Page 49 of Zombie

My mind raced as I replayed his words in my head.

He’d said “Dad.” My heart dropped to my stomach as the ramifications sunk in. Dante must be Anthony Ricci’s son, and he was absolutely talking to a very-much-alive Sarah.

THIRTY-SEVEN

ZOMBIE

I left the comforts of my home, away from my woman, to come deal with something that was weighing on me. The past month had been amazing with Lennie; however, I felt like I was wearing a mask, and it was killing me. I felt like my code name, a real Zombie in the land of the living. My only will to live came from Lennie and now also Georgy. I tried to hold onto my love for her; however, the longer I kept my secret, the less alive I felt. I worried that I was never going to free the shackles off Cassie and Ryann and also myself.

I’d spent the last month tending to Sarah’s needs and the needs of the customers who were now growing more impatient. But tonight, I’d had it. I was going to make Sarah aware who she was fucking with. I had played her game long enough and it was time for me to take my big next move and show her who was really in charge.

I walked down the dimly lit hallway that smelled of rot and decay before reaching the sterile room. When I reached the door, I saw Sarah lying there on the bed, gasping for breath even with an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. Burns covered seventy percent of her body. And even with as much training as I had, I wasn’t sure if she would succumb to her extensive wounds.

She had gotten burned during the warehouse explosion when the Elite Squad was saving Lilly. As suspected, due to her poor planning she had not gotten far enough away from the blast that she herself set off.

I walked in, savoring how her eyes bulged when she saw me. She knew who I was, what I represented. Who I was supposed to be. What belonged to me.

“Looks like you’re comfortable,” I said sarcastically.

She just stared at me. Her eyes were a stark contrast to my own. I walked closer.

“It’s time for you to take a step back and let the real heir take control.” I looked over all the cords and machines hooked up to her body. It wouldn’t be long now. “Someone needs to clean up your and dear ole dad’s fuck-ups.”

Sarah tried to move but was unsuccessful.

“I didn’t come here to ask for permission. I came here to tell you,” I hissed.

I was the perfect man for the job. At this point I couldn’t live with myself and the lies I kept spewing. They tasted like acid every time they came out of my mouth. I had lost my humanity. My will to live. I was already dead inside, and you couldn’t kill what was already gone.

After I finished my visit with Sarah, I went home and snuggled the only person in this world that I loved more than anything. I just wondered how long I could go on lying to her before all hell broke loose. But I had to get some sleep. Tomorrow was Kade and Evelyn’s wedding. I needed to make sure I didn’t look like an actual Zombie when we went to it.

THIRTY-EIGHT

ZOMBIE

Kade and Evelyn’s wedding was hosted an hour outside the city at a country club. I picked Lennie up outside her condo, where I had dropped her off early this morning to get into her bridesmaid dress. My breath hitched when I saw her in a gorgeous navy floor-length satin gown. She met my gaze as I opened the door and I couldn’t help but notice that her smile didn’t reach her eyes.

My unease only grew when we got to the venue of the wedding and she had barely said two words to me. Something was wrong, but there wasn’t much I could do at the moment.

Without so much as a hug or kiss, Lennie went to go meet the bride and the other bridesmaids while I headed to the ceremony area. The time before the wedding started seemed to drag as I stewed in my seat. White roses cascaded over the aisle and altar while hundreds of people filled the empty guest seats and in no time the festivities began.

Lennie looked stunning standing up at the altar holding her white rose bouquet.

The fall air was cool, but my body remained warm with my love for Lennie. It made me think about when I would make her a bride and see her standing there in a white dress.

Evelyn and Kade exchanged their own vows as baby Emery sat in the front pew on Chief’s lap. Thankfully, the ceremony was short.

During the cocktail hour, Lennie barely spoke to me, even after she was done with photos. Instead, she was mingling with other guests as I stayed in the corner drinking a beer, racking my brain for what could be wrong.

During dinner, we sat together with my arm around the back of her chair. Everyone knew at this point we were together; even if they didn’t, there was no way I could keep my hands to myself. Lennie was just too beautiful. We were like magnets, always pulling together.

Lennie kept up her usual charm, laughing and smiling at those sitting with us as she continued conversations with them. The only person she wasn’t talking to was me, and it was starting to get to me more and more.

Unease filled my gut when I placed a kiss on her temple, and instead of looking at me, she continued talking to Gwen and Ollie. Once the party was in full swing, I hoped that I could get her alone so I could figure out what was going on.

I watched Lennie swaying on the dance floor with her friends until I couldn’t take it anymore. I walked over and put my lips against her ear. “Can we talk, please?”

She gave me an uneasy stare before nodding and following me out to the patio. The string lights reflected in her eyes, making them sparkle even more than usual, and in the soft lighting her features appeared almost airbrushed.