Chapter 31
thirty-one
ZACH
I stand and watch Jean and Sadie dance for five minutes, even though I’m dying to cut in. But I won’t because Sadie looks so damn happy that Jean’s donating twenty-thousand dollars for the privilege and I’m not about to do anything to take that smile off her face.
Not even if there’s a twinge of jealousy as he leans down to whisper something in her ear to make her laugh. She says something back, her eyes sparkling, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder.
Then she looks at me and I’m fucking breathless.
Despite all the denial to my family, and even to myself, it’s so damn obvious I’m falling for this woman.
And I know I shouldn’t. I know there’s a whole world of problems in front of me, problems she doesn’t deserve.
Problems that will worsen until I need assistance to walk, until traveling is only possible with the help of an aide.
Until I can’t see anything beautiful. Including art. Or her.
I swallow down that thought. Because the only thing worse than not being able to see her is not being able to touch her. And fuck, I want to touch her all the time.
Jean swings her around, until he’s facing me. He sees me staring and he grins like he can read my damn mind.
Or my body language.
Yeah, well enjoy this dance, buddy. You paid for it. But there’s no version of tonight where she doesn’t end up in my arms.
The band segues into another song, and I step forward.
“May I cut in?” I murmur.
“If you have to,” Jean says, his eyes gleaming like he’s enjoying this way too much. “Although I’m willing to pay another twenty thousand for a second dance.”
“Fuck off,” I tell him, my voice even. “Go pay another guy’s woman for a dance.”
He leans forward to kiss Sadie’s cheek. “Thank you,” he murmurs. “You’re a beautiful woman. He’s a good guy, but make him work for you.” He walks away, grinning like he’s having the best time making me suffer, and I shake my head before I pull her into my arms.
And immediately my whole body relaxes.
“Hello stranger,” she says, looping her arm around my neck. I pull her closer, pressing my face in her hair, inhaling her shampoo. “Did you miss me?” she teases.
“Absolutely,” I murmur, my lips brushing the shell of her ear.
I sway us to the music, slow and unhurried, like we have all the time in the world. But I already know I’ll never have enough of her.
“You know,” she says, tilting her head back to look at me, “I would’ve let him buy another dance. Twenty thousand’s not bad for three minutes of work.”
I narrow my eyes, shifting my grip to her waist. “Don’t worry, I’ll make him pay it anyway. The man has more money than he knows what to do with.”
Her brows lift. “Damn. I should have demanded more.” She looks over my shoulder, like she’s thinking of calling him back.
“Yeah, well now you’re mine.” I slide my hand down her back. I know I’m being possessive. And I’m not used to feeling like this. Not about a woman, anyway.
But she’s not just any woman. She’s my perfect piece of art.
“Wyatt seems nice,” she says, as I move us across the floor. She lets me lead her – like she knows I need this. Or maybe she needs it too.
That’s the weird thing about us. She likes me to be dominant sometimes. I like that, too. I’ve always been a bossy asshole. But anybody who could read my mind would know she owns me.
With her, I’m bottoming from the top.
She lets out a soft sigh, like she feels it too. This perfect synchronicity between us. She presses her face against my chest, like she belongs in my arms.
And I don’t care who’s watching. Or talking about us.
I don’t even care that tomorrow she’ll find out the truth. Because maybe there’s still a way for us. Even if it’s just for a while. The truth is, I’ll take whatever I can from her.
She looks up at me, her eyes so soft I could get lost in them. “Zach,” she whispers as if she absolutely feels this too.
“I know.” I give her the briefest of smiles. My chest aches in a way it hasn’t since I ran my first marathon. Like I can barely remember how to breathe.
“Is this real?” she asks. And I know she’s not talking about the dance or the gala or anything here.
She’s talking about us.
“Yeah,” I say gruffly. “I think it is.”
“And is that okay?” she asks. She curls her finger around my neck, the tips tickling my skin.
I don’t know if it’s okay. All I know is that it’s here. It’s undeniable. I want her in my arms, in my bed. In my life.
But will she want you?
“Yeah, it’s more than okay,” I manage to say. I want to tell her everything. I want to spill my guts to her now.
“That’s good,” she says softly, that Mona-Lisa smile pulling at her lips. “Because I’m so in love with you.”
Those words, they hit me like the sweetest punch straight to my gut. And for a second I can barely think, let alone speak.
Because it feels like a miracle. This perfect woman who somehow has fallen for an idiot like me.
And it also feels painful. Because I’ve been holding back on her.
I open my mouth, trying to find the words. To tell her I love her too. To tell her that before she sinks into that love she needs to know the truth. But before a single sound can come out I feel a hand on my arm.
And I whip around, frowning because fuck, I’d like to get through this moment without somebody interrupting me.
Asher wrinkles his nose at the expression on my face. “Sorry, brother,” he says, like he knows this is a bad time. “But I need to talk to you for a minute.”
“Can’t it wait?” I ask him, because I can’t let her words go unanswered. That would make me an even bigger asshole than I am.
He shakes his head slowly. And then I see how pale his face is. For a second, all I can think of is the day that our dad lost our home and this island in a poker game. How he looked when he told us.
How Asher and Hudson looked once they understood what it meant.
“What’s going on?” I ask, glancing at Sadie. She looks between me and Asher with a frown pulling at her lips.
“I need you in the office,” he says his voice brusque. “Sorry,” he says to Sadie. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”
“It’s fine,” she says, smiling softly. Because my girl is always so damn accommodating. “I need a drink anyway.”
Asher shifts his feet. “Actually, how about you go sit with Francie?” he suggests, pointing at his wife who’s sitting at a table with Skyler and Eden. “She could do with the company.”
“Oh,” Sadie says. “Sure.”
“I’ll walk you over there,” Asher says. “Zach, can you head to the office? I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”
I nod. His office is just down from my apartment, which is red flag number two. Because why would we need to meet in his office? Except for the fact that he has it regularly swept for surveillance equipment.
And it has all the technology Asher needs when he’s running a security operation.
I lean forward and kiss Sadie’s cheek, breathing her in. My heart pounds as she curls her hand into mine, like she knows how much I need the connection.
“Let’s go,” Asher murmurs, leading the woman I’m in love with away from me.
I watch her go, then I turn on my heel and walk right past the dancing crowds, ignoring people who call out my name.
My feet are hard against the ground as I make my way through the reception area and key in the security code for the secure staff corridor.
When I reach Asher’s office, I see that my other brothers are already waiting. Hudson and Wyatt are talking in low voices to West. They all look up as I walk in.
Hudson points at the empty chair next to him. “You might want to sit down for this,” he murmurs, as Asher walks in behind me, closing the door with a slam like he’s furious with himself.
He looks at me and shakes his head, like he’s trying to decide how to break whatever this is to me gently.
“We’ve got some intel,” he says, letting out a mouthful of air. “We know where Darien is. Or at least we know where he was last night.”
“Where?” I ask, my throat feeling so thick I’m finding it hard to breathe.
“He was spotted on the mainland. About a mile from the ferry dock. I’m sorry, bro. I fucked up.” Asher scrubs a hand down his face. “The sighting was confirmed. I’ve seen the footage and it was definitely him.” He meets my eyes, voice low. “And he asked about ferry times to Liberty.”
We’ve been going around in circles for the last ten minutes. Looking at the footage, then searching the camera logs for every single crossing to and from the island since. There’s no sign of Sadie’s ex getting on the ferry but I can’t shake the pounding that’s started in my head.
“How dangerous is he?” Hudson asks, his voice low. “I have a wife here. Two kids at home. Should I be worried?”
Asher shakes his head. “No, not really. He’s a petty criminal at best. And a bad one. And even if you were to worry, I have two sets of guards at your house. And this place is watertight. So is the lighthouse, since Milo is being babysat there.”
“We should close this whole thing down,” I say. “Send everybody home. It’s too much of a risk with the island swarming with people.”
Asher sighs, running his hand through his hair.
“I get it,” he tells me. “And if I thought there was a huge risk, I would. But let’s face it, the guy can’t even do parole right.
He’ll be back inside before you know it.
” He gives me a pointed look. “I have a pregnant wife out there. If I was worried, I’d be taking her right home. But here I am.”
“What?” Hudson asks, his head whipping up at the mention of Asher’s wife. “Is Francie—”
“Fuck!” West says, jumping up. “Congratulations.” He shakes Asher’s hand. Wyatt hugs him tight.
“Jesus, you kept that quiet,” Hudson mutters. “Which is no mean feat on this island.”
“Not quiet enough apparently,” Asher says, looking sheepish now, because I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean to announce it.
“And if one of you breathes a word I told you, I’ll be climbing into your bedrooms in the dark of night and making sure you regret it.
” There’s a half smile on his face. “Now let’s get back to the problem, shall we? ”
Hudson lets out a long sigh. “I still don’t like it. What if he turns up here and makes a scene.”
God, I hadn’t thought of that. Sadie would be mortified.
I look at Asher. “Do you think we should end the gala early?”
Asher shakes his head. “No. First of all, Autumn’s worked hard on this gala.
And unless you all feel like facing her wrath, then I suggest we don’t mess it up for her.
Let’s just carry on, let my guys do their job and enjoy the party.
We’ll worry about this guy tomorrow. Find him and send him home. ”
He looks at me slyly. “And then Sadie can go back to her apartment. That is if you want her to.”
“Whatever.” I roll my eyes at him. “I’m going to head back to the ball.”
“You going to tell Sadie what’s happened?”
“Of course,” I say.
Asher lifts a brow. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not going to let her out of your sight?” he asks, because he knows me too well.
“I just want to make sure she’s safe,” I mutter. “You’d do the same.”
“Yeah.” He nods. “I would. Go check on her. I’m going to speak with my team and then I’ll join you.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.” I really do. “And if there’s any change…”
“I’ll tell you right away. As I just told you. Now go.”
I shoot him a tight smile and head out of the office, the sound of the orchestra echoing through the private corridor from the ballroom. Wyatt follows, falling into step beside me.
“You sure you’re okay?” he asks once we step into the reception area.
“I will be once I see her,” I say.
He smiles softly. “You really like her, huh?”
I let out a breath. “Yeah,” I say. “I really do.”
“And yet you still haven’t told her.”
I know what he’s talking about. “Not yet, no.” My voice is tight. Like the rest of me. Wound up and on edge.
“So when will you?”
I take a deep breath. “Soon.”
“That’s good. Especially after Asher’s announcement.”
That’s when it hits me. Fuck. The baby. This condition is genetic. This just keeps getting worse.
Wyatt turns back to look at me.
“You know it’s not your fault, right?” he says. “That you have sight problems. It’s just a quirk of fucking fate.”
“I know.” But I can’t help feeling the guilt squeezing at my stomach. Because my nieces and nephews could suffer, too.
He gives me the tightest of smiles. And it’s stupid, but I’m glad he’s here. He’ll be with me tomorrow, when I tell them all the truth.
I think I need that.
We step back into the ballroom, the low pulse of music and conversation washing over us. I scan the room, my eyes locking on the table where Sadie’s sitting with Francie, Skyler, Eden, and Romy. She’s laughing at something Romy’s saying.
And behind them, trying and failing to look natural, are two guards that Asher has assigned to them, because despite his bravado he’s actually even more protective than I am.
When she sees me, her shoulders soften. Her smile is instant.
And that’s when I realize I’d do anything for her. I’m in love with this woman, so damn much it hurts.
So much, I’d let her go if it meant she could be safe.