The Santas Who Stole Me (Stolen #1)

Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

ZEKE

I blink rapidly, adjusting to the light, and scream her name. If I’m alive, she has to be too. If not, I will go back to the darkness. Nothing here is useful for me.

“Zeke, I’m here. Hey, I’m here.” Her hand brushes my hair back, and her touch has my breaths slowing.

The guys walk in the door, and I realize I’m in Keeper’s bed. My shoulder resists my movements to hold her, but I ignore it and shift closer to Georgia. She is tired and smaller than usual. How long have I been unconscious? I shake my head at the unnecessary detail in that thought. I need to focus on what happened to her.

“You snuck away from the diner while I was patrolling the area.” The ice in my voice sounds thicker than usual.

“You knew about the files I had on Chad and put a tracker on me.” Her voice is accusatory, I think, but that doesn’t make sense. I study her face while her little lips are pursed together. Her eyes squint in my direction. Despite my fuzzy mind at the moment, I recognize those facial expressions. Combined, they indicate she is mad. How is it possible she’s mad at me? She’s the one who left and could have easily been taken from us forever.

“Damn right I did, and it’s a good thing because you almost got yourself killed or worse.” I know that any amount of time she was with him would have been hell.

The irritation in her eyes fades slightly.

Calum clears his throat and I focus on the pain in my leg to try to lower my heart rate again.

“Listen, I love you and would follow you to the ends of the earth. I would do anything to keep you; I love you, Georgia Davis. You’re the only person who makes that word make sense. I. Love. You.”

Her chin wobbles, and she bites her lip to keep it from moving.

I made her cry. Shit. “Georgia, don’t.” I try to plan out an apology in my head that will make her emotions change, but the warmth of her hand creeps across my stomach, careful of my wounds. She should know I prefer her touch any way I can get it, even if it’s laced with pain.

“I love you, Zeke William Vincient.” Georgia peers over me, and my thumb traces the side of her face, wiping the glistening corner of her eyes.

Happy tears then. She really does love me. Her smile breaks, and I have never felt a deeper connection to anyone or anything. My lungs exhale, followed by a wince. “I know we haven’t been together long; however, you should know that’s not my last name.”

A giggle slips through the teeth of her smile, and fuck if my teeth don’t hurt from smiling back at her.

“It’s your last name now.” Keeper moves through the doorway and sits on the end of the bed.

Calum sinks into the armchair by the window.

“The death certificates; we pushed them through. Ezekiel Thomas died, same as all of us that day.”

“We did it, executed one of the exit plans, moved the tech company money around. Lee did her magic with the records. Clean start,” Calum adds, grinning at me and joining us on the end of the bed.

I know the exit strategy. It was one of many we made. You can only be assassins for so long before something goes sideways. With Georgie here, I’ve considered how this line of work would put her in danger. I bristle at the thought. Perhaps it’s best we stay dead. “What now?” I ask.

Georgie turns to kiss Calum, leans to kiss Keeper, then turns to me with a kiss before whispering against my lips. “Everything.”