Page 129 of Last Fall

I nodded vigorously. I had no idea what Tony was thinking or what he was willing to do and I didn’t want to take any chances. “Why is hedoingthis?”

“Because he can?” He gave me a comforting squeeze and handed over the tissues. “He’s a power-mad son of a bitch and you are the living breathing example of his failure to be powerful. If he’s smart he’ll forget you ever existed and move on withhislife.”

“And if he’sstupid?”

“He’ll regret it,” Brian saidsimply.

My phonevibrated.

Erik:I’mhere

I held up my phone so Brian could see it. He went to the door and stood guard, letting Erik in and leaving us alone when hearrived.

“Zoe,” he sighed with relief as he wrapped my up inhisarms.

I wanted to crawl inside him. Bury myself in this feeling of safety. He crushed me against his chest, one hand in my hair holding my head to his heart. For the first time since I locked eyes on Tony standing above me on the plane, I trulyrelaxed.

“I’m really gladyou’rehere.”

Now his hands were on my face, tilting my lips up, crashing into me. “I needed to see you formyself.”

We held each other for a long time. Just touching and whispering reassurances. It hit me hard how upset he was—how much he felt becauseofme.

How loved he mademefeel.

“What’s the plan?” he finallyasked.

“Brian is arranging security. He wants me to keep a bodyguard through theplayoffs.”

“I think that’s agoodidea.”

“That’s all I’ve gotsofar.”

He chuckled and pulled me against him again with a sigh. “Well here’s what I’d like. I want you to come back to San Francisco with merightnow.”

Whoa.“Now?” I pulled back so I could look upathim.

“Yep. The whole team came with me. They’re downstairs scaring everyone in thelobby.”

Scaring everyone in the lobby?Scaring away Tony. My heart pounded. “The wholeteamcame?”

He nodded and smiled. “They said you’re family which meant we all needed to comegetyou.”

“But you have a gametomorrow.”

“I said the same thing. They cameanyway.”

That had to be the craziest, most wonderful thing ever. I beamed up at my man. “You raised ‘em right,PapaBear.”

That got him laughing. A real belly laugh. “They said the same thing. I guess I’m not as mediocre as I like to thinkIam.”

There was absolutely nothing mediocre about Erik and I was glad he was finally starting to see thetruth.

I packed up the few things I had out then had a brief conversation with Brian. He had someone on the way to San Francisco first thing in the morning to escort me to the game. In the meantime he’d work onTony’sfile.

“Thank you for everything.” I shookhishand.

“Just doingmyjob.”

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