Page 112 of The Rebel Billionaire

I just had to get her toadmitit.

I woke up early, as usual, and went for a run to kill some time before hitting Charlie's house next door to pick up the essentialsshe'dneed.

The first hurdle was the imposing outer gate at the Winters House property. The other times I'd visited, the first gate had already been open in expectation of ourarrival.

This time, I had to press the button on the intercom to call the house. I wasn't expecting Aiden toanswer.

"Jackson. What are you doing here? Charlie's been throughenough."

"I have her things," I said. "You rushed her out of her house so fast last night, you didn't give her a chance to get what sheneeded."

"You going to drop it off? Or do you want to talktoher?"

"I want to talk to her, Aiden. If it helps, I already apologized for fucking things up. I'm in love with her, and I should've trusted her to make her owndecisions."

"You told her that?" Aiden sounded like he might be softening. I pressed myadvantage.

"Idid."

"And what did she say? How do I know she wants toseeyou?"

"I don't know if she wants to see me. You guys showed up in the middle of the conversation. Look, if she wants to tell me to fuck off, fine. But I want to hear it from her. If she wants more time to think, that'sfinetoo."

Aiden didn't say anything, but the heavy metal gate swung open, admitting me to the Wintersestate.

Aiden met me at the door, his chilly expression belied by a speculative look inhiseyes.

He took the backpack I held in my hands and said, "I'll give this to Charlie. You can wait inthere."

He lifted his chin in the direction of the formallivingroom.

Sitting and waiting for Charlie wasn't what I was going for, but at least I was in the house. I took a seat on the couch and stretched my legs out in front of me, preparedtowait.

A few minutes later, the housekeeper brought me a tray with steaming biscuits, a pot of jam, and a small silver carafe of coffee. She delivered the food and left without speaking. I wondered if I should worry aboutpoison.

I figured if Charlie wanted revenge, she'd probably poison me herself. The coffee smelled too good to ignore. I'd finished half the pot and polished off the biscuits before the door swung openagain.

Charlie stepped through, her hair pinned back from her face, wearing the clothes I'd brought for her, a scoop-neck fitted T-shirt the same blue as her eyes and her favorite pair ofjeans.

She closed the door behind her and stuffed her hands into her back pockets, her eyesuncertain.

"Hey,"shesaid.

"We didn't get to finish talking lastnight."

"I know. I'm sorry. Aiden wasfreakedand—"

I shook my head. "No, it's better this way. Too much happened last night between Hayward and everything I had to say. It's better to talk about this stuff with aclearhead."

"I don't think I've ever had a clear head when it comes to you," she said. "I had a thing for you before we even met. I used to stand in my window and watch you mowthelawn."

I grinned. "Iknow."

I'd teased her about watching me mow the lawn before, but Charlie's cheeks still turned red and she dropped her eyes toherfeet.

"I used to watch you too," I admitted. "I used to wonder what a woman like you was doing messing around with that disaster of a house. Then I got to know you and I realized that woman, with her pearls and her suits—she's not you, Charlie. Not all of you. There's so much more to who you are. You have courage, and imagination, and strength. I saw that, but you scared the hell out of me so I made excuses andranaway."

"You're not the only one who's scared, Lucas," she said softly. "Sometimes, I think I'm scared all the time. But I've learned that life is too short to be afraid. I've spent too many years doing what I thought I should to make other people happy. None of that worked. I tried to be perfect and I ended up making myself miserable. Now I just want to beCharlie."