by M. Malone
And infuriatingly, the asshole totally caught her staring. Like a man with too much sex appeal for his own good, he’d given her one of his shameless cocky grins. As if to say, ‘Yeah, I know what I look like. Were you dreaming about this last night?’
She’d have had no other choice but to say ‘Hell yes.’ She had been thinking about him. And no, it hadn’t gotten her anywhere. Except to Frustration City.
By the time she made it into the office after being jostled on the subway for thirty minutes, she was ready to rip someone’s head off. This morning, Matthias had been her escort, and he’d been perturbed at her refusal to get into the SUV. But he’d had no choice but to follow her onto the subway. After all, what was he going to do, throw her over his shoulder? First, he wasn’t the type. Unlike the others who worked at Blake Security, he wasn’t a caveman. She wondered about him sometimes. There was no way Noah would have sent him with her if he didn't know how to protect her.
Luckily, JJ was the first person in her shoebox of an office. Her best friend was guaranteed to put a smile on her face.
"Morning sunshine. You excited? I’m so stoked about my first fashion week. I know you've been to a couple of these now with Adriana, but I can't wait. I get to sit in on the final strategy meeting for hair and make-up. I guess you're getting the final model list today?"
Lucia got it. JJ was excited. After fashion school, JJ had been apprenticed to a makeup artist. Lucia had managed to score a gig here at Adriana Patterson Fashions. When JJ had been looking for change, Lucia recommended her. It was awesome getting to work with her best friend, but not first thing in the morning before her second cup of coffee and after a night of no sleep. JJ was just far too chipper for eight o'clock in the morning.
"Yeah, sounds great."
"What’s up? You’re extra grumpy today."
The guilt hit Lucia hard. "Sorry. It's not your fault. It’s freaking Noah."
JJ sat on the edge of her desk. "What? The strippers were a perfect idea. Did they not show?"
Lucia groaned. "Oh, they showed all right. Noah was pissed. And the company sent me a video recording of them singing happy birthday. I have digital proof of Noah at the center of a confetti storm. That part is awesome. What’s not so awesome is Noah in overprotective mode."
JJ laughed. "What? Did he decide that you are somehow dating one of the strippers, and he wanted you for himself?"
Lucia rolled her eyes and shook her head. "That's not why he does those things. He thinks he's protecting me. What he’s really doing is being an ass. I don't have a father or big brother anymore. I don't need him volunteering."
JJ sighed. "I have told you a million times that Noah isn’t volunteering as tribute. He does this shit because he wants you. Sooner or later you’re going to need to see that. But I digress. What’s his problem this time?"
Lucia checked the time and stood. "I need to go get Adriana’s coffee. Walk with me and I’ll fill you in?"
"Yep, let me get my purse."
They headed out of the building toward the heart of Soho. Adriana had a very specific coffee order that only one coffee cart vendor in the city carried. And he didn't open until 8:30. So this was part of the routine. What was not part of the routine was JJ peppering questions about what Noah was doing at her place. Or the shadow she knew had to be following her.
"Okay, you know how I've been looking into the situation around how Rafe died?"
JJ nodded. “Yeah, I remember you said that you might've found out who owned the house right? That was Brent right? The records guy? He gave you the information.”
Lucia nodded. "Yeah, he gave me what I was looking for, and I sent it off to Matthias to look into on the lowdown for me. But then a couple of days later, I got a letter in the mail telling me to stop digging."
JJ stopped dead in her tracks. "Excuse me? And is there a reason you don't have an armed escort right now? Why aren’t the cops following you around? You know, skulking behind corners trying to act like hidden bodyguards? Ooh, even better, a young Kevin Costner?"
Lucia dragged her along. "I swear to God you sound just like him. I don't need a bodyguard. Anyway, once Noah found out that I’d asked Matthias for help and then got this note, he insisted that he was moving in. So, there he was this morning, working out or whatever, and looking hot in a T-shirt."
JJ grinned. "Oh, I see. You're getting a little hot and bothered under that buttoned up collar. That’s totally normal. And you realize he's doing it on purpose right?"
Lucia frowned. "What?"
“Honey, the guy has a gym at his place. As if he needs to work out in your tiny ass living room. Besides, if he’s so worried about you, why didn't he send you with an armed guard to protect your ass?"
Lucia groaned. “Who says he didn't?”
They slowed as they reached the coffee cart and took their place in line. She angled her head to the northwest where a black SUV sat, with Jonas in the driver’s seat. He winked at her.
She rolled her eyes and turned back to JJ. "Jonas is on duty this morning. He’s been following us since we left the office. Matthias accompanied me on the subway because I refused to sit with Jonas in the car. So I do have armed bodyguards. I just don't want them."
JJ laughed. "Somehow, this is not the hot sexy bodyguard scenario I was picturing in my head. I mean, they are sexy as hell, but I was picturing more of you and Noah in a forced proximity kind of thing."
Lucia rolled her eyes.
"So, what are you going to do? I mean are you going to stop looking into Rafe’s death?"
Lucia shrugged. "Right now I don't really feel like I have a choice. Noah could help. He has resources. But he doesn't want me digging into any of that stuff. Keeps telling me if I go digging, I might find things I don't want to know.”
“Maybe he has a point, sweetie.”
“How can he say that to me? To be quiet and not worry my pretty little head? At the same time, whatever my brother was working on, he was killed because of it. I still have nightmares. So for now, I'm letting it go. Because all I've ever wanted is normalcy. And if someone doesn't want me to look, it may be a good idea to lay low for a while."
JJ’s eyes went wide. "So you're listening to Noah for once?"
Lucia smacked her friend on the arm. "If you tell him, I swear to God I will shave you bald."
JJ laughed. "Whatever. I could totally pull off a pixie cut. Okay, look. Maybe you need a night out to forget about all this stuff for a bit."
"How? I'm not going to be allowed to go anywhere without my oversized baboons following me. They’ll never let me out of their sight. Let alone go somewhere that's going to be hyper crowded. They’ll probably escort me right back to my place tonight. No detours allowed."
JJ scoffed. "C’mon, it's Friday night. And I feel all right."
Lucia laughed "I wish. But even if I could shake them, they have this uncanny way of always finding me. They’re probably tracking my phone."
JJ chewed her bottom lip as she thought it through. "Well, what if you left your phone here? You don't need it while you’re with me. I have my phone. If anything weird happens, you can call Noah. He may not be too thrilled, but you're still perfectly safe with me."
Lucia considered the idea. Noah would be pissed. But he had bugged her place, so he deserved to have her give him a hard time.
"Okay, let's say we do it. Exactly how am I supposed to ditch Thing One and Thing Two? I see Jonas. But I know Matthias is around here somewhere. I just can't see him.”
JJ laughed. "You leave that to me.”
Lucia lifted her brow. "Why do I have a feeling that we’re going to get in trouble for this?”
“Oh, ye of little faith. You know the girl in Accounting, the one with the curly hair? She matches you enough in looks and height that if you change clothes, they'll follow her back to your place. Or at the very least follow her onto the subway. Which is just enough time for us to get into a cab and go party."
Lucia stared at JJ. Sh
e'd always loved her friend’s more adventurous side, but this…this was diabolical. "You think it'll work?"
JJ gave her brisk nod. “Noah and crew will never know what hit them."
chapter nine
Lucia tossed back her first and only shot of the night and wiggled her hips to the techno beat blaring through the club. This wasn’t usually her scene, but after how tense everything had been, she had to admit that JJ was right. Alcohol and dancing were the cure for almost anything.
“Are you having fun?” JJ yelled over the music. As usual, her friend looked amazing, even while sweaty and tired.
Lucia pushed back a curl that had escaped from the high bun she’d eventually pulled her hair into. No matter how she started the night her hair always ended up in a bun. It was the only way to contain the frizz.
“I am. This is exactly what I needed,” she yelled back.
JJ smiled but her eyes kept going to something over Lucia’s shoulder. She turned and saw a tall, well-built blond guy near the bar who was staring at JJ.
“That guy is cute. You should go talk to him.”
JJ shrugged. “Maybe later. Gotta make him work for it.” But even as she said the words, her eyes slid back over to the bar.
Suddenly, Lucia realized why her friend was being so nonchalant. She wasn’t much for clubbing, but even she knew the rules. You don’t ditch your friends for a guy unless you’re sure they’ll be okay without you. Since it was just the two of them, JJ wasn’t going to leave her alone. Which made her feel guilty. Just because she had no sex life, it didn’t mean that her friends should have to suffer.
“Go talk to him. I’m fine. Actually I’m going to head out anyway.”
“Are you sure?” JJ bit her lip and glanced back over at the bar. Lucia turned around too and then laughed when the guy winked at her friend.
“Yes, I’m sure. Go!” She pushed JJ in his direction and then grabbed the small clutch she’d abandoned on top of the table when they started doing shots. She watched wistfully as JJ approached the bar and climbed onto the stool next to blondie.
She’d give anything to have her friend’s confidence but truthfully, it probably wouldn’t even matter if she did. Her heart had been lost years ago to a grumpy, overbearing asshole she’d never have. On that depressing thought, she walked down the stairs separating the bar area from the main dance floor. The club was packed and before long Lucia was overheated and slightly nauseous from being bounced between all the people.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind. Lucia twisted frantically and screeched as adrenaline flooded her system. But in the midst of the crowded dance floor it was impossible to move away.
“Get your hands off me!”
The music was so loud that no one paid any attention as she was picked up and carried through the crowd. She went slack, forcing her attacker to carry the full brunt of her body weight. To her surprise, he just turned her around and threw her over his shoulder. She got only a glimpse of Noah’s pissed off expression before she found herself hanging upside down.
Shock made her compliant. How the hell had he found her?
Finally they reached a dark part of the club. Noah set her gently on her feet and put his arms on the wall on either side of her to keep her from escaping.
“How did you know where I was?”
Noah glowered at her. “I have my ways. What the hell is wrong with you, Lulu? Do you think this is a game?”
His use of her old nickname sent shock through her system. No one had called her that in a very long time. Not since Rafe died.
“I’m not playing games. I’m just trying to live my life. A life that doesn’t include you.”
“Is that really what you want?”
“No. None of this is what I want. What I want is for my big brother to be alive and for him to be here annoying me right now instead of you. So go away and leave me alone.”
“That’s not the world we live in. And since we don’t live in fantasyland, there is no way that I’m going to leave you alone, ever. I failed him but I will not fail you.”
“What does that mean?”
Noah sighed and bowed his head. He wasn’t going to tell her. It always came back to this, his inability to let her in.
He moved to block her when she tried to walk away but at her evil glare, he allowed her to pass. It took quite a bit of maneuvering to get to the door past all the sweaty, moving bodies, and she had no doubt that Noah’s hulking presence behind her was the only thing that got most of the people to move. What a metaphor for the rest of my life, she thought with amusement. Noah had always been like that, largely unseen in the background of her life until she needed him.
Outside, she took a big gulp of fresh air. It occurred to her that this was the perfect time to make a run for it. If she surprised him, there was a chance she could catch a cab and get in before he could catch up. As if he could guess her thoughts, he leaned over and whispered “Don’t even think about running.”
“There you are! I saw you get grabbed…” JJ suddenly appeared on the sidewalk next to her. “Oh, it’s you.” She looked between them with a knowing smirk on her face. “Hi, Noah.”
Noah nodded in her direction. “Hi, JJ. Do you need a ride home?”
“No, I’m good. There’s a sexy Viking inside who’s going to plunder my spoils tonight. But thanks.”
Noah grimaced, unsettled as always by JJ’s bluntness. “Great.”
JJ was aware that she wasn’t his favorite person, and it had never bothered her. Instead she took the opportunity to needle him every chance she could.
“Heard you’ve been playing with dildos. I can get you one of your own if you want.”
“No, that won’t be necessary.” Noah looked almost green now.
“Okay, if you’re sure. I get a discount so it’s no biggie. Hope you enjoyed the stripper-gram the other day. That was my idea.”
Lucia snorted behind her hand, the events of the week and the long night of dancing suddenly catching up with her. The street swam before her and she would have fallen over if Noah hadn’t caught her.
“And that’s our cue to get home.” Noah flagged down a passing cab. JJ stood back as he bent and scooped Lucia into his arms.
“Wait. Noah, she was really hurt by whatever happened between you guys earlier. Will you…just be careful with her, okay?”
“I would never do anything to hurt her.”
Then it occurred to Lucia that JJ didn’t know that she’d been drinking virgin margaritas all night. She probably thought Lucia was drunk. Lucia almost lifted her head to tell them both she could take care of herself but then stopped.
She was finally where she’d always longed to be. In Noah’s arms.
Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it was trying to escape her body as she curled her fingers in the front of his shirt, wishing she had the right to do this all the time. But for now all she could do was rest her head on his shoulder and absorb the feeling of being safe and secure in his arms.
Anything else would have to wait.
The ride home seemed to take forever. The entire time, Noah looked down at the sleeping angel in his arms and wished that things could be different.
Lucia deserved the kind of guy that could be honest with her and tell her his darkest secrets. Share everything. But that would never happen. His darkest secrets would break her, and that was the absolute last thing he would ever want to do.
The cab pulled up outside her building, and Noah shifted slightly to pull out his wallet. He handed over a few bills, not even caring if he’d overpaid. All of his attention was on taking care of Lucia. He’d never seen her the way she’d been tonight. For an hour, he’d stood in the shadows watching as she drank and danced and looked more lost by the minute. Maybe no one else would have been able to tell, but he could see the sadness in her eyes and it killed him to know he’d put it there.
He’d broken her trust, and he’d do it over and over again. There was no possible ha
ppy ending to this scenario. She’d only be hurt more deeply the closer she got to him.
Lucia stirred only when he had to set her on her feet to open her apartment door. Even then, she leaned against him, almost melting into him, looking up at him with achingly big gray eyes.
“It’s okay, princess. We’re home.”
As he whispered the words, he’d never wished more intensely that they could be true. That this could be his home and that he could belong there. It had been so long since he’d had a true home.
She closed her eyes and leaned against him again as he carried her inside. Noah didn’t bother with the lights since he knew every inch of her apartment just as well as he knew his own place. He settled Lucia on the couch and shrugged out of his jacket. After a moment of hesitation, he took his holster off as well. He was going to have to wake her to get some water in her and she hated to see his gun, always had.
He walked into the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of water from the fridge. After opening it, he took a swig himself. Even though he hadn’t been drinking, he’d spent an hour sweating bullets wondering where she was before finally tracking her through JJ’s phone. He wasn’t sure if Matthias had done something illegal to find out where she was, and he wouldn’t be asking.
He walked back into the living room and knelt next to the couch where Lucia had burrowed into the pillows.
“Lucia? I need you to drink some water.”
She sat up slightly and took a few sips. Her eyes stayed on him the whole time. After draining about half of the bottle, she set it aside.
“Let’s get you into bed.”
She shook her head. “Not yet.”
Noah swallowed hard as he watched her. She was so damn beautiful. The curtains had been left open and moonlight illuminated the living room. There were several shoes kicked off by the door, like she’d had trouble deciding which ones to wear that morning.
He eased her onto the couch and pulled a throw over her. Unable to help himself, he watched her sleeping for a moment. If he could he’d memorize the lines of her face and the adorable way she moved her lips while she slept, like her mind didn’t stop working, even in sleep.
