Lovin' can heal ✔️

Chapter 22

Liam's POV :)

It's been almost six long weeks since Zayn was shot and I have to admit, it's been great. The first week was a bit of a struggle, trying to keep Zayn in bed, because apparently he didn't need to rest to recover, but after he was finally taken off bed rest, we spent the rest of his time off work to relax and get to know each other better.

I finally felt free from the almost crippling fear I have been living in for the past four years and it was all due to that amazing man. He let me see that I could be strong as well and that I could fight back. I was still very shy, especially when it came to Zayn's friends, but I think that was only due to them being Dominants and I felt a bit intimidated.

You guys are probably wondering what happened about Connor and the whole Rodney issue? Well, Rodney's body still hasn't been found and I hope it never will be. I didn't ask Jace or Landon about it, because I seriously didn't want to know. As for Connor, well, he was arrested and there was more than enough incriminating evidence against him to have him locked up for a very, very long time. It turned out that he had been abusing Tina for a long time and he forced her to keep quiet about his involvement with Rodney. So he got jail time for that, as well as his involvement in mine and Zayn's attempted murder. Then they found information in his apartment that proved his involvement in a child trafficking ring. That last part had me feeling absolutely sick and I pushed for a severe sentencing for it. They managed to uncover the main players in the group and they were all arrested as well and they found quite a few children that were being held, ready to be shipped off to different parts of the world.

I shuddered thinking about all of this, then I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my small waist from behind and I leaned my head back against Zayn's chest. I was so unbelievably happy with him and I wouldn't give this up for anything, even if I was promised a better past. If this was the end result of everything I had to go through, then I would rather go through it all again, because Zayn's love was worth it.

"What are you thinking about that has you frowning so harshly, my love?" Zayn asks, his lips just brushing against my ear. I feel myself shiver as he does that and a small smile plays on my lips as I turn in his arms. I've started loving my body's reactions to the man in front of me and he seemed to enjoy seeing them as he looks down at me with a knowing glint in his gorgeous eyes.

"I was just thinking about everything that has been happening in the past few weeks. I still can't believe that Connor was involved in such evil." I replied, frowning. What Connor had done felt like an even bigger betrayal than what Rodney had ever done.

Zayn's face hardens as he thinks about his former friend. "Same here baby, he was one of my closest friends for a very long time and the betrayal still stings, but he is out of our lives and Tina is getting the treatment and therapy she needs now." he states as he pulls me closer and gives me a tight hug. I just nod and snuggle into his chest, loving the feel of his hard pecs through his shirt.

"Enough with all these morbid thoughts, we have to get ready to go to the club tonight. Louis has been driving Harry up the wall to see you, so we better hurry and get ready, baby. We have to be there in an hour." Zayn says and I laugh, thinking about my best friend. He has Harry wrapped around his little finger and he knows it too.

We make our way up to Zayn's room and once there, he heads to the walk-in closet to get his clothes, while I took some of mine as well. As I head into the bathroom for a shower, he heads out the door to the spare room so he could have a shower as well. I feel my lips pull into a smile again as I close the door behind me and think about the plan I had come up with for tonight. Louis had helped me a lot, obviously, and I couldn't wait to see Zayn's reaction to the surprise I had planned for him.