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I don’t mind that they know, and truth be told, I wish everyone knew, because I’m kind of done with hiding my relationship with Zoey. But I know keeping things quiet is for the best, especially with her kidnappers still not caught.
Just like I know I have to trust the police are doing their job and that all my efforts to protect Zoey will work. Upgrading the security at home isn’t the only thing I’ve done either. Adding extra security here at the lodge, including some discreet security guards, whose sole purpose is to keep an eye on Zoey Holden, no matter where she goes or what she does.
Not that she’s actually aware of that part. I’m not trying to keep secrets from her, if anything I just want her to be happy and relaxed at work, not worrying about anything, but especially not worrying about the fact that I have this place locked down tighter than Fort Knox.
I’ll tell her soon though, tonight even. I just need to get through today and being apart from her again.
“Mr. Morrison,” Cameron says, standing from his desk as I walk into the upstairs office space.
I turn to him, the smile automatic until I remember that Cameron is also someone who knows about me and Zoey. Someone who may or may not have been involved in what happened to her. I don’t want to believe it’s true, but whoever did this clearly had knowledge of my movements.
Just like they knew about me and Zoey being a couple and they were somehow able to distract me enough to send a bogus phone call to my private line.
Which is exactly what that journalist calling me that night had been. A bogus phone call from a number that is no longer connected. But more than that, The Tahoe Times had never even heard of Bryce Chamberlain, the so-called journalist who made that call.
“Cameron, hey,” I say, forcing a smile, because I know I have to at least act normal.
“Welcome back, how’s…” he pauses, looking around as though to check there is no one around to hear his question. “How is Zoey?”
I exhale, scrubbing a hand down my face as I watch him, looking for any sign of guilt. He looks genuinely concerned, his face lined with worry as he waits for my answer and while there might be some signs that this could be connected to him, there’s also a part of me that doesn’t want to believe it.
Not after over five years together.
“She’s good, great actually,” I reply, giving him a quick nod in acknowledgement. “Back at work, so if she needs to see me, at any time, no matter…”
“I’ll be sure to send her right in,” he quickly says, offering me a small smile.
“Thank you,” I breathe out. “How are things here? How are you?”
Cameron waves my concern for him away as he glances at my half open door. “All good, Mr. Caufield has been holding down the fort,” he says.
As though he hears his name, Brandon appears in the doorway, a huge smile on his face as he steps out and pulls me into an embrace. “Welcome back,” he says, clapping me on the back before letting go. “How’s everything?”
I chuckle at his coded question as we both give Cameron a quick nod before disappearing into my office. Closing the door behind me, I give him an answer. “Zoey is good, amazing actually. She’s…yeah, she’s great, really great,” I say as I blow out a breath, shaking my head at just how resilient she is. Yes, she’s had some trouble sleeping, nightmares that wake her in the night, but they aren’t every night and for the past three nights, she’s managed to sleep through.
And with her now living with me just like we originally planned, everything just feels fucking amazing, almost like she never went missing. Even her bruises and red marks have faded, barely visible anymore.
“That’s good,” Brandon says as we walk over to the two couches by the window. The coffee table between us is filled with files and Brandon’s laptop and I know this is all a result of him being here for the past week, covering for me. “And how are you?”
“Ugh,” I groan, sinking into the couch. “Nervous, worried, fucking relieved to have her back,” I say, waving a hand in front of me. “I love that she wants to come back to work and that she feels okay, but shit, I only left her ten minutes ago and I’m already itching to go check if she’s okay.”
Brandon laughs. “Yeah, I get that,” he says. “It’s a shitty thing that happened and I’d say it’s pretty normal for you to be worried. You hire that private investigator yet?”
I shake my head. “No, I haven’t. I’m trying to trust this detective guy is gonna do his fucking job. I have upped security everywhere though and hired someone to watch her, but it still doesn’t feel like enough.”
“She’s surrounded by people here, Ethan, she’ll be okay,”
“I hope so,” I say, blowing out a breath. “But considering no one is supposed to know about us and there are people here who do, how do I know they didn’t have something to do with it?”
“What?”
I blink, scrubbing my hand down my face. I already feel exhausted and it’s not even eight-thirty in the morning. “I mean some of Zoey’s friends know and obviously you, but that’s not who I’m worried about.”
Brandon sits forward on the couch, elbows resting on his knees as he watches me. “Who are you worried about?” he asks, his brow narrowed.
I let out a groan, glancing at the door before turning back to my best friend. “I don’t know, it’s stupid.”
“It’s not stupid if it’s got you this worried, Ethan. Tell me who you’re thinking about.”
