AFTER YOU SAVED ME // ZESSA

Chapter 29: Heather

Zed's POV

It only took another round of shots for Donna to tell us where her daughter Heather was supposedly living. Hardin and I left immediately after with Donna passed out on the bar and Beverly the bartender satisfied with our generous tip.

"We should be there in about 15 minutes," Hardin says, typing the address into his phone as we climb back into his car.

"Great, hopefully this Heather can point us in the direction of Dan and Tessa," I say aloud, closing the door behind me and buckling my seat belt before Hardin tears out of the parking lot.

"She better," Hardin mumbles, turning onto the main road.

We ride in a mostly comfortable silence until we hit the highway, both lost in our own thoughts, when Hardin finally says something.

"How far along would she be now?" he asks, eyes fixed on the road.

"Umm," I stutter, thrown off both by Hardin's question about Tessa's pregnancy and doing the math in my head, "she should be around 30... 31 weeks. So almost 8 months, I think."

He nods once, changing lanes and increasing his speed.

"You... ready? For fatherhood and what not?" he asks me, his voice low and cautious.

"Uh, yeah, actually. I was thrown at first, but the idea of having a family with her was..." I trail off, not sure how much to share as I see Hardin's eyebrows furrow together. I do not want to piss him off or come off as bragging about Tessa and our relationship.

He nods again, swallowing hard before he says a single, "good."

I turn away and look back out the window, not sure how to respond.

"Once we find her and I fucking kill Dan, I'm happy she'll be happy. Even if it is with a wanker like you," Hardin finishes.

"Yeah," I laugh, turning to see he even has somewhat of a pleasant look on his face.

Another moment passes when Hardin blurts out, "Look, take this how you will but - I'm sorry."

I look over to see him staring hard at the road again, like he's thinking over something very difficult or bracing for an impact I can't see.

I blink a couple times, craning my neck as I try to understand what he means.

"You know, for last year, and this year, and... all the bullshit I put you and Tessa through," he says, his jaw tense. "I shouldn't have done that. I should have respected Tessa's wishes to leave me. I should not have attacked you the way I did. I was jealous. And angry. And abusing drugs and alcohol to cope with it. I became a monster."

I feel my mouth hanging open slightly as I look at him in awe. Is Hardin Scott, the Hardin Scott who practically stalked Tessa while nearly killing me with rage, really apologizing for his actions? Hell, the fact that he can even recognized he was in the wrong is amazing in itself.

"I, I don't know what to say. Umm...yeah, thanks Hardin," I nod, processing his apology.

He shakes his head in shame, "I am the reason Dan did what he did to Tessa. The reason he took her."

Silent tears begin to stream down Hardin's face as his breathing grows shaky.

"I loved her. I did. And I ruined it all. Not only for myself but for her. For Tessa," he says in a pained voice. "Now she could be dead and it's all my fault. I just wish I could go back and change things."

Placing a hand on Hardin's shoulder, I feel the remorse radiating from his bones.

"Hey man, we all do. And you didn't assault her that night. You didn't kidnap her - Dan did. And we are going to find him, okay?" I encourage, giving his shoulder a hard squeeze as he wipes the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.