Ladies First (Zayn Malik) Book 4

Chapter 46

Emily’s POV

I let out a scream as my father falls backwards clutching his eye. Security immediately rushes in to find out what is wrong and grab Zayn as he struggles, trying to lunge at him again.

“You’ll be hearing from my lawyer,” my father shouts as Zayn is dragged from the room.  Oh god, what if Zayn was arrested? He could get his visa revoked. He could be deported back to England.  I hear sirens outside, and I rush to the window to see a police car pulling up in front of the hotel. We were pretty high up, but even from this view, I could see as a guy is led out, his hands behind his back and thrown into the back seat. The paparazzi were going crazy. My father had been taken out of my room also, probably to be taken to the hospital to be checked out or to the police station to file his report. This could not be happening. Not to Zayn. I stumble back from the window, bumping into the table. My hand drops onto it to steady myself and lands on the orchid. His flower. With every bouquet he’d sent I’d keep one. I couldn’t just get rid of them all. It was selfish and I knew it, but I couldn’t let go. I feel the walls I’d built up to protect me break down and soon I’m on the floor sobbing. This was all my fault. When I saw him standing there… He’d looked horrible. He was way too skinny, and had obviously not been sober. Then the pain in his eyes… that had been the worst. He looked like everything he loved had died. Why couldn’t he get over this? It would help me move on so much more. I needed to move on.

I’m woken the next morning but an incessant knocking on the door. I groan, not wanting to move, let alone get out of my bed. I was just so tired. Why couldn’t I be left alone? Finally, I force myself up, and open the door to see Carmen and Hannah standing there, their eyes filled with worry.

“Oh Emily” they say, throwing their arms around me. This just causes the tears to form again. “We heard everything,” they murmur gently.

“Is-Is he in jail?” I hiccup, wiping at my eyes to try to hold back the tears.

“He’s been released into the custody of his management for now. Is your dad filing charges?” Carmen asks.

“My father” I correct. He was not my dad. A dad is someone who tucks you in at night. Someone who’ll kiss your knee when you fell down on the sidewalk. Not someone who disappeared for 15 years. “No” I say shaking my head “He can’t. That will mess with their entire career. I’ll…I’ll convince him not to” I reply determinedly. I would not let my father take away something else Zayn cared for. “He’s such an ass.” I add angrily.

“Yea, I can’t believe he punched him” Carmen nods, thinking I’m talking about Zayn. I look up at her confused before realizing this, which causes a smile to twitch at my face.

“I was talking about my father, not Zayn,” I say, a sheepish grin crossing over Carmen’s face at this.

“Are you ok?” Hannah asks cautiously “After seeing him?” I hesitate a moment before shaking my head. I wasn’t ok. It hurt. It wasn’t supposed to hurt this badly.

“Have you told Sterling?” she asks and my mouth dries hearing his name. I hadn’t thought once about my fiancée since I saw Zayn. Carmen can tell from my reaction I hadn’t.

“You’re moving to fast,” she says. “It’s only been a couple months. Not even Nathan and I are thinking about marriage and we’ve been dating almost two years now. Besides, you’re not over Zayn. You shouldn’t be getting married”

“When we introduced you two we’d been hoping you’d rebound, not get married.” Hannah adds. I stiffen, looking up at them.

“No. He loves me. He’d never hurt me. We are happy,” I say sounding anything but. And it’s the truth. I knew he loved me. He tried everything he could to make me happy. But as much as I hated to admit it, there was something missing. He’d never hurt me because he didn’t have my heart in the first place. But it was comfortable. He helped me forget.