I tried to scramble out of the way of his flailing body but I was just not quick enough. He struck out and hit me hard across the face. I fell to the floor, grasping my sore cheek. Blood filled my mouth and I gagged at the metallic taste. Tears sprang into my tired eyes.
“Zack, please wake up!” I screamed as loudly I could.
His bright blue eyes flickered open as he sat bolt upright in bed.
“What happened? Did I hit you?” he gulped, staring at me.
“Yes, really hard,” I whispered.
I could feel blood trickling down my chin.
“God, I am so sorry,” he blurted out as he tried to hold me.
I shrank away from him. I needed to be by myself.
“I am going to my bed. I will see you in the morning,” I told him as I stumbled out of the room.
“No, please stay with me, baby.”
He looked terrified.
“Go back to sleep and I will see you in the morning.”
He stared at me like a little boy woken by a nightmare of monsters and dragons. Zack was fighting his own demons in his sleep.
Sighing, I shut the door quietly and headed to my own room. I cleaned myself up and lay awake in the cold empty bed for quite some time going over everything that had happened.
Was Zack guilty about something?
I felt like he was holding something back from me but I didn’t know what.
Eventually I must have dropped off and when I woke up he was next to me in the bed cuddling into my back. I knew that we had to discuss what had happened last night. I sat up in bed waiting for him to wake. My head rested on the headboard as I watched him sleeping.
Zack looked so much younger than his years. His face bore hardly any lines and his complexion was flawless. Everything about his face was breath-taking. In sleep, he looked even younger and vulnerable. So fragile, even though physically he was anything but. Emotionally was a different thing entirely.
I just wanted to protect him but I didn’t know what from. I stroked his lovely hair gently and leant over and kissed the top of his head. He started to stir and his eyes slowly opened. Staring into them, I saw worry and unease.
“Are you okay?” he whispered, looking at my swollen mouth.
“I’m fine, Zack. I have survived worse.”
“Were you watching me sleeping?”
“Yes, I was. You looked so beautiful and peaceful.”
He didn’t reply to me. He just stared at me with a haunted look in his eyes.
“Zack, I really need to talk to you about your nightmares.”
“Right, I know,” he replied shakily.
“You need to go and speak to someone about them, a therapist or something. I was really frightened last night and you hurt me.”
“I know I did. I am so sorry, baby,” he told me, stroking my bruised mouth gently.
“You would never hurt me intentionally. I trust you completely, Zack.”
“I will talk to someone. I promise.”
“Good. Are you going into the office today?”
“Yes. I need to catch up on some stuff.”
Things would be okay.
I needed to deal with David Simms first though.
After a shower, I headed down to prepare breakfast and Zack shouted me into the lounge.
“Jennifer, I want to show you something.”
“What is it?”
“Close your eyes,” he instructed, taking my hand.
He led me into the lounge and then stopped.
“Open your eyes.”
I slowly opened them and stared straight at a painting that was positioned above the fireplace.
The painting depicted me from the back. I was naked. My hair fell gently over one shoulder and the curve of my breast could just be seen. I was looking back and you could see straight away that it was me. The woods were in the distance and in the painting it was night-time.
It was absolutely breath-taking. My eyes filled up with tears as I turned to look at Zack.
“It is beautiful, Zack. I don’t know what to say.”
“I’m glad you like it. I took some sneaky photographs of you to give to the artist. Faith put me in touch with her.”
“Yes, you can tell that a woman has painted it. It has a delicate touch to it. I love it!”
He stepped closer to me as I stared up at the painting, taking in more of the details.
“It is not as beautiful as the real thing but when you are not around, I can gaze at this. I will probably get a hard on though!” he laughed.
“You bad man, Zachary Cole!” I giggled, swatting his arm.
“Feeling better?”
“Much. I am going to meet my friend Rosie tonight, if you don’t mind. She has been going through some bad stuff recently,” I told him, not daring to look him in the eyes.
“So have you!”
“Cool painting, Dad. It’s quite horny though! Nice side boob, Jennifer!” Jasper informed us as he walked into the lounge.