Tainted Attraction (Ziall)

Chapter 44

We didn't go straight home like I thought was planned, but instead Zayn had taken me to a doctor he knew of. It wasn't the same doctor I had been dealing with, but actually someone who was concern about me. It was a nice women by the name of Janeen.

"So, I'm not going to ask what the hell happened because by the look of you two, you've been through hell." She tapped on the edge of her clip board. "I'll prescribe some antibiotics for you, Niall. And Zayn, let me check those stitches I put in you a while back." She had been the doctor that took care of him in the beginning when he was first injured.

"Thank you." I told Janeen. She smiled at me and then led Zayn to the other side of the room where the second bed was. "He's okay, right? You're fine, right, Zayn?" I was worried about Zayn more than myself and that seems to be a common theme in my life as of late.

"Oh, yeah. He's all good. Just need to poke and prod at him for a while." She did exactly as she said and poked around Zayn for a while, checking everything and making sure he was good enough to take care of me.

"Hopefully this will be the last time I see you for a while." Janeen told us as Zayn wheeled me out of her practice in a wheelchair. We were in fresh clothes and looked better than we had before we stepped foot into her office. When we were out of the building Charles was waiting for us with the car. Zayn helped me up from the wheelchair, my leg feeling much better with the anesthetic she injected into it, and we got into the car.

It was still late at night and everything seems a little too surreal. "I'm not dreaming, am I?" I asked Zayn, leaning into his side again as the warmth of the car again caused me to grow tired.

"No, you're by my side, just where you belong." Zayn's arm hooked around my shoulder and pulled me close. His shoulder must have been feeling better than it had before a few days ago, no weeks. I wasn't sure. Time had gone by without me knowing. The world kept turning while I stood in place. "I will never let you leave my side again."

It wasn't possessive in any way. Zayn wasn't like Liam and I knew that now. I just had to get used to someone being there for me since I had been alone for the majority of my life. "Oh wow." I suddenly said out loud, as I realized something about myself.

"What is it?" Zayn asked me.

"My birthday was the other day. I guess I'm finally seventeen." I shrugged because another birthday was just another year to me. I never saw it as something significant. But it was so significant because it meant that I could officially be emancipated from my parents without all of the court visits and paperwork. I could lawfully be on my own and be accountable for myself. I could get all my paperwork and finally get my life going.

"I'm sorry you had to spend it there." Zayn apologized.

"No, don't be. I'm just glad I'm with you now." I hugged his side, sighing and breathing in his new clean scent. "We can figure out all the other stuff later."

"Yes, we can. Just give all of this time to blow over. The police know I was involved at this point since I gave them all of the information, but it will all disappear. I've got my hands in a lot of projects across the country and with government officials. This will be no different."

"Y-you don't threaten people, do you? Bribe them? Or anything like that?" I asked, worried that the old Zayn that I had heard so much about was still around. I knew I loved this man that sat next to me and I loved who he was currently, but I didn't know if I could love him if I knew he was only covering up his old life.

"Absolutely not. I learned my lesson years ago with my father's business. I even now know more than anything that nothing can be solved with more crime and coercion." Zayn stared straight ahead. "I've always wanted to help people and unfortunately my father prohibited me from doing much of that in the earlier years of my life. But I am my own person and I promised myself that I am a different person now. I promise you that, Niall. If only you would believe me." Zayn was speaking through his heart.