The Other Side

Chapter 5

Roberto didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to; something in his body language changed when he was laying down the law. People he spoke to, from suspects to his colleagues, knew when things had changed with Roberto. Mark was glad he had never been on the wrong side of his friend.

Henson seemed to realize that something had happened as well. He took several deep breaths and his shoulders sagged, although the rest of his body was still tense.

“That’s better.” Roberto folded his arms, keeping himself in front of Mark. “Now what’s going on that you had to come barging in here swinging?”

“Him.” Henson snarled, glaring at Mark. “He slept with my girlfriend and now she’s pregnant.”

Mark knew that Stephen was staring at him. He rubbed at his jaw. Henson had a punch on him but it wasn’t as strong as he had expected. There was going to be bruising but nothing broken.

Evidently his punching wasn’t as strong as his serves.

Mark pushed himself to his feet, sliding his back up the wall.

“Charli wasn’t with you when we slept together.” He stood properly and faced Henson. “And I’m not leaving her in the lurch, either.”

“I am not raising someone else’s baby!” Henson snapped. “She’s having an abortion and then we’re going to move as far away as possible so you can’t get to her.”

“What?” Mark wasn’t sure he had heard correctly. “Didn’t you hear me? Charli broke up with you and then we slept together. She doesn’t want anything to do with you.”

“She always comes back to me.” Henson puffed out his chest and slapped it with his hand. “She still loves me. I will have her back and that baby is going.”

“Why don’t you just leave Charli alone?” Stephen looked stunned at Henson’s admission. “Even if she did cheat, why would you want her back? Especially when you cheated on her?”

Henson snorted.

“Don’t believe the things your client tells you. I’ve never cheated in my life.”

“Would you like to say that to Charli?” Mark shot back. “I’m sure she’s still having nightmares when she came in and caught you ass-fu*king Kim.”

“One-night stand.” Henson said airily. “Charli knows that.”

Mark couldn’t believe the gall of the man. He knew Henson was a bully and a manipulator but he also appeared to be a complete sociopath. He wasn’t accepting any responsibility and believed the world revolved around him.

Henson jabbed a finger at Mark.

“Keep away from her, Hildenstern, or your friends here won’t be able to save you.”

“Did you just threaten him in front of a cop?” Roberto demanded.

Henson glanced at him before looking back at Mark. Then he backed towards the open door.

“Just remember that.”

Mark waited until Henson had left before he let out a long breath. He hadn’t been expecting that. And it made him even more nervous for Charli. Anything could happen to her if Henson got too close.

He needed to get to her now.

*****

Charli ran the hot tap and soaked the flannel underneath the water. Squeezing the excess water out, she dabbed at the cut on her nose. She winced at the pain and inspected it in the mirror. It had stopped bleeding and she had cleared away the blood but the cut didn’t look good.

It was going to leave one heck of a scar.

Charli didn’t know what had happened. Andy had got angry before but not like this. She could tell Andy was beginning to lose it and she was glad she had left when she did.

Even then that hadn’t helped since he had followed her. Charli made a mental note to go to the nearest police station and file a restraining order.

The sudden banging on the door had Charli jumping, dropping the flannel in the sink. Her heart started to pound hard as she began to panic. Had Andy come back? Was he going for another round?

“Charli?”

It was Mark. But still Charli hesitated. She wanted Mark to hold her and make things go away but she didn’t want him to see her like this. The cut wasn’t the only thing she had to be worried about – her nose was swollen. It hadn’t bled but it was starting to go purple already. She couldn’t let Mark see him like this.

“Charli, it’s Mark. Open the door, honey.”

That did it for Charli. The term of endearment got to her. She made her way from the bathroom to the door and took the chain off, opening the door slowly. Mark stepped across the threshold and took her into his arms. Charli rested her head against his chest, being careful with her nose, and hugged him back as Mark stroked her hair. It felt really good and she was beginning to feel better.

Something about Mark had her calming down.

Mark drew back and his eyes widened when he saw her face.

“My God, what happened?”

“I’m fine.”

Charli attempted a smile but failed.

“You’re not fine.” Mark took her chin and lifted her face for his narrowed inspection. “How did you get this? And don’t say you fell or walked into something because nobody does that much damage in a short space of time.”

Charli knew she wouldn’t be able to lie to him. He had probably guessed what had happened already. She swallowed.

“Andy was here. He was furious that I was pregnant and it wasn’t his.”

“You need to go to the hospital.”

“I’m fine.” Charli sighed as she moved past Mark, reluctant to leave the comfort of his arms, and shut the door. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“He’s hit you before?”

“Once when he was drunk.” Charli leaned against the door, wondering why she was telling Mark this. “We were nineteen. That’s the only time.” She glared at him. “Don’t you start telling me I should’ve left him earlier. I’m not having it.”

“I won’t.” Mark’s face paled. “He didn’t hit you in the stomach, did he?”

Charli put a protective hand over her belly. Somehow she had landed on her side and not on her stomach. The little mite would be okay.

“No, he didn’t.” She felt cold. “You think he would?”

“He came to my place and said he was going to make sure you got an abortion and then the two of you were moving away so you don’t ever see me again.”

“He said what?” Charli couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She shook her head, the movement making her vision blurry. “That’s against my beliefs and he knows that. I’m not going to abort this baby and I’m not going back to him. He’s just not getting it into his head.”