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It took every ounce of my self-control to stop this little vixen in front of me. She had no fucking clue how tempting she was. From the second she had walked down her stairs earlier, I could barely breathe. She literally took my breath away. At that moment I didn't think she could get any more beautiful, but now it was only a few hours later and I was proven wrong.
She sat on the table in front of me taking deep breaths to calm down. Several curls had fallen out throughout the night, leaving her looking wild and wind-blown. Her pale skin was flushed with excitement and her swollen lips were just begging me to kiss her again.
I walked a few steps down the hallway trying to inconspicuously adjust my erection in my tight dress pants. I needed to stay in control for Charlotte. This was all new and exciting for her, but I was determined not to take from her—not to be selfish.
Once we were both more presentable we went back into the ballroom and joined the people milling around. Charlotte giggled as I casually tried to steer us into the crowd as though we'd been there all along.
"Hey, there you guys are!" Oliver came saddling up next to me. I cringed as the overwhelming smell of liquor burned my nose. "Could you see the fireworks from back here?"
Charlotte looked like a guppy as she grappled to find an answer. Her eyes widened into perfect circles and those tantalizing lips popped open, but no sound came out. Note to self: Charlotte would suck in a secret mission.
"I could. I think your sister struggled a bit to see over the crowd," I laughed to Oliver. Luckily he was way too out of it to notice any weird behaviour.
We wandered back to our families who were saying goodbye to the other party guests. My mom usually insisted we stay at this thing until the Averys left, which meant we didn't go until the last guest had been bid off. Frustration boiled in my stomach as I noticed for the millionth time this holiday season that my dad was missing.
Don't get me wrong, I loved not having him around. It's just so sketchy how he's always disappearing. I've been home for a week and I think the most I've seen him at any given time is forty-five minutes—and that was on Christmas morning. I've asked my mom about it but she just waves me off as usual and says not to worry about it.
"Where's Bryan?" Mr. Avery asked as the last of the guests cleared out.
"Oh... you know I think he went home already. He wasn't feeling great." Mom said with an airiness to her voice I'd learned not to trust.
We all stood in the lobby of the hotel putting on our jackets and getting ready to leave. Annie couldn't find hers so Mom ran back into the ballroom to try and find it.
"Oh!" Annie exclaimed excitedly as she walked over to a closet door. "I 'member! I put it in here!" There was a moment of pure shock and silence after Annie swung the door open, and then all hell broke loose.
White-hot rage flooded my veins as a cloud of red cast over my pupils. I was vaguely aware of a woman shouting but I didn't care. All I could focus on was my father and killing him.
"You piece of shit," I seethed as I grabbed the collar of his jacket and pinned him to the wall. The shouting woman seemed to have found her clothes because I cringed away as I felt her brush past us. "You couldn't keep it in your fucking pants for one night." I slammed his head back into the wall eliciting a groan from my disgusting father. Good.
The image of my father with some random chick wrapped around him would now forever be engrained in my brain. I wanted to puke when I saw her saliva still wet on his mouth.
"Get your hands off of me!" Dad yelled as he tried to wrestle me off. "I'm your father!"
"Not anymore you're fucking not." I slammed him back again before crunching my fist into his nose. A satisfying crack rang out as he toppled to the floor. He looked pathetic as he hunched over trying to catch his breath.
I was about to jump on him when a commotion of arguments caught my attention. I turned to see Charlotte's dad trying to hold her back but she slipped from his grip and came to my side.
"Archer don't," she said softly grabbing my armas I seethed with anger. Warmth spread from her fingertips, relaxing the muscles under her touch. But I wasn't done.
"He cheated on my mom, Charlotte! I'm sick of this shit he deserves it."
"I know but Archer you're better than this. Look at Annie—she's scared and she needs her big brother." I twisted to find my sister and my face crumpled with guilt. She was tucked behind Mr. Avery's leg, peeking her tear-stained face around to watch me. Mr. Avery was petting her hair gently but his hard eyes were turned on my dad.
Seeing my sister so scared took the wind out of my sails. I turned to my dad and took a great deal of pleasure in him flinching away from me. "I'm fucking done with you disrespecting Mom," I spat at him.
He finally caught his breath as he slumped his back against the wall. He turned his blood-stained face up to me and coughed. "I wasn't cheating," he gasped.
"Like fuck you weren't she was fucking naked! Annie fucking saw you, you sick fuck." I raged.
"Not... cheating." My dad said again between breaths.
"He's right Archer." I whipped around to see my mom had joined us again. Her sad eyes ignored my dad as she stepped towards me. "That wasn't cheating. At least not this time. We've been legally separated since Thanksgiving."
Charlotte's grip tightened on my arm as the shock of my mom's words settled on our group. My brain moved a mile-a-minute as I tried to grasp onto some coherent thought. "What..." I croaked weakly.
"I'm so sorry baby, I didn't want to tell you. You needed to focus on football and getting good grades. I didn't want the stress of our divorce to hang over you. So, we decided to live together until after the post-season so everything could stay calm for you and Annie."
"Mom," I sighed. "How could you think your divorce would stress me out? I've been telling you to do it since I was 16."
My mom's eyes flicked down to my dad and I could tell she was hesitating to tell me something. Even now she was still protecting him. I stepped in front of him, getting her to look me in the eye so she could only focus on me.
"There's just been some disagreements that we need to sort. I don't want you worrying about Annie or I while you're away at school." I pulled my mom into a tight hug as her shoulders shook with stress and pain. But then, her words fully clicked in my brain.
"Why would I need to worry about you two?" I turned back to my pathetic father on the floor. "Don't fucking tell me you're not planning on supporting them."
His shoulders straightened in defiance as he used his dishevelled shirt to hold his bloody nose. "Look I'm the one who has to start over now. Buying a house and furniture is expensive, I can't afford to take care of two households."
"Jesus, Bryan..." Mr. Avery's disappointed voice came from behind us.
"You can all look at me like the bad guy all you want," Dad tentatively pulled himself up to stand before all of our disgusted faces. "But I'm trying to be fair here. She is the one who kicked me out, why should I be responsible for her."
"And what about Annie?" Mom snapped from next to me, clearly at the end of her rope.
"I'll take care of her," I interjected. "I'll take care of both of you," I said softly to my mom. Turning to my dad I took a deep breath and steadied my hands to finally say to him what I've always wanted. "I've spent my whole damn life trying to be the man you wanted me to be. But I am fucking done. I don't want to be anything like you. I'll be the man that you clearly can't be. If you don't want to take responsibility for your family then fine—walk away. I'll do it for you."
I didn't wait for his response, I didn't care what he had to say anymore. I turned back to the others and strode over to Annie. She jumped into my arms and I held her close to my chest as I grabbed my mom's hand and pulled them both outside. I was vaguely aware of the Avery's following us but I didn't stop to talk as I ushered us into a taxi. I just needed to get home with my family.
I looked out the window of the cab as my mom told the man our address. Charlotte was standing between her parents as they all watched us leave. I gave her a sad smile which she returned, and then we were gone.
Our house felt colder than usual when we got home. Annie had fallen asleep in the cab so I carried her up to her bedroom and placed her gently on her bed. I slipped off her little shoes and loosened the tie on her dress before pulling her comforter up over her shoulders.
When I got back downstairs my mom was sitting in the living room, looking lost. I watched her silently for a moment then crossed the room to sit opposite her.
"I am already getting NFL scouts coming to my games. If Coach puts it out to them that I'm willing to draft early, I'll probably get a contract." I explain, having thought about this the whole drive home.
"Not a chance," Mom snapped as she rubbed her fingertips over her eyes. "You are graduating and that is that. No arguing with me."
"Mom what are you going to do for money? If I don't take a contract early then it'll be a year and a half before they come around again. What if I get injured before then?"
She nodded her head slowly, processing my words. Then she turned her face back to me with sad eyes. "My lawyer has been trying to fight for child and spousal support since I dropped out of college when I married your dad. But his lawyer has taken a hard stance that he won't do it. Maybe, if I ask for the house but nothing else he'll take it? He doesn't want it anyways. He said he's moving to the city."
"What does having the house do though? You'll have the payments and upkeep on your own," I pressed.
"Yes," she nodded. "But if I sell it that should give Annie and I enough to get by for a while. We can move into something smaller and I'll start working again."
"Only until I'm drafted," I promised vehemently. "Then you won't have to worry again."
My mom smiled softly at me as she stood up. She walked around the coffee table and placed her warm hands on my cheek. "None of this is your responsibility you know." She looked down on me with a raised brow. "I appreciate you stepping up but I'm still your mom and I'm gonna handle it." She patted my cheek lovingly before adding, "I love you, but if I ever see you use your fists instead of your mouth in an argument again, I'll tan your hide."
I slumped into the couch as she walked up the stairs to bed. Adrenaline still pumped through me after tonight's events and I couldn't settle my nerves. It had really happened... my mom had finally had enough.
I got up and grabbed my jacket to leave the house before I even knew what I was doing. My truck rumbled to life beneath my feet and I instantly knew what I needed.
When I got to the Avery's house everything was dark and quiet. I walked under Charlotte's window and tried to figure out the best way to get up there. I settled on the lattice that crawled up the wall and almost reached her window. It would be risky but I thought it would work.
The cold wood bit at my fingers as I slowly pulled myself up the woven grid. My shoes barely fit into the holes making this whole adventure much more precarious. When I reached the top of the lattice I had to reach up and quickly knock on Charlotte's window before dropping my hand to hold on again.
"Archer?" Charlotte's voice was panicked as she looked down and saw me gripping onto the lattice for dear life. I reached up, finding the window sill then hauled myself up.
"Hey Sweetheart," I sighed as I got my elbows onto the wooden ledge then pulled myself inside.
Charlotte ran across her room quickly to lock the door as I climbed through the window. I dropped my suit jacket on her desk before unbuttoning my dress shirt.
"I'm not getting any ideas," I said hesitantly as she turned around to me undressing. "This shirt is just fucking itchy. I wish I'd thought to change."
Charlotte dropped back onto her bed and rested against the headboard. "What are you doing here?" She asked softly as she looked up at me.
I didn't bother waiting for an invitation as I fell between her legs, resting my head on her stomach. The tension in my shoulder's slowly released as her dainty fingers went to my hair and began to massage. "I just needed to see you," I mumbled into her sweater.
Charlotte's fingers traced down my head to my neck, sweeping across my shoulders making me shiver. I groaned lightly as she began to knead the tight muscles on my shoulders and back. I was so fucking grateful for her at that moment. I pressed a kiss to her stomach before relaxing to let her continue her ministrations.
"It's all going to be okay, I know it," she whispered gently into the silence. I nodded slowly. For the first time tonight, I actually believed that it might be. I wasn't fully convinced that my mom's plan with the lawyers would work. But with my little angel next to me, I felt okay. Like maybe the whole world wasn't out to punish me.
We laid like that until the early hours of the morning. We talked sporadically, but mostly I just listened to her gentle breaths and tried to calm my mind. The rise and fall of her stomach under my head was a constant reminder that I wasn't alone.
A tiny voice in the back of my head reminded me that this was what I hadn't wanted. For Charlotte to get weighed down by my bullshit. But I didn't know what to do now. I could barely remember what life was like before Charlotte came to USC, but I knew it was dark, grey, and monotonous.
Then suddenly this little ball of light came bursting into my life and exploded positivity everywhere. At first, it had been too much. Like when you are sleeping and open your eyes to find the blinds left open. But eventually, my eyes adjusted and now I can't go back to the darkness.
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