Since a long time ago, I can’t even remember the last time we were this close without engaging in a shouting match.
“I know. But I’m still here to offer it. Try not to lose the people you love the most. Because once she knows the truth, she will want to get away from you and take her daughter with her.” One more squeeze before he lets go. “So don’t hold back your love, son. It will be your only saving grace in this situation.”
Love.
Such a short word that means the fucking world.
I can’t get out of the room fast enough, his words playing in my mind while the voice inside me screams to listen to him and confess to Phoenix, but how can I do it now?
Any distractions might cost us our lives, and I won’t ever take risks with them again.
And the old man didn’t have to preach to me about love, because I know the magnitude of my emotions toward her, even if they’re wrong and shouldn’t be there with our past and the short amount of time we have truly known each other.
Although sometimes it feels like she’s been with me for the last four years, because every thought of her consumed my mind.
My body is still shaking from the conversation though, and I desperately need Phoenix to calm the storm within me. Standing in the entrance to the common room, my eyes search among countless guests for her in the shimmering dress that has the power to blind a person if he is not careful enough.
And then I finally spot her, only for the roaring rage to return, sinking its claws into me while the beast inside me demands I go to her.
As she is dancing with Sebastian right in the middle of the dance floor, with his hand on her waist while a smile graces her lips, and she is so fucking relaxed, like he is not the man who hurt her, dumping her in the pits of hell for all the demons to feast on her flesh.
Jealousy and possessiveness are not emotions familiar to me, because I never experienced them to this extent with my late wife. Angelica was always by my side and gazed at me with such love I never had to worry about other men and their glances toward my wife.
Instead, I was proud that they studied the beautiful creature who belonged to me.
With Phoenix though? Just the idea of any man looking at her and wondering what it’s like to have her in his arms, or all her beauty for his pleasure, awakens the beast inside me that wants their blood and to hide her away from them.
Especially from the man who had her heart for so long and knows her better than anyone, knows her in a way she hasn’t opened up to me, and was a man who she chose willingly.
Instead of me, who pushed himself on her, with her constantly denying our pull for each other and cursing it to hell and back.
Phoenix is mine though, with resistance or not, and my fucking name is not Zachary King if Sebastian thinks he can waltz in here, dangling their past in my face, and can steal my girls from me.
I don’t give a fuck how I got them; I’ll never, ever allow anyone to take them away from me.
Be it Sebastian, the unsub, or Phoenix herself.
Barely controlling my desire to dart toward them and punch him in the face for everyone to see, so he has no doubt where he stands with my woman, I crack my neck to the side, hook my thumbs into my pants pockets, and curving my mouth in a sinister smile, I stroll lazily through the room with everyone’s eyes darting between me and the dancing couple, anticipation written all over their faces, probably thinking they will get another scene soon to share with the world.
After all, by the gossip standards, the party has been dull so far, but I was never there to please, was I?
Charlie appears next to me, matching my movements, and says, “Let’s not do anything irrational, okay? It will fuck your image.” He offers me a champagne glass, but I ignore it, countering to walk toward my woman.
“Since when do you give a shit about my public image?”
“Since you are the CEO, and my money depends on you.” He finishes his glass. “And despite you being an asshole, I still respect you. Although I hate your guts for always being mean to my mom.”
“Yeah, that’s reasonable.” I agree with him on this, because if someone had talked to mine the way I allow myself to speak to Olivia, I would have beat the crap out of them despite my mom’s request not to.
He forcefully stops me with his hand gripping my shoulder, and I turn to him, although my eyes are still on my woman, who still fucking dances with her ex-husband, but now they are laughing! “Zach, he danced with her because Felicia asked him to. Okay? So—”
“Charlie, I appreciate the concern, but I don’t give a fuck.”
He huffs in exasperation and amusement. “Because we aren’t family, right?”
“No, because I can’t stand seeing my woman in the arms of another man.” Charlie’s eyes widen in shock, and to be fucking honest, so do mine that I even shared this much with him. “So, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to talk to my fiancée. Without causing a scene,” I add, for whose sake I don’t know.
But then again, maybe I should let go of my resentment to the kids who weren’t at fault for how much my father loved them. It’s not like they ever tried to push me out of the family.
I did it all on my own when I didn’t accept them.
“Well, fine. I wouldn’t like to see my boyfriend in another’s man arms either,” he says with a wink and takes a large sip from the glass I refused. “Besides, I think Felicia is going to explode with worry if they chat a minute longer.”
Yeah, what the fuck was she thinking anyway, sending her fiancé to entertain mine?
I notice Felicia rushing toward me from the left, although relief is flashing in her face when I come between the couple, gently wrapping my hand around Phoenix’s shoulder, who gasps in surprise at seeing me but doesn’t resist the hold.
At least we have that; otherwise, I’m not sure I could have stayed sane in this situation. “Sebastian, thank you for occupying my fiancée while I was away,” I say loud enough for everyone to hear, so they won’t have any reason to gossip about us. “It’s good to know you can always count on family.”
“Pleasure was all mine,” he replies, although an odd expression crosses his face as he studies me for a second before a smile flashes across it. “Congrats once again, Zachary. Take good care of her.” He extends his hand to me, and I shake it in time for Felicia to join us, hooking her arm on Sebastian’s.
“How did the conversation with Dad go?” she asks and then shakes her head. “Actually, don’t answer. Instead, promise to come to my art gallery. We’ll have a music show there too.”
Phoenix blinks at this and then murmurs, “Well, that sounds lovely, but I’m not sure Zach and I—”
“I got the invitation. I’ll come.” Felicia’s jaw drops open at this, and I close it with my index finger. “I know it’s important to you.” I’m not sure how an elder brother acts in this case, but I decide to make an effort with them all from now on, accepting the olive branch they’ve been extending for years.
Not that one little conversation with my dad opened my eyes to my wrong doings or anything, some sort of grand epiphany.
However, maybe the time has come to indeed grow up and, in this, not ruin with my resentment the family my daughter will grow up in.