Bradley leaned up on his elbows and looked deep into Zoey’s eyes. In them he saw warmth, compassion, and the budding bloom of love.
“I should be thanking you too,” he replied, his voice sliding into a more sultry tone. “Without you, I would have forgotten how delicious it felt to be with someone I really like.” Bradley shifted his hips, positioning his thick erection between her legs. Slowly he surged forward, making Zoey gasp and moan in pleasure as he stretched her hot, wet walls.
“Without you, I wouldn’t be falling in love again.” Bradley’s lips closed over hers as he thrust forward, surging into her with long, hard strokes. He hadn’t meant to say it, but it had poured out of him like a confession. A part of him felt like he had always been a little in love with her since the very moment she came back into his life. He just needed to be sure of her intentions and her feelings for him. After they got over the taboo of it all, they had fallen into an intensely satisfying rhythm. One that he hoped to continue for quite some time.
CHAPTER 12
Zack looked up from the piece of paper to the townhouse, not sure if he got the address right. A shot of jealousy slid through him as he stared up at the impressive brownstone. According to his sources, it was where Zoey was staying now. A part of him wondered if she had been lying all along, and that she hadn’t been cut off from her parents. It would explain the fancy house and the top notch lawyer.
It had taken him longer than he wanted to find her, and Nathan wasn’t too happy about his delay either. They wanted instant results, but in reality it took him three days to hire the investigator, get the address, and track her down. But here he was finally, and whether he wanted to or not, it was time to put their relationship back together.
Taking a deep breath, he walked up the steps and used the shining metal doorknocker to announce his presence. To his surprise, a very attractive, very muscular shirtless older man answered the door, asking Zack how he could him. For a moment, Zack was so intimidated that he simply stammered, forgetting his words.
“Zoey,” he finally spit out. “S-sorry. I think I have the wrong address. I’m looking for Zoey France.”
From behind the good-looking man, Zack heard a familiar voice. A second later he saw Zoey’s adorable face pop into the doorway, her eyes wide with shock. He was surprised at how happy he felt to see it, and when he smiled at her, he did so genuinely.
“What are you doing here?” Zoey asked, her voice full of awe.
“Zoey, you know this man?” Mr. Good Looking asked, pointing to Zack. Zoey tore her eyes away from Zack and looked up at Bradley. She nodded her head.
“This is Zack Smith,” she explained.
Mr. Good Looking took a defensive stance immediately, his eyes going back to Zack’s much less attractive face.
“This is the asshole that put you through all of this?” He asked, his gaze intimidating.
“Excuse me,” Zack answered indignantly. “Who are you to say such a thing to me?”
Mr. Good Looking crossed his arms, his eyebrow raised with an air of superiority. “My name is Bradley Zane. I’m Zoey’s lawyer.”
Zack felt his eyes grow wide as he heard the name. It was a detail that he had forgotten to ask for. “You’re Bradley Zane?” Zack asked. “And you, you’re Zoey’s lawyer?”
Bradley gave a single nod as he stared intimidatingly back at Zack. He was a bit of a legend in corporate law, something his sweet Zoey knew nothing about. Though he rarely handled sexual harassment cases, he was known for getting what he wanted in the courtroom.
“That’s right. And as such I am suggesting that you get off of my steps immediately, seeing as how this is also my house. Miss France will not be taking any under the table negotiations. This will go to court, am I understood?”
“This isn’t about that,” Zack replied, lying through his teeth. “I didn’t come here because of the case. I came here- I came here Zoey because I miss you. I miss you so much, and I want to talk to you. I want to figure out where we went wrong. Please, I’m just here right now begging to simply have a conversation.”
Zack was sure that Bradley knew that he was lying. The guy was a human lie detector, and well known for it too. However, it didn’t matter if Bradley believed him or not. The real issue was whether or not Zoey believed him.
“Zoey,” Bradley murmured, his voice going from harsh to soft in an instant as he reached for hand. “Zoey as your friend and your lawyer I have to advise against this. This could be a trick. A means to make you settle.”
“Don’t listen to him Zoey,” Zack cut in, his voice taking on a desperate tone. “Just listen to me. Hear me out.”
Zoey looked back and forth between the two men, both claiming to know what she wanted better than she did. It was both annoying and flattering at the same time. She knew that it was very possible that Zack was doing exactly what Bradley was warning her of, but she had to know for herself. He was a man that she had loved solely for two years, and whether she liked it or not, she could still feel her heart swelling for him.
“Let me grab my coat,” she said, disappearing back into the house.
Bradley looked back and for between Zack and Zoey, scowling. “Zoey,” he called, jogging to catch up with her. “Zoey don’t do this. It’s a ploy, you know it is,” Bradley pushed, not wanting her to go.
“And what if it isn’t?” She asked, pulling her arms into her coat. “What if he really wants me back?”
Bradley opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. It was then that he saw in her eyes the indecision of it all. “You’re thinking about going back to him. You’re actually contemplating it if he’s telling the truth.”
Zoey bit her lower lip and looked guiltily down at the floor. “I don’t know what I want right now. I like you. I really, really like you. But Zack was such a big part of my past. He was the guy I thought I was going to marry. I owe him that chance.”
“And what did he give you? Huh? Let’s just forget the tiny part where he fired you for being his ex, shall we, and think about what he did besides that. He changed the locks on you, Zoey. He packed up your things and left them in the lobby of your building. Does that sounds like something someone who truly loved you would do? Does it?”
“I know,” Zoey whispered, her eyes pleading for him to understand. “But I have to know what he has to say.”
CHAPTER 13
Zoey stared down at cold cup of untouched coffee, thinking about stirring it one more time. When she had thought of getting coffee with Zack that night, she had been expecting somewhere romantic to profuse his undying love. Instead, he had brought her to a twenty-four truck stop, where the coffee tasted days old and burned. She didn’t mean to be a snob, but it wasn’t the place she pictured when discussing such a topic as love.
They had been sitting in the booth together for over fifteen minutes, and Zack still hadn’t started talking about why he wanted to get back together. He would clear his throat, open his mouth, and then sigh. As if he couldn’t gather up the strength to have the conversation. It was disheartening to Zoey, and his constant sighing was annoying her. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.
“For goodness sakes, Zack, why did you beg me to talk to you if you won’t speak?” She asked. Bradley had taught her a little about standing up for herself, and she thought fondly of him for a second before she turned her attention back to Zack.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I guess I’m just a little hurt that you sued me. And the company. They’re really pissed about that you know.”
Zoey crossed her arms and leaned back into the booth. “They should be. An unjust thing happened in their work field and they needed to know about it.”
Zack glared over the table. He knew he was supposed to be wooing her. His job, hell his life, was depending on it. But he couldn’t. His pride was taking over the driver’s seat in his brain, and he wasn’t even trying to stop it.
“You lied to me. You lied to me about your inheritance. If you wou
ldn’t have lied then things would be so different,” Zack accused.
Zoey’s eyes went wide, understanding dawning on her. “I get it,” she said softly, thinking back to the timeline of their breakup. “I totally get it now. I told you I didn’t have an inheritance just a few weeks before you dumped me. You didn’t love me at all. You just wanted my money.” She paused, her eyes glowering in disgust. “You’re nothing but a con artist,” she spat.
“At least I’m not a liar!” Zack shot back, much like a five year old.
Zoey laughed and rolled her eyes. “Yes you are. You’re a deplorable human being, and I feel so stupid right now. To think that I thought you were actually coming to beg for me back. Bradley was right about you. I should have listened to him and slammed the door in your face.”
Standing up, Zoey grabbed her coffee cup and threw its cold contents in Zack’s face, drenching the front of his shirt. “And for your information, I didn’t lie. Any money I have I earned on my own.”
Several truckers were looking at them now, curious about the scene. She didn’t care though, not after how good it felt to throw something in Zack’s face for all the pain he caused. With her head held high she walked out of the diner. She had an apology to give, and she didn’t want to wait any longer than she had to.
“Zoey wait!” Zack called, suddenly realizing everything he had just said. Every chance of him changing her mind about the lawsuit was now completely out the window, and the partners would be pissed. Throwing down a couple bills for the coffee, Zack ran to the nearby ATM.
~
It took Zoey two bus rides to finally get back to Bradley’s, and when she finally did it was almost midnight. What would have been a twenty-minute car ride had taken her over an hour by bus, but it gave her plenty of time to think. She had been stupid, incredibly stupid to even listen to what Zack had said to her at the door. Looking back on it, she had no idea why she put herself through such a thing, or Bradley for that matter.
They were starting to fall in love with one another. Zoey could feel it, and she knew Bradley could too. Unlike Zack, he told her everything, communicated with her about his feelings and wants and passions. He was an amazing man, and she hoped willfully that he would still allow her to come back after her mistake. Thinking about it, she never really wanted to get back with Zack. She was just curious. She wanted to see if he would actually try to make things right. Of course, that blew up in her face.
Ever since she got on the bus Zoey had tried to call Bradley, but she kept getting his voicemail. By the time she reached the familiar stoop, her heart had sunk, and she prayed that her key at least still worked. She let out a sigh of relief as the locks twisted obediently and let her into the house. Inside, it was dark and clean. Bradley must have cleaned up their dinner himself and swept the floors himself.
At the sink she poured herself a glass of water and drank it down greedily. She’d had the taste of that horrible coffee in her mouth for hours now, and she desperately wanted it gone. When she was done, she swiped the glass clean and put it back in the cupboard, not wanting to ruin the pristine look of the kitchen. It was time to go up and apologize.
Quietly she climbed the stairs in her bare feet, and made her way to Bradley’s room. She was surprised, however, when she tried to twist the knob and found that it was locked. Softly she knocked on the door, hoping that he would wake up.
“Bradley,” she called. “Are you awake?” From the other side of the door she heard no sounds, and her heart sank. Turning around, she headed to her guest room. It had been weeks since she’d slept in it, and now looking at it, it looked cold and lonely. In the bathroom Zoey showered and washed her face, putting off going to bed alone for as long as she could. Eventually though, she ran out to things to do, and crawled into the cool covers by herself.
CHAPTER 14
Bradley was gone before Zoey woke up, and she tried her best not to read too much into it. Instead, she went about her usual day, looking for anything she could do around the house that would make his life a little easier. The hours ticked by slowly, and by lunchtime Zoey ran out of things to do. She’d even gone as far as cleaning the multitude of windows of the house and scrubbing down the ovens. Around four she busied herself with making a dinner for her and Bradley, deciding to make everything from scratch because one, it took longer, and two, it would also be a way to appease her guilt for going against Bradley’s advice and leaving with Zack.
By six-thirty she had a rack of lamb, rice pilaf, steamed garlic broccoli, homemade bread, and an apple pie sitting on the table. Like usual, Bradley walked through the door just as Zoey put the finishing touches on the meal. He walked past Zoey without a word, and took his briefcase upstairs. A few minutes later he came back down the stairs and began heaping food onto his plate.
“Smells good,” he said, not making eye contact with Zoey as he spooned the rice onto his plate. After sitting his plate down, he picked up the bottle of red wine and popped the cork.
“Thanks,” she replied. She had thought she would feel better when she saw him. But his impassiveness towards her only made it worse. “Listen, Bradley. Can we talk?” She asked, taking her seat at the table beside him.
Bradley shrugged his shoulders, still not looking her in the eye. “Sure. I don’t care. What’s up?” He took a large gulp of his wine after swallowing a mouthful of food. Yes, he liked Zoey’s cooking, but today he ate like he was on a mission, as if he was trying to give his mouth a reason not to talk.
“I owe you an apology. For last night. I should have listened to you right away,” she began, reaching out to touch his arm. He pulled it away and put his hand on his lap, denying her access. It was a move that shocked and hurt her, but she continued on.
“You were right. Zack was only trying to make the lawsuit go away. Actually he fell through with the whole romance thing pretty quickly. Like as soon as we got to the diner, which was this horrible”-
“I was only trying to protect you,” Bradley interrupted, finally looking up to her eyes. They held anger and hurt, and she knew that it was all because of her actions. “That guy, he knows, I’m sure, that he could be facing possible jail time for what he did to you, not to mention that he’ll be practically black balled from the field.”
“I know that now,” Zoey insisted. “Really I do. But I had to find out for myself. Please don’t be mad at me for that!”
Bradley raised his eyebrows at her request. “You think that’s why I’m upset?” He asked, surprised.
Zoey didn’t understand. If that wasn’t why he was upset, then what was wrong? “Please, if that’s not it, then tell me what it is so I can fix it.”
The look on Bradley’s face was one of betrayal. “You chose him.”
“What?” Zoey asked, confused.
“Over me. You chose him over me. You had a choice to go back to him and listen to his bullshit, or you could start here new, with me. And you chose him. This isn’t about the lawsuit, Zoey. It’s about you using my heart like it was just a mere toy of yours. I rarely trust people. You know this. It’s why I don’t have many friends. But I trusted you. I was falling in love with you. And you stabbed me in the back.”
Zoey shook her head vehemently. “No, no that’s not true,” she swore, reaching out to grab his shoulder. “I wanted to hear what he had to say, yes, but I never for one second thought about ending what I had with you.”
She knew how bad it sounded as soon as she said it. “Wait, that’s not what I meant, I”-
“It’s fine,” Bradley said, holding up his hand. He didn’t need to hear anymore. “Really. I’m still going to handle your case. You deserver justice. And you can still stay here until you win the lawsuit. But this, us- we are done.”
Having no more to say, Bradley stood up from the table and walked towards the doorway. He paused right before he was about to pass through, and turned around. The way he looked at her was that of a client, not a lover.
“Speaking of, the company has
offered a settlement out of court. They’re willing to pay you ten million to keep everything under the table. In my professional opinion, you won’t get much better in the courtroom. It’s entirely up to you on whether or not you want this to go public.”
“What do you think I should do?” Zoey asked, willing to talk about anything that would keep him talking to her.
Bradley shrugged his shoulders and turned back around. “That’s not my decision,” he called. “It’s yours.”
Zoey waited until she heard his office door close before she burst into tears. She felt like such a fool for not listening to Bradley the day before, and now she had lost him because of it. Unlike Zack, he was the most honest man she had ever met, and now he was gone.
CHAPTER 15
The days until the settlement hearing ticked away slowly. Each day Zoey tried a new way to win back Bradley’s affection, but they all failed. She had hurt him to the core, and she knew it. She couldn’t exactly blame him either, for she would have followed the same line of thinking. It didn’t stop her from trying though. She kept the house extra clean, left him long letters on his pillows after she made his bed, and fixed his favorite meals.
When he did talk to her, it was only about the upcoming hearing and what she should and should not say. She was warned to avoid outbursts and conversations that weren’t relevant to the topic. If asked about her personal life, she was always to refer to Bradley before answering. Zoey wasn’t sure what she hated more. The fact that she was forced to see Zack again after their bullshit meeting, or that after tomorrow, she would probably never see Bradley again.
The next morning, Zoey woke up earlier than usual and took her time to dress and do her makeup. She chose a charcoal gray suit that was conservative and not all that form fitting. There were a lot of stupid things men could think up in defense to sexual harassment, Bradley had warned her, and they didn’t want to hand them any.
Romance: Luther's Property Page 69
