Client Confidentiality

(48) Zachary

I manage to balance the two coffee cups as I knock on Carlie's door. There's a wait for a few moments before she pulls the door open with a huff. Her blonde hair is piled atop her head in a messy bun with tendrils all over the place. Her eyes fall to the takeout coffee in my hand before she looks up to my eyes. Her face melts from a hectic and stressed expression to one calmer and sweeter. 

Adorable. 

"Hey, kitten. I brought you coffee," I nod my head to behind her, "Can I come in?"

She stares frozen for a second before snapping out of it and standing aside. I walk into her apartment and blanch at the state of it. 

"Um... sweetheart. What happened here?" I ask her in state of shock. She immediately bustles past me and grabs a cleaning spray and sponge from the kitchen counter. 

"I'm cleaning," she says matter-of-factly as she scrubs her, already meticulously clean, counters. 

"It's already pretty clean, kitten," I respond as I put the coffee cups down on the side. She glares at them until I pick them up again nervously. As soon as they are off the counter, she scrubs at the place they were on as though it has been contaminated. 

Who released this cleaning demon?

"It's not. Can't you see that bit of dirt?" she points to a speckle on the white marble with disdain. I have to lean in and blink a few times to see if I'm missing the 'dirt' she's talking about. My hands are resting on the counter either side of her, trapping her between it and my body. 

"I can't see it, kitten," I whisper, kissing her neck softly. She lets out a pained groan and ducks under my arm, storming over to the sofa, where she pulls off all the cushions. Next she's into her room and dragging the duvet cover off the bed. 

I pull out my phone and quickly shoot off a text to the group chat with my brothers. 

Me: Carlie has gone loco!

Like a whirlwind, she grabs the books from the bookshelf and throws them onto the floor before staring at me with ragged breath. I can't stop from watching her with wide eyes as she falls apart, sinking to the floor as she starts to cry. Tears stream down her face and she covers her face with her hands as the sobs wrack her shoulders. 

Immediately, I drop the coffee on the counter, despite her previous protests, and sink to my knees next to her. I pull her against me and wrap my arms tightly around her small body as she continues to break down. 

"Talk to me, sweetheart," I stroke her hair soothingly. She continues to cry against me, letting me hold her until she starts to calm down. 

"It never usually gets that bad," she whispers as she removes her hands from her face. She keeps her eyes closed and I can tell it's so she doesn't see the devastation she's caused in her apartment. 

My phone buzzes in my pocket but I ignore it, keeping my full attention on Carlie as my brothers respond to my message. 

"What doesn't, kitten?"

"My OCD," she says with a frown. I stay quiet but pull her tighter as she opens one eye to stare at me as if afraid of my reaction. Her having OCD does surprise me, especially as she's so put-together and acts so normal. 

But I guess it's the hidden disabilities that always come out at the worst moments. 

"You're not saying anything," she says with a hint of rejection in her small voice. I frown, realising I haven't responded in a few minutes as I process her disorder. 

"Sorry, kitten. I just wasn't expecting it, that's all. I love you in spite of all your challenges. You never have to fear of how I think of you," I console her, but tense up when I realise what I've said. She does too, moving to sit up and stare at me with her beautiful, vulnerable blue eyes. 

"You love me?" she asks with a frown, stuttering over the words. 

"I do," I swallow before answering, "I have for a while, to be honest."

She looks down and plays with her fingers, making me feel a pang of rejection this time before she finally speaks.

"I-I think... I love you too," she almost whispers nervously. 

"You think?" I raise my eyebrow with a teasing note to my voice. I tilt her chin up so she has to look me in the eyes. 

"I've never been in love before. I don't know this feeling but I think it's love," she responds quietly. She sighs as though she's battling with herself before determination fills her eyes. 

"I do. I love you, Zach," she says more confidently this time. My lips form a wide smile and I scoop her into my arms, kissing her senseless. 

When I pull away, I stand up with her still in my arms before setting her down on her feet. Pulling out my phone, I check over my messages from the group chat before typing out another message to them. 

"Come on," I tilt my head towards the door as I take her hand into mine. 

"Where are we going?" she asks before stopping and digging her heels in, "I have to clean this up."

"Cal and Eli are already on their way to do it. Come on," I manage to drag her out of the door this time, "Let's go get some fresh coffee."

I lead us to the elevator, with my heart full that my girl loves me as much as I love her. 

Fuck, I'm the happiest man alive right now. 

Eat that, brothers. 

This is the same thing I wrote at the end of the Lark chapter I've just published but it also applies:

Okay I know it's been a long time since an update.

I've been pouring my blood, sweat and tears into writing the manuscript for On The Rocks to be published. It's taken so much time that I've not been able to write anything else, especially whilst being in final year of my degree.

To those who don't care about OTR being published... well, fair enough.

But thank you for waiting and I hope updates can be more regular now (no promises but I'm trying my best) <3