The same line echoes through her head each night as she changes her clothes.
*No one does denial like a Matheson*
She didn't' think that would apply to her life. Not with her family safely tucked away in their little village living their lives in quiet contentment. Then her uncle showed up out of nowhere and turned their lives upside down. It was in a good way, mostly. But it started the change of events that got her to this place.
For some reason, President Monroe believed her family could make trouble. Charlie wasn't aware of the details and she didn't really need to be. All that mattered was she was now leverage. A way to tie her family to his empire so they can't escape. Charlie doesn't mind being the tie. Better her than her brother. Danny wouldn't be able to hold up against the capital the way she could.
Miles hugs her tight as the soldiers gather to take her away. "There's an old saying that good men make bad liars," he murmurs in her ear before pulling away. The smile he gives her is rather sad. "Luckily you're a Matheson and we're wonderful liars."
Charlie is a little frightened that she knows exactly what he means. But she becomes the child bride of Sebastian Monroe anyway. Not that 22 is a child these days. Most villages would have had her married off years ago. But the capital is a nest vipers if there ever was one and she's never been so thankful for her last name in all her life.
As forced marriages go, it's not the worst. Monroe is handsome enough, if distant to her. But she's not here because he loves her. It's a marriage of convenience and they both know that. Monroe is polite, doesn't hit her or mock her. She's given nice clothes and plenty of food. A gilded cage is a gilded cage but there are worse cages to be trapped in.
She meets Connor while his father is off doing…she's not sure what. Charlie doesn't ask too much about his business because she doesn't care. The less she knows the better in her mind. They can't tie her to what she doesn't know or understand. Charlie has heard of this Monroe heir but never met him. Most people outside the capital hadn't. He made no secret of his disdain for country life.
But he's warm to her, which is an odd thing after such coldness from everyone else. They share a love of books that makes him more approachable than the others around her every day. It helps that Monroe is not likely to shoot his own son jut for talking to his wife. He's considerate like that. Part of her still wonders if the younger Monroe is working an angle with all his flirty talk and offers of books to read.
Until she learns Connor has his own secrets. One in particular goes by the name of Jason Neville. He's nobody, a rank soldier in the army; his parents aren't even close to the inner circle. Monroe has never batted an eye at his son's affairs but he would surely be upset at this sort of affection. Not because it's another male but because everyone would place Jason so beneath Connor as to be laughable.
But the three of them share the understanding that comes with families that are more distant than the sun to the earth. They're children on the other side of the looking glass and coping has not been a strong suit of any of them. There's pressure on every side and Charlie suspects that very pressure is what forges them into what they are now.
They don't talk about when it starts happening. Talking about it would have brought it all into this strange dream world they seem to live in. Their secret is there's alone and it warms them when the rest of world has turned to ice. It's strange to be sure, Connor seducing his new step mother but she's his age after all. And Jason would be seen as reaching for a star that was far too high for him. But he makes her laugh in such a wonderful way. It's not long before she realizes she loves them.
Connor hires Jason as his personal assistant to make things easier on them. Everyone laughs behind their hands about the soldier being turned into a secretary for the President's spoiled son. But no one bats an eye at Connor coming and going from the Presidential Mansion at all hours and now they think nothing of Jason following right behind.
*No one does denial like a Matheson*
Charlie has a poker face to rival the warlords in Vegas and she uses it almost daily these days. She lies about everything under the sun these days. In fact, except when talking to Jason and Connor, Charlie's pretty sure she hasn't spoken a single truthful word since she's come here. She's not sure anyone here knows how to tell the truth anyway so it doesn't bother her much.
Truthfully, Charlie doesn't hate her nights with Sebastian. The sex is better than any tumble with the boys back home which is nice. It's not that she doesn't like it or that's she's forced but…given the choice she wouldn't go through with it. It's not the same as when she's with Jason and Connor. Their touch makes her blood hot and her skin ache. A look from their eyes has her wet before she even knows what's happening. Those emotions are just missing when she's with her husband. Charlie knows why but that doesn't make it any better.
Jason is the first one to bring the idea up. They're enjoying a sunny day in the garden where no one can see them. He mentions the fact that the three of them could be happy in some shit apartment far away from all of this. Connor points out that his father wouldn't let him or Charlie go so that plan is down the drain. Charlie tells them both it's too lovely a day to spoil it with those dark thoughts about what they can't have.
None of them talk about killing Monroe but it lingers in the back of their mind until the ball that's thrown for Charlie's birthday. Connor is dancing with her, a respectful distance between them due to being in public, and comments that with Charlie as a widow…no one would notice him stepping up to "comfort" her.
Charlie puts down those ideas before they can go too far. A coup would be risky and bloody, it had the potential to destroy all they had created for themselves. Monroe has his own enemies who will surely take care of him before the year is out. She doesn't want to force Connor to kill his father. Even if it would be just slipping poison in his whiskey. Connor's a good man as capital people go and it would be a shame for him to commit patricide. Jason wouldn't have the access even if he wanted to. Charlie suspects he wants to.
*No one does denial like a Matheson*
Her family has taught her to lie like a rug. But she needs new skills in Philly. Patience is now required of her and Charlie learns infinite patience. She'll dress pretty for Monroe, eat his food and warm his bed. And when he leaves on his "trips", she gets to play with the men who truly hold her heart. Monroe is a young…ish man but when it seems like he'll live forever, Charlie reminds herself of his many, many enemies. He's made too many people angry to live to a ripe old age. He'll die soon. She and her men will run back to the small village where her family lives and all will be well again.
Charlie has lost count of the number of times she's lied right to Monroe's face. He's a paranoid bastard after a few too many drinks and well aware of her beauty. Really, it's not her fault men look at her. He's the one putting her in gowns that hug her curves and show off her assets. If he doesn't like the way she looks, he should stop giving her gowns. But Charlie knows to pick her battles so she brushes off his accusations of affairs.
She begins to slip away at night to Connor's house. Monroe knows but he's stupid when it comes to his son. He would never accuse Connor of having an affair with his wife. All the better for them. Connor and Jason soothe her pique in a way that jewels and such never could. Jason continues to offer his assassin services. Instead Charlie has them prep for leaving. The more paranoid Monroe becomes, the more likely his killers are to strike. She understand Jason's impatience. She wishes they were free too. But she lies to them like she lies to everyone else. She tells them that they will find a way out soon. They won't be trapped in this sick world forever. And they believe her.
After all, no one does denial like a Matheson.