Confiscating Charlie by Lucy Leroux Read Free Book Online Page B

and she ’ d come home to shop. Every single bag he ’ d helped the maid with were from exclusive stores in the city.
    He crossed his arms. “ But you stopped in town to do a little shopping first. ”
    Darla stiffened. “ I wanted to buy a little present for Charlie. ”
    He humphed. “ And you didn ’ t think to cut your shopping trip short and come home a day earlier so you could see her graduate from Dalton Academy instead? Graduation was yesterday. ”
    Darla ’ s face fell. “ Oh my god. I forgot all about that! ”
    Her hands flew to her face and her bright dark eyes filled with tears. But the tears didn ’ t fall.
    She ’ s good, he thought. But he wasn ’ t fooled. She might have forgotten, but she wasn ’ t all that upset about it.
    Noah glowered. “ That ’ s kind of obvious. ”
    He looked her up and down. He needed to make the situation clear to her. “ Look. You can stay away all you like. Charlie doesn ’ t need you anymore. She has me. ”
    Darla was so surprised, she forgot she was supposed to be upset. She straightened with a look of confusion. “ What? ’
    He sighed. “ I don ’ t care how much of my father ’ s money you spend or what you do to fill your days. All I care about if that you leave me and Charlie alone. She belongs to me now. Do you understand? ”
    Darla stared at him, open-mouthed.
    “ Darla, do you understand me? ” he asked, steel in his voice.
    He stared at her until she gave him a wide-eyed nod.
    “ Good, ” he said. “ Now we ’ re going to tell Charlie that you tried your hardest to get here for her graduation ceremony, but you were delayed when your flight was cancelled due to engine trouble. ”
    Darla closed her mouth. She gave him a narrow eyed assessment, studying him for a long moment. He met her stare evenly, until she inclined her head.
    “ All right, ” she said quietly.
    He jerked his head at her in acknowledgement before going to tell Charlie they had company.
    ****
    Noah didn ’ t enjoy her sister ’ s surprise homecoming, but he was very polite about it. Charlie, on the other hand, was grateful that Darla had tried so hard to get home in time for her graduation.
    She surprised Charlie with a lovely watch and some of the latest New York Times bestsellers. The fact she ’ d smudged a few of them with stains from a wineglass were beside the point. It was the thought that counted.
    It was awkward with Darla around, but Noah sat her down and presented her with a solution.
    “ Charlie, why don ’ t we head back to the city early? My agent has the keys to my new apartment. It needs to be decorated, but it ’ s habitable. And who knows. It ’ s within walking distance of the Columbia campus. You could even stay there after school starts...you know, if you wanted to. ”
    Noah ’ s voice had grown hesitant and he wasn ’ t looking at her eyes, focusing instead on their joined hands.
    Her breath shortened. “ Are you asking me to move in with you? ”
    He looked up. “ Yes. ”
    “ Are you sure? ” she asked, her heart pounding.
    Noah scowled adorably. “ Yes, Charlie. But if you don ’ t want —”
    He didn ’ t get to finish his sentence, because Charlie had tackled him. She pressed kisses all over his face.
    “ Yes! Yes! Yes! ”
    Noah started laughing. “ Good. Start packing. ”
    “ Are we leaving now ? ”
    “ Why wait? Darla can have this place to herself, and we can go and pick out furniture for our place. I took the liberty of ordering a bed without you. It should be delivered this afternoon. The super promised to make sure it was set up so we don ’ t have to be there. But the rest is bare. ”
    Charlie sprang up. “ That sounds fantastic! I ’ m going to go pack! ” she called out as she ran out of the room.

Chapter 9
    “ Charlie, baby, where did you put the spatula? ”
    “ It ’ s in the drawer next to the oven, ” she called out from the bedroom.
    It had been a little over three weeks since he and Charlie had