I check over my shoulder to see if she’s stirring. Once I pour the water into the machine and turn it on, I sit on the stool by the bar with a heavy breath. “I can’t take credit for this one. When I got here, she was passed out in the bathtub.”
“You’re going to have to break her from that before she drowns herself,” Jax huffs. He’s always trying to save someone. “Zoey said she’s been working a lot.”
“Yeah, that’s what she’s been telling me all week too, but she’s failed to mention what she’s been working on.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Pretty sure she’s fighting,” I tell him as I listen to the coffee pot growl out its last bit. “She has bruises everywhere.”
I can see Jax’s eyebrows furrow almost as if he were sitting right in front of me. I know they’d match the furrow on my own. “Thought she quit that.”
“She did a while back, but apparently she’s doing it again. That’s the only way to explain all the bruises.”
“Unless something else happened,” he growls.
I can’t deny the idea didn’t appear in my head the minute I laid eyes on the bruises, but I know that’s not what this is. “No. That’s not what’s going on here. What I don’t get is why she hasn’t said anything to me.”
“I’m sure she didn’t meannotto tell you, Zee. You said it yourself. You’ve barely had time to talk this week.”
I rake my hands through my hair. My gut tells me there is more to this than it just slipping her mind, but I can’t exactly start accusing her of shit. Can I?
I hear the sound of her light footsteps coming up the hallway. “Tori’s awake so I gotta go. I’ll call you later, Jay.”
She walks into the kitchen wearing nothing but her panties and a tight gray tank top. Her hair looks like the rats didn’t just make the nest but they’re still living there. Dark circles line her eyes and she’s stumbling like she’s been drinking all morning.
Butfuckshe’s never been more beautiful.
“Good mornin’, Darlin’,” I tell her sliding a cup of coffee over to her.
“Mmm,” she moans as she sips the hot coffee. “Why did you let me sleep so late?” she asks with the sexy rasp of sleep.
“Because you were already sleeping in the bathtub when I got here, and then I kept you up longer. You looked like you needed the sleep.”
She sucks in a breath that makes those perky tits of hers swell and rise then releases it. Like she’s trying to cleanse herself. “I do need the sleep, but I don’t have time. I have clients all day.” She looks up at me over her coffee cup with a sigh. “I’m sorry I can’t spend more time with you. Not really worth the trip huh?”
I walk around her small little island then pull her to me. “Darlin’ five minutes is worth the trip.”
“It’s really not, Zee, but I’m glad you came anyway. I missed you.”
That. That is all I need to hear to make the trip worth it. Not just the words but the fact she’s admitting it. We’ve definitely come a long way the last few months.
“Go do what you gotta do, Baby. I’ll find something to keep myself busy.”
“My day is pretty full, but I can probably find some time for a late lunch around two. Sound good?”
“Perfect. Now go get ready. I’ll make you breakfast.”
She raises that blond brow that’s actually several shades darker than her nearly white hair. “You can cook?”
“Don’t look so surprised,” I scoff.
“It’s just that we always eat out.”
She right. We do eat out a lot when I’m here, but that’s because I want to take her out. Show her off. Not to mention she has very little food in this apartment which is what I tell her.
“I guess you’re right about that. I do eat a lot of take-out but I’m not usually here a lot.”
“Go,” I tell her turning her back toward the bedroom with a slap on the ass.
