Page 26 of Furious (The Six Six Six Rule #2)
Things Have Changed
ZARA
M y hand is on the passenger seat door even before the car has completely stopped.
The night has almost completely receded and there isn’t a cloud in the blue sky.
I wish I was as serene as the weather, but a storm of fear and worry is raging inside my chest.
“Where are you going?” I ask, when Lev climbs out of the car.
“I’m coming in with you.”
I rush out and run after him as he strides toward the front door. “No, wait. I’ll be ok. I don’t need you to come in.”
Rather than kissing me goodbye and walking back to his car, he laces his fingers with mine. “I know you don’t need me to, but I’m still coming in with you.”
He sounds determined, but I still argue. “Lev, seriously. I…”
My voice cracks as anxiety constricts my throat.
I don’t know what kind of reaction Mom will have.
The truth is that I’m scared. Not that she would physically harm me, she wouldn’t do that.
Last time, she slapped me once across the face.
I was angry, but I understood why she reacted the way she did.
She had been worried sick, especially when I didn’t answer my phone.
In a way, even though I like to think that I would never hit my own child, I know she did that because she was scared, furious, and relieved at the same time that I was still breathing.
I’m not scared of the physical harm she could cause me, but if she had a similar reaction to the last time, I don’t want Lev to witness it.
He sees me as this hot, sexy, slightly wild woman. He sees me the way I want to be. Not like someone who still gets yelled at by her mom.
“Lev.” I insist when he doesn’t budge. “It’s seriously fine. My mom might be a little mad, but she’ll get over it. I don’t want her to bother you, too.”
His answer surprises me. “I want to be bothered, Zee. We fell asleep together, so I’m as responsible as you are.”
“But she might yell at me.” I finally admit. “I don’t want you to see me as the kind of girl who still gets yelled at by her mom.”
He cups my jaw, caressing me with gentle, slightly rough fingers.
“I don’t care about that. Her reaction will say something about her, not about you.
But I don’t want her to think I’m the kind of guy who would let his girl face any difficult situation by herself.
I know that you don’t need my protection, but I’m gonna protect you, anyway.
Because I fucking care. What kind of shitty boyfriend walks away at the first sign of trouble?
Whether it’s an upset parent, a broken condom or any other problem?
I’m not with you just for the fun times, Zee.
I’m with you even when the going gets tough, and I want your mom and Scott to know that. ”
If I wasn’t still worried about what awaits me once I walk into the house, I would just kiss the shit out of him right now.
“Ok.” I say softly. “But just know that if you want to bail at any time, I won’t judge you for it.”
His lips curl up in a sexy smile. “Noted.”
ZARA
“Zara! I’m so glad you’re ok.” Mom runs into the foyer the second I unlock the door, and pulls me into her arms.
She looks tired. She changed out of last night’s cocktail dress, but the shadows under her eyes tell me that she didn’t get any sleep.
“I’m so sorry, Mom.” I say honestly. “Lev and I lost track of time and we must have fallen asleep. I?—”
“Where were you?” she asks, sounding more worried than angry.
Lev intervenes. “We were at my house, Kelly. I’m sorry. It’s my fault for not noticing how late it was.”
Scott comes out of the kitchen, stopping by Mom’s side. “Were you really at your house? When you didn’t come home and neither of you answered your phones, I sent Chance to check if you were there, but he said your car wasn’t in the driveway.”
Lev grabs the back of his neck, his tone apologetic. “Go figure. The one time I park in the garage. I’m sorry, Scott.”
Chance comes down the stairs. “Hey dude. Thank you for texting me back. These two were going insane. They even had Ares drive around town and all the way back to your old house in Shell Cove, just in case you had gone to see your old best friend.”
“Seriously? Why didn’t you ring the doorbell or use the spare key card I gave you?” Lev asks.
“I tried. Neither worked.”
Understanding dawns on Lev’s face. “Shit. Sorry I forgot my parents had some landscaping done and there was some damage to the electrical system, so they had a new house alarm system installed and new keys. I was supposed to give you one, but I forgot.”
Everyone seems relieved rather than upset.
“Ok. I guess I should message your parents to tell them to disregard my previous message.” Scott exhales. “I tried to get ahold of them to see if they had heard from you or if they had any notifications from the house security system, but my messages haven’t been read.”
Lev shakes his head. “You know how they get if they’re preparing for a trial.
I know they have some big insider trading case in San Francisco opening next week and they must have gone back to work after showing their faces at the Pullins’ party.
The second they’re back into their offices, they put their phones on do not disturb for everyone except me and their important clients.
The office is technically closed, so they don’t get disturbed, as any calls to the landline would get the automated answering machine. ”
Mom sighs as she addresses Lev. “Right. Your mom was telling me how busy they are with this case. They have a team of associates who are helping with a lot of the ground work, but there are boxes and boxes of paperwork to check, so they need all hands on deck, partners included. I’m not surprised they didn’t answer. ”
Lev apologizes again. “I’m so sorry. We went to get that frozen custard I promised Zara, but the place was crowded, so we decided to go eat it at my house and watch a movie. We fell asleep. I hope you aren’t going to hold this against me. I hate the idea that we caused you so much worry.”
Mom smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
“I know it wasn’t intentional, Lev. You’re going to understand one day when you’re parents.
When your kids are small, it’s much easier.
When they grow up, you have to accept that you’re no longer able to protect them from the rest of the world.
That’s the hardest thing to deal with. So I know a curfew would be ridiculous, since you’re both adults.
But would I be out of line if I asked you to let me know next time you’re at your house?
Like that, if you fall asleep, I’ll know you’re safe. ”
Lev nods. “Yes ma’am. We’ll make sure to let you know. I’m very sorry for tonight.”
There’s a moment of silence and the air in the large foyer of Scott’s house is charged with tension.
Scott breaks the silence. “I guess since we’re all up, we could have an early breakfast. Lev, will you be joining us?”
He looks at me and I shrug. It’s up to him if he wants to stay. But if he felt like he needs to get out of here, I wouldn’t blame him.
“Thanks, Scott, that would be awesome. Chance and I have morning skate in a couple of hours anyway, so I was going to swing by to pick him up. I always have my bag in my trunk, so I don’t even need to stop back at the house.”
Scott gives him a fatherly slap on the back. “Good thinking. Harrison and I used to play together in New York back in the day. He was our team captain, and he was a hard ass back then, too. I heard all sorts of stories about how strict he is as a coach.”
Lev chuckles. “Yeah, we heard the same stories, too. I hope we never get to experience his famous punishments first hand.”
As Scott, Lev, and Chance make their way to the kitchen, Mom gets my attention by touching my biceps. “I’m sure you’re going to want to change out of that dress. Do you mind if I come with you? I would like to talk for a second.”