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She surged forward and took his hand.“I’m here, Zach.No matter what, we’ll deal with it together.”She knew, unequivocally, that the man she loved, the man who treated her like she was the most precious thing in his life, wasn’t a killer.Whatever else was out there, she was sure she could deal with it.
His fingers grasped her, meshing painfully around hers.“I’m holding you to that, baby.I can’t… I won’t live without you,” he whispered raggedly.
She rose and launched herself at him.He pulled her into his lap and buried his face against her chest, his breath heaving as his body shook.They remained like that for a full minute before he slowly lifted his head.
The anguish hadn’t abated, but it had eased a little.
“Are you ready?”she asked.
He nodded.
She took and held on to his hand as they left the room.
Stanley led them two doors down to another conference room.
Three people were seated inside.The older couple were clearly Farrah’s parents.The older woman’s resemblance to her dead daughter was acute.
Stanley made the introductions.Fawad and Nabila Nisa didn’t offer to shake hands, and neither did their son, Karim.Pure hatred bristled from the younger man the moment he turned his black eyes toward Zach, and it ramped up a few thousand degrees when he saw their joined hands.
Zach pulled out a chair for her, opposite the trio on the other side of the conference table, and sat without letting go of her hand.She knew he craved the support, but it helped her just as much.
Stanley Reed took his place at the head of the table and cleared his throat.“Shall we get started?”
Nabila made a tiny rough sound beneath her breath.Raising her head, she glanced at Zach.
Bethany’s breath caught as she witnessed the emotion in the woman’s eyes.Pain, raw and hellish and all-consuming.But as she watched her, another emotion flared up.It took a few seconds for Bethany to recognize it.
Her eyes were pleading with Zach—a desperate plea for salvation.For mercy.
Zach returned her stare, his face twisting with regret for a moment before he glanced at Stanley.
“Bethany, Zach has asked me to draw up non-disclosure papers for you to look over.As you probably know, they involve Farrah Nisa, his wife”—he paused as Karim snorted—“and the circumstances of her death.Are you prepared to consider the papers?”
Her eyes darted to Zach.Grey eyes locked with hers.“It’s totally your call.But it’s… easier this way.”
“Easier for you to lock her in a world of secrets and lies, you mean?”Karim blasted from across the table.
Zach froze.His eyes turned bullet lethal as they rested on Karim.“Do not push me, Karim.You already stepped way out of line when you decided to come after Bethany.”
Fawad Nisa frowned.“What did you do, Karim?”
Karim’s jaw clenched.“She needs to know the kind of man he is,” he shot back.
“I know everything I need to know about the kind of man he is,” Bethany inserted.
Five pairs of eyes turned to her.Zach’s eyes held desolation, gratitude and fear.Her lips pursed.It was time to end this, to work on making her man whole again.
She glanced at Stanley.“What do I need to do?”
He opened the black folder in front of him and slid papers across the desk.
“You sign the agreement, then Zach is free to tell you everything you want to know.”
“No,” Zach bit out, his eyes still on her.“I tell her before she signs.”
“No chance in hell is that happening.”Karim’s eyes narrowed on Bethany.“And before you consider signing the document that’ll lock you into a sordid world of secrets and lies, let me tell who exactly it is that you’re sleeping with.”
“Karim.”Zach’s voice throbbed with warning.