Chapter Twenty-Four

 

Connor

 

“Can I offer you a glass of hot cocoa?” I ask.

“No.”

“It'll take the bite of the chill outside off,” I say.

I motion for her to take one of the two chairs seated before the fireplace. Zoe sighs and takes her jacket off, hanging it on a hook near the door before crossing to the chair. She drops down into it and although I can see that stubborn set to her jaw and the defiance in her eyes, I can tell that she's basking in the warmth of the fireplace.

“Your guy outside is going to be cold and wet,” she says.

“Don't worry about Zane,” I reply. “He lives for this kind of thing.”

“Lives for what kind of thing? Abducting women?”

A rueful grin touches my lips. “I do apologize for the dramatics,” I offer. “I didn't think you'd agree to come if I showed up on your doorstep again though.”

“Damn right I wouldn't have,” she snaps.

“And if I hadn't done what I did, things may have gotten worse, love,” I say. “I might have never seen you again. I may never have had the chance to tell you the truth. And that's all I'm asking for here – a chance to tell you my side of the story.”

“What in the hell are you talking about?” she snaps.

I step into the kitchen and retrieve a tray, setting it on the table between the two chairs. Zoe looks at it with disdain for a moment before she gives in and takes one of the mugs, wrapping her hands around it, absorbing the warmth. Steam curls up from the top of the cup, and she inhales the rich, chocolate scent deeply, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth despite her best efforts to remain stone-faced.

“Cocoa makes everything better,” I say.

“Yeah, not everything.”

I grab the file folder sitting on the desk and then drop down into the chair beside her. Setting the folder in my lap, I pick up the mug and take a sip, savoring the rich taste.

“Maybe not everything,” I say. “But damn near it.”

“What am I doing here?” she asks with some real heat in her voice. “What do you want, Connor?”

I set the mug down and let out a long breath. “Okay, well, the first thing you need to understand is that the two men who were at your place tonight were sent by Bryant,” I say. “They were going to abduct you, throw you on a private jet, and whisk you away to Switzerland.”

She stares at me, her mouth hanging open, her eyes wide. I can see the disbelief on her face. She shakes her head, trying to deny it, even to herself.

“W – why would he do that? Switzerland? This makes no sense at all,” she says.

“He has a family home in Switzerland,” I reply. “And apparently, with everything that's gone on between us, and his ambush engagement party not working out the way he wanted, he figured he could kill two birds with one stone – keep you all to himself and get you away from me.”

“This is ridiculous, Connor,” she says. “Absolutely ridiculous. If you're trying to take the spotlight off the fact that you have a child and make my father and Bryant look even worse, it's not going to work. My father –”

“Was in on it, Zoe,” I interrupt gently, feeling genuinely terrible for having to break it to her. “He knew. He helped plan it.”

She stands and wraps her arms around her midsection as she rises to pace back and forth in front of the fireplace. She's muttering to herself and keeps shaking her head. As angry at her father and as disgusted by him as she is, Zoe is still having trouble wrapping her head around this. She knows he's slimy – she's said so herself – and will stoop to unbelievable lows.

But, the idea that he'd participate in her abduction, that he'd help Bryant spirit her out of the country, is something she's clearly having trouble accepting.

Not that I can blame her. In her place, I'm sure I'd be freaking out and trying to deny it too. I hate to do it and don't want to hurt her any more than she already has been, but I know that I need to expose him – him and Bryant both – for the monsters they truly are.

“I – if what you're saying is true, why would my father participate in something like that?” she asks. “Why would he allow Bryant to abduct me?”

I sigh and take another sip of my cocoa. If only it actually did make everything better. I now have the task of destroying everything Zoe thought she knew about her father. The thought of seeing both of those assholes in ruin makes me almost giddy – but, not at the expense of Zoe's happiness and emotional well-being.

It kills me to do this, but I have no choice. I have to lay it all out for her.

“Because Bryant paid him, Zoe,” I say. “Bryant and your father worked out a deal. Your father took five-hundred-thousand dollars from Bryant in exchange for your hand in marriage. He took the money to get out from under some bad gambling debts to some wannabe mobster named Marco Bolla. On top of that, he's bled your firm's coffers dry paying off those debts. He's embezzled millions. He used the money from Bryant to pay off Bolla, and they're squeezing me for money to set themselves up for the rest of their lives. Chances are, if I were to pay them the money they want, they'd close the doors on your firm and disappear. Well, I know Bryant would disappear to Switzerland – and take you along with him.”

She drops back down into the chair and looks several shades paler than just moments ago. Her eyes are shimmering with tears and my heart goes out to her. She keeps denying it, but I think on some level, she knows I’m telling the truth.

I open the folder and set some of the documents Nico had prepared for me on the table. In the first batch are bank records and emails generated between the two discussing the deal. The second batch contains the details of the flight to Switzerland, as well as proof of her father's embezzlement and his debts to Ballo. The papers in Zoe's hand shake wildly as she looks them over, her falling tears leaving wet stains on the pages.

Zoe sits back in her chair, flipping through the documents, taking in all the information I’ve collected for her. As she does, tears stream down her face. I want to go to her, to comfort her, but I know in this moment it wouldn't be welcome, so I remain where I am. I need to give her a little time to process it all. A little time to absorb it. She's a smart woman – maybe the smartest person I've ever known. I know that as she looks through the papers, she'll see the truth of it all.

I sit back and stare into the fire, sip my cocoa, and give her the time she needs. Half an hour later, she's gone through everything – at least twice – and sets the pages back down on the table. Her tears are dried and there is an inscrutable look on her face. Her jaw is clenched and there's a steeliness to her gaze as she stares into the flames. I can see the heartbreak behind her eyes, but she's managing to keep herself composed.

“As monstrous as all of this is – and it is monstrous,” she says, her voice tight, controlled, “it doesn't change what you did, Connor. Showing me how terrible these two are doesn't detract from how terrible you are.”

Hearing those words come out of her mouth feels like a kick to the gut. The flare of pain in my chest is so intense that it knocks the air from my lungs. I knew going into this that it's going to take some time and convincing, but still, hearing those words from her is excruciating.

“Except for the fact that I didn't do what you think I did, Zoe,” I say gently. “I'm not like you think I am.”

“You told me –”

“I didn't actually tell you anything,” I say. “You never gave me the chance. Please, if you ever felt anything for me at all, you’ll hear me out. After that, if you still want nothing to do with me, I'll leave you alone and never bother you again.”

She stares at me and I see her eyes soften – if only slightly. I can tell that she doesn't want to believe what she's been told about me, but she's struggling with it. Mightily. I can't really blame her. After all, she was spoon-fed bad information. But, I'd be lying if I said the fact that she believed it so readily didn’t hurt a bit.

“There's one question I want you to answer first,” she says.

“Fire away,” I reply.

“How did you know where I live?” she asks. “You've never been to my place and –”

I shrug and flash her a little grin. “I'm a resourceful man.”

“Cut the crap, Connor,” she snaps. “I'm not in the mood. How did you find me?”

I let out a long breath. Obviously, I'm not going to be able to get through this ordeal on charm alone.

“I know a guy who knows his way around computers,” I say. “And government databases – like the DMV.”

“Great,” she says. “So now you're a cyberstalker too.”

“In my defense, I'm only a cyberstalker because I had to find you, Zoe,” I say.

“So, you hire a couple of shady goons to cyberstalk me – and then you have one abduct me?” she asks, her tone filled with indignant outrage.

“It's not nearly as sordid as you make it sound,” I say and give her a soft smile. “They're both bonded and licensed private investigators. I can have them produce credentials if you like. And I had Zane bring you here to keep you from being thrown onto a plane to Switzerland.”

“They're PI's?” she asks, skepticism coloring her voice.

I nod. “Yeah, they're also old friends. I've had to use them before,” I say. “Believe it or not, this isn't my first go around with somebody trying to blackmail me.”

She hesitates a moment, looking into my face, clearly searching for any sign of untruth or deception. She won't find any though because there is none. I'm being absolutely straight up with her.

“Fine, whatever,” she snaps. “This is still all kinds of fucked up, Connor. Are you holding me hostage?”

“Look, I'm sorry. I never meant for you to feel that way. I'm actually trying to keep you safe, and I was desperate,” I say. “I needed a chance to explain the real story and you weren't returning my calls. I needed to be able to look you in the eye and tell you that you couldn't possibly be more wrong about me.”

“Oh, so, you didn't admit to me earlier that you have a kid?”

“No, I didn't,” I say. “Contrary to the story Bryant put into your head.”

“Fine. Then explain it to me, Connor,” she says, her eyes narrowed and jaw clenched tight. “Now that I’m stuck out here in the middle of nowhere, I'm all ears.”

I let out a long breath and stare into her eyes. She's staring at me with a barely restrained look of fury, and I know I'm going to have a hard time breaking through that rage. But, I want her to look into the depths of my soul as I speak so she knows I'm telling her the truth. I want her to see me. Need her to see the real me.

“When I was eighteen, I started dating a girl named Emily. She was seventeen,” I say. “Her father and I never got on. He never liked me. Not that I blame him, I was a bit of an arrogant prick back then. But, he did everything he could to make our lives hell and to keep us apart. We broke up but kept in touch.”

Zoe looks at me and I see something begin to shift in her eyes. It's subtle, but it's there. A glimmer of uncertainty, perhaps. It's not much but it's a start. She sits back on the chair a little bit, looking slightly less like a flight risk. Slightly.

“Anyway, I thought I was in love with her,” I say and laugh. “What in the hell did I know about love back then? I was some punk, wannabe rock star at the time. This was before Ronnie and I got our break.”

“So, one day I get a call from her. She’s pregnant and the father’s married to someone else. She doesn’t know what she is going to do because her father kicked her out.” I say. “Anyway, the money was starting to roll in and I had always cared for her. I sent her a check to get her started. Then, I set up a bank account to help her get on her feet. She is married now to a great man, who raised the girl like his own daughter. We still talk time to time, and I made sure she had the money to go to the best college.”

I toss the folder onto the table in front of her. She looks at it like it's a bomb ready to go off.

“It's all in there,” I say. “Don't take my word for it. Read it for yourself. See what Bryant twisted and distorted – and omitted from his story.”

Zoe reaches out a trembling hand and picks up the file. She starts to flip through it, her eyes growing wider as she scans each page. And with each page she turns, her face grows a deeper and deeper shade of scarlet. As she scans my file, she's realizing that she didn't get anything close to the whole – or real – story surrounding the case.

Zoe sits in silence for several long minutes, scanning all the documents a second and third time. I can see the color darkening in her cheeks and a look of absolute mortification on her face. When she finally looks back up at me, I can see the remorse in her eyes. Fresh tears roll down her face and she shakes her head.

“Oh, God,” she says. “I – I didn't know. I shouldn't have”

“There was no way you could know,” I say. “Frankly, I'm shocked Bryant was able to dig this up, considering the fact that nothing was ever in my name. You were right about how skeevy those bastards are.”

“Connor, I –”

I raise my hand to stop her. I know I should be pissed that she was so willing to believe the worst about me. Especially from such an unreliable, horribly biased source. But, I guess hearing those words regardless of who they come from, are shocking to hear. Especially when they're spoken in association with someone you care about.

I'm not pissed though. Not at her. I'm relieved, more than anything, actually. Relieved that she gave me the opportunity to show her that I'm not the monster Bryant made me out to be. Ecstatic that I can see the contempt fade from her eyes and be replaced by that light of love I've grown accustomed to. That light of love that helps me get through the day and fills me with a warmth I've never felt before. I've missed that. I needed that.

She stands and pulls me to my feet, throwing her arms around me, squeezing me tight, and sobbing into my shoulder, her words of apology muffled in my chest. I let out a yelp of pain and she quickly releases me.

“Oh God, I'm sorry,” she says.

“It's okay,” I reply, holding a hand to my injured ribs, waiting for the pain to subside.

Zoe takes my hand and looks me in the eye. Her eyes shimmer with tears and a frown touches the corners of her perfect lips.

“I'm sorry, Connor,” she says. “I'm so sorry. I never should have listened to him. I should have given you the chance to explain. You deserved the benefit of the doubt.”

“I'm just glad you gave me a chance tonight,” I say. “That's all that matters to me.”

“Can you forgive me, Connor?”

“There's nothing to forgive, love,” I say softly, a tangible feeling of relief flooding my body. “So, we're okay then?”

She leans forward and gently presses her lips to mine. It's a chaste kiss, but it ignites the fire inside of me. I know in my condition, I shouldn't even be thinking about sex, but as our kiss deepens and intensifies, I can't help it. I feel my cock growing stiff in my pants and all I can think about is how badly I want to be inside of her.

“We're more than okay,” she says.

With so much shit swirling around us, with so much chaos looming over our heads, I want to feel one positive, life-affirming thing. I want to touch that light that fills my soul with joy. And Zoe is that light.

I slide my hands down her waist before pushing her shirt up her body. Zoe raises her arms and I toss it to the side. She's not wearing a bra, so I lean forward and kiss her breasts, teasing her nipples with the tip of my tongue. She moans softly as I cup her breasts, kissing and sucking on them.

“Are you sure we should be doing this?” she asks. “I mean, you’re hurt and –”

“It's the best medicine I can think of,” I say and give her a roguish grin.

“What about your guy out there?”

“Who? Zane?” I ask. “He won't barge in on us if that's what you're afraid of. I wasn't kidding. He loves all this commando shit. He did eight years in the special forces and kind of got used to being outside. He'll let us know if we're in trouble on that walkie over there.”

She giggles and bites her bottom lip as I point to a walkie-talkie sitting on the top of a low bookcase.

“Good. I don't want to be disturbed,” she says.

She leans into me as I kiss her neck, moving up to kiss her mouth, letting her feel the intensity of the love and passion I have for her. Zoe pulls back and gives me a sultry little look. She makes quick work of my belt and zipper, sliding my pants down to my knees.

Zoe looks me in the eye and runs the tip of her tongue around her lips as she grabs hold of the base of my cock, gripping it tight. She keeps her eyes on mine while she starts to stroke my cock, moving her hand up and down my shaft with a slow, deliberate pace. Teasing me.

“Tell me what you want,” she says. “I want to hear you say it.”

A grin touches my lips. “I want you to suck my cock.”

“How bad do you want it?” she asks.

“Really fucking bad,” I say. “My cock is aching to be in your mouth.”

Sliding down to her knees, Zoe leans forward and runs the tip of her tongue around the head of my cock, sliding it down the shaft, and back up again. Her eyes on mine, she parts her full lips and swallows my rod. She starts to suck with a furious pace that drives me fucking crazy. She uses her hand in time with her mouth, sucking and jerking me off.

Lightning bolts flash in the sky overhead and through my body, forcing a cry from my throat as she fondles my balls with her other hand, squeezing them tight. I watch her head moving up and down, watch her mouth and hand sliding along my stiff member and feel myself growing impossibly hard. I can’t help but shudder at the shockwaves of pleasure washing over me. If she keeps this up, I won’t last much longer.

I gasp and put my hand on her head, gently pushing her back. As much as I'm enjoying the blow job, I want to be inside of her. Need to be inside of her. I need to feel that connection between us.

Licking her lips, a sultry smile on her face, Zoe looks up at me. “How do you want me?”

“Every single way I can think of,” I reply. “Stand up.”

I kick off my shoes, and my pants, as quickly as humanly possible. As much as I'd like to go wild and fuck her all over the place, at the moment, I'm pretty limited in what I can do without suffering excruciating pain. Reaching out, I slip her yoga pants down to her thighs, looking up at her as I run my fingers along the velvety folds of her sweet, wet center.

I lean forward and kiss her belly before slowly making my way down. I tease her clit with the tip of my tongue, and then take it into my mouth, sucking on it gently, as I slide two fingers inside of her. She grabs hold of the hair at the back of my head and gives it a hard yank as I start to drive my fingers into her a little deeper and a little harder, my tongue still on her clit.

She raises her leg, putting it on the chair next to me, giving me easier access to the sweet center of her and I take advantage of it, licking, sucking, and fingering her to a frenzy. Her breathing is ragged and she's moaning loud. Zoe grips the back of my head as her body spasms, forcing my face even deeper into her tight little pussy.

I revel in the taste of her. The sweet but musky scent of her. It's something I'll never be able to get enough of. Zoe throws her head back and cries out as her body stiffens. I feel the muscles inside of her pulsing, constricting around my fingers as her orgasm takes over.

Zoe draws in a long, stuttering breath as she trembles, riding out the waves of ecstasy. When she looks down at me, her smile is wide and her eyes sparkle with desire. Grimacing as I lean forward, I grab my pants and fish a condom out of my wallet. I stand up and drop them to the floor as I hand the condom to her.

“Put this on me, baby,” I say.

She bites her bottom lip and smiles as she tears open the package and tosses the wrapper behind her. Sliding the condom over the tip, she strokes my cock with one hand and unrolls the condom with the other. Small electric jolts surge through my body as she jerks my cock.

When it's on, I sit down on the chair and gently pull her down onto my lap. “Fuck me, Zoe,” I say. “I want you to fuck me.”

She straddles my lap carefully, doing her best to avoid hurting me. At the moment, I don't really give a shit. I just need to be inside of her. I need to feel connected to her.

Grabbing my hard cock, she guides it to her wet little opening and pushes the head of it between her wet, swollen lips. Zoe gasps as she starts to slide down, taking me deep inside of her. I cup her ass with my hands and lean forward, sucking on her nipples, reveling in the feeling of her soft skin in my mouth. Zoe shudders and finally takes me as deep inside of her as she can. She's still so fucking tight and she pauses to give her body a minute to adjust before she starts to rock herself slowly, moving up and down on me.

She locks her hands behind my neck, and her eyes are fixed on mine as she rides me. Her movements are slow and deliberate. Neither of us want this to end. Not yet.

Zoe shudders and cries out as she impales herself on my cock. She draws in a shuddering breath and grabs my face in both hands, her eyes locked on mine, her gaze intense.

“I love you, Connor,” she moans.

The moment the words pass her lips, her eyes widen, and her mouth falls open, forming a perfect “O.” She realizes what she just said and judging by the color in her cheeks and the fear in her eyes, I can see she'd like to take those words back.

I lean forward and plant a soft kiss on her lips. “I love you too, Zoe Nichols.”

The look of relief on her face is instant but is quickly replaced by one of sheer and utter joy. I see tears shimmering in her eyes and I give her a devilish little smile.

“Now, fuck me, you dirty girl,” I say. “Fuck me good, Zoe.”

She kisses me passionately before putting her hands on my shoulders, digging her nails in as she starts to move even harder and more desperately than before, setting a steady, dizzying rhythm. My body is alive, the pleasure filling my veins with the fires of lust and passion. I run my hands all over her delicious body, relishing the feel of Zoe's soft, smooth, porcelain skin beneath my fingertips.

Our moans fill the cottage, our voices echoing off the walls around us as she fucks me. She's riding me as hard as she can, jostling my body, sending jolts of pain tearing through me that blend with the pleasure, creating the most intense sensations I've ever felt. But, I can't stop. I don't want to stop. Zoe is looking into my eyes, and I feel her body beginning to tense. I know she's close, and so am I.

I draw in a sharp breath as Zoe suddenly buries her nails into my shoulders. Her entire body seizes up and she cries out, shaking with her release. As the muscles inside of her grip and spasm around my cock, it pushes me over the edge.

I press my head back into the cushioned back of the chair and cry out. I feel my cock pulsing and throbbing as I erupt inside of her. I blow my load into the condom, filling it up as she rides out her own orgasm. I kiss her hard, relishing the blissful emotions running through me. Running through the both of us.

As we're basking in the warm afterglow, our breathing slowly returns to normal and my deflating cock slips out of her. We cling to each other desperately, like we are each other's life preservers amid the chaotic, turbulent, and troubled waters that is our world right now.

“Did you mean it?” Zoe asks, sitting up and looking at me with a trace of uncertainty in her face. “It wasn't just a spur of the moment, mid-orgasmic declaration, was it?”

“Of course not, babe,” I reply. “I wouldn't tell you I loved you if I didn't mean it.”

She smiles, and I see relief wash over her face. I plant a soft kiss on her lips.

“What are we going to do?” she asks. “About them? About this stupid lawsuit? They're going to come at you, Connor. They're going to do something horrible. They're going to destroy your reputation.”

I shrug. “My reputation is going to be fine. I'm not worried about that,” I say. “Besides, I got an idea earlier today. But, I'm going to need your help to pull it off.”

Zoe cocks her head and looks at me, a slow smile crossing her face. “What do you have planned?” she asks.

“Mayhem,” I say. “Total mayhem. And when we're done, they will never trouble us again.”

“I wish I felt half as confident as you sound.”

“Trust me,” I reply, unable to keep the impish grin off my face. “This is going to work.”