Last night wasn't as peaceful as I thought it would be, but thankfully I locked the bedroom door—I knew one thing for sure is that Darren really wasn't going to sleep in the guest bedroom. He was going to come into our shared room and honestly, I didn't want that. I get that I invited Charlotte to the dinner, but it wasn't for her to start a fight nor for her to get arrested. Hell, I tried to stop her more than once. She just didn't listen. I'm happy that Charlotte did clarify the whole situation with the guys. however, I didn't like the fact that she said she was going to leave Darren and me alone. It almost felt like she was making me feel guilty that I'm the new woman in his life.

Now all the guys must think I'm the bad person. Like Charlotte did this herself.

The more that I think about the situation last night the more my blood is starting to boil.

"If looks could kill, that screen would have a hole right through it." Kenza jokes walking into my office, folders in hand. "Is everything okay with you?"

"Yeah...no." I take a deep breath. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Kenza takes a seat across from my desk. "What is on your mind?"

"It's about Charlotte and the guys."

The look on Kenza's face makes me second guess if talking to her about Charlotte is the right thing to do. I get it Charlotte is everyone's favorite, but I'm about to have Darren's child, I should at least come before Charlotte now. Right?

"Never mind." I quickly say.

"You feel like Darren cares more about Charlotte than you? And the guys are going to always put Charlotte first?" she questions and my eyes widen. "By the look on your face, I'm assuming that's what it is. Vincent told me what happened last night. First I would like to say, none of it was your fault. Second, none of it is your fault. Lastly, the relationship Charlotte has with the guys can seem strange at first, but they literally treat her as a baby sister. I went to college with them so I guess I can overlook it. Trust me I was skeptical at first when Vincent and I started dating—I thought he and Charlotte had a secret relationship."

"Hmm, so do the other guys blatantly disrespect you, if something bad happens to Charlotte?" I don't care about their relationship with her, but the disrespect from Austin last night still doesn't sit well with me.

"No never, did one of the guys say something to you?" She leans forward. "If they did you need to tell Darren so he can check them."

"I don't want to start—"

"You won't be starting anything. You're about to have a child with Darren and like it or not the guys are always going to be around. So you need to tell Darren immediately. So who was it, Everett or Tristan? Those two can be a bit much.

"Actually it was Austin."

"Austin!? You're lying?" Kenza's eye nearly pops out of her head. "Austin like Austin Kramer?"

"Yeah, he got real snappy with me last night. Darren did come to my defense, but I feel like has a weird obsession with Charlotte. You know they probably slept together and they secretly want to be with one another. I wouldn't be surprised if she left her husband to be with him." I'm at my breaking point.

"Hey calm down." She gestures for me to relax. "Darren and Charlotte have never hooked up before. She loves Chase, trust me. Look, I'm not defending Charlotte or anything, but she gets hated on a lot by the women who date the guys—they see her as a threat which they shouldn't because Charlotte only wants the guys to be happy. Anyhow, this situation was just a messy one. Everyone who knows the story behind Darren, Selena, and Charlotte knows nothing good would come from it if Charlotte saw Selena again."

Yeah everyone but me. I don't know Charlotte enough to know she was beefing with Selena. Hell, I don't talk to Selena at all to know what the hell goes on in her life.

"Either way, I don't like it, his relationship with her and the disrespect from the guys. I'm the mother to his child; he has to see that I won't be okay with certain things." I said what I said and I stand by it.

"Well, okay. Then tell Darren just that. Yet you did say he came to your defense when Austin did talk to you crazy. That has to count for something right?"

"No need to repeat it." Darren walks into my office, damn it, I should have had Kenza close the door. "I was actually bringing Austin to come to apologize to you." At the sound of his name, Austin also appears in the doorway. How much did they actually hear of our conversation? "I knew that had to be bugging you all night."

"Umm, I'm going to step out." Kenza looks at me. "Good luck." She whispers as she drops the folders on my desk. Here I thought she was going to stay by my side for this.

"Look, I don't know what you two heard bu—"

"I would like to apologize for my behavior last night. What I said and how I talked to you are unacceptable. You will be a part of the family soon and family shouldn't treat each other like that. I was wrong and really there isn't an excuse for that. I would like to grab lunch with you one day so we can get to know each other better. I'm not some cruel cold-blooded person, I'm quite the opposite." he looks around nervously. "I mean if you don't want to then that's fine as well. I'm sorry for last night, genuinely."

Well, this is different. I didn't think Darren cared enough about me to tell his best friends when they were wrong. I guess I shouldn't jump to conclusions so soon.

"Mr. Kramer, I would like that. To go to lunch with you one day and I accept your apology. Last night was intense."

"It was, but there is no excuse for my rude behavior towards you." He reiterates. I nod and then he excuses himself out of the office. I look to Darren and wonder what he will say. Is he going to question me about the things I said? Is he going to scream at me? What is going through his head right now? His cell phone rings pulling his attention away from the window. He looks down at his phone declining the call.

"Darren," I don't know what to say.

"Alsie, if my friendship with Charles bothers you, we—"

"Don't." Charlotte rushes into the office. What in the melodrama is going on here? I stand up from my seat. Charlotte is hunched over hands on her knees, breathing heavily like she ran a marathon. "Wait," she says breathlessly. "Sweet fucking niblets, just give me a second." She looks up trying to even her breathing.

"Charles, what are you doing here?" Darren looks surprised. So he doesn't know what's about to happen either, hmm.

"I caused a problem with you two and I'm here to fix it."

"Charles, we don't need you to help us in our relationship. I'm a grown man and she is also grown, so don't insert yourself into this, please. You only make things worse."

The look on Charlotte's face even surprised me. It was like his words slapped her in the face, but she quickly recovers from it.

"Alsie, I've come to apologize not for what happened last night, but for the aftermath. I will never apologize for giving Selena what she had coming. I don't know if Austin came to apologize to you yet and if he hasn't I will make sure he does. But, I'm not here on his behalf just mine. I don't want you to think I come first with Darren. I see the guys as brothers and sometimes I go overboard just a little. Darren went through a lot and I feel like it was 100% my fault. I just wanted to defend him and in a way, but I see I'm causing more pain and drama." Her eyes start to fill up with unshed tears. "I've always wanted the guys to find happiness and have that love and family they deserve. I know Darren will have that with you and I don't want to be the cause of it not happening."

"Charlotte, it's okay," I say. Seriously.

"No, it's not." She blinks quickly. If she cries I know I will too. "I saw the look on your face last night. I know that look. I just want you to know, that I respect you a lot and love that baby growing inside of you. All those doctor's visits and mommy and me classes I took with you, I know you're a good woman inside and out. So please don't leave Darren and just give him one more chance." She smiles as lone tear escapes. "I'm so sorry about ruining last night and making you feel like the guys only care about me because you're part of the family now and they will be just like this with you now too."

Charlotte lets out a deep breath. "Well, goodbye you two, and I will let you talk." She pats Darren on the shoulder as she walks out of the office closing the door behind her.

"Is she always like this?" I ask Darren.

"Not always, last time she got this way was seven years ago, and before that was when she ran away to New York. Charles is a bit of an emotional wreck sometimes, but we love her." He shrugs. "So would you like me to bring each guy from last night in here to apologize, because I would."

"The only person who honestly was rude was Austin. Everett just seemed to make jokes to lighten the mood and Chase well his wife got arrested so, of course, he was snappy, but it was to everyone, not just me." I take a deep breath sitting back down. "Look this seems like a very intense situation. I'm in a relationship with you and seven other people, that's how it feels. I get it they are your friends and you've all been through a lot, but you're about to have your own family and I don't think I can do this."

"Do what?" Darren walks towards my desk.

"This," I gesture between us. "Like how can I trust that you will be on my side if something like that happens again?"

"You want me to choose between you and them?"

"That's not what I'm saying, but if you want to put it that way." Why is he trying to make this so difficult?

"I choose you." He answers and holy meatballs I did not see that coming. "You want me to get rid of my friendship for you, then I will."

"See now you're taking it too far. That's not what I'm asking of you. Don't twist my words."

"Alsie, I lost everything that I've ever wanted seven years ago, I'll be damn if I lose it again."

"I understand you dont want to lose your family to be, but remember these people are your family too. They've known you longer and you all went through a lot together. Just dont say things because you think that's what I want to hear. Because it isn't. I dont want you to choose between me and them. We're all a family remember? Just dont say things like that. It makes me question how quickly you would drop me if it ever came down to it." I tell him. I know the last thing he would want to do is separate from his bonus family and that's the last thing i would want too.

****

I couldn't focus on anything for the rest of the day. I tap the mouse and my computer screen lights up. I really need to finish the document before it's time to go home.

"Knock knock." Caroline opens my office door. "How's it going?"

"Good, I'm trying to finish this merger document before EOD. Do you need me for anything?" I question as she takes a seat.

She scoots the chair closer to my desk. "Spill the tea." She whispers.

"What tea?"

"Don't act all oblivious. Spill it. How did you get Charlotte to leave?"

"Excuse me? Leave? You mean this morning?" Caroline is the worse gossiper I know. She doesn't even do it right.

She dramatically sighs standing up. "Guess you don't have the tea." She walks to the door and stops. "Before I forget, your sister Selena called and said call her back. She has been trying to reach you all day."

What the hell does she want?