Page 104 of Cruel Possession
Jade nods, stiffening, feet dropping to the floor when a groan comes from the bed. “Zoe?”
My heart leaps into my throat, but I don’t want to get too excited yet. Not when I don’t know if she’s really waking up or not.
“I’m going to give you two some space.” Jade stands and collects her purse from the table. “If there’s anything either of you needs, though, don’t hesitate to call me. I have nothing else going on for the rest of the week, and I can be here.”
“I will. I’ll call Ellie, though. You go home and get some rest.”
Jade heads out the door, shutting it behind her.
I get up and grab the glass of water, holding it to Zoe’s lips and helping her sit up. She hisses, her entire face contorting.
I hum, trying to relax her while not knowing what to say. There’s so much tension between the two of us right now. I can see it in the way her gaze cuts to me like she’s not sure if I’m going to kill her or not.
As I put the glass to the side, she closes her eyes, her breath coming in quick little bursts as she shifts.
“Where does it hurt?” I try to adjust the pillows behind her to make her as comfortable as possible.
“All over.”
“I know exactly how you feel.” The corner of my mouth twitches as I look down at her. “You know, the two of us are going to have a lot to talk about once you’re back in fighting shape.”
The little color in her face drains. “I never meant to get you hurt. I mean, I knew he wanted you to die, and I didn’t want that either. That’s why I made sure to be there when you two met. I thought maybe there was a way I could protect you.” She shakes her head and winces. “Lot of good that did. But please understand I couldn’t let him hurt Gia or Bianca. And he didn’t know about Dominic, but all I could think about was him finding the three of them and killing Gia and then taking the kids and raising them the way we were raised, and I just couldn’t?—“
“Zoe, look, I’m not going to say that it’s fine, but we’re going to work past it. And we certainly don’t have to sit here and talk about it right now. I’m just glad that you’re safe and alive. It was touch and go for a moment there.”
She bites her cracked bottom lip, the bruises covering her slowly starting to turn yellow around the edges. “I’m sorry, Aiden. I needed to protect my family.”
“Our family.” I sit on the edge of the bed and take her hand.
She squeezes it tight like I’m her lifeline, and I hold it back, needing to know that this isn’t a dream. That she is here with me.
“Our family, Zoe. You have to stop thinking about this as a me-versus-you thing. I know this thing between us didn’t start the way it should, not even close, but Gia and the kids are my family.Youare my family, and I’m not going to let anyone fuck with that.”
“Even after what I did?”
“It’s not the first time we almost killed each other, and I doubt it’ll be the last, provided you still want to be with me.”
Her eyes shine with tears. “You still want me?”
“Well, I was going to propose before that damn knock on the door. And when we do get married, I want it to be because you actually said ‘I do,’ because you mean it, not because I drag you to an officiant and trick or force you into it.” I kiss the back of her hand. “And I really do want you to marry me, Zoe.”
She holds up her hand with the ring. “Pretty sure we are already engaged.”
I laugh and lean in to brush my lips over hers. Even as I pull away, I’m still close to her. “I love you, Zoe. And I knew it long before I saw you on that floor, nearly dying. This hasn’t been just sex between us for a long time, and I don’t want to keep pretending. I’ve adored you since the day I met you, even though you are the biggest pain in the ass I’ve ever met.”
Zoe laughs and coughs and holds her chest.
“What?”
“Have you seen what your contact name on my phone is?”
I shake my head and pass her the phone on the bedside table.
She grins, and after scrolling for a second, holds it to me.
I look at the screen to see PITA and my phone number.
I laugh, regretting it immediately as my stomach seems to rip itself apart.
