In Between The Alphas
Chapter 30

"It was nice meeting you Spencer," I said quickly and he must have noticed the growing tension and fear on my face because he nodded and hurried away and I braced myself before coming face to face with a fuming Jake.

I opened my mouth to speak but he didn't give me the chance and neither did he say anything to me. He just grabbed my arm and pulled me into an empty room. I opened my mouth to explain but he let out a loud growl that shut me up. "One hour," he began, "I was gone one fvcking hour and you're already making moves on some pathetic little coffee boy."

"I wasn't making moves on him, I just bumped into him and his things fell so I helped him pick it up," I explained, "I swear that I wasn't doing anything wrong."

"What were you doing out of the daycare?" he asked and I went silent, "What you don't have any explanations to give anymore?"

"I went to see Logan," I said finally and before he opened his mouth I cut him off, "He wanted to know if I would be willing to supply brownies to a bakery in town." "No," he said immediately and I raised a brow at him.

"Excuse me?"

"I said no; you aren't going anywhere I can't keep an eye on you."

"It's just brownies," I said suddenly getting upset, "You can't keep me locked up forever; I'm my own person and I need to do things myself."

"Why do you want to do this anyways?" he asked, "Haven't I already done enough for you?"

"I just want to spend my time doing something I love and making money from it," I said, "Is that so wrong?"

"You don't have to make money; I can provide for you."

"I am not your charity case," I said softly, "I am grateful for everything that you've done but I need to do this for myself. I need to know that I did this and I got this by myself and not because of you."

"You didn't get your current job because of me," he said, "Logan decided to give it to you."

"You don't have to lie anymore, I already know that you asked Logan to give me this job," I said and his eyes widened for a second before he quickly schooled his expression back to indifference, "I wouldn't have been upset, I just want to know why you lied." "So is this what it has turned into?" he spat, "You gossiping about me behind my back."

"You're blowing this out of proportion."

"Am I?" he spat, "Am I really? Tell me Charlie would you have preferred the job he wanted to give you? Would you have preferred to work for him?"

"I didn't-"

"Would you have preferred to be around him 24/7?" he asked, "Always alone with him in his study every day. Maybe it would be easier for you to have your affair. At least you could always use work to cover it up."

"That isn't what this is," I said softly, "Please stop."

"I. Am. Not. A. Fool," he said emphasizing each word, "And I will not allow you to make a fool out of me."

"I'm not doing anything. I'm just-"

"Shut up!" he yelled and it wasn't his yelling that shocked me. It was the fact that while he was yelling I heard rather than felt the impact of his hand against my cheek. I stood there frozen for a second before I even felt the throbbing heat on my face. He looked as surprised as I did and a pained expression etched on his face. He lifted his hand to hold me and I moved out of his reach.

"Charlie I am so sorry," he said softly, "I swear I didn't mean it. It wasn't me, it was," he stopped mid sentence and shut his eyes.

I just stood there staring at him and not fully comprehending what had just happened. He opened his eyes again and I couldn't read the expression on his face. It was anger, fear and panic."

"Get your things, we're leaving now." He spat and I looked at him in shock.

"I am not going anywhere with you," I said with a scoff.

"Now isn't the time to test me Charlotte."

I flinched at the use of my full name, "I'm not going anywhere."

"I will tie you up if that is what it takes to get you to come with me," he said in anger, "Get up and go get your things now." With each word he took another step close to me until I was pressed against the wall and he was looming over me, "I'm not going to ask you again. I will be at the daycare in half an hour and you better be ready."

With those words he left the room and I stood there for what felt like hours trying to calm myself down. I held back the tears that threatened to fall and forced my feet to take me to the daycare. I ignored Diana's looks and walked straight over to my bag and picked it up.

"Are you leaving already?" she asked and I nodded, "No fair, you're going to leave me here all alone."

I didn't have any words to say and thankfully I didn't have to because Amelia waddled over to me. She held out her arms and I gently picked her up.

She stared at me with those intelligent eyes of hers for a second then placed her tiny palm over my throbbing cheek and I swear I almost started bawling there and then and as if she was comforting me she rested her head in the crook of my neck and snuggled there.

"She really likes you," Diana commented.

"I really like her too."

Jake came in a few minutes later and when I tried to put Amelia down she started bawling and I don't mean normal tears; I'm talking about full out screams.

"I'm so sorry I don't know why she's being like this," Diana said as she tried to take Amelia from me but the little girl fisted her tiny hands into my hair and shirt. "I'll go get her mum."

Samantha came in a few seconds later but Amelia still didn't let go.

"She's never like this," Samantha commented, "Would you mind if I just pull her off? She might take a few chunks of your hair with her though."

"Do it," Jake said but Samantha kept her eyes trained on me and I nodded.

She took a deep breath and yanked Amelia out of my arms. Yes she did take a few strands of my hair with her but that wasn't the shocking part. The shocking part was that she happened to find the one loose thread in my shirt and pull it with her and the neckline of my top came loose.

"I am so sorry about your shirt," Diana said as she hurried over to me with a scarf. I was just about to wrap it around my neck when her hand came to wrap around mine, "What is that?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"That," she said as she whirled me around to face everyone but she kept her eyes trained on Jake, "Why is there a fucking cut on her neck?"