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I don’t even acknowledge the question, but I can see Rory’s lips quirk up from the corner of my eye. He knows. I don’t have to say a word for him to know. Hell, he probably had one of his people on that rooftop giving him a play by play until I dismissed them.
They both continue to sit at the island staring holes into the back of my head when we hear Zoey coming down the hall. “Hope you’re decent,” Zane yells. “I don’t want to have to stab out my eyes.”
I hear a thwap and I know Rory just popped the back of his head.
When she gets into the kitchen, I can’t stop the smile that spreads over my face. She looks more rested than I’ve seen her in – well since before all of this over a year ago. She’s wearing a smile of her own when she walks to my side, pulling me down to place a kiss on my cheek.
I hand her a cup of coffee then gesture for her to take a place at the island.
“Guess that answers my question,” Zane mumbles. “Glad you were able to crawl your way out of the doghouse.”
With that I turn around to face my two brothers. “Actually, I was waiting on Zoey to get in here to tell you both.”
“Tell us what?” Rory asks with a knowing smile. I don’t know how he always fucking knows everything.
Zane’s eyes narrow on Zoey’s hands wrapped around her coffee mug. Then fling back to me. “You motherfucker,” he says loudly. “You had me help with all that yesterday, and never said a damn word about a ring.”
I shrug him off. I walk to Zoey and place my hands on both her shoulders. “If she said no, then you’d never been the wiser, but since you brought it up. Zoey and I are engaged.”
Rory laughs. “Couldn’t be happier for the two of you. Not that it’s a surprise but you damn sure deserve it.”
Zane grumbles like the princess he is. “I deserved to know he was asking. I’m her brother, and I’m his best friend.”
“Don’t worry, Zee. You’ll still be the best friend long after we’re married,” Zoey comments with a smirk.
The three of them banter back and forth while I make breakfast. In spite of the bullshit going on right now, I’m happier than I think I’ve ever been. And I’m more in love than I’ve ever been. I’m not sure what Zoey has planned, but I find myself hoping this will be a short engagement. I can’t wait to make her my wife.
Zoey
Bile rises in my throat as I take a seat at the long table in Rory’s high-rise building. Sweat starts to bead down my spine. “Zoey,” Rory says from the head of the table, “you don’t have to be here for the meeting, but I need to know what you want me to do. I can handle this myself and make that bastard disappear. Or I can hand everything over to NYPD.”
I swallow hard. “I just want him to suffer,” I whisper.
“I can make that happen, but you have to know, there is a possibility that if we turn this over to the police that you will be called to testify. And it may end up in the media. It’s whatever you want,” Jax says softly beside me reminding me that he may not be involved in the day – to – day of his brother’s business, but he knows the game and how to play it. So does Zane. It makes me a little nervous, but moments like today, I’m almost glad for it.
“I can probably keep it out of the papers and such,” Rory says. “I can try anyway.”
I stand from the chair and walk to the window looking out over the city. I am trying really hard to stop feeling guilty, and I think part of that is I’ve got to stop hiding. I’ve got to stop acting like I did something wrong. I don’t want to be all over the internet and news outlets like this, but I think I need to stop running from it too. I’ve got to stop hiding.
I turn to my boys. My biggest fans and my biggest protectors are all in the room with me right now to do what they do best – support and protect me. With a long exhale, I say, “I want to be in here. I don’t know how I want this handled yet, but I want to be in here with that SOB. I want to watch his face.”
Jax walks to me pulling me into his chest. “Proud of you,” he mumbles while placing a kiss to the top of my head.
Mr. Neveah is the first to enter the room with Anthony Jones, the current GM, and Coach Bailey. “We asked Marcus to meet us here today, and requested he bring his son. They should be here soon,” Coach Bailey says as they take a seat.
“I’m not sure how I feel having the meeting here,” Mr. Neveah says warily.
“This is Diamond Industries, the internationally known company that umbrellas tech, security, distribution, and real estate. It just looks like a business meeting. And I explained to you that I wanted to make sure that the bastard couldn’t go anywhere,” Rory reminds him. “Once he enters this building, he will not be leaving by his own power.”
“That’s what I’m worried about Mr. McCabe. I’m an honest businessman, and I am not comfortable with the possibility that this could be less than legal.”
Rory raises an eyebrow at the man with a smirk. “The only thing illegal that will happen here today is if I decide to handle him myself, at which point, you will be asked to leave. There’s no need for you to worry about tarnishing your precious little image.”
Mr. Neveah flushes at his words. “I didn’t mean to insult you. I also hold no ill-will toward you and your business. I’m not naïve enough to think that I’m better than you in anyway. I just never had the stomach to go after what I wanted with the tenacity you have.”
Rory nods at the man but says nothing else.
We sit there for a few more minutes waiting. My knee bounces up and down nervously. My heart pounds in my chest.
