Page 58 of Keeping Her Safe

“What about when you fight? When happens then?” he asked as his hand slid across her cheek.

“He promised knock-down, drag-out sex, and I am looking forward to it.” She was actually laughing.

He crushed his mouth to hers, and she didn’t hesitate to respond to his demands. Hearing him groan, she felt shivers run through her body. As she reached up to touch him, the pain that shot threw her chest, making her swear into his mouth. “Fuck!”

“I assume that wasn’t a request.” He pulled away from her, chuckling.

“Why didn’t you say this hurts so much?” She frowned at him.

“I didn’t think you would get yourself shot.” He kissed her forehead and sat back down. “What are you going to do about the girls?”

“I’ll have to contact them when I feel better. Maybe go up there again.”

“You ran pretty fast from them.” He sat back down.

“I have a feeling that they’ll understand. It seems like we’re all that way,” she said and closed her eyes.

“I’ll go with you. They do love you.” He knew that even though they hadn’t known her long, all three of the sisters were going to except Zephyr for who she was.

“I know.”

“Of course, you won’t be getting rid of me that easily.” He kissed her forehead.

“Good,” she whispered as she drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.

CHAPTER 23

A light breeze blew a red curl across Zephyr’s cheek as she watched the waves crashing on the shore from her chair on the deck. She had finally been released from the hospital yesterday. No more nurses and doctors coming and going, just home and peace. Well, except Zachary, who was still hovering.

This afternoon she had finally convinced him to run some errands. First, he was going to see his boss about turning in his resignation. He had decided she needed a bodyguard. Zephyr knew she wasn’t in any danger anymore, but if it meant Zachary was around more, she was for it.

Then he was going to stop and visit his partner, tell him about what happened, and get Zephyr’s USB drives back. Tomorrow she had to find a new editor. It wasn’t going to be very hard since two had somehow already contacted her since Ken’s arrest, and it looked like she was going to be able to get a better contract than she already had. Both had even mentioned the movie deal that had been rumored about for a few months.

She was hoping to have a few hours alone with her thoughts, but before she could really relax, she needed to call one of her sisters. She had run as fast as she could away from them, and they needed an explanation. They needed the truth.

She picked up the cell phone Zachary had gotten her while she was still in the hospital. He said he’d call her on it, and he already had when he had gotten in his car to leave for his errands. Earlier she had programmed in the numbers that she had for her sisters. Flipping through the numbers, she tried to decide which to call.

Zephyr took a deep breath for courage but instantly felt a sharp pain shoot from her side at the movement. It was getting better, but not as quickly as she had wanted it.

Leaning her head back to rest on the back of the chair, she stared at the blue sky. Was it snowing in Minnesota? She had wanted to see the snow. Maybe she would have Zachary take her up there later in the year. Maybe she should just show up on their doorstep and not call. Perhaps it would be easier that way.

Knowing she was being a coward, she tossed the phone on the table and looked out at the waves again, but her view was blocked by three people in shorts and T-shirts. Actually, it was her three sisters blocking her view.

Sitting up straight, she winced at the sharp pain that shot from her side. Holding her side and breathing shallow breaths, she watched as Della walked up and threw a picture on the table in front of her.

Her oldest sister demanded, “Is this you?”

Picking the picture up, Zephyr looked at the half-grown girl with red, curly hair and blue eyes. She had never seen this picture before. She had seen so few pictures of herself from her childhood. “Yes, I think so.”

“Think?” Evie asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I have never seen this picture before, but I don’t have a lot from back then.” As she said the words, the three women sat in the chairs around the table.

“How did Charley get it?” Della asked.

“Brian must have sent it, hoping that seeing a picture of me would make him change his mind. It didn’t work.”

“Fat chance of that.” Zoey huffed.

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