Chapter Twenty-Three

Zach

After the meeting, Zach discussed the threats Mercer had made. “How did he know about my physical condition?” he asked Ethan who still sat across his desk.

“I don’t know. Maybe he has an insider? Then we have a mole in our midst. But who could help him out, who would want to stab a knife in his or her boss’s back?”

“We’ll have to find out, but first I need to go home and rest. I am spent, worn out. Did you get a bad gut feeling about those guys, by the way? I usually do, but as my senses are not working, I didn’t today.”

“Yes, I did. Romero is an unaffiliated mobster. Maybe a member of a group, but they’re not legitimate. They live by their own code. Mercer gives me that sense, too, but I don’t think he is one. I think he’s an outsider.”

“Did you see that Romero guy hitting on my assistant? I don’t know what came over me, I couldn’t stand it.”

Ethan leaned back in his chair and put his right foot up on his left knee. He looked Zach in the eye and raised one brow. “Jealous much, huh? Her name is Irene.”

“What, no! Well, maybe.” Zach was confused.

“You know what that could mean.” Ethan had a meaningful look in his eyes.

Zach’s eyes grew wide. “You mean…” He didn’t know what to say.

“Yes,” Ethan laughed. “Seriously, I haven’t seen you as confused as you are right now. Get yourself together and find out, man! There’s only one way to find out!”

A quiet knock interrupted their conversation. Irene came in again.

“Mr. Hunter, I wanted to let you know that I am going home now. Do you need anything before I leave?”

Ethan’s eyes grew wide when he recognized her voice, then he got up from his chair with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Before he turned to walk out the door, he gave Zach a thumbs up and a wink.

The door slammed shut behind him, leaving Zach and the assistant alone.

“Er, I…” Zach was annoyed with himself. When this woman was with him, he didn’t seem to know how to form a proper sentence. “Can you come here for a second?” He carefully stood up as she walked to him.

“Yes?” She looked at him questioningly.

“I, er…” His legs almost gave out on him, leaving him wobbling on his feet. He reached out his hand for support, and she grabbed it and put it on her shoulder.

“Sorry,” he said. “I don’t feel so good today.”

The hand on her shoulder tingled where he touched her.

“No worries,” she smiled politely. “I’ve got you.”

“What I wanted to say…” He hesitated. He’d never been so insecure, and he hated it. “I, er…” He looked into her eyes. Her beautiful eyes seemed to draw him in, making him lean forward. Getting closer to her face.

He looked at her lips, so soft, so kissable. Before he knew it, he’d closed his eyes and touched her lips lightly with his own, breezing over them. He was right—they were soft, so soft.

When he felt that she didn’t pull back, he held the back of her head with his free hand and pulled her closer to him, kissing her passionately now.

The tingles increased, the comfortable warmth he’d felt before coming back, giving him the confirmation that he needed, and now he wanted more.

When he felt her pulling away, he let her go again, almost intoxicated by the kiss. He gazed at her and stroked her cheek. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered.

She pushed him away from her and frowned. “Excuse me.” She looked down at her feet, her cheeks turning a beautiful shade of red. “Did you need anything else, sir?”

“Miss, er, Turner, right?”

“Yes.” She looked up, confusion clear in her eyes.

“I am sorry, I am making you uncomfortable. Would you like to go out to dinner with me sometime? When I am feeling better, of course.” It was easy to see the hope in his eyes.

“Didn’t you say you didn’t allow relationships in the workplace?” she teased, and smiled a little.

“I did. Goodness, I’m going against my own rules.” He laughed and stepped back to sit down in his chair. He couldn’t keep himself standing up any longer, but he longed for her touch again.

“I’ll go with you on a date, but only when you’re better. I can see you’re not feeling well.”

“Oh, you made my whole day so much better! You have no idea,” he said, and he smiled widely. He felt like a kid who had gotten a long-awaited gift.

“I’ll ask Ethan for your phone number and call you when I’m feeling better, is that alright?”

“That is fine by me.” She smiled in a friendly way, then she turned around and walked away. At the door, she turned back around. “Good evening, Mr. Hunter.”

“Good evening, Miss Turner.” He sighed and smiled happily.

After Irene left, Zach immediately headed home. He lay in his bed, lying on his stomach, recuperating. It was around eight o’clock when Ethan knocked on his bedroom door and stepped in. “Zach, are you awake?”

Zach lifted his head up from his pillow. “Yeah, I am,” he groaned.

“You need to eat something. Do you think you can get out of bed and sit up to eat? I got some food delivered from your favorite restaurant.”

“I’m not hungry.” Zach groaned and tried to lie on his side, showing his back to Ethan.

“You need to eat; you won’t heal if you don’t eat. Your strength won’t be coming back.”

“I know, now leave me alone.”

“Zach! Get out of your bed and eat! Now!” Ethan bellowed, his authoritative underboss tone coming through.

Zach leaped up, anger visible in his eyes. “How dare you!”

He raised his finger up to Ethan; he was fuming now. “How dare you use that tone against me, I am still your boss!” But his finger started to tremble, and he was panting heavily.

Ethan smirked. “Gotcha. At least you’re up now.”

“Damn it, Ethan, not funny. I feel like crap.” He was still out of breath.

“Come on, let’s eat something. You’re up now anyway. I’ll help you.”

“It’s time I heal. I don’t want to feel pathetic and weak. I don’t want to need help for everything I need to do.”

“I understand, but you have no other option than to go through this.”

Zach groaned again but tried to get up from his bed. “Can you help me? I feel like my legs are about to give way.”

“Sure.” Ethan immediately came to his aid and supported him. Together they walked out of the bedroom into the living area.

“Hmm…” Zach sniffed. “That food smells good. Smells like smoked ribs and something like chicken. Wait, my smell is coming back!”

“You’re right.” Ethan smiled enthusiastically. “That is a good sign!”

Ethan helped Zach to his chair and when Ethan sat down, he asked Zach, “So, when did you plan on returning to the compound?”

“We’ll stay the night here in the city, but tomorrow morning we’ll head home. I need the peace and quiet to get myself healed and I am waiting for Jordyn’s test results.”

“Great.” Ethan smiled. “Then you can tell me everything about what happened with Irene.” They ate together in comfortable silence, enjoying their delicious food.