Chapter 13
Charlotte
I heard the doorbell downstairs and I sat up in bed. It wasn’t like I was sleeping anyway. How could I? Knowing that someone from the clan…most likely Lincoln; could turn up at our house any minute.
After dad told us what he was going to do about the threats, I wasn’t just scared for the safety of my baby, I was also worried what was going to happen with Lincoln. I felt a thrill run down my spine. Je was here in the house now. In my home.
I couldn’t hear their voices, but I could sense that dad was with him now. I wanted to see him, but I was nervous about what would happen next. Five months had gone by and I thought I’d never see him again,and now this! My life was too complicated right now, and I had no idea how I was going to deal with it.
I was just about to slide my legs off the bed and get off, when my bedroom door opened. I looked up with a gasp to see Lincoln standing there in the darkness of the hallway.
When he saw me sitting up in bed, he stepped in and softly shut the door behind him.
Lincoln, with his velvety brown hair and green eyes. He seemed to fill up my entire room with his height. I stared at him, at how hot he was, my attraction towards him had gone nowhere. He was still the sexiest guy I’d ever seen. And he was the father of my child.
“What are you doing here? You have to leave!” I hissed.
He took a few steps towards me, close to my bed.
“I need to talk to you, Charlotte. I need some answers,” he growled.
His green eyes were narrowed on me, his face had gone dark. I knew he wasn’t going anywhere till he got what he wanted. My mouth watered at the sight of him, and at the same time, I wanted him gone…so I could think, so I could decide what to do.
“My parents are in the room next door. They will hear us. You have to go!” I whispered.
Lincoln clenched his jaw and pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
“I’m not going anywhere, Charlotte. Not till you tell me the truth,” he said, in a commanding voice.
My throat had gone dry. If dad found us…
I swung my legs off the bed and stood up. I could feel his eyes on me…on the shape of my body under the flimsy slip I was wearing in bed. My belly bulged underneath.
“Come with me,” I said and strode to the door. We couldn’t talk here, but I knew a place where we could, away from earshot of my parents.
As I rushed through the house, I didn’t turn to see if he was following me. I knew Lincoln was directly behind me. Thankfully, Bertha was asleep already and didn’t hear us as we stepped out of the back door of the kitchen into the garden.
Out in the night, Lincoln and I were standing staring at each other. He gave me my distance, the space that I needed.
Instead of flooding me with questions, he let me take my time to think. But I wasn’t thinking, all I could really do was stare at him. How was it possible, that this man, who was so different from everything else that I knew, could have this effect on me?
Nothing had changed since that rally five months ago. Even now, when I saw Lincoln; I was filled with those same feelings of being overwhelmed with desire for him. I wanted his arms around me. I wanted him to hold me close to his chest, to weave his fingers through my hair.
I’d never felt this safe with anyone before, not even my family. Without saying a word to me, Lincoln was able to communicate that he got me. I didn’t have to say anything, he knew it already.
“Charlotte…I’m sorry if this is not what you want,” he began. I gulped, trying to push down the lump in my throat. I still couldn’t get a word out.
“I didn’t mean to throw myself at you. But I really need to know,” he continued. His gaze travelled from my face down to my belly now. He was staring at my stomach, like he couldn’t believe it either.
I brushed my belly with my hands and he looked up at my face again.
“Please, just tell me the truth. Am I the father of this child?” he asked.
I could have lied. I could have just told him I had a boyfriend…or that I’d slept with someone else around the same time of the camping trip. That would have been much simpler. I knew Lincoln would leave me alone if I told him that. Despite all his strength and his power; he wasn’t the kind of man who would force himself on me.
“Yes, it’s yours,” I said instead.
I couldn’t hide the truth from him. He deserved to know. I wanted him to know…
Lincoln clenched his jaw and ran a hand through his head. He was thinking. I could sense his brain working a mile a minute. I licked my lips nervously.
“I’m sorry, Lincoln…I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you. I didn’t know where to find you and I didn’t think you would want to know anyway. And when I did see you again, I panicked.”
He was watching me speak, and I could feel tears filling up my eyes.
“And now? Why did you tell me now?” he finally asked.
I looked down at my feet because I couldn’t bare to keep looking into his face.
“Because you deserve to know that you’re going to be a father. And because…I’m happy to see you,” I answered.