Chapter 47 Zhuri
forty-seven
Zhuri
“You want any more wine, Z?” Cameron asks me as he grabs a bottle of Merlot from his bar.
“No, thanks,” I reply. “We have the game tomorrow night.”
Elisabet practically vibrates in excitement beside me. “I’m so glad we have another couple to hang out with!”
Sidney wraps his arm around her before kissing her temple. “No one even knew we were a couple until last month, Bet.”
“Semantics.” She waves him off. “They know now, and our best friends are together, too! It’s like a big lovefest in here.”
Cam looks at Bet curiously. “Lovefest?”
“Don’t start with me, Kovacic!” Bet points her finger at him.
He throws his hands up. “Noted.”
I just laugh because this is so Elisabet. She seems all sweet and innocent, but she’s absolutely crazy sometimes.
“Don’t mind her, babe,” I chuckle, leaning back against my boyfriend.
Cameron kisses the back of my head and wraps his arms around me, resting them over my stomach. “It’s nice being able to do this with people around. I like not hiding you.”
I sigh. “I wish we didn’t have to hide. I don’t like you having to be my dirty little secret.”
His responding smirk is devious. “Dirty? Yes. But, baby, we both know I’m not little.”
“Cameron!” I chastise while he laughs. “Our friends don’t want to hear about your dick.”
“Your girlfriend is correct,” Sidney shudders.
Elisabet bumps him with her shoulder. “I could tell them about yours, so you’re even.”
“Please don’t,” he pleads.
“Fine,” she grumbles, and I can’t help but shake my head.
“You’re fucking unhinged, Bet.”
“Hey, I’m just trying to level the playing field here.”
I cock my eyebrow. “By having our boyfriends get into a dick measuring contest?”
Cameron slowly splays his hand over my hip. “I can go get a ruler.”
“Keep it in your pants, or I’ll cut off your pretty dick myself, Cammy.”
“Love it when you get feisty, baby girl,” he rasps against my ear. “Don’t worry. You’re the only one that gets to see my dick.”
Sid fights a grin. “Should we leave?”
“No,” I say at the same time Cameron says, “Yes.”
I spin around to face him. “You’re not kicking our friends out.”
“But if I do, I get you all to myself.”
“You’ll have me all to yourself after they leave tonight, Cam. You’re not going to get laid any sooner by making them leave now.”
“You’re stuck with us,” Sidney smirks. “Sorry, not sorry about the cockblock.”
Bet tries to whisper to him, but it’s not as quiet as she intended. “You’ll get laid sooner, though, if we leave.”
He perks up. “On second thought, I think I’m pretty tired.”
Cameron’s body vibrates with laughter. “No, you’re not.”
I bump him with my hip. “Let them be, Cam.”
“We have to walk through City Park to get back to Sid’s,” Elisbet says. “Why don’t you guys walk with us? It’s nice out, and it’s not late yet.”
“How am I still getting cockblocked?” Cameron groans.
“You poor baby,” I say with a mock pout. “How ever will you survive?”
He pinches my ass, and I squeal. “Behave, baby girl.”
I laugh as I slip on my shoes, and we all head out the door.
The air outside is crisp and a little chilly, the perfect fall day in Denver. The trees in City Park are all dressed in yellow, orange, and red with their leaves scattered over the trails.
We walk in silence for a couple of minutes, the four of us standing with enough distance between us to not arouse suspicion since we’re in public.
“So,” Bet says. “Have you guys gotten any more messages?”
“None,” Cameron answers. “Just that one yesterday morning.”
Sidney shakes his head. “I still can’t believe it wasn’t Jack.”
“You and me both,” I reply. “Though I can’t say I’m surprised to hear he’s doing the same thing.”
“That was the least surprising part of yesterday,” Cam chuckles.
“Who do you think could be doing it then?” Elisabet asks.
“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “I’m trying not to think about it too much, truthfully. I can’t let myself stress about it. We’ll just have to keep being careful.”
Bet claps a hand to my shoulder. “I’m proud of you, Z.”
“Why?”
“Because you’ve always been so worried about your image. Even a few months ago, you’d be worried about the impact.”
I sigh. “I’m just tired of having to be so meticulous. I can’t control every aspect of my life and still enjoy it. I’m happy right now, and that’s worth taking a chance.”
I look over at Cameron to see a bright smile. “You’re happy?”
I smile back at him. “Very happy, Cameron.”
The way he’s gazing at me right now so sweetly tells me he’s just as deep in this relationship as I am.
I lose myself in his eyes but find myself in his heart. The heart that is so much bigger than anyone knows, because no one tries to get to know him.
But their loss is my gain.
I’ve never known a man better than Cameron Kovacic.
Sidney stops walking suddenly, staring ahead. “What is that?”
Cameron looks forward and tenses up. “Goosifer.”
The motherfucking goose is back and apparently holding a grudge.
It honks at us and starts charging down the trail, so we dart to the side. Cameron pulls me in front of him as we all stop behind a couple of large trees.
“Is that the goose you were talking about before?” Bet asks, breathless after our impromptu sprint.
“Yes,” Cam nods. “I can tell by his beady, demonic eyes.”
I throw my head back and laugh. “It’s a fucking goose, Cameron. It’s not a demon.”
“They might as well be the same thing.”
“I figure you’d rather thank the goose,” Sid chuckles. “You told us that you two started being nice to each other when you hid from it the first time.”
“I’m not thanking that demon for anything,” he huffs.
I spin around and decide to tease him. “Not even for me?” I bat my eyelashes at him.
“You’re a fucking brat, baby girl.”
“I don’t think you mind it,” I reply, draping my hands around his neck.
“Not at all,” he murmurs before kissing me softly. Then he gently pushes me off him. “I know we’re hidden right now, but we probably shouldn’t be this close.”
“Yeah,” I agree, though I secretly miss his proximity.
He might barely be two feet away, but it’s not close enough.
Cameron carefully peers around the tree and sighs in relief. “Goosifer’s gone.”
“I thought you were being dramatic before,” Sidney shakes his head, “but that goose is evil.”
“After that bit of excitement,” Cam says to Sid and Bet, “I think I’m done with this walk. I’m assuming you guys are good to make it back to Sid’s on your own.”
“Yeah,” Bet replies. “We’re good. We’ll see you guys for morning skate tomorrow.”
We say our goodbyes and walk in opposite directions as Cameron and I head back to his penthouse. He periodically looks over his shoulder for his “mortal enemy” but finds no sign of the goose, and we safely make it inside.
When we shut the front door behind us, he steps up behind and wraps his arms around me, pulling me close. I melt against him.
“You’ve been a brat tonight,” Cameron rasps against my ear.
I bite my lip. “Are you going to punish me?”
His hands travel up my chest until he’s cupping my breasts over my shirt. “I should. You haven’t been a good girl.”
“What are you going to d—”
My question is cut off by our phones vibrating from our pockets. We exchange worried glances before slowly reaching for them.
When I see a text from an unknown number, my heart sinks.
It’s another picture, but this one is new.
It’s from our walk in the park.
More specifically, from when we were hiding behind the tree.
When Cameron kissed me behind the tree.
You’re fucked now, the message says. I’ve sent this to Sean Eckhart. Good luck explaining yourselves out of this one.