“Home,” he answers, his eyes looking around everywhere.
“Which one?” I ask. I need to be sure.
“Ours,” two male voices say behind me.
39
ZOE
No—there is no way in hell they are here with me. My eyes don’t believe what I’m seeing behind me.
Tomas and Mateo looking at me, tears in their eyes.
“Oh my god.” I burst out crying, launching myself over the seat and into their arms. “You saved me.”
“We were never giving up on you,” Tomas says, smiling, touching my face.
Mateo has hauled me onto his lap, his strong arms around me. His lips softly touch my neck.
“We fucking love you, Zoe.”
Hearing those words makes me break. I can’t believe this nightmare is over.
“We are never leaving you, okay?” Tomas whispers as my sobs fill the car. “We are going to keep you safe, and you will never have to look over your shoulder ever again.”
I nod because I understand exactly what they are saying. Nikolai thinks I have been bought by some brothel owner, but instead I have been saved. My hands touch their faces, not really believing they are real.
“You’re real.” I stare at them both in awe.
“Damn right we are,” Mateo growls.
Tomas swipes the tears away from my cheeks. “We can’t believe you are finally in front of us, it’s been too long.”
I nod as I reach out and hug him.
“I thought I would never see either of you ever again.”
“Us, your family, they would never have stopped,” Tomas says.
“How’s Gracie?”
Mateo laughs. “She can’t wait to see you.”
“I was so worried Nikolai wouldn’t let her go.”
“She’s upset you sacrificed yourself for her,” Tomas says.
“I’m sorry.” I look down at my hands. I have done so much since I left them.
“Hey, no.” Tomas lifts my chin so I can look into his hazel eyes. “We don’t care what you had to do to stay alive. All that matters is that you are safe and well.”
I try to give him a smile, but I know it doesn’t reach my eyes.
“No, Zoe, no—you will not feel guilty over anything. Gracie told us what happened.”
“Actually, we kind of demanded she tells us,” Mateo adds.
“Yes, she was not very forthcoming with what she had been through and what she had seen happen to you.”