The MC President's Forsaken Wife (Zara and Knox) novel Chapter 363

Chapter 179-1

Locke leads me into the cozy expanse of the living room. He sits down on the plush leather couch and pulls me into his lap the very second he settles, pulling me sideways across his broad, sturdy thighs.

“Tired?” he asks.

“Not even a little,” I say. “Just completely at peace. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this relaxed.”

“Good. That’s how you’re supposed to feel. No strèss up here.”

I smile, snuggling up against him, letting the heavy quiet of the house wash over me. “It really is magic up here, Locke. The snow, Evelyn, Titan, the house… I get why you brought me here now.”

“Needed you to see it. Needed you to know what quiet actually feels like. At home, there’s always noise. Club business, the garage, people coming and going. Up here, it’s just the water and the trees, and it clears out the clutter in your head.”

“It does,” I agree, looking into the dancing orange flames of the hearth. “I feel like I can breathe deeper here. Like I don’t have to keep my guard up for even a second.”

“You don’t have to keep it up around me, Zara. Ever.”

Locke shifts a bit, reaches behind the sofa. He pulls out a flat wooden box tied with a piece of dark leather cord and lays it across my open palm, his thumb lingering over my fingers.

“Got you something, baby. Wanted you to open it down here, just the two of us, before the morning

comes.”

I look down at the heavy oak box, then tilt my head up to look at him, protesting softly. “It’s not even Christmas morning yet. We’re supposed to wait until tomorrow.”

I hesitate, a small wave of self-consciousness washing over me.

“And besides, Locke… I only got you one gift, and it’s under the tree. You can’t start handing out presents early.”

Locke lets out a low, deep chuckle, the sound reverberating right through his ribs and into my back. “Rules don’t apply here, and I don’t care about counts or schedules. This one isn’t a Christmas morning gift to open in front of Evie with coffee. This one is just from me to you.”

“Are you sure?”

He nudges the box gently in my hand. “Go on. Open it.”

I look at him for a beat longer, my heart picking up a steady, eager rhythm, before yielding to the gentle pressure of his gaze. I untie the leather cord and lift the hinged lid. Inside, resting on a bed of rich dark velvet, is a heavy, hand-carved silver cuff bracelet.

The metal is smooth, polished, and wide, engraved with intricate, flowing feather motifs that wrap continuously around the band. It’s a striking piece of art, bold yet intensely emotional.

On the inside band, hidden against the skin where no one else will ever see it, is a short, quiet inscription

Chapter 179-4

in sharp, clean lettering:

Always.

My breath hitches, my fingers tracing the smooth silver feather detailing and the single word etched inside. The weight of the metal feels substantial, grounded, and permanent.

“Locke… did you make this?”

“Forged it at Rook’s place last month,” he says. He takes the silver cuff from the box, holding it up between his thick fingers. “Gave it a slight flex so it fits your wrist exactly.”

“The feathers…” I whisper, looking up at him, sensing the weight behind the choice. “Tell me.”

25 Paints

Locke’s strokes over the carved silver details before looking into my eyes. “The way I’ve heard it, feathers aren’t just light things that float away. Really, a feather carries strength, and protection. Like a bird spreading its wings over its nest to keep the storm off what matters most.”

He pauses, his voice turning thick with a quiet, fierce gravity. “That’s what I am for you and this baby, Zara. Your shelter. No matter where we are, how hard the wind blows, or how loud things get with the club, you’ve got me protecting you both. Always.”

Tears spring to my eyes, hot and sweet, blurring the warm orange light of the fire. “It’s the most beautiful thing anyone has ever given me.”

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