Page 93 of Possess

“Couples don’t run out on each other.” He tapped his fingers on the table. “What’s going on? What sent you to Seattle?”

Allyson clutched her coffee cup tight. He’d never understand how different his family was from hers. How she’d never known the love he had, and she wasn’t sure she was capable of that kind of love. She couldn’t even think about how to begin.

Zeke stood suddenly. “I guess that’s my answer. You’re not ready to talk. When you are, you know where to find me.”

“Zeke.” She could barely get his name out as tears clogged her throat.

“Don’t take too long, Allyson.” With that, he walked out of Dani’s apartment.

Allyson sat there, stunned, with tears running down her cheeks. What had she done? She’d lost the only man she’d ever loved because she panicked. Oh, my God. She did love him. She’d never thought herself capable of loving, of being loved, and now she’d lost any chance. What was she going to do?

Folding her arms on the table, she laid her head on them and cried. Her body shook with her sobs. Could she get Zeke back?

* * * *

Every step Zeke took away from Dani’s apartment cut into his heart like glass. He loved Allyson. It wasn’t such a shock as it had been last night. He loved her so much, but he wouldn’t watch her go down a path of self-destruction. The hurt ran deep that she couldn’t confide in him, couldn’t help him to understand what had happened.

If she was going to run every time someone asked about her parents or her childhood, then what kind of relationship could they have? Not a good one.

His phone beeped. Gabriel. Zeke texted Gabriel that he was on his way home. Gabriel would have to handle things today because he couldn’t.

Zeke climbed into his truck and sat there for several minutes before starting it and driving away. He had no idea what was going to happen next or how he’d be able to deal with Allyson in a professional capacity. But for today, he was going to wallow in self-pity and self-reflection. Because, right now, he hurt too much to think about the future or his work.

* * * *

Two days later, Zeke came home to see Allyson sitting on his front porch. Two incredibly long, fucked up days that he could barely remember. After two days of silence, he figured she’d made her choice, and he’d never see her again. He parked his truck and climbed out. By the time he reached the stairs, she was standing near the front door.

“Hi, Zeke. Can we talk?” Her voice was tentative.

“Sure.” He opened the front door and waved her in. There were shadows under her eyes that he wanted to soothe. Instead, he stuck his hands in his pockets and led her into the family room, not caring about shoes or floors or anything. She sat down in one of the chairs, and he took one across from her.

“Do you want something to drink?” he asked. His mother would kick his ass if he didn’t at least offer her a beverage.

“No, thank you.”

So polite. Zeke sat back and waited. The last few days had been hell on him. He’d called Gabriel and told him he was taking a few days off, which had been a mistake. It gave him too much time to think.

Gabriel was surprised but understood. Today, Zeke had to get out of his house. He’d gone for a long drive and ended up at Wicked Sanctuary. Max found him sitting in the parking lot and got him to come inside.

They talked about everything and anything but Allyson. It gave Zeke a sense of normalcy, and on the drive home, he decided it was time for him to get his ass back to work.

While he’d left her on Monday with an ultimatum, he’d been thinking he’d been too tough on her. She’d told him about her parents’ infidelity, which had left scars on her, but he wasn’t sure how to get her to understand he wasn’t like that. Lord, he hoped she wasn’t here to tell him it was over. That she couldn’t be with him. He fought against the pain coursing through his body.

The silence between them continued, and Zeke shifted in his seat. “Why are you here, Allyson?”

“To apologize.”

“If that’s all,” he started to stand. His entire body hurt, but not more than his heart.

“There’s more.” Her voice was soft, but a thread of regret flowed from it.

“Oh?”

“You are not making this easy.” Her blue eyes were clouded with doubt.

“It’s not my job to make it easy. My job is to help you work through any issues, except you won’t let me. But it is also important for me to keep you safe, and I failed.”

“What?”

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