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No sooner had the men walked down the hallway, Charlie got up from her seat and plopped down next to me on the couch.
"That was intense. It can be like that with the guys. Gunner's protective of you, that's all. He's been so worried about you. He would've come himself, but he didn't want to leave me, you know?"
I didn't really know what she was talking about, so I nodded. Female friends, like kids, were also something I wasn't used to. The closest to a friend I had was Sasha, but she wasn't truly a friend. A friend doesn't doll you up only so you can be used by whatever guy your uncle wants to make nice with. A friend doesn't deliver you to the enemy. I always knew her interest was for herself and that I was a job. Still, there were times where she would warn me or sneak me something to eat or drink, even if I wasn't supposed to have it.
I was guarded with Charlie; my posture went stiff with her nearness.
She noticed and immediately scooted further away from me. I watched her from the corner of my eye.
"Maybe, you don't know. I wasn't sure if Ace told you or not, but Enrico held me and nearly beat me to death, among other things," she spoke quietly, but continued like she needed to let me in. "I remembered hearing you once, and that's one of the main ways they discovered where you were."
This confession was shocking. I didn't know what to say, so I reached out and grabbed her hand, squeezing it as a show of solidarity.
"I'm sorry that happened to you," I finally whispered, feeling an unexpected tinge of guilt that I wasn't able to do anything to stop it. "There were too many girls. It's good you got out, most didn't."
Charlie just nodded her head like she knew this as well. "I almost didn't. If it wasn't for your brother, I would've died chained to the wall."
"I am glad he rescued you, then."
We sat quietly. The conversation we had just had seemed too heavy for small talk. Just as the silence was beginning to become uncomfortable, Gun ran up to the couch and plopped down between us.
"You're good on your board." It was easy to break the silence with young Gunner in between us.
"I'm not that good. But the more I practice, the better I get."
"Yep, Gun. Practice makes perfect." Charlie ruffled the sandy hair on the top of his head. Gun squirmed to get away from his mom.
I heard raised voices from the hallway. I wanted to see what was going on with Ace and Gunner. A few of the men milling about stopped what they were doing and moved down the hallway towards the muffled noise.
I began to stand to see what was happening. I had a strange tight feeling in my chest. I didn't want Ace and Gunner to have a problem because of me.
Gun grabbed my hand this time. "If I were you, I'd leave them alone. They argue, sometimes. It's nothing serious. Dad says, even though it ain't right, sometimes that's how men deal with shit."
"Gunner Reed, you watch your mouth," Charlie hissed, not amused at all by her boy's language.
"Sorry, mom." Gunner shrugged and then grabbed a piece of my hair. "Your hair's pretty. It's dark like my mom's, but your eyes look like my dad's." It was hard not to notice how similar Gunner's eyes were to my own, little Gun's too.
"Hey, do you want to see how good I am at Fortnite?"
I had no idea what Fortnite was, but the earnest way Gun looked at me, I was quick to say, okay.