Page 60 of The Boy With The Sharp Teeth
Openingthe door, Zach ushered her inside and closed the door.
“Don’tworry about it. He was probably just freaking out for a moment when he didn’tsee either of us here. But he’ll tell Adam and the rest that you’re fine. Don’tworry.”
Sittingdown on the couch, Sana closed her eyes at the exhausted feeling that seepedthrough her limbs suddenly. Turning at the sound of the creaking floorboard,she smiled at the sight of Zach. Having taken off his shoes at the door, he nowcarried two wine glasses in one hand and a bottle of dark wine she had sittingin her refrigerator.
Silentlyshe watched as he uncorked the wine and poured them each a glass, the dark plumred liquid splashing into the glasses. Sitting back onto the couch with her, Zachhanded her a glass and watched her as she took a sip. She met his gaze over therim of her glass. Setting it back down on the coffee table, she waited until hedid the same before leaning forward until her cheek was pressed against hischest, wrapping her arms around his waist. Zach let out a rumbling appreciativegroan that rumbled like thunder against her ear as he wrapped his arms aroundher.
Thesilence between them felt charged with a type of healing she could not explain.With each minute that passed, Sana felt her body sink further and further intohis, and the fear she had felt since Samons' accusations faded away.
Aftera while, she found her voice again. "How did you know to find me thatday?"
Itwas a question she had always wondered about. A question she never got thechance to ask.
Hischest rose as he took a fortifying breath. "When you didn't show up at ourmeeting time, I went looking for you. I found a couple of cousins who saw youand Todd walk up north past the edge of town with your cameras. I figured youwere heading to the old farm and followed. By the time I got there, you weregone. I knew you hadn't backtracked, so I knew that meant you both could haveonly gone in so many directions, and I remembered the old cemetery. When I gotclose,” his voice hardened as he recalled that day, “I heard those guysshouting at you both. I heard them laughing and chasing you both."
Liftingup from his chest, Sana gave him an eager look. "Did you see them? Did youhear the screams and the gunshots?"
"Yeah,I heard them," he said grimly, not looking at her.
Sanafrowned, not understanding the grave look in his eyes. "Then whathappened? What were they shooting at? Was it really a bear? And how did you getpast them to get to me?"
Shethought she would feel relief to know someone else could corroborate the soundsshe heard, but Zach's answers only made her questions come to life.
Standingup from the couch, Zach ran both hands through his hair as he began to pace infront of her.
Thewarm feeling of assurance faded as she watched the muscle in his jaw tick andthe glint of desperate anger in his eyes.
Turningto her, he stopped suddenly and knelt to the floor in front of her. "Tellme you love me, Sana," he commanded, his voice harsh and desperate."Tell me you won’t leave me again. That you won't run away from me forwhat I am about to tell you." Taking her hands in his, he held onto her asif she would just get up and run away any second. "I need you in my life,Sana. You're meant for me just as I am meant for you."
Nervouslyshe pulled one hand from his tight grip and cupped the side of his face. Herheart pulsed with pain as she watched him close his eyes and lean into hertouch. “I love you,” she confessed, needing to ease his doubts. “I always have.Even when I tried not to,” she admitted with a reluctant smile.
Zachlet out a deep, almost animalistic grunt of relief before leaning forward andpressing his lips to hers. Sana sighed at the sudden contact and was openingher mouth to his just as he pulled away. Startled, she watched him as he stoodup to his full height and walked away. Stopping at the large picture window,Zach lifted one bracing hand to the molding as a cloud of darkness swept overhis face. Silently, Sana waited, knowing he would speak soon.
"Ididn't get past those guys, Sana,” he said quietly.
Sanashook her head. "I don’t understand."
"Thatnight, I didn't get past those guys to get to you. I wentthroughthem," he said tightly. "I heard what they said about you," hesaid, turning to look back at her. “I knew what they intended to do to you. Ihad to, sweetheart. A year or so after that day, my uncle had found out thoseguys had been up and down the west coast kidnapping and assaulting women intheir van, leaving one girl in California dead." "And before youask,” he paused, his eyes turning into steel. “I have no regrets for whatI did to them."
Chapter 12
Sanacovered her mouth with her hands, her eyes filling with tears as the meaning ofhis words sunk in. "Oh God, I'm so sorry, Zach." Never, not oncesince then, did she imagine this. She always thought he had just found her thatnight, not…that. Tears obscured her vision, and she tried to blink them away,but as she caught sight of his drawn face and tight features, she imagined thepain he had to endure to do what he did. A pain he had to live with all theseyears alone because of her.
"I…Ididn't know," she whispered, lifting her hands to him. She wanted to holdhim, to wrap him in her arms. Anything to take that hard look from his face.
Asif letting go of a held breath, Zach walked into her arms and fell to his kneesin front of her. Feeling him face bury his head in her chest, Sana wrapped herarms around him and held him tight.
"Iknow,” he groaned from between her breasts. “When I found you, you were barelyconscious." She could feel his grip around her waist tighten as he growledthe words against her. "I was out of my mind with anger…I-I wasn't myselfthat night. It took all of my control…to gather myself before picking you upand carrying you back to your place. I didn’t think it would help you or me ifI told you what happened to those two assholes."
"Thegunshots?!" She exclaimed, pushing him back by the shoulders so she couldsee his face. Cupping the sides of his face, she looked at him in horror."Did they really try to shoot at you?!"
Zachaverted his gaze but didn’t let go of her. "Yeah," he admittedreluctantly.
"Butwhy?" Her fingers sunk into his shirt, covering his shoulders. Herimagination ran wild with images of him getting shot and falling to the forestfloor all alone in the night. It caused her physical pain to even think it.“There were screams and…I just don't understand why they would immediatelyshoot at you…"
Hiswide shoulders moved up in a shrug beneath her hands. "Maybe they couldsee from my expression that I had every intention of murdering them. Who knows?It's old news, sweetheart, they were garbage and not worth the worry," heassured her in a deep velvety tone. Smoothing back her hair from her face, hestood up, pulling her to stand in front of him.
Sanahesitated; she was still so confused. "And Todd,” she urged, “you foundhim and brought him to the hospital?"
