POV – Lloyd
As I packed my things, my phone vibrated. It was a message from Zeny.
"I have to drop Zee off at the airport in Cape Town. She's going to see her boyfriend."
I froze for a second, my chest tightening. Then another text followed.
"Actually, she changed her story. Now she says she's meeting her mom."
I scoffed. Did she really think Zeny was that stupid?
Zeny was part of the gang, but he had a moral compass—he preferred to stay out of the illegal side of things. That's why I trusted him with this job. He was the one person I knew would drive her safely and protect her if anything happened.
But knowing she was going to her boyfriend? That hit different. Even if I didn't want to admit it, the pain was real.
I grabbed my keys and headed out, my mind racing. Maybe a night out would help clear my head. Sleckas' place was my destination—if anyone knew how to drown out the pain, it was him.
Just as I pulled onto the highway, my phone vibrated again. Mom.
I sighed before answering.
"Mom."
"Don't 'Mom' me! You were supposed to be home by now. Where are you?"
"Sorry, but I won't be coming home tonight." I sniffed, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Lloyd, Katie's not feeling well. I need you home. Now."
The call ended before I could respond.
Mom sounded worried, which meant I didn't have a choice. I turned the car around and headed home, feeling the weight of frustration settle in my chest.
When I got there, I found her sitting on the couch, relaxed, watching TV.
"Mom!"
"Oh, my baby, you're home. I missed you—come here."
She stood up, pulling me into a warm hug, like nothing was wrong. Then, she whispered, "Go shower. You smell awful."
I sighed. Typical Mom.
I wanted to walk right out the door, but I stayed because of Katie. It was her birthday, and no matter how I felt, family came first.
Dragging myself to my room, I stripped down to my boxers and collapsed onto the bed. My eyes shut for a second, exhaustion seeping in.
Then I heard it.
The sound of water splashing in my bathroom.
I stiffened. No one used my bathroom. No one dared to.
My mind raced. Could it be—?
Before I could process it, the door opened. And there she was.
Zee.
I blinked, thinking I was hallucinating. My heart pounded against my ribs. Was my mind playing tricks on me? Did I miss her that much?
But when she stepped closer, when I could see the dampness of her skin, the droplets sliding down her collarbone… I knew she was real.
I didn't think. I just moved.
I closed the distance between us, pulling her into my arms. She didn't resist. Instead, she melted into me. That's when I knew. I wasn't imagining this.
I held her tighter.
"Come back to the shower with me," I murmured against her hair. "Let me bathe you. I missed you."
She said nothing. Instead, she took my hand and led me back inside.
Her towel hit the floor. My boxers followed.
The warm water cascaded over us, but I barely felt it. My focus was on her. The way her body fit against mine. The way her breath hitched when I trailed my fingers down her spine.
"I love you, Zee," I whispered, the words escaping before I could stop them. "And it hurts that you don't see it."
She cupped my face, her eyes dark with something unreadable.
"Let's not talk," she said. "Let our bodies do that for us."
That was all it took.
I kissed her—slow and deep, wanting her to feel everything I couldn't put into words. My hands gripped her waist, pulling her flush against me. I was already hard, aching for her in a way I never had for anyone else.
I needed her to know.
I lifted her effortlessly, her legs wrapping around my waist as I pressed her against the cold tile. My lips trailed from her neck to her shoulder, leaving my mark on her skin.
She's mine.
She moaned softly, arching into me as I ran my hands down her curves. I took my time, teasing, touching, until she was trembling.
When I finally knelt before her, my face level with her heat, I knew I had her. And she knew I wasn't letting go.
Later That Night
Dinner with the family was torture.
Zee wouldn't look at me. Not once.
Every time I tried to catch her eyes, she avoided me. And that made me angry.
Did she regret it? Was she ashamed of what we did?
The thought made my stomach twist.
Under the table, I reached for her thigh. Just to reassure myself she was still here.
She tensed slightly but didn't pull away.
"Are you okay?" I whispered.
"Yes." She forced a weak smile.
That didn't sit right with me.
What the hell was I doing wrong? No matter what I did, no matter how much I tried to show her what she meant to me, she only seemed to drift further away.
She was my first real everything. And yet, I was losing her.
Before I could say anything else, my mother's voice cut through my thoughts.
"Lloyd!"
I turned. "Mom?"
"Did you confirm with the catering service? They need to be here early tomorrow."
"Yeah, Mom. Everything's sorted."
After dinner, Zee and I washed the dishes together, the silence between us heavier than before.
I finally broke it.
"So you're just going to ignore me? Act like nothing happened?"
She didn't respond.
"Is something wrong?" I pressed.
Still nothing.
"Or do you just not feel comfortable here?"
Before she could answer, Katie's voice rang out from the dining table.
"Zee, can you sleep with me tonight?"
I clenched my jaw. "She can't."
Katie's face crumpled.
Zee shot me a look before turning to her. "Of course I will, baby."
I exhaled sharply. Great.
Just when I thought we could talk, she was running again.
"Zee," I muttered. "I wanted us to talk."
She glanced at me. "You never said that."
I ran a frustrated hand through my hair.
"Fine. Can I take you out tomorrow night?"
Her lips twitched. "Like a date?"
I smirked. "If that's what you want to call it."
"Okay."
It wasn't much. But at least it was something.
As she walked away with Katie, I knew one thing for sure—
I wasn't letting her slip away.