Sky’s P. O. V.
“Sky, I can’t believe you were just about to have your father arrested-”
“Don’t,” I cut him off. “Just don’t call yourself my father. You’ve lost that right. And you should be grateful you’re standing alive in front of me.”
I see the flicker of fear in his eyes. He knows I’m serious. He knows that if it weren’t for the law restraining me, I would have ended him right here, right now.
“Enjoy your freedom while it lasts,” I assert, keeping my rage-filled eyes fixed on him. “Because it won’t last long. I’m going to find the proof, and when I do, you’ll pay for every single thing you did to her.”
He takes a step closer, his voice lowering to a sinister whisper. “You’re making a mistake, Sky. Do you think you can fight me? Bring me down? Don’t you know how powerful I am?”
“Don’t you know what I’m capable of?” I question him back, my deadly glare glued to him. “My dear father, I’ll become more powerful than you. I won’t stop until you’re behind bars, where you belong.”
“I’m sure you’ll regret this one day for going against your father. That girl is going to betray you like her mother did to me.”
Listening to his words, my brows narrow in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that I kidnapped Zoe because I wanted to protect you. Her mother was my girlfriend, but she slept with my best friend. Zoe is going to cheat on you, just like her mother.”
What is he saying? Zoe’s mother… his girlfriend? None of this makes any sense. I stare at him, my eyes wide in shock.
My father explains, “I was fine when Zoe was just your friend, but when I saw how attached you got to her, I had to kidnap her and make sure she never returned to your life.”
“You’re lying,” I speak, my voice low and dangerous. “You’re just trying to manipulate me, trying to twist the truth to justify what you did to Zoe.”
He shrugs. “Believe what you want, Sky. But the truth remains. Her mother was a whore who broke my heart, and Zoe is bound to follow in her footsteps. You’re a fool if you think she’ll stay loyal to you. She is-”
“Just shut the fuck up, Mr. Williams,” I roar, losing my temper. I point a finger at him and warn him, “Don’t you dare say a word against Zoe. You’ve already done something for which I want to burn you alive. Just don’t push me any further, or you’ll find out exactly how far I’m willing to go to protect her.”
He scoffs. “You’re blind in love with her, Sky. That’s why right now, I’m the culprit in your eyes. When Zoe betrays you as her mother did, then you’ll understand.”
“Even if what you’re saying is true,” I say through gritted teeth, “it doesn’t excuse your actions. Zoe isn’t her mother, and whatever happened in the past doesn’t justify what you did to her.”
He shakes his head. “Believe it or not. Zoe is just like her mother. You think you’re in love, but you’re blinded by it. One day, she’ll betray you, and when she does, you’ll realise that I was right all along. I’m only trying to protect you.”
“Protect me?” I sneer at him. “You’re not protecting me. You’re destroying everything good in my life. After destroying Zoe’s life, now you’re trying to justify it with some twisted logic.”
His expression hardens. “You’re being naive, Sky. You think love is enough, but it’s not. It’s a weakness, and it’s going to be your downfall.”
Oh God! Why am I even talking to this man?
“Whatever you think, I don’t care, Mr. Williams. But stay away from Zoe if you don’t want to be killed by your own son. If you try to hurt her again, I’ll break every bone in your body before burning you alive.”
Before he can say a word, I turn to leave because I can’t bear his presence any longer. I can’t believe that I just warned my own father. I never saw this day coming. But whatever happens, now my mission in life is to become more powerful than him and make him pay for his deeds.
***
Zoe’s P. O. V.
It’s been a week since Sky started living with me in my apartment as a friend. It’s hard-excruciatingly hard-for both of us to live like this, but we control ourselves. Sometimes it gets completely impossible to resist kissing each other’s lips.
It’s been a month since we last tasted each other’s lips, and the yearning is becoming unbearable. But I can’t give in to my desires because I can’t jeopardise Sky’s life. He is with me, and that’s enough for me.
And only because of Sky can I sleep peacefully at night this week after my kidnapping. I seriously have no clue what I would have done if he weren’t with me. I still sometimes feel like I’ll be dragged back into that hell. But Sky’s presence keeps those fears at bay. It’s like he knows exactly what I need without me having to say a word.
I sit in the living room, waiting for Sky to return. He has gone out for important work. It’s the last day he’s going to stay in my apartment with me. I don’t know how I’m going to live without him, but I’ll manage. If at night I can’t fall asleep, I’ll call Selena.
Everything is going to be fine, Zoe. You’ve gone through a lot, and this is nothing compared to that.
The doorbell rings, pulling me out of my thoughts, and I head to open the door.
As I open it, Sky whispers, “Hey.” He tries hard to smile, but fails miserably.
What happened to him? He seems upset. Extremely upset. Because he is the person whom I’ve seen smiling on the worst days. He is the strongest person I’ve ever seen in my life. Seeing him like this tears my heart.
He walks inside and settles down on the sofa. I head to the kitchen and return with a glass of water for him. He is staring straight ahead.
I place the glass on the table and rest my hand on his shoulder. “Sky, what happened?”
He raises his head to meet my eyes. “The cops didn’t arrest my father. They asked for proof,” he tells me, running his hand through his hair. “The police won’t arrest him even if I gather the proof. To make him pay, I need to become more powerful than him.”
The realisation that his father is still out there, free, makes my skin crawl. I want to ask him if he will try to hurt me again, but I stay silent because he is already dealing with his father’s betrayal. Now it’s my time to comfort him, and for that, I’ll do anything.
He shifts uncomfortably on the sofa, his eyes downcast. “Zoe…” His voice is a mere whisper, raw with emotion. “I need… I need to hold you. But only if you’re okay with it.”
“You don’t have to ask my permission, Sky. I’m all yours.” As soon as I whisper, he digs his face into my belly, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer.
His grip tightens as though he’s trying to draw strength from me. As I stroke his hair, tears roll down my cheeks. Seeing him like this is soul-wrenching. I can bear any pain in my life, but I can’t bear to see him in pain.
Sky’s body trembles against me as he tries to hold back his tears. I can feel the tension in his muscles, the battle he’s waging within himself to stay composed, but I know he’s close to breaking. I continue to stroke his hair, whispering, “It’s okay, Sky. You don’t have to be strong all the time. It’s okay to let it out.”
His grip on me tightens even more as he finally allows himself to break. I feel his tears soaking through my shirt, and my own tears fall even harder. At this moment, nothing else matters. It’s just us-two broken souls trying to find solace in each other.