A la Carte

Chapter 11

Dimitri gestured to his couch and she sat down, now that she was here, she didn't know what to say and the silence descended upon them like a thick blanket, stifling. Dimitri sighed and put his head in his hands, before lifting it and looking at here with his piercing green gaze.

"You probably want to know what Derek and I were fighting about." He stated. She found herself nodding her head slightly. He ran a hand through his hair tousling it even more.

"Well, I'm sure you gathered that we know one another," He paused, "we were in college together, doing the same course and we were the smartest and the most good looking in the class." He stopped and gave her a wink. She laughed.

"Of course."

"Anyways Derek was very competitive and we had these stupid competitions throughout the years, who could the highest on a test, who could play the best prank, who could get the most girls in one night..." He sighed, "it became everything he thought of and he kept dragging me into them, I couldn't say no, he was my best friend and if I pulled out of our little 'game', then I was 'weak' and my pride wouldn't let me do that." He stopped.

"We graduated and I thought that was the end of everything, we kept in touch and one day I was in London, attending a business conference, he was there. Anyway we ran into one another and we were going to the same conference, there was a blonde woman giving the talk, she was some big shot VP of a company in London, I remember thinking that she was very beautiful and intelligent, she knew her stuff, apparently I wasn't the only one. Derek managed to invite her to drinks that night and I tagged along..." he paused and when she was just about to open my mouth to ask him to continue he took a breath and spoke:

"Her name was Christiana, and besides the fact that she was pretty and smart, she caught Derek's eye and he wanted her, but not without a fight, he made a deal, whoever won her heart first would get to keep her and rub it in the other person's face at every function. It was stupid; I took the deal because I knew he was going to hurt her. Emotionally, physically I didn't know. She relished in his attention, he moved to London and I didn't even stand a chance, Christiana became a good friend of mine and we spoke often over the phone and over Skype, Derek didn't like that. I told her about the bet, but she was so in love with him that she said it didn't matter. They got engaged and Derek paraded her about, but something wasn't right, she started wearing a lot more make-up and just wasn't herself and Derek's family hated her, they thought she was after his money. She was just trying to cover the bruises."

Charlotte gasped, "No! Derek, wouldn't do that!"

"How long have you known him?" Dimitri challenged, something flashed in his eyes. She just opened her mouth to say something else, but Dimitri cut her off.

"She told me, she told me..." He was standing now, " I loved her too and she told me that he was hurting her, he made her give up her position at the company she worked at, if she even spoke to me or any male, he would go into a jealous rage and accuse her of cheating, she told me!"

Charlotte was crying by this time, "He wouldn't, he wouldn't, he wouldn't..." She denied.

"I tried to help, I tried to get her out of there, but I was too late. She killed herself, he hadn't hurt her in weeks, there was no sign of the abuse, he had the good sense to not break any bones either," Dimitri slammed his hand on the coffee table, "There was nothing! He got off, and I was humiliated, the jealous best-friend who was in love with his fiancée." He shook his head and looked at Charlotte with a pained look on his face.

"Can you imagine what I felt like when I found out that he was dating you."

"I don't believe you." Charlotte said softly.

"Of course, you wouldn't." Dimitri shook his head softly, a pitying look in his eyes.

"Why should I?" Charlotte challenged.

"Because I care about you Char! I know we haven't really known each other long, but there is something about you that is different! I don't want you to get hurt like Christiana did, I don't want to have to attend the funeral, knowing that I could have done something and that you went through so much pain," He cupped her wet face in his hands, "that you had to end your life to escape it." He whispered. She cried silently, he wiped her tears and brought his face closer to hers, resting his forehead against hers.

"I can't let you go through that." He said, and then he kissed her. She felt it all the way down to the tips of her toes, it wasn't like Derek's, Dimitri cared deeply, and he was a man that wore his heart on his sleeve. She pushed him away.

"You shouldn't have done that." She accused, tears spilling down her face.

"I had to."

"You don't have to do anything! This is my life, my choices; you do not get to make them for me!" Charlotte shouted, he flinched at her words.

"Fine, I'll stay out of your life, I won't meddle, but if he even tries to hurt you...promise me that you will tell me immediately." He said with conviction. She stayed silent.

"Promise me please." He said quietly.

"I promise." She said, even though she was certain Derek wouldn't hurt her like that and with that she turned and left, shutting the door behind her and walking back to their apartment. That night she cried herself to sleep and a tiny piece of doubt crept in...

What if Dimitri was right? What if she had just set herself up to get hurt? What if Derek wasn't who he said he was? What if...what if...what if...

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*A/N *

FINALLY AN UPDATE! So it's short and kinda emotional...longer chapters are coming, but I still have 2 exams left, so they might only appear a bit later. It feels so good to write this chapter and publish it for you guys, you have been extremely patient with me and I thank you! I hope you enjoy reading the story, it's far from finished!

K xx