Skins & Needles (COMPLETE)

Crossing Lines Part 2

Arsen

Charlotte sat on the floor in my kitchen clutching a bottle of wine to her chest, with another tipped over to her right. A few feet from her sat what was left of her phone, broken pieces of glass and wiring littering the tile. She had tears in her eyes, and the second they met mine, I rushed to her side.

"Charlotte, what happened?" I asked hurriedly, crouching next to her and placing a hand on her arm. "What's wrong?"

"He—" she began, but broke off with a sob.

"Deep breaths, Char," I soothed, and began to rub her back. She shook under my touch, but gradually, she slowed her rapid breathing and sobbing to a semi-stable cry. "What's going on? Come on, talk to me Charlotte."

"He called," she simply said, and brought the wine bottle to her lips to take a long swig.

"Who?"

At this she turned to me, her eyes level but her hands shaking, and took hold of one of my sleeves.

"He shouldn't have my number," she told me, glancing fearfully at her phone before looking back to me. "I had him blocked. Had a number from outside of my area code. I did everything. But somehow he found me... How, Arsen? What does he even want?"

"Who?" I demanded, and she dropped my arm and looked down.

"It doesn't matter," she mumbled, blinking away more tears. "I'll get a new number when I get back to Phoenix."

I didn't know what to say. I couldn't think of anything after what she had said. Someone had contacted her tonight that she was clearly trying to get away from, and she was terrified by it. But did I push to get more out of her? Find out who it was? Or would that just make it worse?

Instead of speaking, I just sat down next to her and leaned back so that we were against the cabinets with our shoulders brushing. Charlotte didn't move away, or say anything at all, and I extended my hand for the bottle of wine. She gave it to me, and I took several gulps before handing it back.

"Are you in danger?" I asked finally, and she laughed humorlessly.

"I don't know," she replied dryly. "He shouldn't have my number, but he does. Who's to say he hasn't discovered where I live?"

"How far?" I didn't need to elaborate. Charlotte took another sip of wine and rested her head back on the cupboard.

"I was in North Carolina before here, if that's what you're asking." She didn't say more, but I felt her lean closer to me. After another minute, she took a deep breath, and spoke.

"I don't want to think about all that," she sighed, and glanced up at me. "And I don't want you to see me like this. Again. I want you to see me as strong. Sexy." At this she laughed lightly and took another drink of the wine.

"I do," I admitted, cracking my neck before leaning my head back too. "I do see you as strong. I know you won't tell me, and I have no right to ask, but I can tell you've been through some kind of hell, and came out standing tall. I've never seen someone more totally alive than you, Char. As for the sexy part... I know I'm shit at hiding it."

"But you're great at ignoring it," she said softly. I looked down to see her staring at the wine. Her face was finally clear of fresh tears, but I saw another kind of sadness when her hazel eyes momentarily flicked to mine.

"There's so much going on in my world right now," I began, and took another drink of wine from the tipped over bottle to my right. "We're from different walks of life, Charlotte. Not only is my line of work dangerous, but things work differently when it comes to the dating department." That was only part of the truth. The other half was one I hadn't even admitted to myself. You could fall in love with her, my brain finished for me. And she can never know.