Mr Spencer(83)

I hate that I have, too.

I exhale heavily as my eyes drift to the road behind us, once again. They can’t find out where she’s staying or her job is gone.

Great. It’s just my luck that a photographer who recognised her was outside my place of work. What are the chances? Nobody even knows who she is in London.

“You’ll need to tell your father that you went out with me,” I say. “Warn him of the images that could be coming out.”

She runs her hands through her hair. “It’s not that easy, Spencer.”

My eyes flicker over to her. “It is actually. You are allowed to see people.”

“You don’t understand.” She rolls her eyes.

“Then why don’t you help me to.”

“Don’t get snappy with me. You think I like this drama?”

“All I’m saying is that you are an adult, and you’re doing nothing wrong. If they can’t be happy with our relationship than it’s too bad for them.”

She folds her arms over her chest.

“Am I right?” I snap as my eyes flick between the road and her.

She stays silent.

“You tell me right fucking now, Charlotte. What are you going to do when they find out?”

She shrugs.

“I’m waiting.”

“I don’t know how to handle them.” She gets teary and shakes her head. “It’s overbearing, Spence, and I hate that they’re going to judge you without even knowing you.”

I screw up my face in disgust. “I don’t give a fuck whether they judge me or not. But they will not judge you. I won’t have it.”

She stares at me blankly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that you’re an adult, and if they try to stop me from seeing you—”

“Which they will,” she interrupts.

“What are you going to do about it?”

She shrugs, her face sad.

It’s obvious that this is too much for her to take on by herself.

“I’ll take care of it,” I tell her.

“Meaning what?” She frowns.

“I’ll take care of Edward and your father for you.”

She huffs. “You haven’t met them, Spencer. They don’t get taken care of.”

I glance over at her. “It’s taken me thirty-seven years to find you, Charlotte. I won’t be forced out of your life by your family.”

“I don’t want you to be.” She softens and reaches over to raise and kiss my hand. “They’ll push you away, though. I know they will. They’ll make it so difficult for you that you’ll eventually leave.” Her voice cracks on the last word.

I pull the car over to the side of the road and turn to her. “Angel…” I smile softly and cup her face in my hand. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Her eyes search mine. “Promise me that they won’t come between us.”

“I’m the one asking you to promise me that.”

“What do you mean?” She frowns, confused.

“We’ll go to Nottingham together and tell them you are moving to London. Then you’ll leave with me, with or without their permission.”

Her face falls and she shakes her head. “Spencer, they’ll go insane if I do that. I can’t do it that way. They’ll come after me with guns blazing.”

My eyes hold hers. “Charlotte...”

She stares at me through her unshed tears, already terrified of their reaction.

“It’s time,” I say calmly.

She drops her head and stares at her hands in her lap.

“You are not a child. You are not a possession to be owned. Stop allowing them this control over you. You’re with me now. We’re happy, and we’re not hurting anyone.”

“But…” She stops herself from saying something.

“But what?”

“What if I leave them and then…” Her voice trails off.

“And then we don’t work out?” I frown.

Her eyes rise to meet mine, and I know that’s it—that’s what she’s most afraid of.

“Then we make it work out,” I tell her.

“How do you make something work out?”

I smile softly at the beautiful woman in front of me, and I lean over and kiss her, brushing her hair back from her face. “I don’t know, I’ve never done it before. We’ll work it out together.”

She wraps her arms around me, and we hold each other close.

“Just give me the permission I need to handle this for you… please,” I say into her hair. “You’re driving this ship, angel, not me.”

“What are you going to do?” she whispers.

“Nothing sinister but I’m not taking their shit, and I can’t stand by and let them have you living in fear like you do.”

“They’re my family, Spence. I love them.”

I cup her jaw. “I know, angel, and they love you back. Once they see you’re happy and taken care of, they’ll ease up. They will accept us eventually.”

She smiles softly.

“But you need to let me lead us into battle, okay? It’s not just going to happen without a fight.” I kiss her. “You already know that, and you need to prepare yourself for a few hard times.”