Charlotte froze mid–step.
She turned toward the voice and saw Zac standing beneath a tree, watching her intently. His gaze was sharp, almost menacing.
“I have to go,” she said quickly into the phone before ending the call. Then she walked over, stopping a few feet away from him, her expression dark with annoyance.
“How did you even find this place?”
Zac let out a low chuckle, eyes narrowing. “So you have been avoiding me.”
Charlotte frowned. “Why would I avoid you? I told you I was going home, didn’t I?”
He took a step forward, closing the distance.
Charlotte instinctively stepped back.
That simple movement made Zac’s expression darken even more.
“You said you were going home for a while,” he said, voice low. “You didn’t say you weren’t coming back to Harbor City. How long are you going to keep this up?”
Charlotte let out a sharp sigh. “I’m not keeping anything up. Zac, we’re over. I’ve made that clear. Please stop showing up like this.” “Over?” He let out a bitter laugh. “The hell it is. This ends when I say it ends.”
“God, Zac, are you seriously insane?” Charlotte snapped. “You’ve got Wendy now. Go bother her. Why are you here bothering me?”
Zac raised an eyebrow, his tone suddenly lighter. “You’re jealous?”
Charlotte rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt. “God, could he be any more full of himself?” she thought.
Zac took another step toward her. “There’s nothing between me and Wendy. She’s just a friend. You’re blowing this out of proportion.”
“A friend you sleep with?” she shot back, voice cold.
He flinched. A flicker of guilt crossed his face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Charlotte’s smile was bitter. “After Wendy came back, you slept with her more than once, didn’t you?”
Her tone was icy with sarcasm. “You think I didn’t know? I just didn’t bother saying anything. Because I don’t care anymore.”
I don’t care anymore.
Those four words hit Zac like a punch to the gut. His chest tightened, and his expression faltered with visible hurt. “You don’t care anymore? “But I do.” His voice dropped, quiet and bleak. “You’ve been all I can think about these past few days. I miss you. Let’s get back together, Charlotte.”
She stared at him with open disdain.
“Is he bipolar or what? One second he was yelling at her, the next he was playing the heartbroken ex,” she wondered.
“Not a chance,” she said flatly.
“Why not!” Zac exploded, his voice rising. A few people walking nearby glanced their way.
Charlotte found it embarrassing and winced. “Can you not scream at the front gate of my building? If you don’t care about your dignity, I’d like to keep mine.”
Zac suddenly grabbed Charlotte’s wrist, his voice rising in a panicked shout. “Charlotte, come back with me!”
“Let go of me!” She struggled to break free, but his grip was too strong.
Charlotte’s eyes narrowed. Her voice turned cold. “Let go, or I won’t be so nice.”
She was seconds away from showing him exactly what she could do.
“I’m not letting go!”
With one hand locked around her wrist, Zac reached up with the other, grabbing the back of her head, trying to force a kiss.
1/2
Chapter 53
“Charlotte, I miss you so damn much—”
She braced herself, ready to fight back.
“Let. Her. Go!”
A sharp voice cut through the air.
Zac turned around and froze when he saw the tall, imposing man standing a few feet away, his aura cold and commanding.
Zac blinked. “Who the hell are you?”
