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Chapter Twenty-Three

Trying my best not to focus on the bomb Noah had just dropped, my brain jumped into autopilot mode.

I pulled out the chair next to Charlotte and put an arm around her shoulders. "Charlotte, we need to get you to the police. There are things they can do, tests and stuff, to find out who did this to you."

Shaking her head, she said nothing.

"Somebody's forced you into having sex Charlotte," I said softly. "That's not right at all. We need to sort this, they need to be punished."

"No," she whimpered. "It was bad enough thinking I'd cheated on Alex when I snuck out this morning. But you're talking about something else altogether now."

"Abi's right," Noah cut in, talking directly to Charlotte. "Whoever did this deserves to get what's coming to them. I'm going to go home and find out who's still hanging around, maybe I can teach them a lesson."

"Stay out of this," I snapped, holding my palm out flat towards him. "If you're telling the truth about it not being you, then it could have been anyone."

"Of course I'm telling the truth," he hissed. "What, you think I might be a rapist now?"

"Please, both of you just stop," Charlotte cried.

As Noah and I both turned to face her, she continued. "Please stop talking about me as if I'm not here. And please don't use that word."

"Charlotte," I whispered, "Did you want to be with whoever this person was last night?"

"No, of course not," she replied quietly. "But I didn't exactly stop him. I was so annoyed with Alex and so out of it, that I just let it happen."

"Sounds like rape to me," Noah huffed, throwing a palm up to his forehead.

"I said stay out of this," I snapped. "Please, Char, let's get dressed and go to the police. I'll stay with you."

The tears started to roll slowly down her cheeks again. "I can't, Abi. I just can't."

Massaging my temples with my fingers, I looked over at Noah, stood with a mixture of rage and anxiety washed over his features. Catching my eye as he raked a hand through his hair, he simply shook his head slowly.

"It's her decision," he said quietly.

"But some sick pervert is just walking around right now getting away with it. We have to do something," I pleaded.

"No. Just leave it," Charlotte sighed from across the table. "I'm sorry I dragged you two into this, I'm really sorry."

"Charlotte, please..." I started.

"It's over," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "Just let it drop. I'm sorry. And I'm sorry I thought it was you, Noah."

Without looking up, she stood and moved slowly across the kitchen. When I heard her bedroom door gently close down the hall, I dropped my head onto my elbows and let out a sigh so deep I thought it would never end.

As Noah dragged out the chair next to me, I kept my face down position on the table.

"I know this isn't the right time, but you have to believe me that I didn't touch her," he said quietly. "I would never do that to a woman."

"Yeah, I get it," I whispered, exasperated. "You weren't even there. You didn't have sex with Charlotte because you were off having sex with someone else."

"I didn't have sex with anyone last night," he sighed. "I stayed at a friend's house. Yes, she's a woman, but she's just an old friend, that's all."