by Nicole Vidal
I’m at a loss. The upheaval that meeting caused pushes me to the edge. It’s my job to find those types of errors. It’s why Stan gave me the file in the first place. Isn’t it? Maybe it was a test to gauge my ethics.
I login to my computer and select the client file area of the secured server and input my password. Access denied. I try again. Access denied. Once more and I’m in. I search the database. The Moretti file is gone from the company server. Maybe it was a test. But it was there on Saturday when I accessed it. Stumped, I shift over to my inbox. While I sift through today’s drivel, my mind works on why the file is suddenly missing.
Near four, I pack up to head home. As I approach my car in the garage, there are two men leaning against it. I stop before getting too close. I’m standing in the middle of the driving lane at least five feet from them.
“Excuse me, please get off my car,” I announce more confidently than I feel. My partnership may have crumbled into dust this morning and likely can’t be resurrected. Now my Q60 needs a detail to buff his fingerprints off the hood. I don’t feel like adding more tasks to my week.
“My apologies. We’re looking for Norah Cavallaro.”
I attempt and likely fail to conceal my concern. I can protect myself, but that doesn’t mean I’m not scared. I can’t lie about who I am at this point. “What can I help you with, sir?”
“You need to keep your nose out of our family business,” the tall, lanky one in the navy suit states, walking toward me.
“Who are you?” At heart I’m an investigator, a detective. The puzzles, finding errors, and fixing them—it’s like crack to me. To do it, I need as much information as I can get my hands on.
“I’m Sid, and he’s my brother, Carlo. We work for Sergio Moretti.”
“I see. Well, I don’t have anything to do with your family business. If you’ll excuse me.”
As I step closer to the driver side of my car, Carlo blocks my progress. Carlo is short and burly. I could outrun him, even with these sky-high beauties on my feet.
“Miss Cavallaro, there will be no other warnings. Avoid our family business or there will be dire consequences.”
“Please move out of my way. I have nothing to say to you.” I step to the right as Carlo moves left. Sid moves in on my left. Once again, I ask politely and move to the right. This time Carlo grabs my left forearm. Without a second thought, I twist out of his grip and shove him. Hustling, I throw open my car door and lock myself inside. I immediately call security for the building.
“This is Norah Cavallaro of Quinn Sterling. There are two men harassing me. I’m parked on level two, spot forty-two.”
“My partner headed your way about a minute ago when we saw the feed,” the security officer replies. Both men stand in front of my car, daring me to accelerate. The moment security rounds the corner, they scatter.
“Miss, are you hurt?” an overweight, middle-aged security guard named Roberts asks as I roll down my window.
“No, but the shorter one is.”
After a recap of the events, he hands me his card with a case number on the back. “We’ll pull the footage and forward it to the police department. Please reach out to Boston PD in the morning and give them this number. They may want a statement from you, especially since you defended yourself.”
“Thank you.” As I roll up my window, I let out a cathartic deep breath. I consider returning to my office for more files to work from home but decide against it. Nearly two hours later due to insane traffic, I park in my garage.
You would think my run-in with Sid and Carlo would persuade me to stop digging. Not even a little. I need to prove my lack of involvement regarding the cooked books to get the partnership I earned. I strip off my work clothes, don some yoga pants and a tank, and get to work.
Chapter 4
Jacob
Maia and I arrive in York Beach late afternoon. She’s walking the beach while I prepare for my meetings on the balcony. I consider reaching out to Norah but decide against it. Normally, we get together when I handle an event she attends. Besides, I was just with her on Thursday. Connor calls her “Escape.” She may be. When I’m with her, I feel free from the demons that inhabit my brain, flashbacks lessen, and I actually sleep. She also disarms me without trying. Content with my work, I change and hit the gym. More than an hour later after showering, I meander through the quaint village in search of some dinner. After a delicious dinner from the inn and an attempt at watching some television, I try to let sleep claim me. I toss and turn for a bit before settling in.
“Hurry, he doesn’t have much time,” echoes in my head. I can see the scene of the mortar attack as if I were still standing in the midst of it. Michelson is dragging Adams toward me, and two other unit mates are taking up defensive positions so we can load Adams into the Humvee. When I turn to motion our mates in—
I bolt up on the bed and calibrate to my surroundings. Sweat beads on my forehead, and my hands are numb from clenching them into fists. The flashbacks get worse as the anniversary nears. While almost another year has passed, Adams, Carter, and Jones will always be remembered for their actions on that fateful day. Connor and I make sure of it. We’re alive because of them.
As the sun rises, I finish a long run along the beach and around the quaint village. This area is like Crescent Bay where I live. After showering, I walk next door to the Perk, a coffee shop, for breakfast. As I stand in line, I hear someone call my name. Other than my clients, I don’t know that many people in this area.
“Good morning, Jacob.”
“Hi, Kelsey. How are you?” I don’t dare say it, but Kelsey looks about four months pregnant. The first time I was with Norah was after Kelsey and William’s wedding almost two years ago. Our first time set fire to my hotel room, and I haven’t looked elsewhere. No other woman will ever come close.
“I’m well, and you?”
“Pretty good too.”
“What can I get for you?”
After receiving my order, I head to the Barnetts’ for my first meeting of the day. When I pull into a spot near the front door, Maia is escorting Kelly to the car for work.
“Good morning, Jacob.” Kelly steps off the large porch.
“Hi, Kelly. Good to see you.”
“Nicholas is in the office.”
“Thank you. Have a wonderful day.”
Maia nods as she closes the door for Kelly. At first, Kelly was reluctant to have personal security. Nicholas hired me when mysterious packages started arriving and there were break-ins at his home in California and Colorado. With Captain Ramirez’s help, we determined she had a stalker. The measures in place seem to have decreased the photographers outside her shop. Part of today’s discussion is to reduce her coverage slowly and see how the press reacts. The only drawback I see is when her stalker gets out of jail, we’ll need to increase it again despite the restraining orders that will likely be in place.
Like with every quarterly review with Nicholas, we cover the strengths and weaknesses in Kelly’s security as well as his. We discuss the house security as well as Mabel, his surrogate mother. She has been spending less and less time at the house since Nicholas and Kelly’s marriage. Rather than living here, she has an apartment just outside town. Nicholas and I decide that discontinuing her security detail, unless she’s at his home, is the best course.
After wrapping up with Nicholas, I drive a few houses over to meet with the Morgans. Noelle Morgan is Nicholas’s sister. She and her husband, Cash, moved into this home about five months ago. We set up the security system and will assist with a few high-profile events throughout the year.
“Cash, good to see you.”
“Good morning, Jacob. Noelle will be right down. Water?”
“Thanks.” I take the water and follow him onto the massive, covered deck. A moment later, Noelle joins us.
“Morning, Noelle. How are you?”
“Hi, Jacob. I’m well. Thank you.”
There must be something in th
e water here. While I wasn’t sure about Kelsey, Noelle is pregnant, which is even more apparent considering Cash’s response to her entering the room. He stands, moves to her side, and guides her into the chair. As we discuss the security measures in place and the events they plan to attend, my phone vibrates in my pocket.
“Could you excuse me a moment?” I pull out my phone, and a text makes my blood run cold.
Norah: I NEED HELP
Me: Where are you?
I wait only a fraction of a second before calling Blaine, my private investigator, purveyor of information, and white-hat hacker.
“I need you to locate a phone, right now!” I rattle off her number and wait impatiently as I hear him tapping away.
“The phone is pinging at 1451 Watercliff Terrace—”
“Thanks.” I hurry back to Cash and Noelle. “I’m sorry, I need to cut this short. There’s an emergency with a client.”
I run to my car and speed down the driveway. As I hit the road, I dial Captain Ramirez’s cell phone.
“Good morning, Captain Ramirez speaking.”
“Captain, Jacob Blackthorne. I just received a distressed text from Norah Cavallaro, and I’m heading to her townhouse. I wanted to keep you advised.”
“I’ll meet you there.” Technically, I have no authority here, but Captain Ramirez and I have an understanding when I work in his city. He’s aware of Blackthorne Security’s presence, and we contact him if anything goes awry.
When I arrive at Norah’s, the front door is breached, the wood split into pieces. Despite my urgency, I clear my way around her townhouse, calling out for her. The pillows of her couch are strewn on the floor, the cushion of her chair slashed, and the TV tipped forward. The dining room hutch doors are wide open. Every cabinet in the kitchen is open, food litters the floor, a few dishes are broken, and the door to the dishwasher is lying on the tile floor. She hasn’t answered me. The last time my heart raced this fast was…. I push that thought away and climb the staircase. When I reach the top, I find Norah lying on the plush carpet. She’s motionless and pale. As difficult as it is, I check her pulse. It’s weak but steady. I clear her bedroom and office, both trashed more so than the main living space.
“Jacob!” Captain Ramirez calls out.
“Up here. All clear.” I bend to check on Norah again. No change. I attempt to wake her but fail.
Captain crests the stairs, assessing the situation. “Take her to York Hospital. I’ll call it in for you. Ask for Willa Reynolds when you arrive.”
“We should keep a lid on this until we know what’s going on.”
He nods as I lift Norah into my arms and carry her downstairs. Despite jostling her, Norah hasn’t made a sound. Regardless of the circumstances, she feels as if she belongs cradled in my arms. I secure her into the passenger seat of my rental. As I drive, I keep my fingertips on the pulse point of her delicate wrist.
I screech to a halt in the emergency bay and hurry around the car. When the sliding doors open, a tall, dark-haired woman with big blue eyes greets me.
“Mr. Blackthorne?”
I nod.
“Right this way.”
Chapter 5
Norah
My throat is dry. My heading is pounding like a jackhammer. I feel someone rubbing circles on my hand. When I attempt to sit up, I feel dizzy.
“Easy, beautiful. Just rest. I’m staying right here.”
I know that deep voice. My mind is too fuzzy to place it. Slumber takes over again.
I feel weight on my thigh. Blinking a few times, I turn my head to the right. My reward is a nondescript brown door. Moving slowly back to center, my chest tightens. Even now in sleep, he’s gorgeous—chiseled jaw, cleft chin, one dimple in his right cheek, and a smile that makes my heart skip beats. I’m acutely aware of his no-relationship mantra, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want him in my bed each morning or more if he were to change his mind.
I extend my hand as far as the IV will allow, lifting my fingers to graze his chin. After a few passes, his cobalt eyes fly open.
“Hi,” I murmur.
“Hi, gorgeous. How are you feeling?” His voice cracks as he asks.
“Not great. Thank you for coming.”
“Always.”
“What time is it?”
“Near four,” he replies after glancing at the wall clock.
“What did they give me?” I absently rub the injection point on my neck.
“Ketamine. You should call your nurse.”
I push the button and wait for someone to enter my room.
“I need you to tell me everything but not until we leave here,” Jacob says.
I nod as a beautiful nurse enters my room.
“Hi, I’m Willa. How are you feeling?”
“I’m thirsty, a bit dizzy, and my right hand is numb.”
“Overall, those side effects are expected. We gave you naloxone to counteract the ketamine in your system. As long as you aren’t alone, you can go home in the next hour or so.”
“I’ll take care of her,” Jacob volunteers, which surprises me a bit. I know where we stand; he doesn’t have to do any of this. Yet he came for me.
“I’ll have the doctor check you again so you can leave,” the nurse informs me before heading toward the door.
“Thank you,” I sigh, resting my head on the pillow.
“Is Gen’s cottage empty?” Jacob asks.
Gen is my sister-in-law who now owns her grandparents’ beach cottage a few houses away from where she lives with my brother and nephews. “Probably, but she’ll be worried the second I ask though. It’s not far from my townhouse. How bad is it?”
“Fair point. Trashed. I didn’t really examine anything. I was more worried about you.” My chest constricts at his words, but I refuse to acknowledge them. “Will you be comfortable in my hotel at least for tonight?”
I nod. Jacob pulls out his phone and texts someone, presumably William.
After the doctor checks me out again, he indicates I can dress to go home. I shift my legs over the edge of the bed and push to stand. Thankfully, Jacob is right there to catch me.
“Let me help you.”
“I can do it myself.” I tug at the strings holding the gown together and wobble a bit. Jacob grips my hips, fingers digging into my flesh. A memory of another time and place with him flickers in my mind. Focus!
Lifting my chin slightly, I look into his eyes.
“Norah, I have caressed every inch of your gorgeous body with my hands and mouth. Let me help you.”
I sigh deeply and turn slowly so he can untie the gown. The brush of his fingers on my back sends spikes of heat through me. When I look through the pile of clothes, I don’t find my bra or tank top.
“They had to cut it off.”
I nod, grab my pants, and pull them on before turning to face him again, topless.
Before I can ask, Jacob tugs one of his shirts overhead, handing it to me. Pulling it on, I knot it on the side. Wearing his shirt is a level of torture I don’t deserve right now. A look must cross my features.
“I’ll be fine.” Jacob mumbles.
I don’t plan on correcting his assumption that my thoughts are about his comfort with him.
If only that were what I was thinking about. Willa returns with my discharge instructions, paperwork, and a wheelchair.
“Thank you for your help,” Jacob addresses Willa as she wheels me out.
“You’re welcome. When Captain Ramirez calls, it’s important.”
Jacob extends his hand to me as I rise from the chair. I hesitate before sliding my hand in his.
After settling into the passenger seat of his car, I buckle up. Jacob pulls away from the curb without a word, but he takes my left hand in his. Try as I might, I can’t ignore the tingles flying up my arm as I try to reconcile the disconnect between Jacob, my unmatched booty call, and this tender, caring, protector version of Jacob.
“Can I have your phone?” I request.
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“Why?”
“I’m starving.”
“I’ll order food when we get to the hotel.”
I nod and gaze out the window. “What about clothes, my phone, my laptop?”
“After we’re settled and you tell me everything, I’ll figure out all of that. I’m sure this is hard for you, but I know what I’m doing.”
Deep down, I know he does; it’s why I texted him. I sigh. “Okay.”
I watch the familiar scenery pass by. The throbbing in my head decreases a bit more as I attempt to reel in my feelings. All of them. Anger at myself. Rage at Moretti’s men. Loss of my partnership. Loss of my mentor. Probable unemployment. Violation of my home. Then it hits me. I claw at my neck. It’s gone; my necklace is missing. Instantly the tears start to fall.
His grasp on my hand tightens. “Norah, breathe. I have it. I took it off before Willa kicked me out of your room. Breathe, gorgeous.” Slowly, Jacob pulls off to the shoulder. Turing to face me, he wipes the fallen tears from my cheeks with the pad of his thumb before reaching into his pants pocket.
“How did you know?” I don’t recall telling him about my necklace or its importance.
“Kelly has one too. I assumed it was equally as important to you as it is to her.”
“Thank you. It was the last gift our mother gave us.”
Jacob nods, curving his arms around my neck. After clasping the delicate, triple heart necklace, he cups the sides of my face before pressing his lips to my forehead.
“Are you up for a short walk?”
“Sure,” I reply, wondering why we’re going for a walk now.
“Do you want more layers? I have a hoodie.”
“Yes, thank you.” I pull it on, and I’m instantly wrapped in a warm, comfy cocoon that smells fresh and spicy like Jacob.
Chapter 6
Jacob
Reaching for her hand, I tuck her against me. I’m sure it isn’t a great idea considering she called me to protect her. The lines between friend with delicious benefits and client are already blurry. Truthfully, we didn’t follow my usual client intake process but…
