Wrapped in You (24 page)

Zach nodded, shifting on his side so he could face her fully. “Yeah. It was time he knew. Even if he never forgives me for that night, even if he hates me forever, I needed him to know. I didn't realize it until I was talking to Brock about Chelsea and our family. I do love my brothers, even if I want to punch them on occasion.”

The second Sophie's eyes filled, Zach cursed. “Don't cry. There's nothing to cry about.”

A smile spread across her face as a tear slid down her cheek. “After all this time, you and Liam may have a chance at a relationship not centered around bitterness and guilt. I'm so glad you guys talked, so happy Brock was there to witness this, even though he has no idea what a milestone he witnessed.”

It wasn't news that Sophie had forgiven him long ago. She'd never blamed him, never acted as if he'd ruined her life or held a grudge for that night. Proof she was a better person than he was, because if the tables were turned, he honestly didn't know if he could do the same.

“Were you ever angry with me?” he asked before he could stop himself. “I know you never took your anger out on me. Maybe because I avoided you for so long after the accident, but did you ever hate me?”

Blinking the tears away, Sophie shook her head. “Never.”

“How could you not?” he whispered.

Propping herself up on her elbow, her head resting on her fisted hand, she reached out and traced the back of his scarred knuckles. “Because of this. You never intentionally hurt us, and when I woke up after my surgeries at the hospital, I was told you busted out the glass to go get help. You saved my life. You saved Liam's life.”

Zach swallowed the lump of guilt. He was moving on, airing out the past, and guilt had no place . . . not if he wanted a future with this beautiful, forgiving woman at his side.

“Had I not been showing off, had I let Liam drive like he'd asked, I wouldn't have had to worry about saving your lives.”

Zach had replayed that night so many damn times over the last decade. Liam had been perfectly sober, but Zach had a new truck and wasn't about to let Liam drive it. Hell no, not when Sophie had been smiling at him all night, and Zach figured once they dropped Liam off there might be more than just flirting.

But that never happened.

“I'm sorry I turned you away when you came to see me,” he went on. If they were going to pull everything out into the open, he needed to dredge up every single aspect. “I was humiliated. I didn't want you to see me there, and I had no clue how you'd react once you saw me. Had I looked at you and seen hate, I don't think I could've gotten through that year. I knew in my heart I'd never have a chance with you, but I just couldn't handle knowing you hated me.”

Sophie slid her hands over his shoulders, easing him back down onto the pillow. Her entire body covered his as she rested her elbows on either side of his head and looked him straight in the eye.

“I have never hated you. Ever. I've loved you since the moment we met. I loved how you treated Chelsea like she was precious, and then you were a hard-ass with your brothers. I loved how you made me feel, like you were interested in me but weren't quite sure how to approach me. You were everything from tough to vulnerable, and I loved every single layer.”

Sophie slid her lips over his, straddling his hips before sitting up. “I don't want to talk about the past. I want to live right here, right now with you in my bed and know that we have a future.”

Before he could respond, her doorbell rang. Sophie jerked as if she'd been caught doing . . . what? This was her own house and if she wanted to spend her morning making love, then she had every right.

“Expecting company?” Zach asked, quirking a brow.

“No.”

Sophie contemplated ignoring the uninvited guest, but the bell chimed again.

“Seriously,” she muttered, climbing out of bed. She jerked her robe off the hook on the back of her door and threw it on, knotting it in a hurry. “I'll be back. Don't move.”

Zach laced his hands behind his head and smiled. With the sheet draped around his waist, his ink and his muscular chest on display, Sophie had a hard time turning to leave.

Flynn was stretching in the hall as the doorbell chimed for a third time. Who in the world needed to see her at nine o'clock on a Saturday morning? Clearly someone who had no manners.

The second she flicked her lock and eased her door open, her heart stopped.

“I was beginning to think you weren't home.”

Sophie had to step aside as her mother and father charged right through her door. But when her mother gasped, Sophie glanced down the hall and spotted Zach wearing nothing but a sheet wrapped around his waist.

Wasn't this going to be fun?

“Mom, Dad, if you want to sit in the living room I'll be right back.” Because excusing yourself to go get underwear on and have your lover put on clothes was perfectly normal. “Give me five minutes.”

“Sophie Ann,” her mother gasped. “Tell me this isn't what I think it is.”

Sophie couldn't help but laugh as her mother's wide eyes darted to Zach. Her father crossed his arms, his jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. Yeah, they were angry, but this was her house, her life, and if she wanted to sleep with Zach then that was really none of their business.

She wished she'd ignored the persistent doorbell now.

“If you think Zach spent the night, then you're right.” Sophie turned toward Zach, who still clutched the twisted sheet at his side. Just as she started toward him, she threw a glance back at her mother. “I don't need, nor do I want your opinion.”

Sophie's mom gripped her arm before she could move away. “After all this time, are you still this careless? This hung up on a man who ruined your life?”

Sophie glanced to Zach, but he'd closed himself off again. She couldn't read his stony expression, and after all that had happened with them in the last few weeks, she prayed to God this was not going to be a setback.

Pulling her arm free, Sophie rounded on her mother as she pulled her robe tighter over her chest. “What I'm doing with my life now is not your concern. I know you love me, but Zach and I have something and—”

“No.” Her mother cut her off with a shake of her head, holding both hands up. “No, Sophie. Do you forget what you went through because of this man's recklessness? The surgeries, the therapy?”

“That's enough,” Sophie stated.

“Or maybe you forgot that a family was stolen from you, since you can't have children.”

Dread consumed her. Heat washed over her as she froze in place. Of all the things her mother could've said, Sophie never expected her to play the infertile card. But the woman was desperate to crush everything that Sophie wanted with Zach.

Risking a glance at Zach confirmed her mother's jab had hit home. He barely looked at her before turning and disappearing into her room.

Anger flooded through Sophie as she whirled on her mother. “Get out. Your damage has been done.”

“Honey, your mother—”

“Don't defend her, Dad. Both of you just go.”

Sophie pushed past her mother and jerked the door open. Crossing her arms, she stared down the hall, knowing full well that Zach was now getting dressed and had most likely fully detached himself from any emotions he'd been feeling only moments ago in her bed. She wanted to go back thirty minutes, she wanted to be snuggled up against Zach's warm body, talking about the Sunset Lake house, Brock, or anything else that pertained to the happy life they were just getting started with.

Sophie didn't even spare her parents a look as they passed through the door. She couldn't focus on anything other than getting back to Zach, talking to him to see what he was thinking, if he would even open up to her. For so long he'd felt so guilty for causing her limp. How would he react to discovering her infertility, a result of the emergency surgery after the accident?

Once on the porch, Sophie's mother started to say something, but Sophie cut her off.

“We're done for now,” Sophie said before closing the door and flicking the lock back into place.

It was no secret her parents didn't like Zach, but Sophie hadn't expected them to find out about this newfound relationship this way. She'd been unprepared, and now she had some damage to clean up. In all honesty, she would've told them in her own time, in her own way. But their surprise visit ruined everything . . . literally.

Heart beating fast, Sophie stepped into the bedroom just as Zach was tugging his shirt down his abs. He searched the room until he found his socks and boots. Sophie crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame. He knew she stood there, she could tell by his tense shoulders and his jerky movements, yet he never made eye contact.

Fear flooded her, but they'd come too far for her to let him back away now. He loved her, and she was holding on to those precious words. Zach wouldn't have told her his feelings if he hadn't truly meant them, and she could tell by the way he'd loved her all night, the way he'd treated her so delicately, as if she were everything to him.

“Don't let my parents ruin this.”

Zach paused in tying up his work boot. “They didn't ruin it. They opened my eyes to reality.”

Sophie gripped the material on her arms, but didn't move into the room. Zach needed space, she could give him that, but she was blocking his only exit. They were going to talk and he wasn't about to run just because things were uncomfortable now. Okay, that was a major understatement, but how did she put into words how their relationship had just taken another drastic turn?

“This didn't change anything,” she said, needing him to know she meant every word. “I'm the same person you spent the night with. I'm the same woman you claim to love.”

Pushing off her bed, Zach propped his hands on his narrow hips and finally met her gaze. Everything he'd been feeling last night was gone, she could see it in the pity staring back at her. The guilt-ridden Zach had returned, and in the span of only minutes, their relationship had taken a major nosedive.

“I don't want pity.” She tipped her chin and squared her shoulders. “Don't look at me like that.”

“Why didn't you tell me you couldn't have children?”

Sun flooded through the slats of her blinds. She'd never be able to look at them again without hearing Zach tell her to open them so he could see her naked in the moonlight. He'd filled her bedroom, her home, her heart, and now she had to fight to keep him there.

“I would've,” she admitted, realizing at some point she wouldn't have been able to keep it from him any longer, not with the way their relationship was going. “I never said anything before because nobody knew other than my doctors and my parents. Chelsea didn't even know. I couldn't risk her telling you.”

Zach raked a hand over his beard. “Damn it,” he muttered, then started to pace her room. He reminded Sophie of a caged animal. There was so much rage, so much anger in him, and he no doubt directed all his negative feelings toward himself. Right now he was doing the blame game again, reliving that night. Still, no matter how many times he went over what happened, it wouldn't change her feelings.

He stopped just beside her window, his back to her as he looked out onto her yard. “So you had more than a pin put in your hip from the accident.”

Sophie didn't respond. Zach wasn't asking, he was working through the demons that had reared their ugly heads.

He slammed the side of his fist against the wall. Sophie couldn't handle the separation another second. As she crossed the room, Flynn darted in and scurried beneath her bed. Sophie would love nothing more than to hide, but ignoring feelings and shutting everyone out was the crux of the problem here.

“Don't, Sophie.” Zach didn't turn, but he stopped her with his low, hurt tone. “Don't come closer, don't touch me.”

She continued to move toward him until she was right behind him. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she laid her cheek against his taut back.

“I won't let you push me away.”

He didn't reach down to touch her joined hands, but he didn't step away either. A minor victory in her fight.

“I'm not pushing you away,” he corrected. “I'm facing facts. We can't be together. You know that.”

Sophie squeezed him tighter for a moment before dropping her arms. She wanted him more than her next breath, but she refused to be a clinging woman or someone who used guilt to keep a man.

“I don't know any such thing,” she countered as she took a step back. “At least look at me if you're going to end things. If everything we did last night doesn't matter to you, then look me in the eyes when you tell me you're leaving.”

He might be hurting, but she was getting a good dose of mad going right now. How dare he let her go because he was afraid, because he was feeling guilt, or whatever the hell excuse he was going to use.

Slowly, Zach turned. She almost felt bad for the tired look on his face, but she refused to let him go down this path again.

“Everything we did matters, Soph.” He started to reach a hand out, but shoved both into his pockets. “I'm not saying this meant nothing. What we did meant everything and I do love you. But knowing I literally stole everything from you, your goals for the future, your family, I can't be here.”

Sophie listened to his words, his excuses, and something hit her she hadn't thought of before. “Do you not want to be with me because I can't have children? I guess I hadn't thought you would want your own—”

Zach reached for her, gripping her arms. “No. Never once even think that. I would never bring a child into this world. Not with my genes.”

Sophie waited for him to elaborate. He'd mentioned his past a few times over the years, but now she wanted to know more.

“Your life with the Monroes changed the man you are,” she told him. “Whatever was passed to you biologically shouldn't have you this afraid.”

Zach snorted. “I'm not afraid. I'm not running from anything and I'm not having this discussion.”

He started to step around her, but Sophie moved to block him. “What did they do to you?” She laid her hand over his heart. “What was so bad that you won't talk about it, that you won't even let me in?”

Zach closed his eyes, sighed, and turned away from her. “My father had women. It was like a revolving door at our apartment. When my mother was home, she was too strung out to care or she had her own share of men.”

Sophie didn't know if she was more shocked at the story itself or that he was finally telling her what happened.

“My dad finally disappeared one day. I assume he went off with one of his women.” Zach raked his hand over the back of his neck and turned to face her. “For the next two years my mom would come and go, mentally and physically. We moved around all over. Her drug habit had us getting kicked out of every place we stayed. Sometimes we'd sleep in the car, sometimes she'd prostitute herself out for a place to stay.”

Sophie swallowed, but kept her eyes locked on his. Reliving this part of his life wasn't easy, and she couldn't even fathom what his life had been like before the Monroes rescued him.

“More than once my mom offered me up. She didn't try until I was a teen, and by then I could fight. I was never . . .” Zach glanced away as if he couldn't look at her. “I wasn't sexually assaulted, but there were times I worried I wouldn't be able to fight everyone. Luckily I was old enough and fast enough to run away. I'd be gone a few hours, sometimes a whole day before I went back. I didn't know where else to go except the last place my mom was. By then they'd forgotten about me because they were high again.”

Just the thought of a young boy worried about such evil things hurt Sophie's heart. “How did you finally get away?”

“A cop drove by our car one day. I was sleeping in the backseat. Mom had parked illegally and that's what drew his attention. I'd been in the car for two days without her. I told the officer I hadn't seen her and he took me. I went into the system and hit the parent lottery. You know the rest.”

The way he summed everything up like he was relaying the plot of a bad movie proved just how detached he was from that life, from that young boy. He'd left that nightmare behind and he'd overcome all the ugly filth he'd endured.

“You're not your parents, Zach.” Sophie wrapped her arms around herself and tipped her head back as she stepped closer. “We both have things to overcome. You can let your past define you or you can choose to take control of your life. If you're so hell-bent on finding reasons to push me away, then go. Walk out that door, because you know what? Even with everything you just told me, and I believe you really condensed it, I still love you. Nothing has changed on my end. You're still Zach, the man I've loved for years despite all the reasons I shouldn't.”

Zach's phone vibrated on the nightstand by her bed. Neither glanced that way, but she knew he was pulling away from this situation.

“Being with you was more than I thought I'd ever have.” His eyes held hers, but he didn't reach for her like she'd hoped. “For a short time I let myself believe I could have a life with you, that loving you would be enough. But seeing you with your parents . . . I won't be the one to come between you guys and I can't love you in all the ways that you deserve. I would damn well try, but . . .”

The phone vibrated again and this time he went for it. When he answered, she could tell it was Liam on the other end. Sophie turned from the room and walked out. She couldn't be in there. Couldn't see him in her bedroom knowing he'd never be back.

She headed to her living room and stared out the wide front window. The sun was so bright and beautiful, totally opposite of all the hurt and darkness that had settled deep into her heart.

Zach's heavy footsteps hit the hardwood, growing louder as he approached. From the corner of her eye, she saw him in the foyer, standing in the doorway to the living room. Silence settled between them. A new level of fear weighed heavy in her heart.

“I know you think you need to go,” she said without turning. “But know this. I gave you ten years. I waited for you to come around for so long that I'm exhausted. If you walk out that door, if you leave with the knowledge that we love each other and this ending is all on you, then don't come back. You won't be welcome in my life again, Zach.”