ZAK SEAL Team Seven(22)

“Who the fuck is that?” I pointed my finger at her accusingly. I knew who it was with just one look, but I couldn’t quite bring myself to accept. I was looking into a replica of my face; only this one was attached to a mini female. I looked back at Vanessa in shock and disbelief. “You unconscionable bitch.” Now I know I was gonna fucking kill her.

“Zak no.” I heard Devon scream my name, heard running feet, but I didn’t hear much else until hands were pulling at me. I struggled against them as they all rushed me. My world was all confusion in that moment. I couldn’t see, hear, nor think.

My heart rate exceeded the norm and I went into shutdown. Total fucking combat mode. I was in enemy territory again at least that’s where I went in my head. I think I had to, to protect my mind from utter darkness. “It’s okay brother we’ve got you, stay down.” I heard Lo’s voice in my ear, close, too close.

“Look at me Zak, I said look at me.” I looked at Lo and the others who looked worried as fuck. What was going on? I was fighting hard to hold onto reality. “That little girl is seeing you for the first time, who knows when she grows up what the fuck she will remember. Let her first memory of you be a good one brother, you owe her that.” Little girl, I had a little girl. It all came rushing back.

“She’s mine?” I knew the answer already, but I needed someone else to say it out loud so I’d know I wasn’t losing my fucking mind.

“Yeah she’s yours.” I studied his face to make sure, Lo wouldn’t lie to me, and the others were already nodding their heads too.

A million things went through me in that moment. Isn’t it funny how your life can change so drastically from one minute to the next? My whole life I’d been taught to think on my feet, this was no different. I was already moving things around in my head, already making a place for my kid.

I heard the women come outside and go to Vanessa after Con made a phone call, but she no longer existed for me. I’ma strangle that bitch first chance I get. Yeah, that sounds about right; but first things first.

“You can let me go now, I’m not gonna do anything.” He studied me for a good minute before nodding and standing back. I got up and dusted myself off and accepted the claps on the back from my brothers as I made my way towards them. The women were all standing together in a huddle, protecting mother and child. Vanessa looked scared as shit, as she should be. I wanted to wrap my hand around her neck and squeeze, but I showed none of what I was feeling outwardly. The others might catch on eventually, but for now I used all my training to keep my face blank and my body loose. I stopped in front of her but I didn’t even see her, my eyes were for the pintsized version of me.

I reached out and took her, but Vanessa tried to stop me by hanging on tighter. “Let go Vanessa.” It’s all I said to her but it was my use of her name that had her letting go of our daughter in surprise. She knew I had to be pissed, I never called her by name otherwise, it was always Red, or Nessa. I took my baby girl and walked away with her calling my name and my brothers cautioning her to give me space. When I was a few feet away I stopped and without turning to look at her, asked her the only thing I wanted to know from her. “What’s her name?”

“Zakira.”

I buried my face in my daughter’s hair as I walked on. She had my hair when it wasn’t shaved down to the scalp. The same wild curls that went every which way, and my eyes, fuck she was all me. She looked up at me so trustingly with her wet eyes and my heart flew out of my chest and into the little hand she had curled against me. I picked up that hand and kissed it. “I love you Zakira.” I went into my house and locked the door.





Chapter 8




VANESSA



“You fucked up royally, I don’t even know what to say to you and she isn’t mine. You shoulda known he was gonna go ape shit.” I was sitting in Logan and Gaby’s kitchen trying to come to terms with the scene that had just unfolded outside.

Yes I had expected Zak to be pissed, but I hadn’t expected the look of unbridled hatred in his eyes. I wasn’t sure I would ever overcome that, and now he had my daughter, and had locked himself away in his house. I felt the disappointment from the men around me, even as Gaby, Dani and even little Susie hung close and tried to offer me comfort.

“I know you’re all mad at me, but try to understand, I didn’t do this to hurt him…”

“This is a conversation you’re gonna have to have with him. We’re not gonna go against him on this and you know that. I don’t know your reasons for doing what you did, but I do know my brother, and right now, you’re fucked.” My body jerked at his words. “Hey, there’s no point in me sugar coating that shit. Just take a deep breath, accept that you were wrong, and know that he’s not gonna be satisfied until he gets his pound of flesh.”