement. “He knows Andre has been compromised. He went to each of the locations you gave me. Went in for less than ten minutes, came out with a black briefcase.”

A rock sinks in my gut. This is it. It has to be. I knew having men in my father’s inner circle would eventually pay off, but I never knew it would feel like this. An even mix of dread and excitement. Please be good news.

“He went to a house in the suburbs I’ve never been to before,” Dave continues to explain. “Spent much longer in there. He came back empty handed.”

I run my fingers through my hair, my breathing irregular. “You think he dropped whatever he collected there?”

“Yes, sir,” he answers decisively.

I force myself to take a deep breath. “Any sign of him burning anything?”

“No, I got the impression it was more of a safe house,” he hesitates. “Somewhere for him to disappear alone for a while without being interrupted. Somewhere no one would expect him to be.”

It seems nothing like my father which makes it exactly what I should have expected from him. Hiding in plain sight. Middle class suburbia where anyone who knows him would say he’d never be caught dead there.

“Send me the address.”

“Already sent, sir.”

A headache begins to creep in as fear of what I’ll find in the house washes over me. “Thank you. Stay close to my father. Let me know if he so much as blinks strangely.”

“Of course, sir.”

I hang up the phone and shove it back in my pocket. There’s no reason to delay. If this place is what I think it is, somewhere not even one of his longest standing bodyguards has ever seen before, answers of that night won’t be anywhere else.