Chapter 47 Zach
Zach
Abone-deep exhaustion fell over him like a blanket as Lauren stepped out of the room. His entire body ached, but the pain had been bearable while she’d been beside him.
Anthony shifted his weight from one leg to the other as he stood at the end of the hospital bed. They hadn’t spoken at Eric’s house, but there’d been an understood alliance as they fought against a common enemy.
Now, the guy looked like he needed to be put out of his misery. Zach tilted his head toward the chair by the bed. “Let’s get to the point.”
Anthony pulled up a seat and propped his elbows on his knees. “You saved me.”
Zach shifted slightly until the pain stopped him short. “Let’s not go that far. Lauren saved all of us. We didn’t even know about Zoe.”
Anthony hung his head. “She’s been living with Eric since she was sixteen. She was taken when she was ten, and a few other men bought her before she ended up with him.”
Zach’s stomach rolled. He’d never known anyone who’d been trafficked, but that cruel reality sat right next to the smuggling he’d been doing for years. Everything about Zoe’s situation ignited a deep anger inside him.
“I’m sorry, man. That’s…I understand why you went after her.”
Anthony chuckled once. “And all this time, Lauren was looking for me.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “I should have known. She’s always been stubborn and determined.”
“She knows how to keep my blood pressure up, that’s for sure. So, are you out of the business?”
“Oh, yeah. I only worked for Eric because he had Zoe. I tracked her there, and when he realized the leverage he had on me, I was trapped. He threatened to hurt her.” He clasped his hands together and rolled his thumbs over each other.
“Lauren said she lined up a job and a place for us to live. The same place you work.”
“Of course she did. She did those things for me when I got out of the pen. You’ll love it at the ranch. The Bensons are good people.”
“Lauren and Camille have already set us up with clothes. I never thought I’d be starting over at thirty-seven. I also didn’t expect to find the two of you together. I heard about what happened.”
“Great. My faults precede me. I made a huge mistake, and I don’t think I was punished enough. I’m still trying to understand the forgiveness Lauren talks about.”
“She’s a special woman. I’ve never met anyone like her,” Anthony said. “I didn’t know what to think when you showed up with her, but I watched you on all the cameras. When I saw how good you were to her…”
“I hurt her once, but I’ll never do it again,” Zach promised.
“I can see that. She read the Bible to you.”
Zach and Lauren hadn’t done anything except sleep in the bed together, but it was weird knowing they’d been watched behind closed doors. “She’s turned me into a praying man.”
Anthony shook his head slowly. “It’s wild how much we’ve both changed.”
Zach shrugged, causing pain to flash through the wound on his shoulder and squeezed his jaw tighter. “It’s for the best. We were killing ourselves slowly.”
“We were.” Anthony sat up, propping his arms on the sides of the chair. “Are we good? You and me?”
“Depends. Are we on the same page?” That was the crux. As long as Anthony didn’t put Lauren in danger, Zach could let bygones be bygones.
“We are. There’s still a long legal battle tied to us, and even though Eric is injured, he’s still alive. Help me look after Zoe, and I’ll help you look out for Lauren.”
Anthony was right. They’d stirred up a hornet’s nest. How many were still swarming out there?
Zach reached out with his left hand. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
Anthony shook the offered hand. “I might also need help remembering how to live a normal life.”
“That’s funny. When has anything ever been normal for us?”
Anthony smirked. “You’re right, but we need to figure out how to be law-abiding citizens.”
Zach rested his head back as the exhaustion pulled him down. “Just watch Lauren and do what she does.”
There was a knock at the door, and Lauren peeked her head in. “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you two were still talking.”
Anthony waved her in. “We were just talking about you.”
“I don’t think Zach wants to hear embarrassing stories about me as a kid.” She gave Anthony’s shoulder a little shove, but her smile was genuine and easy.
“I don’t have any embarrassing stories about you. You’ve been as good as gold since you were born.”
Lauren shook her head and mouthed to Zach, “Not true.”
Anthony stood and wrapped Lauren in a hug. “Thanks for everything. Mr. Benson is coming to get Zoe and me, so I better head out.”
“You don’t have a car?” Lauren leaned out of the hug to face him.
“I do, but it’s being held for investigation right now. Officer Scott said he’d let me know when it’s released.”
“Okay. I’ll call later to check on you and Zoe,” Lauren said.
Watching her interact with the person she’d been missing for years was enough to make the pain worth it. He’d never seen her so happy, and he’d do it all again if she got to reunite with her family.
When Anthony left, she turned to Zach and reached into her pocket. “I brought you something.” She pulled out a Snickers bar and waved it in front of him.
His mouth instantly watered. “You’re an angel.”
She opened the wrapper and held it out to him. “I love you.”
Man, he’d never get tired of hearing that. Loving Lauren and being loved by her was a gift he’d never deserve, but it was the highlight of his life.
He bit off the first chunk and let his head fall back as the chocolate satisfied every ache. “This is amazing.”
She sat on the bed beside him. “I thought I’d lost you,” she whispered.
He swallowed the first mouthful and lifted the candy bar for another. “It’ll take more than that to get rid of me.”
She brushed a hand over his chest where the bandage covered the wound. “You put yourself in front of a bullet to save someone I love.”
Zach lowered his hand. In the moment, he hadn’t seen another option, but the old Zach would have saved himself and wouldn’t have worried about anyone else. The truth was as plain as black and white. “I’d do anything for you. You’ve changed me for the better.”
Tears glistened in her eyes, and she gently wiped at them with a finger. “We’ve got a long road ahead of us.”
Taking her hand, he threaded his fingers with hers. “We can do anything, as long as we’re together.”