"I'm Delilah's mother. It's a pleasure to meet you." The woman beamed at them both.

Zak turned his head slightly to see Delilah whose hand tightened. Her eyes never left the woman, it's only then that he saw the button nose and cheekbone similarity between them. He figured Delilah's father must have had the grey eyes.

The same eyes he couldn't wait to see every morning and had been waking up earlier every time just to get his daily fill.

"You. You're Delilah's Mother?" Zak asked.

The woman nodded "The one and only."

Zak felt the shield Delilah used to wear building up in her, subsequently building one up in him also.

He smiled. "I'm so happy to meet you."

Her mother looked to Delilah "You're so beautiful..."

Zak felt Delilah's shift behind him. Which caused his eyes to harden. "As I said, I'm so happy to meet you."

"You are?" The woman asked flicking her hair over her shoulder. He watched as she held herself in a new manner, one of confidence and man eatery. Her chest went out and her lips pouted.

"I am. I've been dreaming of saying this..."

"And what is that?"

Zak stepped forward "Get. The. Fuck. Out. You abusive fucking bitch."

Her mothers smile faltered. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. How dare you come here?! How dare you come near her?!" Zak's voice raised as he felt the protectiveness come into his body.

Who the hell did she think she was?! Coming in here and scaring Delilah like that!

"I don't know what's been said. But Delilah has a tendency to exaggerate—"

"Exaggerate?! Lady the only reason you're still stood there and not 6 under is because you're a woman! You abused her the moment her father passed away! You locked her in cupboards! Starved her! Let a drunk beat on her! And he was going to sellbher for sex! All so you could shove shit up your nose!" He shouted.

Zak pulled his wallet out and grabbed the notes. "The only fucking reason you've came looking is for your next fix! So here!" He crossed the reception area and stuffed the notes into her hand. "Take them, get the fuck out and never come back!"

"I don't want your money. I want my daughter—"

"You're not having her! Or her time! She's too good for scum like you!"

"You're controlling... Aren't you?" Her mother asks Zak looking up at him.

His jaw clenched "Right now I see this going two ways. You leave. Or I'll throw you out and believe me. For that woman behind me.. I'll do it."

Her mother glared up at him, but saw the determination in his face and shook her head.

"Delilah, sweetheart. I know I've messed up. I can't ask you to forgive me, some things are unforgivable. But I do want to build a relationship with you..." Her mother moved around Zak and walked towards Delilah. She placed the money Zak had given her into Delilah's hand before smiling softly.

"I've never been a mother to you. But my child, you are beautiful. Those eyes...."

Delilah stiffened as tears welled up in the very eyes her mom mentioned.

Her mother smiled gently and pulled a piece of paper from her pocket. "I knew it wouldn't be all rainbows and kisses. I don't expect anything more than what I'm receiving right now. But I would like to talk. Here is my number."

She slipped the piece of paper into Delilah's hand which still had the money in it.

"Leave. Now." Zak growled.

Her mother cocked her head slightly, "The control is how it all starts.."

She then turned to Zak "Look down your nose at me all you want. But face it, my daughter is a part of me.. You can't break that bond."

Zak stepped forward "I don't need you. You did that all yourself with the help of Randy. It's a miracle that girl can even speak and function. Still, we have Maureen to thank for that. You fucking deadbeat. Now get out."

Her mothers eyes tensed before she stalked out of his museum and closed the door behind her.

Zak glared at the door hoping her mother would be struck by some freak lightening or be caught in a flash flood. Anything, as long as she didn't come back.

He turned back to Delilah as a tear slipped from her eye.

"Sweetheart." He whispered crossing the room towards her.

"I-I-..." She paused and Zak waited for her to find the words." That was real?" She asked.

Zak nodded causing a shuddering breath to leave her body.

"B-but I thought she was... She was dead?"

"You only presumed, from what you told me. This changes nothing–"

"It changes everything!" She cried pushing the money into his chest as if it was burning her. "I- I want to leave! I want to go home."

Zak watched as she began to panic. "I want to go home! I want to go home now!"

Whilst he found it heartwarming to know she referred to his home as hers, he couldn't ignore the fact that she was panicking.

"Delilah–"

"Now! Please." She begged causing Zak to nod. Ignoring the jobs that needed to be done at the museum, he locked the place down and took her hand. Unlocking the car, she clambered in and fastened her belt before Zak had even closed the door, which meant she was in a hurry. To be away from this place and her mother.

[35]

She's back. But why is she back? The relationship between mother and daughter is nothing but bullshit! Bullshit!

Rushing back through the house, I ran upstairs into the bedroom and began packing my things. The voices in my head were arguing over each other trying to get their say and it was getting too much.

A touch caused them all to stop, as Zak placed his hands on the tops of my arms to stop me. My breath shook.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Packing, I have to go."

"Why?"

"Because I do!" I snap pulling away from him to grab some more clothes.

He didn't understand, he wouldn't understand because no doubt he grew up in a perfect house with a perfect family with a mother, father, siblings, dog and a white picket fence! He didn't get brought up by a coke head, he didn't get pushed in a cupboard with a blanket and told to shut up. He didn't wake up at any hours of the night with crippling stomach pains.

He never, never had to go through a bin and find food whilst his mother was comatosed state.

He never slept in wet clothes and stole food from grocery stores.

He never had to crouch behind dumpsters whilst the security guards came looking for you.

He never worried that a man would harm him as a child.

"You're safe here. Your mom can't come to the house, it's a private community. There's security 24/7, nothing can hurt you. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

I spun on my heels "You're right! I don't have to do anything I don't want to do. And right now I don't want to stay here!"

He took a step back. "But I can keep you safe, Delilah."

"No you can't! Nobody can! She knows who you are! Don't you see? She knows that I'm with you and now we are both walking targets.  If she found me, he can too."

"Is this what's worrying you? Your step dad?"

"Of course!"

"Look at me, Delilah I promise you... He will not get on this community. Do you hear me? I will not authorise a single person without knowing who they are."

I shook my head at the man I had grown so fond of. The man who was patient and didn't pressure for anymore than a few kisses and a snuggle. Who didn't push for me to sleep beside him and had given me a room of my own.

I needed to go. I didn't feel safe.

My stomach ached and heart hurt in my chest when I realised to make him back down... I'd need him to hate me.

I wouldn't physically attack him, I couldn't bear the idea.

"You know, there's not much difference between all the men that's been involved in my life. Randy, Jack... You. You're all trying to control me. I'm not meant to be controlled. I just got rid of one control freak and it looks like I have to do the same again!"

Zak looked at me wounded. Physically, mentally and verbally wounded by my words and I hated myself a whole lot more. That I was capable of doing that, to him.

"Delilah..."

"Just let me go." I push back.

Then whatever he's been fighting against, maybe it was determination or will? I wasn't sure, but whatever it was, it breaks. He steps back. "Fine. But don't say I didn't offer you help."

He turned and walked out the room leaving me to rub at the soreness in my chest, as if it was a real wound, in its flesh.

"I'm sorry." I whisper before tearing my eyes from the door and continuing to pack.

I blink away tears and force clothes into a hold-all, whilst trying to shut down my mind of the taunting that had begun. The anxiety that had risen in my chest the second he left the room.

Remembering my toothbrush, I slip into my bathroom and retrieve them. Only to come back and find Gracie led on my bed.

Our eyes meet. My grey ones to her brown ones.

The ones that beg for love, attention and more.

"It's not you. It's me." I tell her as she sighs putting her head onto her front paws. "Please don't look at me like that."

Crossing the room, I sit at the foot of the bed looking at her when she lifts her head to look at me.

I don't have to be Dr Dolittle to know she's disappointed, maybe even upset, heck maybe she doesn't give a shit... But a part of me thought she did and those brown eyes were weakening every shield. Making them quake and forcing me to surrender. The sadness and longing in her eyes, the abandonment and hope of love and safety. It all looked familiar to me...

Then it hit me.

The look in her eyes was familiar, because I seen it and whilst I almost guessed myself, I realised that it wasn't me at all. Sure I held some of those in my eyes, but it wasn't just me..

Flying from the bedroom, I took the stairs two steps at a time before I ran through the house. My head felt like someone had kicked the bees nest and the bees were coming for attack.

My panic began to rise inch by inch as I ran through the 6 bedroom home, looking in the master bedroom, the lounge, study, cinema room, kitchen, office and utility room.

Until I found him.

More of heard him...

I stumbled into the garage, after sliding off the last step, to see him beating the hell out of a sports dummy. Even as it fell, he continued his swinging until he was bent over it, giving it no mercy in his assault.

[M]

Approaching him, I tried to speak but nothing would come out over the constant thumping of his fists.

"Zak." I spoke, but it was drown out. "Zak!"

The second I raised my voice he flew off the dummy and came at me with such speed, I backed up and knocked into his truck.

He looked wild.

Pure and utterly wild as he stared at me, his chest rising and falling, with his fists bruised and clenched.

I know I needed to speak. To say something, anything that would bring him back down to this level. My level.

But I didn't, because the anxiety had stopped, the bees had abandoned their fight, there were no voices because of him.

He silenced it all.

I never expected myself to launch at him, that my body would collide with his and when I kissed him with force that our teeth would knock together that hard it was painful.

But it did.

I also never expected Zak to push me off him and for me to hit against his car where my head bounced off the window.

But it did.

He was angry, he had every right to be and then I saw that anger slip, oh so very slightly into something else and that's when we came together in a hurried motion.

His tongue delved into my mouth and found mine, my tastebuds adapting to the taste of mint which was a norm for his mouth.

A moan vibrated my throat as he wrapped a hand around my throat and back of my head keeping my head tilted up to his height as I tiptoes and pulled on his shoulders.

He growled when I had moved my hand to pull his hair instead and it seemed whatever restraint we both had telepathically placed, snapped.

His hands left my head and throat to move to the backs of my thighs where he pulled me up and onto his waist whilst leaning is against his truck. My feet locked and hands held his face not wanting to lose a second.

As if we shared that feeling, he began moving through his house with a protective hand wrapped around my body. The other was outstretched, moving doors out of our way until I felt the feel of the room change from the entire house.

It's when the softness met my back that I knew we were in his bedroom. My legs unlocked and my hips drove up into his making him pull back to bite at my lip and litter his kisses down my jaw line.

His stubble scratched at my neck as he moved onto it, making the blood in my veins heat up. But I didn't want to stop, not now.

My hands began unbuttoning his shirt, until it was open and I took pleasure in pushing it down off his body, feeling his back muscles shift under his skin as they contracted.

A quiver shook mine when he confidently pushed his hips back against mine letting me know how much he was into this moment and how he didn't want this to end either.

I sat up enough for him to peel the shirt over my head and toss aside before he latched back against my neck. His demand made me gasp and his growl as he moved down to my chest made me flush all the shades of red I could muster.

Threading my fingers through his hair, my tongue wet at my lips when he bit over my bra making my head swim.

This wasn't like anything I had experienced before, pre Jack and post Jack. This was not normal, or even a figment of normal, this was a level of worship.

And it was when he removed my bra, that I heard him speak, his voice startling me slightly.

"I've wanted to do this every single minute since you told me.."

I frowned and almost asked him to elaborate. Then he began kissing the largest and frankly my most worst scar on my body. My eyes watered and I took a small breath causing him to look up at me.

"I never meant to upset—"

"What am I going to do with you?" I interrupted him soothing my thumb over his lips.

"Nothing that you don't want to do and believe me, you always have a choice and your own mind with me, Delilah. Always."

"I know." I whisper back. "I was scared."

He nods "And I'll protect you. Invest some more trust in me. I promise you, I'll never let you down."

"I will. But please don't stop, give me something that's real."

He rises back up and hovers over me "Everything with me is real."

"Then show me."

His mouth came back to mine before it descended.

I hummed and sighed as he made his way down, unbuttoning my jeans and moving out the way to pull them and my panties off.

But before I could feel an ounce of consciousness, he stepped back and gave me the perfect strip tease.

My soul burned when he ripped the belt from the jean loops and folded it in half to snap it together. Before dropping it aside and buttoning his jeans. Then with sheer confidence, he stripped them off along with his boxers and stood before me.

Good grief.

I open my mouth to speak but pause.

Did I die?

Maybe I fell down the stairs and knocked myself out?

Was this honesty happening?

"Close your mouth or I'll find something to fill it."

Holy shit! It's real! He's real. Of course he is but naked Zak is real!!

I gulped in response to his statement and didn't move as he climbed on the bed. I was already preparing for this to be awkward, but when he began kissing me again, all my worries disappeared.

"Do you want to?" He asked me pulling back to check my reaction.  I almost came out with some smart mouthed, witty response like you think you can stop now? Or finish what you started!!

But I remembered what he said.

You always have a choice with me, Delilah.

I nod back at him causing a gentle smile and he reaches aside to get what I presume was a condom. And I wasn't wrong when he comes back with a small corner of the foil attached to his lip making me giggle.

"I live to see those eyes looking back up at me but I love to hear that giggle everyday. I know you think your eyes bring you bad luck, that men only come to you because of them. But I'd like to point out that I found a soft spot for you when you had those green eyes."

I smiled.

Some of the things he said were the right ones..

"Go slowly until I know." I whisper as he settles between my legs.

"We can always stop."

Considerate, he's always so considera—

I gasped as he thrust in, causing him to groan and my body to burn.

A cry left my lips when he began moving slowly and I had to place my hand out against his stomach to stop him trying to go all the way again.

"Holy shit.." I breathed trying to make myself relax.

"Fuck, I- it's like a damn vice. When was the last time you got any relief?" He asked pushing his face into my neck trying to hide his frown.

"T-too long. Sorry."

"Just try to relax. Think of anything. It's just me."

So I did.

I thought about him and slowly the movements began to get more fluidly. Our breathing began to pick up and the sex goddess that was experiencing her drought was dancing in the rain.

We rolled the bed, changed positions, moaned, groaned and even laughed. Until the moment began to arrive, my body worked harder and I saw the look of uncertainty on Zak's face as he gritted his teeth.

My nails dug into his back and face pushed into his neck.

It felt like the universe was collapsing, that the planets were colliding and I was being showered in colour as I finally got what I needed. But it wasn't short lived, it seemed as if the pent up moments needed to be released, one after the other, after the other. Until Zak shouted out himself, stilled and then lowered himself onto me. His lips pressed against mine before he moved off the the side and rolled on to his back, pulling me into his body after covering us with a sheet.

I'm sure he said something after, but I didn't know what it was, on the account of passing out with exhaustion. But I knew I passed out with a smile on my face.

Hate to quote the spice girls but..

When two become one 💑