Between Us

Chapter 27 : A Fragile Peace

Engfa's pov

I woke up slowly, feeling the persistent ache in my ribs. The pain radiated through my body, a constant reminder of the previous night's events. Charlotte was pressed against me, her back warm and comforting against my chest. My arm was draped over her, and I carefully shifted, trying not to disturb her too much. We were lying on a makeshift bed—a sofa bed that Jax and Nudee had pulled out for us. It wasn't the most comfortable, but it was enough.

I glanced around the room, seeing Jax and Nudee sleeping on the other side, sprawled out on a couple of old armchairs and a pile of blankets. They looked peaceful, a stark contrast to the chaos of last night.

Gently, I nudged Charlotte. "Hey, wake up," I whispered softly.

She made a soft, sleepy noise, almost like a contented purr, and turned over to face me. Her arm wrapped around me, and she buried her head in my neck, her eyes still closed. For a moment, I felt a surge of warmth and love, but then she squeezed me a bit too tight.

"Ow!" I yelped, not too loudly, but enough to startle her awake.

Charlotte's eyes flew open, her expression a mix of confusion and concern. "Are you okay?" she asked, her hand immediately reaching to caress my face.

I nodded, managing a weak smile. "Yeah, just a little sore. But you need to get to class."

She glanced at her watch and sighed. "I guess you're right." She kissed me on the cheek, a soft, lingering kiss that made my heart ache in a different way. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

I watched as she got up, gathering her things quietly to avoid waking Jax and Nudee. She gave me one last tender look before heading out the door.

"Take care," she whispered.

----

Jax and I were alone in the room. I lay on the sofa, still feeling the ache in my body, while Jax leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, a cup of coffee in his hand. He stared at me intently, making me uncomfortable. I furrowed my brows at him.

"What are you looking at?" I asked, my voice tinged with annoyance.

He took a sip from his coffee, then crossed his arms again. "You need to tell me the real story, Engfa. I didn't buy that crap you told us last night."

I sighed, taking a moment before responding. "Was it really that unbelievable?" I asked, trying to gauge his reaction.

Jax shook his head. "You wouldn't be in this state just because of some drunk guy."

I looked away, the truth weighing heavily on me. "Alright," I started, my voice low. "Yesterday, I saw the man near Charlotte's university again. I tried to catch him, but he vanished. So, I went back to the warehouse to see if he was there. Instead, I ran into another guy, much bigger. Things got out of hand."

Jax's face reddened with anger. "You're completely nuts, Engfa. You need to stop being so paranoid and putting yourself in danger for nothing. Something worse could have happened to you. Don't you get that?"

I met his gaze, my eyes filled with determination. "I need to know why that man is following us, Jax. He even knows where Charlotte's university is. I can't let anything happen to her."

Jax took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "I get it, Engfa. I really do. But you have to stop these solo missions. You need to be smarter about this."

"I know," I replied, my voice softer now. "Just don't tell Charlotte or Nudee. They don't need to worry more than they already do."

Jax sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Fine. But you need to promise me you'll be more careful. No more solo missions. We're in this together, alright?"