Between Us

Chapter 40 : Safe in Her Arms

I held onto Engfa so tightly, as if letting go would mean losing her all over again. My arms were wrapped around her with a desperation I couldn't control, my face buried in her shoulder, taking in the warmth, the scent, everything that was her. I didn't want to ever let her go.

But I felt her start to shift, gently trying to pull away from my grip. Her hands moved soothingly up and down my back, her voice soft as she whispered, "Charlotte, I'm here. It's okay, I'm here."

Reluctantly, I loosened my hold, allowing her to lean back just enough so that she could see my face. Her eyes searched mine, filled with concern and something deeper, something that made my chest ache. She reached up, her fingers brushing away the tears that still clung to my cheeks.

But as she wiped my face, her touch faltered. Her brows knitted together in confusion and then in worry as she noticed the redness on my cheek, the spot where my father had slapped me. Her eyes darkened, and she pulled back further, taking my face in her hands. She tilted my head slightly, angling it so she could get a better look at the mark.

"Charlotte..." Her voice was low, tinged with a simmering anger. "Who did this to you?"

I tried to turn my head away, to escape the intensity of her gaze, but she held me firmly, not letting me pull back. I couldn't answer her, couldn't bring myself to say the words. I just wanted to forget it, to pretend it hadn't happened.

"Was it your father?" Engfa's voice was more forceful now, a demand rather than a question. Her eyes searched mine, looking for the truth she already knew.

I clenched my jaw, refusing to speak, but the look in her eyes made it impossible to hide anything from her. She could see the answer there, written all over my face, even if I didn't want to admit it.

"Did he do this?" she asked, her voice trembling with barely contained fury.

I felt the tears well up again, hot and fast, as I nodded slowly. I couldn't find the strength to say it out loud, to admit that the man who was supposed to protect me had been the one to hurt me. The shame and pain of it were too much to bear, and I just stood there, my whole body trembling as the tears streamed down my face.

Engfa's grip tightened, her fingers digging slightly into my skin as if she were trying to hold back her own anger. Her eyes burned with a mix of rage and sorrow as she looked at me, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"He hurt you," she whispered, the words laced with anger. "He hurt you, and I wasn't there to stop him."

The tears fell faster, my throat tightening with the effort of holding back the sobs that threatened to overwhelm me. I didn't want her to blame herself, didn't want her to feel like she had failed me somehow. But I couldn't speak, couldn't do anything but cry as the weight of everything came crashing down on me.

I could feel the anger radiating off Engfa, a barely contained storm just beneath the surface. Her jaw was clenched, and I could see the tension in her every movement, the way she was holding herself back, trying to stay calm for my sake. But the fury in her eyes was unmistakable.

"We need to get out of here," she said, her voice tight. She glanced over at Heidi and Tina, who were still standing behind us, their faces full of concern and confusion. Without another word, she took my hand firmly in hers and led me out of the room, her grip strong and unwavering. Heidi and Tina followed close behind, silent but clearly worried.

We made our way quickly to Engfa's car, parked just outside. The night air was cool against my tear-streaked face, but it did little to soothe the turmoil inside me. As we reached the car, Engfa turned to Heidi and Tina, her expression softening just slightly.