Chapter Ten

Charlie’s POV

Pain radiated through every inch of me and I struggled to sleep, groaning every time we hit a pot hole or a bump in the road, Alexander apologised each time he heard me. I tried to sleep, instead my thoughts drifted, a part of me felt guilty for leaving my parents behind. Yes my father would beat me, but I wondered how they would cope without me, I did so much for them to ensure they stayed alive.

It was like Alexander could read my thoughts “You do not need to feel guilty” I could feel him looking at me “They are cruel to you, they do not deserve you”.

I finally open my eyes at his comment and frown at him “They gave me a home, they could have kicked me out”

“Charlie, your father almost killed you” He pulled the car in

“No he wouldn't, I would have been fine” I was fighting back the tears now, some part of me knew Alexander might be right but it did not change how I felt.

His bright green eyes had a darkness to them. “If I had not come when I did, he would have killed you” Through the pain I forced myself to sit upright so I could look at him properly “Do you really think he would of let you make it to your eighteenth?”

“What is that suppose to mean?” There was spite in my words

“You will find out soon enough” He started driving again and all I could do was stare at him, I didn’t know what to say, or even if I would make sense. I frowned at him and tried to get comfortable, groaning and whining with all the pain I felt.

Alexander made another stop at a garage to fuel up and when he got back into the car he handed me some paracetamol. “Take a couple, it may take the edge off”. I roll my eyes, does he really think paracetamol is going to work with broken bones.

I take the tablets from him and the bottle of water he was offering and down them, even swallowing was hurting, within minutes I was feeling sleepy and was about to ask Alexander what he had given me and that was the last thing I remembered.

When I woke, I was laid in a large bed, my clothes had been removed and bandages were wrapped tightly around my torso and chest, my left arm was in a cast, my head was banging. “Hey, take it slowly” Alexander appeared in front of me, wearing just a pair of low slung shorts. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him, he had a well defined chest, muscle after muscle leading down into his shorts, I look away, feeling the blush rise to my cheeks.

The smirk was evident in his voice “How are you feeling?”

“Like I have been hit by a bus” I groaned as I try to sit up and look around the room, the walls were white with a luscious blue carpet on the floor that looks so thick I could probably sleep on it, it was funny seeing a carpet on the bedroom floor, all my room had was a couple of thread bare rugs.

The room had the bare minimum yet I knew it belonged to Alexander, his scent permeated everything, including the bed I was on. “What happened?” The last thing I remembered was taking the paracetamol Alexander had given me “Wait, what did you give me?”

“You were suffering Charlie” He didnt even look bothered that he had drugged me

“You had no right to drug me and where are my clothes” I wanted to get out of bed but I was very aware I was only wearing a pair of panties.

“They were covered in your blood and the doctors needed to get to your injuries” He did not seem overly concerned that I was almost naked in his bed

“Doctors” I say quietly “How bad is it?”

“Pretty bad Charlie, your father had broken your ribs in such a way, they were close to piercing your heart and lungs, your arm was snapped in two places and your ankle dislocated. Not to mention all the bruises covering your body.”

It was strange hearing all my injuries out loud, any time my father had hurt me before it had never been this bad and had only been bruises, maybe Alexander was right, maybe my father was going to kill me.

I hadn’t noticed Alexander had left the room until he returned with a tray of food, he placed it carefully on the bedside table and helped me to sit up. He laughed as I tried to stay covered up as he moved me and walked over to a door, I could see from where I was sitting that it was a large walk in wardrobe and he came back with a tshirt, “Arms up” I did as I was instructed even though the pain was horrendous and he slipped the shirt on over me “Better?”

I nodded and he placed the tray on my lap, it was fully loaded with breakfast foods, toast, pastries, fruits and a bowl of cereal “Eat, you look like you could do with it”

I took a mouthful of toast and put it back down again “Why were you at my house?”

Alexander grimaced “I saw the marks on your neck Charlie and the bruises on your lower back at the restaurant” I freeze, I didn’t even know I had bruises on my lower back and my expression must have said as much. “No one knows who you are at your school, so it couldn’t be someone at school and you love your job, it left only one option”

“What did you say to my father?”

“I did not have to say anything, I can be.......... intimidating” My eyes widened at his choice of words and I burst out laughing which in turn made my ribs hurt and I accidently knock the tray off onto the floor.

He raises an eyebrow at me and walks out the room shaking his head, I am sure I caught a smile on his face.

He returns after a few minutes with a cloth to find me standing by my mess, I had forced myself out of bed, yes it hurt but I couldn’t leave my mess for Alexander “Get back in to bed” His eyes had darkened and he was staring at me.

I wasn’t quite sure what I was feeling towards him, yes he had helped me but I hated the way he was speaking to me, as if I owed him something.

The tshirt he had helped me get into barely skimmed my thighs and I could see the bruises and cuts that sat on both legs, some were older marks and already fading, others were fresh, a brilliant shade of deep purple that went along with swelling in some places. I caught sight of myself in the full length mirror on the back of the open wardrobe door, I was a mess, my black hair had been tied back loosely but what was scary was the black and green bruise that sat around my right eye, when had I been punched in the face.

A tear trickled down my face and I feel Alexander close to me, he reaches up and wipes the tear away and scoops me up, placing me carefully back on the bed “You need to rest” but I couldn’t, the image of my drunk father coming in to my head and replaying the scene from earlier over and over again.

Why had my father beaten me!