“You don’t need to—”
“I don’t care where you are or what you’re doing, Fern. I will never not protect you. You’re like family now. I thought you knew that.”
My lips curled into a small smile. “I do, but we don’t have anything… no clothes, nothing but what we’re wearing.”
“Leave it with me and I’ll get it to you.”
“And how do we get there?”
“There’ll be a car outside in twenty. Matt will get you out of the building without anyone seeing.”
I let out a sigh of relief that we had a plan, but then my eyes landed on a broken looking Charlie, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever recover from from this.
Chapter 41
Charlie
Time moved differently. One minute I’d been in that bathroom, terrified that I was about to be forced to relive the worst moments of my life. Then, I was in a car, feeling safe again, while soothing fingers raked over my head. And now I was in a bed, weighed down with heavy blankets.
I tried to push up, but my body ached, my chest burned and tears pricked behind my eyes, even though I didn’t understand why.
A familiar scent wrapped around me, soothing a pain I couldn’t explain.
“Charlie?”
Fern.
Then it hit me. Jennifer. Her hands on me. Her leering smile. Her words.
My breathing shifted, my lungs not filling properly. Suddenly, the bed dipped and Fern’s voice washed over me. “Hey, I’m here. If you want me to stay, I’m not going anywhere.”
I sat up, fear flooding my body. I needed to run. I needed to get away. Throwing back the blankets, I tried to climb from the bed, but my body didn’t feel like my own.
“Hey, you’re safe. I promise. She’s gone.” Her fingers wrapped in mine and she squeezed my hand. “I’m here. Let me take care of you for a change.” She smiled and I couldn’t help the contented sigh that I made. “We’re at the lighthouse.”
I frowned because the lighthouse was four or five hours from London and I didn’t remember traveling.
Looking around, I recognized the bed and the fire blazing in the corner. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“I’m going to go make something to eat, but I won’t be far.”
I wanted to cry out, demand that she stay close, and wrap myself around her, but I let her leave, regretting it instantly.
I must have fallen back asleep, but I woke myself up screaming. Fern appeared by my side.
“You okay?”
I shook my head. I hated how much I mistrusted my own body. All I could think about was if Jennifer had continued to touch me, whether I would have come.
Fern’s hand cupped my cheek. “Don’t do that to yourself. You’re stronger than you know, and I would never have let her touch you. I’d have killed her before I let her get near you.”
I dropped my head, shame and hurt stealing my words again.
“Can I run you a bath? Let me help you wash her off your skin, and then we can look at how to purge her from your memory.”
Words burned in my throat that I struggled to say, but I forced them out. “I’m scared.”
Fern’s eyes widened. “Of me?”
