CHAPTER THREE
Zek
One year later…
The last year had been a time of testing my patience, of waiting, of wondering if I could make it without going crazy. Alisa decided to leave the firm and took a position with Jeffery at ZK Investments doing legal contracts and litigation appeals. I was thrilled to see her in a position that assisted my old friend, but some part of me lamented over not being there myself.
Having to say goodbye to Ronald after a year of being in each other’s faces every day was bittersweet, but we decided to remain friends after the dust settled on my freedom. Alisa was going to move in with me soon, but I couldn’t help but nudge her more and more, especially now that she was free to do so.
Her nights were mostly spent with me, but she had stuff scattered at her brother’s house and at her parent’s as well. I hadn’t been to see them yet thanks to my lovely ankle chain, but that time would be coming soon. I needed to ask her father’s permission to propose to her. I wasn’t sure of the response I would get, but I was prepared to sell myself like a champ if I had to.
I glanced up from the table that I was sitting at in the middle of my favorite restaurant. Funny enough, it was the same restaurant Alisa and I had reconnected at almost two years before.
She had left to take a call, and I felt a bit overwhelmed. I half expected everyone in the room to be looking my way, wondering about my true character, but they weren’t. No one was, actually. I let out a long sigh and turned my attention back to the bottle of red wine sitting in front of me.
“You okay?” Alisa took her seat across from me and reached out, touching my hand and smiling kindly.
“Yeah. Just not sure what to expect, to be honest. It was almost better being tucked away at the house.” I let out a nervous chuckle.
“That’s a lie and you know it. You were about to go stir crazy. We were sleeping together more than talking.” She squeezed my hand and pulled hers back into her lap as she studied me. “Not that I mind sleeping together all the time.”
“You sure don’t seem to mind when we’re doing it.” I smiled, feeling the icy hand of fear melt inside of me. I was fine. Everything was great, and there was only one way to go from there. Up.
She gave me a cheeky grin and ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. “I’m excited about you coming to the office today. We still have a skeleton staff, but you’ll recognize all of them.”
I nodded and picked up my menu. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to stay. I can’t explain it well, but a fight or flight feeling is sitting on top of me. It’s almost suffocating.”
“That’s expected, baby. It’s your first day back in the real world.” She picked up the bottle and refilled our glasses. “But, you know what?”
“What?” I picked up my glass and took a drink of the tart liquid.
“I’ll be right beside you, and when you’re ready to pack up and get the fuck out of there... we go. No questions asked. We’ll just stay for a little while and do that over the coming months until you’re comfortable back in your life.” She gave me a smile that warmed me from the tip of my toes to the top of my head. I didn’t deserve her, but then again, I never had.
“I want to go up to the lake soon. I need to fish and hike and remember who I was before all this shit went down.” I picked up a roll in the breadbasket and chided myself internally for being such a tit over my new found freedom. I’d wanted this since the moment it had been taken from me, but now that I had it... I couldn’t find enough air to breathe.
“That’s a great idea. We’ll go whenever you’re ready.” She sat back and picked up her menu. “You want to share something, or are you hungry enough to eat one of these wickedly big dishes yourself?”
I forced a smirk. “This is my favorite restaurant. Get a doggie bag. You’re all on your own, toots.”
She let out a soft huff and rolled her eyes. “Fine. See if I let you have your way with me tonight.”
“You would deny me on my first night of freedom? I planned on taking you out on that hill at the edge of the city near your mom’s place and making good on some requests you wanted back in the day.” I licked at the corner of my mouth subtly, loving how her cheeks grew pink at my taunting.
“You’re corrupt.” She pulled the menu up to hide her face, and I laughed, loving her all the more.
***
We hadn’t made it to my building when the sound of feet hitting the pavement almost stopped my heart.
No.
I turned to face the horde of reporters that rushed us. Alisa stiffened next to me. I reached out and took her hand in mine as I put on a tight smile.
“Mr. Kellington. Tell us how it feels to be acquitted of one crime, and then only having to serve two years for your second dastardly act.” The microphone bumped into my lip, nearly breaking the skin.
Dastardly? Who the fuck says that anymore?
I pushed it back with a gentleness that I didn’t feel. Anger pulsed through me as the questions continued to pound against my sensitive ego. None of them were positive or welcoming, but all some form of verbal attack.
Alisa moved in front of me. “As Mr. Kellington’s attorney, I’ll tell you that he received a fair trial and has completed the appropriate sentences for his actions. If you want a private interview with him, you’ll have to contact me at ZK Investments. Have a good day.”
She turned to me and smiled. “Inside. Now.”
I didn’t hesitate to turn and move into the building. One of the older security guards got up from his desk and walked toward me, his hand extended.
“Glad to have you back, sir. I want you to know that we all make mistakes, but the true medal of a man is how he takes his punishment. You were a great example to us all, sir.” He smiled and shook my hand.
“Thanks, Billy. That means a lot to me.” I swallowed down a wave of emotion and clapped him on the shoulder before moving toward the elevator with Alisa beside me. Her fingers tightened around my hand as she smiled over at me.
“This is all going to be great. Just give yourself time and everything will settle down, okay?” She released my hand and moved to the back of the elevator, reaching for me.
I moved into her arms and pressed myself against her, loving more than anything the warmth of her touch. She reminded me of coming home, and though I’d told her more times than was necessary that I loved her, the feeling was stronger than that. I adored her, and wanted to make sure above all that she felt cherished, desired, wanted.
“You smell good. I love this cologne.” She lifted up on her toes and slid her arms around my neck, clasping her hands at the back of my head and pulling me down for a long kiss.
I slid my hands over her hips and squeezed her rear softly as I licked and sucked at her full lips. “My girl got me this. She has good taste.”
“And she tastes good?” She lifted her eyebrow playfully as I growled.
“Watch it. Tease.” The elevator opened behind me, and I moved out of her arms and turned to see a good number of people standing in the lobby on my floor. They all threw their hands in the air and yelled, “Welcome back!”
“Wow.” I moved off the elevator and stood as still as a statue. I wasn’t sure what to say. Emotion rolled over me in hard waves, and the need to run to the nearest exit rode me hard.
Jeffery moved to the front of the crowd and pulled me into a tight hug. “Zek. We’ve missed you so much, man. I know this is too much, but some of us just really wanted you to know that we didn’t forget that you were the one who built this company from nothing to the giant it became.”
I moved back and lifted my hands to wipe my eyes. I hated to be emotional, but it would seem that I was outwitted for the day. Some part of me believed that I would encounter a lot of hate and a maelstrom of disgust and anger. The press had been right on target with their attack, but all of that was moot now that I was standing in a crowd of my employees who were welcoming me back.
“I need to apologize,” I mumbled and looked around to find Alisa. She moved up to my side and wrapped her arms around me, as if sensing that I needed her.
“No, you don’t.” She kissed the side of my shoulder and smiled. “Let’s go check out your old office and then you can meet with Jeffery.”
“That sounds good.” Jeffery patted me on the back and turned to the crowd. “Alright. Get busy. The boss is here today. Don’t tell him that I’ve let you slackers do what you want.”
Everyone chuckled, including me. I waited until everyone but Jeffery and Alisa left to let out a long sigh.
“Wow. That was almost too much.” I ran my fingers through my hair, which was back to its normal length.
“Yeah, I was a little worried about that.” Jeff crossed his arms over his chest and studied me. “What can I do to help?”
“Not much. I just need to grow accustomed to being around so many people again. It’s weird. Almost like coming out of a shell.” I shrugged. “I read in the paper this morning that the hearing for Jon is today. Who’s representing him?”
Both Melissa and Dillon had been admitted to the mental hospital just after kidnapping Alisa a year earlier. After looking into their history and mental illness, the rest of the family, including Jon’s wife, was bringing a civil suit against him for his part in harming his kids when they were younger. To say that I was shocked would have been a mild understatement. Alisa seemed to almost expect it, but she was quite a bit more perceptive than me.
“He’s actually representing himself.” Alisa walked to the door of my office and turned to face us. “I’m not thinking that’ll go over well, but it should be interesting if nothing else.”
“I hope they fry his ass. He’s a bastard who’s honestly gotten away with more than we could ever understand.” Jeffery sounded a little bit too bitter, but I ignored it. Jon’s business was his own, and I was working toward a drama-free life that focused on rebuilding what was once mine.
“I need a few minutes.” I walked to the door and pulled Alisa in for a quick kiss. “I’ll come find you soon.”
“Sounds great. Take your time.” She kissed me once more and released me.
After closing the door behind me, I pressed my back to it and took in a shaky breath. All the memories I’d made in that office came flooding back in. It had been a long twenty years, but it’d been good. Everything I’d become was forged through having to persevere past all of the various obstacles that my personal and professional life had thrown my way.
A knock at the door caused me to jump. I opened it, half expecting it to be Alisa, but it was Celia.
“Zek.” Her voice was soft and her eyes downcast. “I spoke with your mother a while back, but I didn’t want to bother you.”
I smiled and moved toward her, pulling her into a hug. “I’ve missed you.”
“You forgive me?” She looked up at me in a way that broke my heart. Had she really expected me not to forgive her after all the years we’d been together? Kellington Investments would have fallen on its face a million times had it not been for Celia.
“Of course I do. It was an honest mistake, and I probably needed a serious wake-up call. Not that I’m asking for another one, but the one I got brought me to where I am now.” I walked into the office and moved toward my desk. “Come in and tell me what you’ve been up to.”
She took the seat in front of me as I dropped down into my large leather chair and wiggled around a little. I’d always hated the damn thing, but never took the time to get it replaced. I would do that soon — if I decided to stay at ZK Investments. I hadn’t told Alisa or Jeffery that I was still mulling over the decision. There was no need to have to combat their defense if I did. I would make my decision and then let them both know what the future looked like for me.
“I’ve been working at a large investment firm as an executive assistant.” She sat on the edge of her chair as if we were in the middle of an interview. I hated it.
“And? How’s it going?” I leaned back and crossed my hands over my stomach. There was some hope that she would mimic my relaxed position, but she seemed acutely aware of the possibility of me still condemning her.
“I hate it. I’m nothing more than a number.” Her eyes filled with tears and she lifted her hands to her face. “You’re supposed to be angry with me. All those years together, and I let that damn Jon Mills talk me into betraying you. All for the hope of finding love.”
I got up as she started to cry. She was like a second mother to me. There was no way I was letting her sit in her sadness and not doing something — anything — about it.
“Come back here and work with me and Jeff.” I pulled her up and hugged her again.
She cried against my shoulder as she shook her head. “No. I don’t deserve to be here. I’m a traitor and you know it, Zek.”
I moved back, but kept a tight hold on her upper arms. “I’m a traitor too, Celia. None of us are worth much apart, but together we can probably do some pretty cool stuff. Jeffery has the investments side of the house, and I’m honestly thinking about looking into some audit and forensics work for other investment firms.” I grinned at her. “If I can sell the fact that I know how to be a criminal, then I know how to find them too. Great marketing strategy, don’t you think?”
She swatted at my chest and laughed through her tears. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“So, it’s a no go? You don’t think they’ll hire me based on experience?” I smirked as she swatted at me again. “Come back to us. We’ve all made mistakes. Let’s forgive each other and rebuild this giant on the principles we’ve always used.”
“Respect. Return. Results.” She dried her eyes as I nodded.
“Exactly. Come home.” I hugged her again and realized I had my answer too. I was home and ZK Investments was where I was going to hang my hat.