Face Off

SHAY

The moment Zane stepped into the house, flanked by heavily armed men, I instinctively rose to meet him. But Forest’s stern gaze pinned me back to my seat. I sighed and settled back down, earning a smirk from Forest.

“Zane. Please, make yourself comfortable,” Forest invited, gesturing towards the table.

Zane took the seat next to me, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. Seeing that I was unharmed, a slow smile spread across his face.

“She’s unscathed,” Forest assured him. “I would never harm her, and I hope no one else ever does.”

“Forest.” Zane’s voice was tight, his teeth grinding together. “I trust she’s been treated with the respect she deserves.”

Forest laughed, a harsh, grating sound. “Of course. I’m not a monster. We may be ruthless leaders, but when it comes to women, that’s a different story.”

They locked eyes, each sizing the other up. We sat in silence as more food was brought out.

Once we’d finished eating, Forest turned to us. “Given the long journey back to your place, I’ve arranged rooms for you and your men. You’re welcome to stay.”

“No, thank you. We’ll be leaving soon. I have some business to attend to tomorrow afternoon. I can’t afford to be late.”

“Pity. I thought you might want to witness the punishment of the two men who hurt Shay years ago.”

“I would like to see that. I promised her she’d never go through something like that again, even if it cost me my life.” Zane’s hand found mine.

“I was planning to start in the morning. But since you’re leaving, I guess Shay will be the only one watching.”

Zane and Forest both shot up from their seats. I watched as they squared off, toe to toe.

“Shay is coming home with me. When I leave, she leaves,” Zane growled, his teeth gritted.

Both men stood their ground, fists clenched. I rose and moved between them, placing a hand on each of their chests.

Their attention snapped to me, and they slowly relaxed. I positioned myself between them, my back to Zane, my eyes on Forest.

Zane’s arms wrapped around me, pulling me against him. Forest’s eyes flared at the gesture.

“Now that I have your attention, I’ll start with you, Forest,” I said, my voice steady. Zane bent to kiss my neck, but I stopped him, placing a finger under his chin.

“I’ll get to you in a moment, Zane.” His body stiffened, and he straightened up. “Forest, we’ve known each other a long time, but you kept this secret from me.”

He started to speak, but I held up a finger, silencing him.

“I thought we were best friends. I thought we had a connection like no other. You were always there for me, my rock, my shoulder to cry on.

“But you hid this from me. This house isn’t the one we used to play in, the one where we hosted parties with our friends.

“If you’d told me this was your life, I would’ve accepted it. But you lied, and that lie drove a wedge between us. You even kidnapped me.

“I’m still angry about that, and I expect an apology.”

He crossed his arms, glaring at me. I stepped out of Zane’s hold and approached Forest, placing a hand on his cheek.

Ignoring the low growl from Zane, I continued. “Forest, we were like siblings. I’ll always love you for that. But you broke my trust tonight.

“You had no right to do what you did. If you’d asked, I would’ve visited willingly.”

He sighed, looking at me with sadness in his eyes.

“Shay, didn’t you realize I loved you? Not as a brother—I was in love with you. I wanted to date you, maybe even marry you one day.

“But my situation with Dana made it impossible to show you how I felt. I tried to get my parents to call it off, but they wouldn’t listen.”

“Forest, I never pursued anything with you because I knew you were meant to be with her. If I didn’t see your feelings, it’s because you hid them well.

“You were like a brother to me, and now I feel betrayed.”

Forest pulled me into his arms. Zane took a threatening step forward, but Forest shot him a warning look.

“Shay, please. I’ve been hurting for years, torn between what I was supposed to do and what I wanted.”

I tried to push him away, but he held me tight. “As I said, you broke my trust tonight. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

His body sagged, as if he’d been pushed off a cliff. His eyes were filled with such regret that it nearly brought me to tears.

I stepped back, and Zane quickly pulled me into his arms, holding me protectively. I wriggled free enough to turn and face him.

“You”—I lock eyes with him—“need to lighten up, or this isn’t going to work.”

His mouth starts to open, but I press my finger against his lips.

“I’m a grown woman. I can make my own decisions. And those decisions can change on a dime.

“Sure, you swooped in and saved the day, but I would’ve found my way back to you.

“I want to meet these guys. If you need to head home and take care of things, go ahead. Forest did me a solid, and I plan to see it through.

“He can get me home tomorrow. Or I can grab a cab.”

I step out of Zane’s slackened grip and glance between the two men. “I’m beat. Can someone show me to my room? I need a shower and some sleep. It’s been a long day.”

They both just stare at me until Forest steps forward.

“I’ll show you to your room. Follow me.”

Zane trails behind us as Forest guides me upstairs and through a labyrinth of hallways. He stops in front of a white door, unlocks it, and swings it open.

“Here you go. There are clothes in the closet that should fit you. Get some rest, and I’ll come get you in the morning when it’s time to deal with them.”

I nod and give them both a hug. As I turn around, I take in the room. It’s massive and decorated exactly to my taste, right down to my favorite colors.

I head into the bathroom. The marble tile is so polished I can see my reflection. I strip down and step into a hot, soothing shower.

Once I’m done, I pull on some pajamas and slide under the silk sheets. I rest my head on the pillow, and within seconds, sleep claims me.