by A. K. Evans
So now it was Thursday and I was beginning to think about the whole healing process. Physically, I was doing great. My mind still had some work to do, though. In an effort to get life back to normal I began thinking about my current living situation. I’d been staying with Zane ever since Seth resurfaced. Of course, staying with Zane made sense until Levi and the rest of the Cunningham Security guys could locate his whereabouts. I hadn’t asked what happened to Seth following the night I was kidnapped and then rescued. I didn’t really care much what happened to him. I just knew that those guys ‘took care of it’ and that was satisfying enough for me. It was even understandable that I would have stayed with Zane over the past couple of days considering the physical injuries I had. I knew that Zane would never kick me out, which I why I thought it was important I make this move on my own. I didn’t want to overstay my welcome.
I made breakfast this morning for the two of us and had just come back upstairs to brush my teeth and make myself decent for the day. We hadn’t made any plans for today so I figured it would be best to immediately throw myself into making this happen. Before I came upstairs Zane told me he had a few things he needed to take care of on his computer, which was now downstairs, so it was the perfect opportunity.
After getting myself dressed, I got to work. I began by organizing all of my toiletries before I moved to my clothing. I was in the middle of the floor packing my suitcases full of my clothes more than an hour later when the bedroom door opened.
“What the hell is going on?” Zane thundered.
I looked to him and replied softly, “Nothing.”
“Nothing?” he asked, disbelievingly. “Then why are you packing your suitcases?”
“Well, staying here was a temporary thing, Zane. It was for my safety when Seth’s whereabouts were unknown. I don’t exactly know, nor do I care to know, what happened to him after you guys found me, but I’m pretty confident that he’s no longer a threat to my safety. Am I right?”
He nodded.
“So, I’m packing up my stuff. I appreciate you taking care of me and letting me stay with you through all of this, but I’m not going to overstay my welcome. In order for me to heal I need to start getting my life back to normal.”
“Emme,” Zane said through gritted teeth. “Love the shit out of you and I hope you keep that in mind and realize I’m not trying to scare you when I say this, but you aren’t fucking moving out.”
“I’m sorry?” I asked not feeling scared, just curious.
“You. Aren’t. Moving. Out,” he said, enunciating each word for effect.
“Zane, I have to move home sooner or later.”
“This is your home, Em.”
“What?”
“You want to leave?” he asked. “You don’t like being here?”
I swallowed hard before I answered, “I love it here. You know that.”
“I thought I knew that, but packing up to leave doesn’t say you love it here.”
He was really upset about this. I wasn’t so naive to think he’d not have an opinion about it, but I wasn’t expecting this reaction.
“I’m sorry, Zane. I wasn’t doing this to upset you. I just thought it would be good for me, for us, to get back to life the way it was before all of this happened.”
“You said you love it here, right?”
I nodded.
“Good. You love it here, I love having you here. There’s nothing else to discuss with this. This is your home now. You’re staying.”
Before I could respond, the doorbell rang.
My brows pulled together. I couldn’t recall Zane saying anything about expecting anyone.
He turned to walk out of the room and said, “Come downstairs, Em. Got something I want you to see.”
I sat there staring at the empty doorway. I was pretty sure Zane just asked me to move in, except that he hadn’t actually asked. It was more like he demanded that I move in. I took a moment to think about it and realized it was quite the turn on for me to see him so fired up about something like this. I smiled inwardly, picked myself up off the floor, and walked out of the bedroom. I was walking down the stairs and heard Zane talking out in the kitchen. When I reached the bottom of the stairs I took a few steps toward the kitchen until I heard another voice I recognized and halted in my tracks. I stood there, staring out into the kitchen, and felt my knees get weak. Zane’s eyes came up to meet mine and he smiled really big at me.
“Princess.”
My eyes shifted from Zane’s to my father’s.
“Daddy,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. Then, my body proved just how much it had healed over the past couple of days. I took off running toward him. He held his arms out and caught me as I jumped up into them. I held on to him as I cried and he didn’t, for a single moment, loosen his hold on me. I felt my mom’s arms wrap around me as well.
“Emme, dear,” her delicate voice filtered into my ears.
“I have missed you both so much,” I sobbed.
“We’ve missed you, too, princess. It feels so good to have you in my arms again.”
My parents held me a little while longer before my dad set me down. I looked up at him and then over to my mom in disbelief. My eyes then drifted to Zane.
“Did you know they were coming?” I asked.
“I’m the one who called them, sweetheart.”
Shit. I was going to cry again.
“You did?”
“Em, they needed to know what happened. I called them on Sunday when everyone was over. You were in the family room with the girls and I went to the other room with the guys to play pool. The guys played; I called your parents. I told them what happened and that I was going to book flights for them to come out here. I know you had your girls here, but I thought it was important you had your family, too.”
The tears spilled over my cheeks and I managed to squeak out, “Thank you.”
Zane walked over to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in to his side. He kissed the top of my head and said, “You’re welcome, Em.”
My eyes went to my parents to find them both smiling at us.
Zane gave me a gentle squeeze and said, “I’m going to head up and take a shower so you can have some time to talk with your parents.”
“Ok.”
Zane looked to my parents and shared, “It’s nice to finally meet you both; please make yourselves at home.”
“Thank you, Zane,” my mother said.
With that, he walked out of the room and my eyes followed him until he was out of sight. I turned back to my parents.
“You love him, princess?” my father asked.
I nodded.
“Think you should know that he has my full approval. If it weren’t for him calling us I’m not sure when or if your mother and I would have found out about that ex of yours taking you.”
Great. Now I felt guilty.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t want to worry you both.”
“Emme, dear,” my mom started. “You are our only child. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been kidnapped or if you are safe here; we’ll always worry about you.”
“I know.”
She smiled at me and said, “I like Zane. He seems to be very responsible and generous. What I like most about him, though, is how much I can see that he truly loves you. I can’t wait until tomorrow.”
My brows pulled together. “What’s happening tomorrow?”
“Zane said he wanted us to meet his family.”
My eyes rounded. “He did?”
She nodded.
“Princess, he’s a good man. He knows we don’t live right down the road and he wants us to know that you have people around you that love and care about you.”
I smiled at my father. He was a such a good judge of character. He never liked Seth, even in the beginning of our relationship before things turned sour. The fact that he thought so highly of Zane spoke volumes.
“You’re going to love them,” I
said, softly.
“I’m sure we will.”
“Emme?” my mom called.
I turned my attention to her.
“Tell us what happened,” she said, her eyes and voice pleading with me.
I dropped my head. I didn’t want them to have to hear the awful truth about what happened, but I knew they deserved to know the truth.
When I brought my head back up to look at them I explained, “We should go in to the family room and sit down first.”
My parents followed me into the family room and we all sat. I told them everything from the day I received the note under the front door of my condo until the moment Zane called them earlier in the week. My mom cried…a lot. There was no denying now where I got that from. My dad’s face stayed pretty stoic, but I could see the anger swirling in his eyes when he learned what Seth did to me. I was his little girl and someone hurt his little girl. That did not sit well with him. I saw a change in his eyes, though, the minute I began telling him about how well Zane took care of me. It was a bit of a relief to see that change because I couldn’t stand seeing him, or my mom for that matter, hurt.
Zane joined us a few minutes later and my father almost instantly asked Zane if he could speak with him privately. Zane, of course, agreed without any hesitation. I got up and told them that mom and I would go out into the kitchen because I wanted to bake a chocolate cake for after dinner later. My dad and Zane both laughed at me.
At that, my mom and I took off to the kitchen and gave Zane and my dad some privacy. I spent the next little bit baking a chocolate cake while catching up with my mom. We hadn’t been able to have conversations like this in so long and I had truly missed it. Zane, I decided, deserved to be rewarded for giving this to me and I couldn’t wait to surprise him later.
After I made my cake, Zane and my dad joined us in the kitchen. I knew they were both hoping they’d be able to sneak in some early bites. Seeing that made my heart swell. I was so happy about the fact that they got along that I couldn’t be bothered to stop them. The four of us spent the rest of the day together at Zane’s. My parents were content to stay in, simply basking in being around their daughter for the first time in a little less than a year.
It started getting late. My mom said that she thought that they ought to get going.
“Where are you staying?” I asked, surprised.
Zane answered. “I told them they were both more than welcome to stay here since we have plenty of room, but they said they preferred to get a hotel. I sent over some recommendations to them Monday morning.”
I thought back to Monday morning. That was the morning I woke up alone in bed to find him sitting on the chaise with his laptop. He had been emailing my parents planning this whole thing and I was too busy questioning his love for me. I felt horrible for having done that to him.
I looked to Zane and the look in his eyes told me he knew that I’d realized exactly when he reached out to my parents. He gave me a wink.
Damn, but did I love him.
“Thank you for your hospitality today, Zane. We’re very much looking forward to tomorrow,” my mother said.
Zane nodded in acknowledgement.
My dad’s eyes came to mine. “So good to see you, princess. Even better seeing you happy.”
His eyes went to Zane. “Thank you for taking care of my little girl and treating her with the love and respect she deserves. You’ve made her the happiest I’ve ever seen her.”
“She does the same for me,” Zane answered.
Yep. Zane was definitely getting surprised tonight.
I hugged my parents before Zane hugged my mom, and shook my dad’s hand. We saw them out and then Zane armed the security system. As soon as he turned around I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed up on my toes so I could kiss him. He bent his head to capture my lips as he wrapped one arm around my waist and lifted me. Instinctively, I wrapped my legs around his waist and he brought his other hand to my bottom.
I pulled my lips from his briefly and framed his face with my hands. “I love you.”
He grinned and said, “That’s good, considering I love you, too.”
“Thank you, baby. What you did for me today means everything to me.”
“I’d do anything for you, Emme.”
I gave him a coy smile before I said, “That’s good, considering I’d really like you to make love to me tonight.”
His eyes heated at the same time his face grew serious. “Em, you sure? There’s no rush if you aren’t ready, sweetheart.”
“I think I’m ready.”
His arms tightened around me and he made his way swiftly up the stairs. When we got to the bedroom Zane put a knee to the bed, set me down gently, and settled his hips between my parted thighs. My hands went to the hem of his shirt immediately and I began pushing it up his body. He reached behind his neck and pulled the shirt off over his head. I craved the feel of his skin against mine so I pulled my shirt up over my head. Zane’s eyes traveled down to my lace trim bra where they lingered a moment before his face was buried in my chest. His fingers came up to lace and pulled it down, freeing my breasts. He wasted no time in putting his hands and mouth on them. I loved the attention he giving them, but soon realized he was waiting for me to indicate I was ready for more. I knew what I needed to do.
“Zane?” I called.
His head immediately shot up and he said, “Yeah, Em?”
Fuck, that voice.
“Baby, would you mind if I was on top?”
He let out a sigh, “Thank fuck.”
With that, he rolled to the side and took me with him. I was now straddling him, but there was too much between us. I pushed up onto my knees and brought my hands around my back to unhook the clasp on my bra. After sliding the straps down my arms and tossing it to the floor I slid my hands down my sides and under the waistband of my pants and panties. I first moved myself over to the side off him and then I began to shimmy my way out of the remainder of my clothing. Once the clothes were gone I was back on my knees beside Zane’s thigh. I ran my hands up my thighs until one reached my core and the other traveled up to my breasts. Zane watched me with such an intensity in his eyes. He was fighting so hard to stay in control.
As I ran my fingers through my soaked center I gestured my head toward his pants and asked, “Do you think you could lose those?”
Zane wasted no time in removing his jeans and boxer briefs. After they were gone he scooted back on the bed so he was sitting upright with his back against the headboard. I fell to my hands so I was on all fours and crawled my way up his body.
“Fuck,” Zane growled.
When I reached his torso, I looked up at him through hooded eyes and brought my mouth to his. As we kissed I straddled his hips. I reached my hand between us and gripped his cock. He pulled his mouth from mine and looked down to where I was positioning him at my entrance. His fingertips were pressing into my thighs. I lowered myself ever so slightly so that just the tip of him was inside me. My hands went to his shoulders, my eyes focused on his, before I lowered myself onto him completely. As soon as he filled me I threw my head back. Zane's hands traveled up my thighs and gripped my hips.
When my head came forward he said, “You are so damn sexy, Emme. Fuck, I love you.”
It was then I began to move. I lifted and lowered myself loving the feel of having him inside me. I missed this. I missed the way he felt and this connection to him. As I continued to move allowing the pressure to build, with Zane’s hands at my hips guiding me, I couldn’t help but let all of the love he showed me over the past few days flow through my mind. My movements grew faster, the thoughts came quicker, and I was soon right on the edge.
“It’s all for you, Em. Take everything I have and let go,” he encouraged me.
I let go and the second I came down from my orgasm I was flipped to my back with Zane still inside me.
“Watching you come apart like that,” he said as he moved in and out of me. “It’s so fuck
ing beautiful. I need to see it again.”
Zane worked to build me up slowly, his movements unhurried and controlled. He angled and rolled his hips so precisely he hit the right spot with every single thrust. I felt the tightening low in my belly come quickly, especially as the thoughts of his love and care for me over the past few days continued to filter through my brain.
“Zane,” I moaned.
His pace picked up ever so slightly and the sounds coming from the back of his throat grew louder.
“You feel too good, Em. You’ve got to get there,” he said, bringing a hand to one of my nipples and rolling it between two of his fingers.
“Oh, baby,” I rasped out.
He continued his torturously slow attack on my body. His mouth came down to capture mine and it wasn’t long before Zane got me there. We both yelled out together as we found our pleasure. After, Zane rolled over to his back and took me with him, our heated bodies struggling to come down from the high.
My senses were on overload, firing at me from all directions. Physically, I was feeling fabulously sated. My emotions were another story. It was too much and before I knew what was happening I felt the tears leak out of my eyes. That’s when Zane’s body went solid.
“Em?” he called.
I took in a breath and said, “Hmm?”
“Are you alright?”
I nodded with my cheek still pressed to his chest.
“Why are you crying?”
“You came and got me,” I began, lifting my head to look at him. “You found me and brought me back here. You were so gentle with me, cleaning up my face first and then my body. You dried my hair. You never left me alone. You made sure I was surrounded by your family and our friends to help distract my mind. You took care of me. You held me when I needed it. You took me shopping. You surprised me by bringing my parents here. You helped me heal. You loved me.”
He stared at me a beat before he admitted, “Fuck, I was worried.”
“About what?”
“I thought you were crying because we made love too soon and you weren’t ready for it. But, that’s not all. From the moment I realized you were taken, I’ve been worried about you. I was scared as shit I’d never see you again or that we would find you too late. Once we found you, I worried that I wouldn’t know how to help you through it. From the second I carried you out of that house in my arms, I have questioned every decision I’ve made regarding your care. I didn’t know if I was doing the right things.”