“Dad, I just—”
“You have screwed up big time, Alexander!” His voice echoed, bouncing off the walls with a loud aftershock startling everyone inside t
he room. “Your wife went into the hospital today with pains after she found emails between you and Charlie. Not only have you dishonored your marriage, but you have put your child’s life at risk. What the hell were you thinking? She’s eighteen!”
There were no words to explain how much I loved Charlotte, that she was everything to me. I looked at Adriana, who still refused to look my way. She’d felt betrayed by her best friend, surely. It shouldn’t be this way. She knew Charlotte better than anyone else. Why couldn’t she understand why I did this? I walked over to Adriana placing my hand on her shoulder only to be met by a cold stare.
“It has been decided that you and Samantha will leave for San Francisco tonight. Her sister’s apartment has been vacated for months, so you’ll be staying there. I’ll have all your things sent to you in the next few days. You are not to contact Charlie—”
The guilt I had been feeling is suddenly overridden by anger. I walked toward where my father stood, standing eye to eye meeting his stance and interrupted his tirade, “Dad, since when can you dictate what I do with my life? You have no idea what happened!”
“You listen to me real good, son. If anything happens to that baby, you’ll be held responsible for the rest of your life, you understand? You will make this marriage work. You made vows in a church in front of God that you would love and honor her for as long as you both shall live,” he warned, his finger pointing straight at my face. “Your immaturity has landed you in this mess, but you’re an Edwards, and you’ll rectify this immediately. You are to leave this town and never return. When Mark Mason gets wind of this, you are going to wish you were long gone. As usual, I’ll deal with the aftermath of your mistakes. Do not embarrass our family any further.”
The doorbell rang. It was the car service. My mother ushered Samantha to the car taking along her suitcase, my father taking the other which I could only assume was mine.
I don’t remember walking to the car and getting in, my mind not comprehending what just happened or what was going to happen. In my zombie-like state, my emotions and physical movement were not communicating. My father closed the door behind me.
I open the window slightly, desperately needing to speak to my sister. “Adriana, I’m sorry. Please… believe me.” It was all I could manage.
She stood at the doorway not making eye contact with me, a tear falling down her cheek before she walked back into the house. I watched as my mother bowed her head, disappointed that this glorious moment was taken away from her because of my infidelity. My father stood there, his face stern. I had never in my life seen my father this way. It was a side of him that frightened me. I don’t know why since I was fucking twenty-five—an adult.
I knew I was to blame for this whole situation. And if something happened to this baby, I’d never be able to live with the fact that it was because of me.
The car drove off through town and onto the interstate. I started to panic, the reality setting in that I would no longer see Charlie, no longer kiss her beautiful lips or hold her in my arms. Samantha must have sensed the anxiety I was feeling as she laughed to herself causing me to turn my head and face her.
“Don’t even think about using your phone. Your father disconnected it an hour ago.”
Was this her plan all along?
Trap me in our marriage by falling pregnant?
Closing my eyes, I replayed what my father had said. This baby didn’t deserve to suffer because of me. I knew that, but how could I ignore the gut-wrenching pain I felt knowing I’d never see Charlotte again?
This wasn’t the path I chose, but as long as Samantha was carrying my baby, I had no choice.
NIKKI
Present
“Right there… right there… who’s your daddy?” Rocky hisses breathlessly.
It has been our morning ritual of late—blow jobs before breakfast. It’s always quick, and Rocky never lasts long, which only means I give great head—obviously.
I pull his boxers up, satisfied with myself for getting the job done in under two minutes. Now, I have peace and quiet for the next half hour before we have to pack and head back home to the city.
The Hamptons is a great place to relax and unwind, but I miss the pressure of work. I definitely miss bossing people around and telling them to shove their million-dollar lawsuits up their asses.
But I never call myself a workaholic.
I’m not Charlie.
If there’s one word to describe Charlie, it would be ‘determined.’ Most of the time, she knows what she wants and is unstoppable. In college, she’d cram in studying every second of the day she had free, which worked to my advantage because, let’s face it, I was too busy fucking Rocky to be cramming like her. It explains why I’m a mom to a seven-year-old at the ripe old age of twenty-seven.
Charlie aced college, graduated almost top of the class, and without her, we wouldn’t have started Mason & Romano. She’s steadfast, knows exactly how to make our firm a success, and her drive to succeed in the business world surpasses any other person I know.
Add to that, the woman is a fucking goddess. She can walk down the street, and you can see men walk past her with their dicks practically saluting her.
Charlie Mason is the whole package.