Page 56 of Risking it All

“Right. Let me get back to my girls. Do y’all know they convinced me to go snorkeling off the Amalfi Coast? What in the world does a seven-year-old little girl know about snorkeling? I have to get her off that internet, man.”

“Enjoy yourself, bro,” I told him before ending the call.

“Again, what do you need from me?” Nicholas asked.

“You know how this shit can go. If I can’t get back to her, I need you to get her out of here.”

“You really love her, huh?”

For a long time, I felt like love was something for people who needed other people to make them feel like life was worth living. Zenia didn’t complete me; she added to me.

It was in my nature to take care of people. In just a short period of time, Zenia had gone from someone I felt I needed to protect to someone I couldn’t imagine living without. Even if I could bring myself to think about going back to life without her, I didn’t want to lose her. I would do whatever it took to make sure she came out of this intact.

“Take care of my baby, Nick,” I said, standing from my seat.

He nodded. “I got you.”

“Let me get back to her. I told her I would be back soon. Since y’all keep insisting, I’m going to see my dad tonight. I don’t see any way around it. I can’t just wait around on Reed.”

15

Zenia

It was two o’clock by the time Sawyer pulled back into the driveway. I’d found a refrigerator full of food and made smashed turkey burgers and homemade Greek fries. I was starving. I didn’t feel right eating without him, so I was glad he was home. I rushed to the door to greet him as he walked in.

His brows met, but he smiled as he pulled me into a hug. “You happy to see me, mama?”

I laughed a little as I settled into his embrace. “I guess I am.”

“I’m not mad at it. I’m not used to coming home to someone missing me, even though I’ve only been gone for a couple of hours, but I could definitely get used to it.”

“I missed you, but I’m also hungry. I wanted to wait for you so we could have lunch together.”

“Aw hell, you cooked? I’m glad I didn’t stop and grab something for us to eat. The only reason I didn’t was because I wasn’t sure if you had already eaten.”

“I’m glad, too, because I was going to be pissed if I waited for you and you had eaten already.”

“Come on, mama. I kept you waiting long enough. You know how I feel about you eating.”

Sawyer released his hold on me, slapping me hard on my ass as I turned to head to the kitchen. He followed closely, detouring to the refrigerator when we made it to the kitchen.

“You made sweet tea, mama? You were dead serious when you said you were going to spoil me, huh?”

“Oh, you’re easy. I like that.”

“Hell yeah, I’ll be easy for you. What you want me to do, mama?” he asked, removing the pitcher and filling two glasses before walking around the counter and putting them down.

“Show me where you want to eat so I can serve you.”

“Ooo shit. Is this what living with a woman is like?”

“You’ve never lived with any of your other girlfriends?”

“Hell no. We had sleepovers and even an occasional extended weekend, but they knew not to pack a toothbrush.”

I laughed. “You’re so bad.”

“You asked.” His grin was so cute as he took his seat on the stool.