Chapter 6

The next day, Daniel awoke with a jolt. His head pounded worse than he'd ever experienced before and his stomach was churning. Darting out of bed Daniel shot into the huge ensuite, bent over the toilet and released everything he had consumed from the day before. Collapsing up against the cool marble wall Daniel caught his breath. “What the hell happened last night?!” Daniel asked himself. After watching Charlotte with Stefano all afternoon as they ate, drank and flirted, Daniel had consumed a whole bottle of bourbon and half a bottle of Jack Daniels before heading off into the city to drink the V.I.P section of Club Tiger dry. All he could remember was that spark he saw in Charlotte when she was speaking to HIM, the two of them sat there and Stefano worming his way into her life. 

Daniel hated Stefano. Daniel, Stefano and Ethan had been best of friends growing up, Stefano become the country’s best divorce lawyer and Daniel had carried on the family legacy. Until the accident. Daniel had hit rock bottom and had no idea what to do or if Charlotte was ever coming back, the doctors didn’t have the best of hopes, so he had turned to Stefano and divorced her. In Stefano's words, 'it may help you move on and get better, the help you need isn't at the bottom of a bottle and she may never come back, you need to move on' So Daniel had, and now he knows why, he had caught Stefano by Charlotte's bed whispering sweet nothings and confessing his undying love to her.

"I will save you Charlotte, he's a manipulative liar who will stop at nothing to get to you, but I will keep you safe, I love you Charlotte," Daniel said to himself right before he passed out on the stone floor.

A couple of hours later, shooting pains in his head and smelling like a brewery Daniel arose from the stone floor, freezing and wanting to crawl back to bed. As he clambered into bed he reached for his phone and dialled Ethan. "Sir, how's the head?" Ethan chuckled. "well, whispering sounds good right about now" Daniel huddled further into his bed wanting to shake the chill across his body. "That bad huh?" 

"Harper, I was just checking in to see if there were any leads yet and how far along, we are?"

"Well, no leads just yet, we have got someone into to see if they can get any fingerprints or DNA off the notes you received, and someone will be in tomorrow to analyse the handwriting" 

"Ok well tell me if anything new comes up asap" Daniel grumbled down the phone as he started to relax and his eyes started to drift. "Errrm, Boss, there's something else" Daniel could sense the hesitation in Ethan's voice, "what is it?" 

"It’s Charlotte, she had a break-in at her house yesterday and there was a gift left for her. The police have taken it away to see what they can find" Daniel's eyes popped open, "Is she ok? Is she hurt?" 

"No, she's fine, just a bit shook up as far as I've been told, apparently she read the note and ran out of the house looking for Stefano" Daniel could imagine the 'shit-I’m-sorry' wince that was plastered to Ethan's face. "ok, find out what you can about that note, I need to know what it said" 

Daniel hung up.

They left her a note! I need to see her!

Daniel got up, ignoring the insane throbbing in his head, jumped in the shower, got dressed and went to find Charlotte, he had no idea what he was going to say or do but, he needed to look into her eyes and see for himself that she was ok. Driving up to the big country house, Daniel felt slightly uneasy, he didn’t want to bump into Stefano and he didn’t know how he was going to play this one-off, so he parked up and decided he would give himself a minute to think. Just then Charlotte came out of the front door.

Shit! Get out of the car and think of something to say... 

QUICK!

She looked radiant; the country air was doing her some good. She was wearing a tight black fitted t-shirt, with some ripped jeans and heels, and well, she definitely pulled it off. Daniel's eyes scanned her body, the beautiful way her t￾shirt hugged her breasts and waist, to the way her hips moved from side to side so elegantly as she walked over. 

"Hey Daniel, how are you?" 

"Hey, I'm good thanks, sorry for the surprise visit, I just wanted to make sure you’re ok after yesterday?" He noticed how Charlotte's eyes had darkened when she recalled the memory. "you heard? I'm good, thank you, I had the locksmiths out last night, so there is no way anyone is getting back in ha-ha!" Charlotte played it off like it was an everyday occurrence. “I’m glad you’re okay Charlotte, I was worried” Daniel blurted out the last part of his sentence and mentally kicked himself. “Worried? Thank you but I’m ok, I’m actually just heading out for coffee with a friend but it was nice of you to come and check on me.” Charlotte said as she moved to open her car door. Daniel couldn’t help but stare at her plump lips as she spoke and reminisce how soft and gentle, they were to kiss, snapping out of it as he heard the car unlock in front of him.

“Oh, right, yes. erm, well it was nice to know you’re ok and that you wasn’t harmed” Daniel stammered trying to find a reason to keep them there. “I’m fine honestly, I must go or I’ll be late… would you like to grab a coffee or lunch somepoint in the week...maybe?” Charlottes cheeks flushed a beautiful shade of pink and looked like she was mentally telling herself off for saying it. 

Daniel chuckled with relief, “you took the words out of my mouth, I’d love to, how about the Wednesday? I have some business to sort out tomorrow but I’ll be free Wednesday.” Daniel kept his cool as much as he possibly could but his inner child was screaming and dancing with joy. “Wednesday is perfect” she smiled and the whole of yesterday’s problems looked like they had been washed away from her face. Daniel watched Charlotte get into her car and they exchanged a smile and a wave. Daniel couldn’t contain himself; he fist bumped the air and returned to his car. He needed to spend the rest of the evening and tomorrow figuring out who and why this person is blackmailing him. He was in an incredible mood and no-one was going to ruin it for him.