Charlie

by Davis, Siobhan

  “Well, you have family now,” Charlie says, linking his fingers in mine under the table.

  “Dad will be happy,” I admit, because I know how much he hates that he’s leaving me all alone. Now, I have Charlie and Abby and Drew.

  “You should talk to your dad about the past,” he suggests, and I eye him circumspectly. I’m sensing there is something he’s not telling me, but before I can pry, Drew speaks.

  “Did you receive your invitation to the elite ball?” Drew asks Charlie from across the table.

  “I did.” Charlie tosses his napkin on the table. “They sent Mom one too.” His jaw tightens, and fire blazes in his eyes.

  “She’s the widow of a descendant of a founding father,” Olivia says. “Of course, they would send her one. We both got one too,” she adds, glancing at Sylvia.

  “I thought the elite looked down their noses at women,” Xavier says, popping a piece of carrot in his mouth and chewing noisily.

  “They do,” Olivia agrees. “But with Michael and Charles gone, and Christian still on the run from the authorities, their responsibilities pass to us until our children assume full membership within the order.”

  “Which is something William Hamilton will no doubt address at the ball now he’s been voted into the vacant president’s chair,” Kaiden says. His arm is around Abby’s shoulder, and he’s absently playing with strands of her hair. I’ve noticed they are always subtly touching one another, and it’s obvious they are crazy in love.

  “What are you going to do about Joaquin and Harley?” Olivia asks.

  Kaiden’s nostrils flare. “There is no way they are attending that ball or accepting the invitation to train at Parkhurst. Rick and I will cover in Atticus’s absence, but hell will freeze before we let our younger brothers get pulled into things.” He scrubs a hand over his prickly jawline. “Rick is talking to a guy today. It’s why he couldn’t be here. He’s one of the few senior elite members who wants to use this opportunity to restructure the order for good. He’s on the reorganizing committee, so we’re hoping he’s a sympathetic ear.”

  “What do we know about the new president?” Drew asks Xavier.

  “William Hamilton is the eldest son of a founding father from Texas. Family comes from oil. He’s married with two daughters. He was one of the men swindled by Christian and one of the very few who publicly opposed Michael Hearst for president. He has spoken out about the archaic rules and asserted his desire to modernize the elite.”

  “Sounds squeaky clean,” Jackson says. “I’m not buying it.”

  “Neither did we,” Sawyer says, putting his glass down. “So, we did some investigating on the darknet—”

  “And this guy makes Michael Hearst look like the fairy fucking godmother,” Xavier finishes.

  “Do you have to cut across me every time?” Sawyer purses his lips, drilling a look at Xavier.

  “No need to get your panties in a bunch. We play for the same team, remember?” Xavier smirks, and everyone catches the innuendo.

  Ah, now it makes sense. They’re together or hooking up, or there’s some history between them.

  “Just tell us what you discovered,” Abby says. “And keep your foreplay confined to the bedroom.”

  Sawyer glares at Abby, and Kaiden glares at him.

  Charlie winks at me, grinning. He presses his mouth to my ear. “This shit happens all the time. I’ve kind of missed it.”

  I grin at him as Xavier clears his throat and finishes explaining. “It’s the usual elite bullshit. Professional businessman with legit businesses that are all a front for a host of illegal activities, but this guy is into everything.”

  “And we mean everything,” Sawyer says, jumping in and taking the mantle. Xavier meets Sawyer’s smug grin with an amused one, further incensing him. A muscle ticks in Sawyer’s jaw as he speaks. “Drugs, guns, sex, and it’s a global operation worth billions.”

  “This is like déjà vu,” Abby says, leaning back into her husband’s chest.

  “Round two is due to begin,” Drew agrees. “And we need to get battle ready.”

  “He’s going to be careful,” Charlie says, rubbing his hand up and down my thigh. “Because the FBI is still sniffing around, right?”

  Kaiden nods. “Yes, but, according to Keven Kennedy, the investigation is winding down. They’ve gotten some high-profile arrests, and they found the girls Hearst had kidnapped and put an end to his sex ring, but we all know that’s only the tip of the iceberg. However, the elite has covered their tracks well and planned for this eventuality. They gave them some scapegoats, and the powers that be are happy with that.”

  “Sounds fishy,” Charlie says.

  “One hundred percent,” Drew agrees. “Keven is convinced they have powerful allies in the FBI and government who are guiding this behind the scenes.”

  “This shitshow is about to start up again, and none of us know how it’s going to affect us,” Abby says.

  “We thought for sure they would kick us out because of the stunt we pulled, but they seem determined to reel us back in,” Drew says with a frown. “Which can’t be good.”

  “No shit, Sherlock,” Jackson says, rolling his eyes. Drew scowls at him.

  “They’re not going to let our interference go unpunished,” Kaiden agrees. “Not when it brought the FBI down on them.”

  I’m completely lost, and I’ve no idea what they are talking about, but I’m picking up on the anxious energy in the room, and I know it’s nothing good.

  Abby’s eyes land on mine, and then, she moves her gaze to Charlie. “Have you explained any of this to Demi?”

  “Not yet,” he admits, squeezing my thigh.

  “Well, you need to do it sooner than later. Definitely before the ball so she’s prepared for what she’s walking into.”

  Charlie lifts his hand from my thigh, running it through his hair. He’s let it grow out in recent months, and it’s much longer on top now. When he’s at the office, he wears it slicked back and neat, but today, he hasn’t put product in, and I adore the tumble of messy waves falling over his forehead and into his eyes. He’s like a hotter version of Shawn Mendes, and that’s saying a lot because Shawn is hot as fuck.

  But my man is hotter.

  Tension oozes from Charlie, and he looks pained as he glances at me. “I’m not sure you should attend,” he tells me.

  “Demi is in your life, Charlie,” Abby says, leaning forward and placing her elbows on the table. “We need to start thinking about protection. I can help with self-defense and gun lessons.” She looks to me, and I nod, because I don’t have any issue with that. “We have a month until the ball. That’s enough time to get you ready.”

  Charlie shifts in his seat, averting his eyes as he reluctantly nods. His chest heaves, and his expression is troubled. A lump forms at the base of my throat. I don’t like the vibes he’s emitting, and I’m determined to get to the bottom of this when we leave.

  The conversation turns more casual after that, and the guys clear the table around the women as we drink wine and talk. The girls go out of their way to include me, and a warmth spreads over my chest, eliminating the chill left behind from the previous discussion.

  After everything is cleared away, Abby nabs me and Drew and pulls us out to the sunnier side of the living room. “We need a photo,” she says, positioning herself in between me and her brother and sliding her arm around my waist. “For my gorgeous new photo frame.”

  Kaiden snaps a few pics, sending them to my cell. “I’ll print out a copy for you too,” Abby assures me, looping her arm through mine. And when I’m hugging her goodbye a few hours later, I hug her tight, ecstatic to have her in my life. Go figure.

  “Do you need to get home, or could you come back to my place for a while? There are some things we need to discuss,” Charlie says while backing out of the driveway.

  I wave at Abby, Drew, and Kaiden, watching as they withdraw into the house and shut the door.

  “I want to have
that conversation,” I agree, glad he put it out there so bluntly and that he’s not trying to shield anything from me. “Let me message Xena and check she’s okay to keep Dad company for a few hours.” I tap out a text to my friend, and she responds affirmatively. “We’re good.”

  My eyes almost bug out of my head when we pull up in front of Charlie’s home fifteen minutes later. “Holy shit. You live here?” I gawk at the impressive mansion set on the grounds of a sprawling estate. “How many rooms do you have?”

  “I honestly couldn’t tell you.” He pulls into a garage at the back of the property, maneuvering his Land Rover into a spot beside a silver Bentley. There are at least ten other cars in here. A mix of sports cars, top-end luxury cars, and SUVS, and if I added it up, I’m guessing the cost of these cars outweighs the cost of my house.

  He helps me out of the car, escorting me into the house through a side door in the garage. He gives me a quick guided tour, but it still takes a half hour to show me the lower level because this place is massive.

  I cannot fathom the enormity of his wealth.

  It’s one thing to know he’s rich but quite another to be confronted by it in such a visible way.

  I also can’t believe he lives in this gorgeous, rambling mansion all by himself. I don’t think I’d like it.

  He brings me down to a basement room that is obviously his man lair, and it’s the most casual, comfortable room he’s shown me to date. It has a fully stocked bar, a pool table, top-of-the-line stereo system, and a wall-mounted TV screen that is almost the size of the screen in the Rydeville movie theater.

  He pops a beer, the first alcohol he’s drank all day, and then, he makes me a mean gin cocktail. We kick off our shoes and snuggle up on the couch, sipping our drinks and just enjoying each other’s company. After a few minutes, we put our drinks down on the coffee table and turn so we’re facing one another.

  “How much do you know about Parkhurst and the elite organization,” he asks, and I appreciate he’s getting straight to it.

  “As much as I’ve heard on the news or found online. I know Parkhurst was the headquarters for the elite, but the public perception was that of a private medical and pharmaceutical company.” He nods. “And I know they made several high-profile arrests. Former elite members who were involved in wide-ranging criminal activities.”

  “All that is correct,” Charlie says, tucking my hair behind my ears. “But that’s not the half of it. The elite is an organization that was started in the eighteen hundreds by our forefathers. As generations passed, membership was inherited by the children in each family. There is no choice. It is something we all must accept as tradition. Descendants of founding fathers in every state hold most seniority within the elite, but there is an inner circle, made up of other important members of rich society who are the backbone of the organization.”

  “It sounds like fiction,” I admit.

  “You have no idea.” He shakes his head. “It’s the most powerful organization in the world, and its reach spans multiple countries. Members are important figureheads in business and government. Fraud and corruption are commonplace as are illegal activities. What you heard at Abby and Kai’s house today is not unusual. These men have their fingers in several cookie jars, and they believe they are above the law. Usually, they are. But Abby and the others threw a wrench in the works. It’s a story in itself, and one I’ll tell you another day, but they almost succeeded in bringing the elite to their knees. It’s a first, and I doubt the elite will leave themselves open to exposure again.”

  “Before Epstein, I might have accused you of blowing smoke, but I know this shit exists.”

  “It does, and we are in the thick of it. The organization is restructuring, and I must play a part whether I want to or not. Kai, Rick, Abby, and Drew are in the same boat. It’s what I’ve been training for since I was ten.”

  “Training?” I rub a hand along the back of my neck. “What do you mean?”

  He audibly gulps. “Drew, Trent, and I have been going to Parkhurst annually to prepare for the time when we would become full members of the elite and assume our birthright.”

  “Trent was Sylvia’s son? The bomb killed him, right?” I ask, remembering what I’ve read.

  “Someone has done their homework,” he says, and I blush.

  “I was curious about Abby,” I truthfully admit. “So, I read everything I could get my hands on.”

  He kisses me softly. “I’m impressed, and maybe, you’re more ready for this world than I think.” He pulls me into his arms, and I reposition myself on his lap with my legs stretched out to the side. “Trent used to be one of my closest friends, but he was a bastard, and at the time he died, we were enemies. The bomb didn’t kill him. Jackson did.”

  I startle, jumping on his lap as shock rams into me.

  “It was self-defense,” Charlie explains, “and I have zero remorse for his death, because he tried to kill Abby.”

  “But you took the bullet instead,” I say, working it all out in my mind.

  “Yes.” He clasps my face in his warm palms. “And I hope you know I’d take a bullet for you too.”

  A shudder works its way through me. “I hope you never have to.”

  “So do I, but the world I inhabit is a dangerous world, and you need to understand what you are walking into if you decide to continue dating me.”

  Now, it’s my turn to cup his face. “There is no decision to be made. It’s already done. I’m yours, Charlie. Whatever is coming, we will face it together because I’m all in, and there is nothing you can say that will make me change my mind.”

  CHAPTER 15

  Charlie

  I want to believe that so badly, but I’m terrified she’ll want nothing to do with me when she finds out the stuff I’ve done. I’m not giving her specifics, because some of it is too heinous to speak out loud, but I need to tell her enough so she understands the kind of man I am. “I hope you still feel like that after you find out what I’ve done.”

  “Hey.” She pins me with those luscious eyes, emotion brimming behind them. “I know there’s a good guy behind that asshole front you like to wear.”

  “I’ve done a lot of bad shit, Demi. Things I can’t take back.”

  “Tell me about this training. Tell me what they forced you to do.”

  I hold her more tightly, nuzzling into her neck and breathing her in as I prepare to tell her things I’ve told no one before. “Training was two-fold. Preparing us to take control of our family business and preparing us to be men of the elite. That involved a lot of physical tasks.” Acid crawls up my throat. “I lost my virginity at thirteen to an older woman who had been assigned as my sexual mentor at age twelve.”

  Her jaw slackens. “What the what?”

  “Sex has always been a purely physical act for me, and I’ve, ah, got certain tastes.”

  “Like what?” Interest piques on her face.

  “Bondage. Domination and other kinks.” I don’t want to scare her off by revealing the true extent of my depraved sexual fantasies—especially the ones involving her.

  “You say that like it’ll send me running away screaming.”

  “I doubt you’re used to the kind of sex I crave.”

  She repositions herself on my lap until she’s straddling me. She tilts my chin up. “I’m not, but that doesn’t mean I’m closed off. I’m open to exploring my sexuality with you, and maybe, you could be open to exploring intimacy with me?”

  God, she’s sweet but so misguided. “I don’t know how else to be.” I brush my fingers across her cheek. “I want to experience intimacy with you, but I’m not sure I know how.”

  “We’ll figure it out together. None of that is a deal breaker, so what else do I need to know?”

  “I’ve killed people, Demi. Never by choice and not always out of necessity. The elite live by their own set of rules, and there were times when we were instructed to kill for no reason but to prove they could control us and freely take
lives.”

  Shock splays across her face as she stares at me.

  I go on, needing to purge this. “Some of the initiation rituals were violent and brutal, and it was a kill or be killed scenario. I made my first kill at fourteen, and I had nightmares for months after. Sometimes, when I close my eyes at night, I still see his face.” I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment. “The things I’ve done haunt me.”

  “That proves you’re a good person.”

  “I’ve just admitted I like to hurt women during sex, and I’ve killed people, and you think I’m a good person?!” I snap, more angry at myself than her.

  She grabs my face firmly, staring deep into my eyes. “Don’t act dumb. You know what I’m saying and why I’m saying it. If you were a cold-blooded pervert killer, you’d feel no guilt, no remorse, and show no desire to change.” She runs her finger along my lower lip. “I’m not going to lie. I’m shocked and sickened, but I also understand you were a kid, and they forced you to do things no kid should ever have to do.” Tears pool in her eyes. “Don’t you see how strong you are to have survived that? And you still know what’s right from wrong. That speaks volumes, Charlie.”

  “I’ve stood by and watched the elite abuse kidnapped kids. I’ve seen those poor innocents drugged to their eyeballs and then callously disposed of when they were no longer of any use. I’ve watched elite members pass their wives around like they’re candy. I’ve turned a blind eye when those women cried out in pain and shame. I’ve ignored the criminal activities driven by morally corrupt men with a single-minded thirst for power.”

  “You were a kid, Charlie.” She grips my chin in her soft hands. “You probably had PTSD. And it’s not like you could’ve done anything to stop it. You were a kid, and they were powerful men with no moral compass. If you’d tried to help, they would have killed you.”

  She’s grasping this more easily than I expected, and I don’t think I’ve given her enough credit even though she has proven her inner strength to me over and over. “I haven’t been a kid for a long time, Demi.” I swallow a knot in my throat.