Page 12 of Protector

“Bullshit,” she shrieks. “You’re so full of shit. You’re a lying prick. And everyone knows it.”

I stand up now, but I don’t move toward her. “No, he isn’t. I’m sorry you broke up, but you don’t get to treat him like this. You...”

“Don’t.” Zach stands next to me and grabs my arm, trying to pull me away. “Just don’t.”

“Don’t you dare try to play the good guy now, Zach,” Chloe spits, and damn it, I want Zach to say something. Maybe it’s selfish, but I want him to speak up. I want him to defend himself.

Would it do any good?

Probably not.But watching him lie down and take it is ripping me apart.

“Come on, please,” Zach pleads with me, tugging on my arm again.

I give Chloe one last look but finally follow him. We walk and walk some more. Away from cars and the party. Through trees and leaves. Until finally, we stop walking, but Zach won’t look at me.

“Why do you let her get away with that?” My voice is quiet and not stern at all. I sound hopeless, and I hate it.

“Just let it go.”

“No,” I say, taking his arm with my hand and making sure he stays put, facing me. “You have to talk to me. This isn’t okay. She doesn’t get to treat you like this.”

“It’s my fault.”

I shake my head because I don’t believe it for a moment. I have no idea what he thinks he did wrong, but I know he didn’t. I can feel it. “Tell me what happened. Just tell me.”

He shakes his head. “I can’t.”

I let go of his arm, but just long enough to place both hands on his shoulders. “Yes, you can. You’re my best friend in the world. You can tell me anything.”

He’s still shaking his head, his shoulders slumped as my hands hold firm. “I can’t.” His eyes lift to meet mine. “I hurt her. I did this. I deserve it, and you need to let it go.”

“I don’t believe you. Not for a second,” I say loudly. He needs to hear me. “You wouldn’t hurt anyone. Not ever. I know you better than you know yourself, Zachary. And you didn’t hurt her on purpose.”

He shakes his head again, looking almost manic, and even though it’s fairly dark out here, the moonlight allows me to see his eyes are full of tears. “I fucked her.”

For some reason, the admission is like a knife in the chest. I already knew that. I mean, not for sure, but I assumed. We never talked about it. “So,” I say quietly now. “People in relationships have sex.”

He looks away from me, his jaw set hard. “I took her virginity.”

I try my best to swallow the lump in my throat and push through. “I know you, Zach. You didn’t take shit. If you had sex with her when she was a virgin, it was because she gave it to you.”

His eyes meet mine now, full of wet tears that haven’t fallen. “She shouldn’t have.”

I’m quiet for a while. This kind of stuff—well, I don’t know anything about it. Nothing. But I know him, and I know he didn’t coerce her into sleeping with him. There’s no way. “She wanted to.”

“It doesn’t matter. She wanted to, but I shouldn’t have done it.” His eyes meet mine. “I shouldn’t have done it, Adam.”

He sobs quietly, and I watch in horror, feeling his body shaking as I hold onto his shoulders and then pull him into a hug. “Hey. It’s okay.” I hold onto him, and he clutches my neck, softly crying.

I’m not sure how long we stand like that, not saying anything as he sobs through his pain.

I don’t understand what happened, but it doesn’t matter.

Zach is all that matters to me, and if this is what he needs, I’ll damn sure give it to him.

EIGHT

ZACH

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