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She stares at me for a minute before concession fills her eyes. Reluctant concession. “Alright, Zoey. I won’t say anything. For now.”
I nod in relief. “Can you get me out of here?”
“What about the guys? Olivia?”
“Text them that I’m not feeling well.”
“And that’s going to stop them from leaving?”
“No, but if you wait until we’re in the taxi, it will keep them from looking for me before I can get out of here.”
“Alright, Zoey. Let’s get you out of here.”
Later, I’m lying in bed when Jax comes into the room. I pretend to be asleep when he climbs in behind me and presses a kiss to my neck. It takes everything in me not to flinch away from the contact that I was appreciating only a little while ago.
“I don’t know what happen back there, but I know something did,” he says into my hair. “Please don’t run or hide from me, baby.”
And my heart breaks. For the girl who had everything stolen from her. For the boy who loves that broken girl. For the girl who had to relive her worst nightmare. For the boy who is trying desperately to reach her.
This would destroy him in so many ways. It’s why he can’t find out. It’s why I won’t let him find out.
Jax
“Zoey, I know you’re awake,” I say as I stroke her hair. She becomes completely still at my assessment. Even her breathing stops. “Please, please tell me what happen tonight. I know it had something to do with Alden’s kids.”
The dam breaks. Sobs wrack her body. She shakes violently. So violently it scares the shit out of me.
I pull her into my arms. I wrap myself tightly around her in a feeble attempt at holding her together. “Shh. It’s okay, Angel. I’m right here,” I whisper feeling completely helpless.
And I want to burn the world down.
“Hey,man. What’s going on with my sister?” Zane asks as I spot him at the weight bench.
“I don’t know, Zee,” I say with a frustrated breath. “She won’t talk to me.”
“I thought she was getting better. It’s almost like she’s lost all the progress she’s made.”
He has no idea how close to the truth he is.
Since the New Year’s Eve party, she has shut down. She continues to paint. She has even sent painting to the gallery just like she agreed. But she never leaves the apartment. Not even for therapy.
And the nightmares. God, they are fucking awful. Every night – every goddamn night, she wakes up screaming until those screams turn into sobs, and all I can do is hold her.
And we haven't been together since that night. Not that she hasn’t tried. But it’s like when she first come home. She’s all but begged me to make love to her. As soon as I’m inside her, she withdraws emotionally. Every single time, the same thing happens, and I stop because I can't seem to get through to her.
And she ends up in tears, apologizing.
My gut tells me this has something to do with Alden. Or, maybe his kids. The way she tensed when she met them, and then disappeared soon after can’t be a coincidence. I didn’t miss the way Aaron Alden’s leered as he looked at her or followed her when she went to the restroom. Took everything in me not to knock that look off his face.
I hate that she has backslid in her progress so badly. I wish I could understand her reaction. Or what caused it anyway because I do understand it. Something about the Alden’s, or one of them at the very least, was a trigger for her. I wish I knew which one of them it was and what caused the trigger.
My mind keeps circling back to the son. Because she conversed with Mr. Alden just fine and I can’t think of one reason that the daughter would’ve caused this visceral reaction in her. Was it the way he blatantly ogled her that upset her so badly? I know it is a possibility, but I don’t think that is the cause.
Zoey is a beautiful woman. I’ve always seen it, but I’m not alone in my assessment. From her dark hair and pale blue nearly white eyes to her insane body, a man would have to be blind or crazy not to see her beauty. As crazy as it makes me, there’s truly not a place she could go and not have practically every man drooling.
Over the years, her beauty has become more insane. Long gone is the body of a girl, giving way to the body of a woman. I’ve watched her hips spread giving her tiny waist more definition. Her large perky tit and tight ass complete the package.
But what about the guy caused her to freak out. I’m starting to think he reminded her someone. Someone that would terrify her. Someone who I want to rip apart.
