Charlotte's Scars

Chapter 1 - Charlotte

The Steele Family Series - Book 1

Warning
This series contains mature content, including explicit and suggestive language, sexual themes, drug and alcohol use, addiction, violence, and overall mature themes throughout the series. This story has darker themes and is not suited for all readers.

Chapter One

Charlotte

I woke up to my growling stomach. Even in the darkness of night, I could see remarkably clear. Normally, I was almost blind without my glasses, but this didn't seem to faze me.

I turned my head and looked down at my best friend, Karla. A part of me wanted to wake her up and tell her I was hungry. Even though she and I had been friends since preschool, I still felt awkward roaming in her parents' kitchen without her. Don't get me wrong, I loved Mrs. And Mr. Steele, but digging around in their fridge for a midnight snack seemed a bit intrusive, especially for me.

After a couple seconds of debating what to do, I finally jump off the bed with every intention of heading downstairs alone. Karla had a slight smile on her face, and I didn't have the heart to wake her from what had to be a good dream.

Tiptoeing down the hallway, I made it to the stairs without making a sound. Although they were a little trickier and creaked with each step I took, I reached the kitchen without so much as waking the dog.

A rather content smile formed on my face as I opened the refrigerator door. My stomach growled with approval. I reached in and grabbed the milk, and I started to turn around to head for the cookie jar when I was paralyzed by his deep, husky voice.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you that you shouldn't eat after eight o'clock?"

I looked up at Christian and smirked devilishly. "What can I say? I'm kind of a rebel."

I was surprised by my straightforwardness. Normally, I was shy and timid, and Christian Steele, Karla's older brother, never paid me much attention. He saw me, but never saw me. He talked to me, but never talked to me. He was Bridgewalk's most confirmed player, and he never socialized with people younger than himself, aside from his sister and cousins.

I was amazed that he was actually talking to me. Ordinarily, he would just walk by without glancing in my direction.

This night just became a lot more interesting. Maybe he was noticing me because I wasn't wearing my glasses.

Why didn't I need my glasses?

The thought drifted away when his voice dropped an octave, "What kind of rebel?" He took a slow step toward me. "A naughty one?"

The look in his eyes made me catch my breath. He wanted me. Christian Steele, truly, and honestly, wanted me.

"Maybe," I answered in a whispery voice.

I stepped toward him. My hands were aching to grab him, and my heart was thumping wildly. Christian Steele wanted me and soon I was going to have him. Every girl in Bridgewalk would be envious of me because he wasn't just going to take my virginity, we were going to be a couple. He was going to love me, and I was going to love him.

Like everyone in Bridgewalk, I knew that Christian wasn't a virgin stealer. Yes, he slept around with a lot of girls, but they were always experienced girls. He would never take a girl's innocence no matter how much they begged. Everyone knew that about him. He was a player with morals.

So, when Christian said, "I want you Charlotte, and tonight, I'm going to have you." I knew, me and him, we were going to be together forever.

After tonight, I was going to be dating the sexiest man on earth. Little Charlie Locke, known for my high grades and mad chess skills, was going to be dating this town's most eligible bachelor. This was a dream come true. After years of crushing on Christian, he was going to be mine!

He reached for my waist and pulled my body up against his. Without further ado, his lips crashed down on mine with a primitive urgency. My hands reached up toward his head and grabbed onto his soft, light brown locks. His hair wasn't too long, but not too short. It was just long enough for me to run my fingers through, but short enough to still be fashionable.

"Oh Christian," I moaned against his lips.

He pulled me tighter against him before reaching down and grabbing onto my lower thighs, the part that wasn't covered by my pink chic boxers. Swiftly, I was being lifted into the air, and then placed down on the island counter.

He spread my legs open before fitting himself between them. I could feel his excitement pressing against my inner thigh even through the fabrics of our clothes. This only made me more excited and maybe just a tad fearful. His lips came back down on mine, but this time with a savageness that I couldn't express.

His tongue eagerly evaded my mouth, and the sweet lemony taste of him enveloped my senses. I felt like I could melt. My insides were exploding with sensation I never dreamt possible. As his hands roamed my body - I felt like I was being zapped with pleasurable shocks.

His right hand slid down my arm and then back up before grabbing onto my breast. I gasped, and he moaned.

"Charlie, you're so gorgeous," he said each word between kisses.

It felt like someone let butterflies loose in my stomach, and my heart was hammering inside me. It was going to burst out of my chest at any moment. After all these years, he finally wanted me.

"Oh, Christian, this is like a dream!"

His lips pressed against the tender skin on my neck causing heat to spread through my body. "That's because it is a dream, Charlie."

I froze. "What?"

He continued to kiss me like his words didn't just stupefy me. But then, he pulled away from me and looked down with an evil grin. It was so foreign on his face. Christian normally wore a mischievous smirk like he knew secrets that no one else did. It was his trademark smile. But this was not it. This was evil, and malicious.

This was not Christian.

"This is a dream you silly girl." He laughed. "Do you actually think I would waste my time with you in real life? Look at you." He looked me up and down with disgust. "You're a geek. A nerd. The only thing you are good for is doing people's homework."

His laughter grew louder, and louder, and louder, until finally I woke up with a loud gasp.

And then my stomach growled.