Suddenly, someone placed a jacket over my naked body in Charlie’s arms. I opened my eyes to see Sun beside me, tugging off her scarf to help cover more of my body. Her friends, Russ and Maya, offered up their coats as well.
I had tried to be strong, but I couldn’t help the sob that left my mouth when I saw Charlie. Derek hadn’t slammed himself into me at all, but he had been so close that I swore Charlie thought he had.
But I … I just felt so guilty.
While I had known it was coming, while I expected it, while I prepared for it, I felt so disgusting. I didn’t want him to touch me, but I’d let it happen.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Charlie never wanted to look at me again.
I held my breath, sank into Charlie’s hug to steal his warmth, and tried to hold in all the pain. My emotions were a mess right now. I didn’t know whether to cry or throw a fit, to march back into the party and kick Derek’s ass myself or head back home with Charlie and never leave the house.
Charlie walked with me out of the mansion and to his car, which had almost plowed right into the front entrance. After opening up the back door, he scooted into the seat with me and pressed his lips to my forehead.
“How are you doing?” Sun whispered, sitting on the edge of the seat and rubbing my leg.
I sniffled in response and stared at my best friend through teary eyes. I knew if I opened my mouth, nothing but a sob would escape past my lips. Charlie’s family members were still around, and I didn’t want them to see me like this.
“Please take me home,” I finally whimpered into his shoulder, clutching on to his back like if I let go, then it would be the actual death of me. Like if I released my grip, then Derek would seize my hips and pull me back to him. “I never wanna come back here again.”
Charlie kissed my forehead. “We are never coming back here again.”
“I’ll drive you both to the hospital,” Sun said to Charlie. “You stay back there with her.”
“I don’t want to go to the hospital,” I whimpered. “I want to go home.”
“You have to go to the hospital,” Sun said. “Your head is bleeding profusely.”
“You need to be checked out,” Charlie agreed.
After I pressed my trembling lips together, Sun drove off the property and onto the road.
I let out a low breath, almost a sigh of relief. I couldn’t believe that this had happened. I couldn’t believe that … that Derek really was almost … inside me.
I intertwined my shaky hands to steady them and immediately noticed that …
Wait, where’s my diamond?
The ring was still on my finger, but the diamond … it wasn’t in its place anymore. It wasn’t …
“Charlie,” I whispered, tears beginning to pour down my face, “I don’t know where my diamond went. I … it must’ve fallen off when I fell back in the city. I promise … I promise that I didn’t do it purposefully. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“Shh, shh, shh,” Charlie murmured, hugging me tighter. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not okay. I lost my ring, and Derek … and Derek …”
“Calm down, Athena,” Charlie whispered against my forehead. “You should be resting. It’s okay. I found the diamond, and even if I hadn’t, we could replace it. I can’t fucking replace you. I need you to be okay.”
My eyes burned, and I bit back a sob because it felt so stupid to cry. “I …”
Charlie grasped my face and pulled back so I looked directly into his eyes. “I love you.”
The whimper slipped past my quivering lips. “I love you too. So much. I’m sor?—”
“Stop it,” Charlie said. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”
“If I were you, I wouldn’t touch me,” I said truthfully. “Derek touched me.”
At the mention of his brother, Charlie gritted his teeth, his gaze distancing. Sun looked back at us through the mirror and grimaced, her hands tightening on the steering wheel. Charlie shook his head.
