53. Zoey
ZOEY
I took a deep breath to steady my racing heart as I stepped into my therapist’s office, my mother trailing reluctantly behind me. We settled into the plush chairs, an uncomfortable silence filling the space between us as Elaine watched us.
“Zoey, how have you been doing since the recent attack?” Elaine asked gently, her pen poised over her notepad.
I clasped my hands together in my lap. “It’s been… difficult. But I’ve realized some important things.”
“And what are those realizations?”
“That none of it was my fault. George is a cruel, manipulative man. An abusive narcissist. Nothing I did caused him to be violent.”
Elaine looked pleased with me. “That’s an important realization. You didn’t deserve any of the abuse he inflicted on you.”
I swallowed hard. “For so long, he drilled it into my head that I made him hit me. That it was my fault when he lost control. But I know now that those were lies to control me.”
“You’re right. His reasons were excuses to continue the cycle of abuse.” She jotted down a few notes on her little tablet.
I wanted to cry, but I was so goddamn tired of crying because of that asshole. “The only thing I blame myself for is not leaving him sooner. I should have gotten out a long time ago.”
My mother reached over and squeezed my hand. I squeezed back, grateful for her presence, even if it had taken some convincing to get her to join me.
“You got out. That’s what matters. You survived, and you’re healing. Be proud of your strength,” Elaine said.
I let her words sink in. I had survived. I was strong. And I refused to let George hold any more power over me.
“Speaking of strength.” I turned to my mother. “I couldn’t love Noah fully or accept his love until I made peace with the truth. That I deserve love. I’m worthy of being loved, and the abuse George put me through doesn’t change that.”
My mother’s eyes welled up. She gripped my hand tighter, her bottom lip trembling.
“Oh, Zoey,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry you went through that. So sorry I couldn’t protect you from it.”
I shook my head. “It’s not your fault. We can’t control the actions of abusers. But we can heal from the scars they leave behind. Noah is helping me do that, helping me see myself the way he does. As someone deserving of love and respect.”
Elaine smiled warmly at the two of us. “It sounds like Noah has been a very positive presence in your life. I’m glad you’ll have his support as you continue on this healing journey.”
I grinned, warmth spreading through my chest. “He has been. More than I ever could have imagined.”
The session wrapped up not long after that, and as we stepped into the lobby, my mother patted my back.
“Zoey, I want you to know how incredibly proud I am of you,” she said. “You are so much stronger than I ever was. After listening to you today, I realize I still have a lot of healing to do myself. Thank you for giving me the courage to finally face it.”
My eyes stung. I pulled her into a tight hug, hoping she could feel all the love I was putting into it.
“We’ll get through this together, Mom,” I murmured against her shoulder. “You and me, we’re survivors. And we’re going to be okay.”
As I stepped out of Elaine’s office, the cool air hit my face, reminding me that summer was fading fast. My mother and I said our goodbyes, and I started walking toward my car, my bodyguards right behind me.
“Zoey,” a familiar voice called out behind me. I turned to see Chief Warman approaching me. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m okay, Chief.” I shrugged. “Better than I was, but still a little on edge, to be honest.”
He nodded. “I can only imagine. Listen, I know Noah is planning to challenge George.”
I swallowed hard, my heart clenching. “Yeah. He is now that we know where George is hiding out.”
Warman’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You do? Zoey, that’s crucial information. If you tell me where he is, I can make some calls. See if we can get an arrest warrant issued.”
I hesitated, torn between my desire to keep Noah safe and the knowledge that involving the police could jeopardize his plan. I’d assumed Warman had already known.
“I appreciate that, Chief. But Craigsville is outside of your jurisdiction, isn’t it?”
Sighing, Warman rubbed a hand over his face. “You’re right. That would complicate things. And even if I could get the local authorities involved, it might just spook George and make him run. This could be the only chance we have to take him down for good.”
I bit my lip and looked down at the ground. Warman put his hand on my shoulder.
“I’m not fond of people taking the law into their own hands, but I respect Noah and the choice he’s making. I know he’s doing this to protect you and your future together. As hard as it might be, you need to trust him and respect his decision, too.”
I let out a shaky breath, knowing in my heart that Warman was right. Noah was putting everything on the line for me and Ro—for the future we wanted together. The least I could do was stand by him, even if it all terrified me to my core.
“I do trust him,” I said softly. “More than anyone. I just wish there was another way.”
Warman gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze before dropping his hand. “I understand. But sometimes, in situations like these, there are no easy answers. Just know that you have people in your corner. You’re not alone in this.”
I blinked back my tears. “Thank you, Chief.”
As I drove home, I couldn’t shake the dread coiling in my stomach, the fear of what tomorrow would bring.
Noah was already home when I walked through the door, his face tight with worry. “I just got off the phone with Warman. He told me about your run-in with him earlier. Zoey, why did you tell him we know where George is?”
I flinched at the undercurrent of anger in his tone. “I’m sorry. I thought he knew. I wasn’t trying to go behind your back. He stopped me to say hello and see how I was doing.”
Noah’s eyes softened, and he closed the distance between us, pulling me into his arms. “I know you’re worried about me. And I love you for wanting to keep me safe. But I have to do this. It’s the only way to ensure that George never hurts you again.”
I clung to him, burying my face in his chest as the tears I’d held back finally spilled over. The thought of losing Noah, of something happening to him because of me, was too much to bear.
“I can’t lose you,” I choked out, my fingers curling into his shirt. “I don’t know how to do this without you.”
Noah tipped my chin up, forcing me to look at him. His blue eyes blazed with a fierce intensity I’d never seen before.
“You’re not going to lose me. I’m going to fight like hell to come back to you. You and Roland, you’re my entire world. And I won’t let anyone, especially not George, take that away from me.”
Then he kissed me, stealing the breath from my lungs. I poured every ounce of love and desperation I felt into that kiss, silently praying that this wouldn’t be the last time I felt his touch, his warmth.
When we finally broke apart, Noah’s eyes glowed with a primal heat that sent shivers down my spine.
“You’re mine, Zoey,” he growled. “You and Roland, you belong to me. And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my family safe. I swear it.”
“I know. I believe in you. I just... I can’t bear the thought of losing you. Not now, not when we’ve come so far.”
Noah gently wiped my tears from my cheeks. “You won’t lose me, baby. I promise you that.”
I leaned into his touch, drawing strength from his unwavering resolve. “I love you.” The words felt inadequate and all-encompassing at the same time.
“I love you, too. More than anything in this world.”
He held me while I cried, his arms wrapped tightly around me as if he could shield me from all the pain and uncertainty that lay ahead. I clung to him, breathing in his scent, committing every detail of this moment to memory.