Where The Ice Gives Way Chapter 88

**Charlotte**

I wake slowly, warm all over. I don’t open my eyes. I just stay there, floating somewhere between sleep and waking, aware only of the weight of the blankets, the steady heat pressed along the front of me, and the deep, even beat under my hand. Blake’s room comes into focus around me in pieces as I open my eyes. My face is tucked against his throat. One of his arms is wrapped loosely around me, heavy and warm over my waist. My leg is half tangled with his under the covers, and my hand is spread over the centre of his chest. I lie there and listen to him breathe as I spread my fingers wider, feeling the beat of his heart. I draw in a slow breath, and the movement must shift something because Blake’s arm tightens slightly around me before he exhales and his head tips down against mine. “Morning,” he says, his voice still rough with sleep. “Morning,” I whisper back. His hand slides once over my side, barely more than a sleepy reflex, and I swear the whole left side of my body lights up. Then Blake lifts his head slightly and looks down at me, his eyes still heavy with sleep but already warming at the edges when they find my face. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” His mouth forms into a beautifully sleepy smile. Before he can reply, a fist raps twice against the door. “Are you both decent, or am I going to need therapy?” Theo’s voice carries through the door. “Go away,” Blake calls, pulling me tighter to his chest and making me laugh. I hear the door open, and I sneak a glance at Theo, who’s looking smug as hell, and Charlie, who is right behind him. Charlie has a look on his face that says he is trying very hard to be normal about whatever he’s seeing. Theo’s eyes flick from me to Blake, then to me, then to Charlie. “Well,” he says. “That answers that.” 

Blake sits up, unravelling himself from me and dragging a hand through his hair. I choose peace and pull the blanket over my head. “Why are you in my room?” Blake asks. “Breakfast,” I hear Charlie says. “And I didn’t know where Charlotte was and wanted to make sure she was okay before school.” School. That single word drops the outside world back over everything like cold water. I groan and pull back the covers, sitting up and glancing out the window. “We’ve got plenty of time,” Blake says quietly. Theo snorts. “Not loads of it. You’ve slept half the morning away. Meanwhile, I’ve already been for a run, had breakfast and made my way over here.” Charlie finally shoves him back into the hallway. “Give her a break.”I slide off the bed quickly after that, smoothing my hands over my hair that I realise probably looks like a complete bird's nest. Blake looks entirely too amused, and I point at him. “This is your fault.”

His brows lift. “My fault that you look like an adorable wild animal?” It’s too early to be blushing this hard, so I turn and walk back through the bathroom door to my room.

After battling with my hairbrush and slipping on my uniform, I head downstairs, where breakfast is way louder than I want it to be. I take a seat beside Blake, and he says nothing as he fills a plate and sets it in front of me with a smile. Theo keeps making a little noise in his coffee when I look in Blake’s direction, and Charlie threatens him with bodily harm. Mara tells them both to sit down and eat like civilised people. Gareth clears his throat at the head of the table, and the whole room quiets. He waits until everyone is looking at him. “Before everyone heads out,” he says, “I want this clear.” He looks first at Blake, Theo and Charlie. “Charlotte is not to be left alone.” Gareth folds his hands on the table. “I’ve already spoken with the principal over the weekend. Every class she has today is with Blake.” I blink. What kind of principal does that on their day off? “What?” Blake turns to look at me, one corner of his mouth lifting. “Dad’s efficient.”

“That is one word for it,” Theo mutters. Charlie, for once, actually looks relieved, and Gareth’s eyes come back to me. “You will go to class, you will keep your routine, and you will not be wandering that school alone while we still don’t know who or what might come sniffing around. I’m not trying to take your freedom away. I want you to feel as normal as possible, but I also want to make sure you’re safe. Okay?” I open my mouth, then close it again, because honestly, that’s not what I had expected. Mara reaches for her tea and adds gently, “I also spoke to Sophie. She said if you feel up to it, you do still have a shift after school. We can have patrols in the area to make sure you’re safe.” A warmth settles over me as I realise that they’re not taking anything away from me. They’re simply adding protection. “I do. And I very much appreciate that.” Mara smiles softly at me over the rim of her mug. “I thought you might.” 

All sorts of conflicting feelings swirl inside my chest at their kindness, and without thinking about it, I reach over and place my hand on Blake’s thigh. He drops his fork onto the plate immediately and reaches down to take my hand in his. He smiles at me, squeezing my hand before he lifts it above the table, and kisses the back of my hand. My cheeks turn pink, I know they do, I can feel the warmth flooding them. I don’t actually care that his whole family and my brother are watching. In this moment, from here on, I realise I want these things in my life, these feelings, these people. I deserve this kind of happiness.