Rewritten (Unwritten Book 2) (15 page)

Paul walks up, smacking her ass, “Cool my ass. My place is the shit! Here, I’ll show you around.”

He walks me through the 3,200 square feet of his apartment, with every detail thought out and executed to the highest quality. There are two other bedrooms, two balconies and a study off the master bedroom.

Once back in the living room where Charlie and Nichole are sitting, I look at Paul, “Wow Paul, this place is amazing. But why? Why have something so big if only you live here?”

Paul thinks for a second, “I don’t know. For something more one day I guess.”

He looks at Nichole and they catch eyes, which surprises the hell out of me. Who knows what’s going on in Nichole’s head from that comment.

Nichole jumps up, and my intuition was right. She’s totally freaked out by what he just said. “Ok. Let’s get out of here,” she says walking away from Paul.

We walk up to Ruby Skye to see the same bouncer working the front door from the last time they were there. As Charlie approaches the bouncer holds up his hands trying to block his face, teasing Charlie, “Oh no, Mike Tyson’s back.”

“Awe man,” he looks at me and I just glare back. “Sorry about that,” he says to the bouncer as they grip hands.

“Hey, it’s all good. She’s hot. I’d knock a guy out for her, too,” he laughs. “Go on in.”

“Thanks bro. Ladies, after you.”

Charlie grabs us all a round of drinks as we stand around a tall table, taking in the scene around us. Nichole downs her drink, anxious to start the night off right, then heads out to the dance floor alone while we sit back watching.

“So, no girl in your apartment rule flew out the window pretty fast, huh?” Charlie asks Paul.

“Fuck dude, don’t remind me. She’s sexy as hell though.”

“Yeah, I guess, if you like that model type,” Charlie smirks, winking at me.

“Fuck yeah I do!” Paul yells obnoxiously. “I’d drink her bath water,” he jokes.

Charlie chokes on his beer, laughing, “Only you, Paul.”

I’m grossed out by his comment so I drink the last drop of my drink and head out to join Nichole.

Paul downs his beer and follows us out to the dance floor with Charlie right behind him. Paul walks up behind Nichole while Charlie walks up in front of me. Both wrapping their arms around us like they’re claiming our bodies, dancing seductively.

The song changes as Rihanna’s
We Found Love
begins to play.

Charlie and I intertwine as we move with the beat, kissing with our hands lacing around each other’s.

I look over at Paul who’s still behind Nichole with his arms wrapped around her hips and her arms wrapped behind his head. He kisses her neck as they seductively move slower than the dance beat playing around them. Both of them moving slower and slower until they’re swaying, holding each other close, rubbing against each other.

They look completely lost in the moment and I’m shocked. This is so not like Nichole. They stop moving, standing still, holding on to one another tightly. Paul starts to rub his hands up her body and around her breasts. Both of them have the most intense look on their faces.

The end of the song talks about finding love in a hopeless place and I watch as Paul turns Nichole around, kissing her deeply, holding her up against him. I stop dancing, hitting Charlie’s chest, motioning to check them out.

The next song begins as he lets go, pulling back to look at her.

Nichole backs up slowly, saying something to him and starts to walk off the dance floor toward the bar, holding his hand. I grab Charlie to follow them.

“Shall we order another round?” I yell out, looking at Nichole who is pale white and trying to not look at Paul. I turn to Charlie, “Hey, Nichole and I are going to the ladies room, will you get us another round?”

“Sure thing.”

Both guys are clueless as I grab Nichole’s arm, pulling her to the bathroom. Once the door is shut I turn to her, “Wow, what’s going on? I’ve never seen you look so, so, I’m not sure. What happened out there?”

Nichole shakes her head and I’m sure she realizes now why we’re in the bathroom. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She turns to the mirror to check her make-up.

“Don’t lie. Something happened. I saw it and can read it all over your face.”

“Oh, stop. Nothing happened. I was probably just flush from dancing.”

“Yeah, dancing with Paul. You are really falling for this guy, aren’t you?”

She gives me a give-me-a-break look, “Really? I’ve known him for all of what, three days.”

“Yeah, and you’ve seen him everyday. What did you do today by the way, Nichole?”

“We just hung out,” she shrugs her shoulders. “Got the new magazine I’m in, walked around downtown, had lunch. No big deal.”

“No big deal…? Ha! Ok, fine, say what you want. But I saw it. I saw something on your face that you can’t deny.”

Nichole shoots me a grim look, “I’m not you remember. I don’t date.” She storms out of the bathroom; mad that I noticed what she was feeling.

Nichole proceeds to get pretty drunk. I know she’s trying to hide her feelings for Paul but dancing as provocatively as she can with him isn’t pleading her case with me.

The night ends and we all pour out of the club, heading back to Charlie and Paul’s building. Nichole doesn’t notice where we are heading until we’re in front of their building. “Whoa, wait. I need to go home,” she proclaims in her very drunk state.

Paul grabs her, “No, you’re staying here tonight.”

“What part of I-don’t-do-sleep-overs are you not understanding?” she asks as she sways back and forth, trying to stand up straight.

“Well, get over it. Now you do.” He picks her up, throwing her over his shoulder as they walk into the lobby.

Charlie and I laugh as the elevator doors open. Nichole tries to fight back but is laughing uncontrollably. “Do you have your phone in your ass?” Nichole laughs obviously meaning his pocket. “I can hear your ass ringing from down here.”

Paul reaches in his back pocket with his free hand and silences it without looking to see who is calling.

Once in the elevator, Paul puts her down, smacking her ass, “Good girl.”

“Fine, but I’m sleeping in one of the other bedrooms,” she folds her arms across her chest.

“Deal. That is, after we fuck…” he pulls her into his arms.

“Well yeah, that was a given,” she teases back.

“This could be fun. We can break in every room in my house with this attitude.”

Charlie and I look at each other, “Damn, they’re making us look bad over here, babe,” I hit Charlie’s chest as his floor dings its arrival.

He swoops in, picking me up, throwing me over his shoulder, “Not for long they aren’t. Later you two.”

I laugh as I wave goodbye to my sister from upside down.

A
llison and I are eating lunch together, enjoying a quiet day alone when my phone rings. “Hello, Diane.”

“Charlie, did you not call the Detective?”

“No, I haven’t. Why?”

“Well, he just called me and is wanting to speak to you.”

“Why?”

“Because you are the father of this baby. He knows that. Just act like nothing is wrong. It looks worse that you are avoiding him.”

“Fine. I’ll call him right now.”

“No, wait thirty minutes. I told him I was not home and I did not have your number. It would look obvious if you called him right away.”

“Fine, Diane. Goodbye,” I hang up the phone and look at Allison who is sitting next to me as we eat lunch together.

“What did she want?” Allison says disgusted.

“Come on Allison, you will have to forgive her at some point.”

Allison rolls her eyes at me.

“I guess the detective in Jacquelyn’s case wants to talk to me.”

Allison jumps up, “Why? How do they even know who you are?”

I look down, ashamed, “Because she’s pregnant and I’m the father, remember?”

Allison looks down and I lean in to hug her but this time she doesn’t hug back. “Allison, please don’t be upset.”

Her voice is stern when she responds, “Charlie, I told you. I need time.”

I put my head down, backing away from her, moving my fork around my plate, not sure if I can take another bite.

We sit in an awkward silence as we clean up our lunch before I walk into the other room to call the Detective.

“Detective O’Brien,” he answers.

“Hi, this is Charlie Ashley. I hear you wanted to talk to me about Jacquelyn Sanders.”

“Oh, yes, Charlie Ashley. Can you come into the station so we can discuss a few things?”

“Um, can’t you ask me what you need over the phone?”

“I’d rather you come in. When can you come down?”

“Ok, I can head there right now if that works for you.”

“Perfect, I’ll be here.”

I walk back into the room where Allison is. “I need to go to the police station. Would you like to come?”

“Why would I want to come to the police station? I told you, I don’t want anything to do with all of this.”

I stop, not sure what to say. “Even the baby?” I finally whisper.

“Time, Charlie. I said to give me time,” she looks down. “Look, I’ll go home. You go to the station. Just call me when you get back.”

“No, Allison, this is your home,” I grab her to try to bring our loving mood back.