52. Noah #2
It took Zoey less time than I expected to get ready. When she came downstairs, she looked like she’d spent the day at the salon. Absolutely beautiful.
“Ready to go?” I asked.
The prettiest blush crept into her cheeks. “I am. Thank you for this.”
Once we were in the car, I decided to fill her in on my plan. “I may have done something.”
She frowned. “And what is that something you might have done?” she asked, studying my face for clues.
I grinned. “What makes you think I’m up to something?”
Zoey cocked an eyebrow and pursed her lips.
“Okay, I invited Ky and your sister tonight, but neither knows the other is coming.”
She laughed, the rich sound sending a jolt of heat straight to my cock. “You set them up on a blind date?”
“Not exactly. Ky thinks he’s joining us to get to know you better, and Heather believes we’re treating her to a lavish dinner to thank her for everything she’s done.”
Zoey’s eyebrows shot up, surprise and amusement dancing in her eyes.
I grinned, feeling rather proud of my little scheme. “I was hoping you’d play along. Just for tonight, I want to forget about everything else and enjoy a normal evening with the woman I love and two people I care about a lot.”
“Of course. I’m in.” She put her hand on my thigh and gave a happy sigh.
As I pulled the car into the parking lot of the restaurant, I spotted Ky and Heather standing outside. They were sneaking glances at each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking, and I stifled my laugh.
We got out of the car and approached them. I flashed them my best apologetic smile, ready to sell my little white lie.
“Hey, guys, I’m so sorry. I must have mixed up the nights.
I was supposed to organize separate dinners, but with everything going on, it completely slipped my mind.
” I rubbed the back of my neck, feigning embarrassment.
“Zoey’s pretty tired after everything, so I figured just having one night out instead of two might be easier on her. I hope you don’t mind.”
Ky and Heather exchanged a look. Ky shrugged, a lopsided grin spreading across his face.
“No worries, man,” he said. “I’m always down for a good meal and even better company.”
He winked at Heather, who rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“I suppose I can survive one evening with this oaf,” Heather teased, bumping her shoulder against Ky’s.
I grinned as we entered the restaurant. Maybe this little setup would lead to something more between Ky and Heather. For now, I was content to enjoy a normal evening with the woman I loved and two people I cared about deeply. Everything else could wait, just for tonight.
The waiter led us to our table—a cozy booth tucked away in the corner of the bustling restaurant—and an awkward silence descended upon us. I tried to break the ice by cracking a joke about the menu, but it only earned a half-hearted chuckle from Ky and a raised eyebrow from Heather.
Zoey fidgeted with her napkin, her gaze darting around the room. I put my hand on her leg to give her some comfort. She met my eyes and offered a small, grateful smile.
As the evening progressed, the atmosphere shifted. Ky and Heather, who had initially been seated on opposite sides of the table, gradually gravitated toward each other. Their conversation flowed more easily, punctuated with laughter and playful banter.
I leaned back in my seat, watching the two of them with a mix of amusement and satisfaction. They were so lost in each other, they seemed to have forgotten that Zoey and I were even there.
Zoey, too, had relaxed. She had a genuine smile on her face as she watched her sister. Under the table, she put her hand on mine and interlaced our fingers.
When the waiter brought the check, I quickly snatched it up before anyone else could. As we left, I overheard Ky asking Heather if she’d like to grab a drink at a nearby bar.
“I’d love to,” Heather said.
As they walked off together, I whispered in Zoey’s ear. “And my work here is done.”
Zoey burst out laughing, the sound like music to my ears. She turned to face me, her hazel eyes sparkling with mirth and affection.
“You’re incorrigible, you know that?” she teased, wrapping her arms around my waist.
I grinned. “Yeah, but you love me for it.”
As we walked to the car, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment.
Tonight had been a success, not just for Ky and Heather, but for Zoey and me as well.
For a few hours, we had been a normal couple on a normal date.
For a few hours, we had been able to forget about the dangers lurking in our future.
It was a reminder of what we were fighting for, and I was more determined than ever to make sure we got our happily ever after.
The drive home was quiet, but it was a comfortable silence. I held Zoey’s hand. Her presence beside me was a constant source of comfort, a reminder that I wasn’t alone in this fight.
My thoughts drifted to George and the challenge that lay ahead.
I wished we didn’t have to deal with him, that we could just focus on building our life together without him looming over us.
But once he was no longer a concern, this was what our life would be like.
We’d be able to be together, free from the fear and uncertainty that plagued us. We’d be a family.
I’d do whatever it took to make that a reality.
I glanced over at Zoey, taking in her profile as she gazed out the window. She looked lost in thought, her brow slightly wrinkled. I gave her hand a gentle squeeze, drawing her attention back to me.
“You okay?” I asked, stroking the back of her hand with my thumb.
She turned to face me, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Yeah, I’m just thinking about tonight. It was nice, wasn’t it? To be out with friends and forget about everything else for a little while.”
I returned her smile. “It was. And it’s just a taste of what’s to come. Once this is all over, we’ll have plenty of nights like this.”
Zoey’s smile widened, and she leaned over to rest her head on my shoulder. “I can’t wait for that.” Her breath tickled my neck.
I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo. “Me neither, babe. Me neither.”
When we walked into the house, the silence that greeted us was almost jarring after the lively conversation and laughter at the restaurant.
I put on some music, the gentle melody filling the room as I pulled Zoey into my arms. We swayed together, our bodies moving in perfect sync as if we’d been dancing together for years.
I closed my eyes, savoring the feel of her warm body pressed against mine, the scent of her perfume enveloping me like a comforting blanket.
After a few moments, Zoey pulled back slightly, her fingers tracing the line of my jaw. “You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind. What’s going on?”
I hesitated, not wanting to ruin the peaceful moment. But she deserved to know the truth.
“I had some things to take care of this morning,” I said. “I met with my attorney to make sure that all my assets are left to you and Roland if anything happens to me. And I gave Kyler the paperwork for my shares in the gym.”
Zoey’s eyes widened, and she took a step back, her expression shifting from contentment to sudden fear. “What are you talking about? Why would you do that?”
I tried to tug her back into my embrace, but she resisted. “It’s not that I’m expecting to die,” I said. “But I need to know that you and Roland will be taken care of if anything happens to me. I was going to do this eventually anyway, because you’re my mate.”
She shook her head. “No. This means you think you might not come back. You can’t... Noah, you can’t leave me.”
Her words were like a knife to my heart. I hated seeing her so afraid, so vulnerable. I wanted nothing more than to promise her that everything would be okay, that I’d always come back to her. But I couldn’t make that promise.
I stepped closer to her, gently cupping her face. “Zoey, I know you’re scared. I am, too. But this has to be done, and I’m the one who has to do it. George needs to be stopped. For you. For Ro. For the pack.”
She closed her eyes, leaning into my touch even as a tear slipped down her cheek. “I can’t lose you. I’ve lost too much already.”
I brushed away the tear with my thumb. “I know, baby. But I’m not going into this expecting to die. I’m going to fight like hell to come back to you and Roland. You’re my family, my future.”
Zoey’s eyes opened, meeting mine with a desperate intensity. “Then call it off. We can find another way. Please...”
She clung to me, her fingers digging into my back as if she could anchor me to her.
“I can’t. This has to end now,” I murmured, stroking her hair. “But I need you to trust me. I’m going to come home to you, I promise. I have no doubts about that.”
She pulled back just enough to look up at me. “How can you promise that?”
I held her gaze, willing her to see the determination in my eyes.
“Because I have to be smart about this. I have to think about all the possibilities, even the worst-case scenarios. That’s why I’m making sure you and Roland are taken care of.
But I’m going to do everything in my power to come back to you.
I won’t let George take our future from us. ”
I could see the war waging within her eyes, the desperate need to keep me safe battling with the knowledge that this was our only path forward.
Finally, she nodded, a shaky exhale escaping her lips. “Okay,” she whispered. “Okay. But you have to promise me. Promise me you’ll come back to me.”
I leaned down, resting my forehead against hers. “I promise. I’m coming back to you, no matter what. You’re my forever. We have a happy-ever-after waiting for us, Zoey. A life together, a family. And I’ll be damned if I let George take that from us.”
A small, watery smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I want that more than anything. I want a future with you.”
“And we’re going to have it,” I promised. “I’m going to make sure of it.”
We swayed gently to the music playing in the background. For a moment, I let myself get lost in her—the scent of her hair, the warmth of her skin. This was what I was fighting for. This was what I refused to lose.
As the song came to an end, I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Let’s get some rest. It’s been a crazy couple of days.”
Zoey let me lead her toward the bedroom. As we settled under the covers, she curled into my side, her head resting on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close.
“I love you, Noah,” she whispered, her words slightly muffled against my skin.
“I love you, too, Zoey,” I replied softly. “More than anything.”
And with that promise on my lips, I drifted off to sleep, ready to face whatever tomorrow might bring.