His Temptation

The Hotel

It had been a week since Charlotte left the Hamilton household. A week without the children, a week missing their father and a week of no contact from anyone other than Cole, whose calls she had been ignoring all week despite his continued persistence. She'd been forgotten it seemed, a blip in the families life, an indiscretion they'd rather not remember. Even in her thoughts she found herself defending them, it's not like she'd reached out to them, and she'd gotten pretty good at hiding over her life, it's possible they didn't know where she was, gone to ground in a cheap hotel.

A knock at the door startled Charlotte out of her musings, she wasn't expecting anyone, it couldn't be that she'd wished Nick into existence outside of her door could it? Taking a deep breath Charlotte moved towards the door and slowly opened it. Not quick enough for the man the other side.

The door swung open and Cole barged his way into the room, a frantic look on his face "Jesus Charlotte I've been looking for you all week, you need to let me explain.." Charlotte cut him off raising her hand "Explain what Cole? Something was seriously off in that house and you're part of it, why would I believe what you say?" Cole wasn't taking no for an answer, this was a new intense side to him that she hadn't seen before as he stalked towards her, grabbing her hands. "Look at me, it's me, you know me, I promise I won't lie to you" he implored as he looked into her eyes and she relented, sitting on the bed and gently tugging him with her, he sat looking at her, gripping her hands tight as if afraid she would bolt at any second.

They sat like this for a second, Cole seemingly working out where to start. Charlotte enjoyed the warmth of his hands on hers, she had missed him. Cole blew out a breath and began "Amelia and I, we're closer than we should be, I thought we had something.. but she was using me, she was trying to get caught by Nick" Cole looked pained at reliving this realisation "she wanted to push him into ending things, she's a cold and calculating woman but boy does she know how to reel men in, I was so stupid, I wish I'd known better". Charlotte took in this new information, it was something she'd guessed looking back at things over the last week, but she hadn't fully pieced it all together yet "Why would she want to be discovered Cole? I don't understand?" Cole looked down as he replied "She wants to force Nick into choosing to separate, she wants his money, his house, she wants everything... I think she always has". This shocked her, Amelia had it all, a beautiful family, a wonderful man, why did she want to blow it all up?

"When you arrived I stopped with Amelia, I hope you believe that, you turned my head completely and I've not wanted anything else since" Cole looked sincere as he opened up to Charlotte and she was flattered to hear these words "for me you are it, and I know you've felt it too, on the balcony, in the dining room.. we fit together, we can leave them behind, I'll quit tomorrow if you'll come with me, please Charlotte, you deserve better than Nick, I can be with you fully". Cole slid his hand lightly along her arm, up to her shoulder and cupped her neck as he said this, she leaned in involuntarily at his movements "let me prove to you how good we can be" he whispered in her ear as he moved in, kissing her neck, she let him, feeling the same spark she always did when he was near.

Maybe this was for the best, the simpler relationship, easy and fun and sexy as hell she thought as Cole pulled her in for a kiss, tongues dancing as Cole did everything he could to prove his feelings to her. It was an intense kiss, full of passion and yearning and yet, something was missing, Charlotte's heart hurt as she realised why, pulling away from a confused Cole. "I can't I..." she started before Cole's face contorted in pain and realisation "You love him".

Three simple words that had lingered around Nick and Charlotte for weeks now but had never been said. Finally out in the open, relief and fear spread throughout Charlotte simultaneously as she admitted "yes" hiding from Cole's knowing gaze, not wanting to see the hurt in his eyes. She heard him shift on the bed, straightening, but not leaving, he had more to say, something he'd been holding back. "Charlotte, Amelia targeted Nick, she's done it before but not to this level, she uses people, she used you too" Charlotte was confused at his words, how had she been used? Amelia had barely spoken to her "She hired you.. she chose you based on what Nick likes, what Nick finds attractive, you were hired as bait when her plan with me failed" Cole explained "you're meant to tempt him away, to make him give everything up willingly or.. to be used as evidence to prove infidelity so she can have everything".

Cole let his words sink in as Charlotte went through every interaction since moving in with the Hamilton's, it slowly clicked into place, but so did something else "You knew, why didn't you say something? You wanted me anyway, this would have meant you had me" Charlotte accused, getting angrier by the second as Cole looked guilty. "My mother" he whispered "I told Amelia how sick she was, she bribed me, she said if I could hint at Nick, make him jealous and not stand in the way of you and him that she would pay for an experimental treatment" Cole looked down as he spoke, the emotion clear in his voice, he'd been trapped, manipulated by this awful woman and Charlotte had no anger against him for it, instead she was full of rage aimed at Amelia for using this sweet boy. "Hey, Cole, look at me..." she tipped his chin up to look at her his eyes full of unshed tears "I understand, you had no choice, she played you" she stroked his cheek and looked into his eyes, trying her best to convey her forgiveness to him and show him the support he needed. Cole put his hand on hers on his cheek and let out a shuttered breath, he was about to say something when the door burst open as Nick forced himself into the room an angry look on his face as his eyes darted between Cole and Charlotte, his gaze settling on her hand on Cole's cheek.

A/N well shit.. what do you make of that?

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