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“Is there anything else I can do to make sure you feel safe?” His hand is running up and down my back, his fingers gently trailing along my bare skin. He reaches down, taking my wrist in his hand, he kisses the bruises and scrapes that mar my wrist.
“They’ll heal,” I whisper, knowing he’s thinking about it all. I need these reminders to go away.
“I know they will, but you didn’t answer my question,” Ethan presses, not giving up on my answer to what he can do.
He’s done so much already. Installing more security cameras has helped ease some of my fears, but I’m not sure there’s anything he can do to keep my thoughts from spiraling.
“Zoey,” he prompts again, and I let out a slow exhale.
“I don’t think there’s anything you can do, Ethan. I think we just have to wait. As much as I don’t want to wait,” I say, shrugging a little.
“I’d like to hire a private investigator. Are you okay with that?” Ethan asks, and I instantly respond with a yes. I want this person found and if Ethan can push this along, I’m all for it.
“Give me your phone,” I now say, and Ethan leans over and grabs it off the nightstand, handing it over to me without a second thought. “I’m going to add my phone to your Find My Phone so you know where I am at all times.”
“That will make me feel a little better,” Ethan admits. “But I’m still hiring that private investigator. Not that I don’t trust the police, but I need this over so you feel safe.”
“Thank you,” I reply, loving how much he’s looking out for me. I’ve never had this in my life and after what happened, I need it.
“I was thinking we could invite Delaney and Alex over for dinner tonight,” Ethan says, changing the subject.
“Really?”
“Yes, really. What’s that supposed to mean?” Ethan asks, laughing a little at my question.
“I don’t know. They’re your employees,” I reply, but as I say it, I realize that I’m his employee too. Plus, Ethan did invite them to come over anytime, making it clear that the employee thing takes a backburner to our friendship.
“But they’re also your friends and since we’re kinda a thing,” he stops, winking at me and all I can do is shake my head and laugh at his comment. “I thought it might be nice for all of us to hang out.”
“Sure, I think that’s a great idea. At least we already know they responded better to you than Max did,” I tease, and now it’s Ethan shaking his head.
“He came around, and I get it. He was just protecting his little sister. I might know a thing or two about wanting to protect you.”
He pulls me on top of him, his arms wrapping around me tightly, holding me close, and I lean down to kiss him. His lips feel like home against mine, soft and comforting, and I want him to know how much he means to me.
“Ethan,” I whisper against his lips, his soft breaths leaving kisses of air along my skin. “I love you so much.” I want to say more than this, but this is all that comes out.
I want to tell him how I crave his protective nature and how he makes my body feel alive every time he touches me but saying it all out loud after what happened to me, makes me feel like I’ll burst out crying. I’ve been holding in my emotions since my rescue, something that can’t be good, but I don’t have any idea how to deal with them.
I need to call that therapist on the card I was given at the hospital. I need to learn to cope with this. The last thing I need is for Ethan to be worrying about me even more than he is.
“I know, baby, and I love you too,” he replies, scanning my face, and by now, he can read me like a book. He knows my moods and when I’m feeling uneasy. “You can tell me anything, Zoey, you know that.”
I nod my head, closing my eyes, I slide down so I can rest my head against his chest, hearing the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. The sound lulls me to a calmness I only feel when I’m with him.
We rest together in companionable silence, the beat of our hearts in time with each other, the sound of our soft breathing is like a beautiful song. As I lay here, I still can’t believe I was able to come back to him.
“Why don’t you text Delaney and see if they’re around tonight?” Ethan suggests, and he now has me smiling. I love that he wants to spend time with my friends, that he wants to get to know the people I love.
Delaney has been a huge part of my life since we were in high school, and nothing will change that she’s my best friend. I never want her to feel like she’s been left out because I’ve moved in with Ethan. Having her and Alex over tonight will bring us all together and hopefully we’ll be able to forge a relationship with all of us.
I roll off Ethan’s body and he swats me on the ass as I do, making me giggle. I reach for my phone on the nightstand and as I do, it begins to ring.
Ethan’s brow goes up in surprise at the coincidence of me reaching for the phone and it ringing. It feels strange to me too, but when I check the number, I think I recognize it as the detective who is working on my case.
“Hello?” I say, answering it without mentioning to Ethan who it is.
“Hi Zoey, this is Detective Simmons. I was wondering if you’d be able to come down to the station or I can meet you,” he says, not elaborating, not that he needs to. We both know why he’s calling, and even if he doesn’t give me details, it’s obviously about my abduction case.
