Matt and Ryder come back with bowls filled with ice cream and pie.
“Damn, did you guys save any for us?” I give their full bowls a quizzical look.
Matt sits on the other side of Asher while Ryder returns to his chair. Matt offers a huge spoonful of ice cream to Asher, who pushes it right back. Matt shrugs and shoves it in his mouth before speaking.
“There’s like half-ish of a pie left. Ryder took a bigger slice!” He says around a mouth full of ice cream pointing to Ryder with his spoon.
I quirk a brow at the size of Ry’s slice. It looks like half the pie is in his bowl.
“What? You know apple pie is my favorite,” he says around a mouth full of apples.
Asher crosses his arms and leans back with a barely there smile, watching our two idiot friends bicker. I join him and laugh as they start arguing about who ate the most and who gets dibs on what leftovers.
It’s almost the perfect day. All that’s missing is my beautiful boy.
It’s a little past eight AM when I pull into a spot in front of Charlie’s townhouse. As I step out of my truck, I notice a nice-looking dark blue Mustang parked a few spots over. It’s the latest model and looks sick as hell with a silver muffler sticking out the back. I can see the driver sitting in the car, so I control my need to get a closer look. I can hear music coming from the car as I get closer and immediately recognize Linkin Park playing.
Nice.
I keep my gaze forward as I approach the car trying to keep my eyes from admiring the sleek Mustang. But curiosity wins out and when I glance through the windshield before turning to the building, I freeze.
I’d know that mop of unruly hair anywhere.
“Charlie?”
I didn’t know he had a car.
His head is down with a hand woven through his hair with the other one wrapped around his ribs.
I walk over to his door and try to open it, but it’s locked. Banging on the window I call his name.
“Charlie. Open up!” I hit my palm on the window again, but he shows no sign of hearing me.
I look around and make sure no one is around before placing my hands on the top of the door and rocking his car back and forth.
His head jerks up and he grabs the steering wheel with both hands, breathing hard.
I knock on the window and watch as he turns his head in slow motion. I suck in a sharp breath when I see blood all over the side of his face. He visibly swallows before pushing the off button next to the steering wheel. Setting his hands in his lap, he stares blankly out the windshield.
“Baby, open the door for me.”
A tear slides down his bloody cheek, glinting in the sun’s rays.
I pull on the door handle again. “Come on beautiful. I’m right here for you.”
Another tear falls as he finally unlocks the door.
I pull it open and crouch down next to him. The side of his head is matted with dried blood and there are purplefingerprints around his neck. He’s also still in the suit he wore last night.
“I’m sorry,” he says, barely above a whisper still looking out of the windshield.
“Baby, what happened?” I gently turn his head to face me. The air is sucked out of me for the second time at the sight of Charlie’s right eye. It is swollen shut and is a deep purple color with a gash on his eyebrow.
“What the fuck happened Charlie,” I say a bit rougher than I meant.
His shoulders come up to his ears, but he lets out a small cry and drops them back down.
“I’m taking you to the hospital. Come on.” I stand up and hold out my hand to help him out.
