The MC President's Forsaken Wife (Zara and Knox) novel Chapter 271

Chapter 135-2

Locke settles his massive frame down onto the rug right beside me, leaning his broad back against the base of a heavy leather armchair, and taking a slow, long sip of his black coffee.

I hold the warm ceramic mug between both hands, breathing in the rich, dark aroma before looking over at him sideways.

“You know,” I say, taking a small sip. “It’s going to be Christmas in three weeks.”

Locke glances over, his eyes sparkling with quiet humor. “Is it? Time moves fast when you’re goddamn busy.

“It really does. What do you usually do for it?”

“I spend it with Evelyn at her place. Just a quiet day. I fly over to Maine and we decorate the tree and cook together. She makes this incredible roast that takes about eight hours, and we just sit around, watch old movies, and drink good whiskey.”

“That makes sense,” I say. “You should absolutely go see her. Honestly, I’m just excited for this year. I’ll have an awesome Christmas with my family and Jade… it’ll be the best Christmas I’ve had in three years.”

Locke sets his mug down on the hardwood for a second and turns toward me.

“I love you, Zara,” he says again, his voice dead serious. “And Evelyn’s going to want you there. I know her. She’s probably already planning on inviting you, making sure there’s a setting for you at the table.”

“Don’t push her, Locke. Seriously. It’s your tradition with her, and I won’t barge in or force my way into that space. If she invites me, that’s wonderful and I’ll be thrilled. If not, I want you two to have your time together. I completely, totally understand.”

Locke searches my eyes for a long moment, looking for any lingering doubt or hidden resentment, but he finds only pure sincerity. He smiles, and leans forward, pressing a warm, sweet kiss to the center of my forehead.

“You’re incredible, you know that?” he whispers against my skin.

“I’ve been told,” I tease gently. “Now drink your coffee before it gets cold.”

He chuckles, picking his mug back up and leaning his back against the armchair once more. We sit in a comfortable, easy silence for a few minutes, the crackle of the embers filling the room as the morning sun rises higher outside, casting long geometric shadows across the rug.

“Locke?” I say softly after a moment, looking up at him over the rim of my mug.

“Yeah, baby?”

“You’ve told me bits and pieces about your past, but… how did you actually end up here?” I ask. “I mean, how does a man with your specific background leave government work behind and end up managing high-level financial stuff for a motorcycle club?”

Locke stares into the glowing coals of the hearth for a long moment, the relaxed, playful light in his eyes slowly shifting into a quiet, heavy focus.

1/2

Chapter 135

Claum

“As you know, I was a forensic accountant and intelligence analyst for the government,” he says. “My job was following the money… tracking the complex, global financial pipelines that funded international terrorism, weapons trafficking, cartels, and organized violence.”

I stay completely still, taking a small sip of my coffee and listening to the rhythmic rumble of his voice over the steady crackle of the fire.

“I can’t give you specific names or operational details because most of it is still heavily classified,” Locke continues. “But I can tell you that the higher up you go in the federal system, the dirtier the atmosphere becomes.”

“What do you mean?”

“You enter that world thinking you’re going to be a shield for innocent people, but you realize very quickly that the men wearing tailored suits in DC aren’t interested in justice or safety. They’re interested in political leverage, defense budgets, and power.”

“Oh, no.”

“My breaking point came on a massive international case,” Locke says. “I uncovered a clear, undeniable financial trail linked to a coordinated bombing campaign being planned overseas. I brought the intel straight to my superiors, expecting an immediate shutdown order, a freeze on the accounts, and tactical intervention.”

“But some of that didn’t happen?”

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