The Protective Groom: Billionaire Marriage Brokers

by Lucy McConnell

  John leaned back. “No. You’re right.”

  Noah tapped his finger on the table.

  “There’s always the chance that it’s all random.” John’s voice was low.

  Noah matched his tone. “Then we’re chasing a shadow. Until the stalker tips his hand, we’re a bunch of bumbling fools.”

  “That’s unacceptable. Harley’s too important for you to mess this up.”

  “Believe me, I know that!” Noah snapped.

  John carefully moved the chess pieces in front of him and rested his elbows on the table. “I like you, Noah. You’re a straight shooter.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “I see the way you look at my daughter, and I couldn’t care less if you’re in love with her. I want this taken care of—yesterday.”

  Noah stood. “Yes sir.”

  “And Noah,” John called just as Noah reached the door.

  “Yeah?”

  “If you break her heart, I”ll drag you out into the desert and leave you there to rot.”

  Noah smiled. “I would expect nothing less.”

  Chapter 28

  Harley slid into her office chair with a satisfied sigh. Working from home had its perks—like twenty-four-hour Noah—but there was something satisfying about riding the elevator to the top floor and taking command of her desk.

  Noah had seen her to the executive floor before heading back down to security. She missed having him close. However, if she was feeling cooped up in the house, he must have been going nuts. It didn’t take much prodding to get him to talk about his time at Camp Buckeye, and she suspected his body and mind were in her home, but a part of his soul was off riding trails with Rebel Rouser.

  Upon her arrival, Madeline flew into a flurry of pampering the likes of which Harley hadn’t experienced since her first week on the job. She’d informed her assistant, Jay, that she’d be in today, and he had a stack of folders awaiting her perusal.

  Madeline came in with a can of Vanilla Coke in one hand and a small plate of crackers in the other. Harley eagerly accepted the soda with a thank-you. “What are the crackers for?”

  Madeline’s hands fluttered like butterflies in a field of poppies. “They help with the morning sickness.”

  Harley spit soda all over her desk like a possessed lawn sprinkler. She looked down to see she’d even splattered Jay’s folders. He’ll love that. “Who said I was pregnant?”

  “Aren’t you?” Madeline demanded, her plump hand on her plumper hip.

  Harley ran her hands over her flowing skirt and peasant blouse that hung loose over her torso. “Do I look pregnant?”

  “Well, a woman doesn’t usually show for three months or more and you’ve only been married for a month and a half, so I wouldn’t expect to see evidence. But you never miss work, and you stayed home for several days.” Madeline sat in the chair across from Harley as she used baby wipes from the corner cabinet to wipe up the mess Harley created. “I would throw up within a week of being pregnant, and it didn’t go away until I was six months along.”

  “Sounds awful.” Harley wrinkled her nose.

  “Of course, every woman is different. Even mothers and daughters can have vastly different pregnancies. You should ask your mama how she did.”

  Harley pressed her palms against the desktop. “Madeline, I am not pregnant.”

  Sebastian strode into the room, a saucy grin on his shiny face. “That’s a relief.”

  “Howdy.” Madeline jumped to her feet and gave Sebastian a pat on the cheek. “You turned out much handsomer than I expected.”

  Sebastian laughed at Madeline’s backhanded compliment. Harley had never noticed Madeline do that with anyone but Sebastian. It must be her way to undermine him without being outright rude. The woman was a genius.

  Harley wasn’t feeling as generous as Madeline. Something about Sebastian smelled fishy. Not literally—Sebastian would never leave the house without a fresh coat of designer cologne. His appearance this morning, so quickly after the arrow had arrived at her home, pressed her panic button. “What do you want, Sebastian?” she asked as Madeline left the room. Harley wished she could have asked her to call Noah without being obvious, but there was no way to do so without alerting Sebastian to the way he’d set her on edge. Her cell phone was on the far corner of the desk. If she could get to it without attracting Sebastian’s attention, she could get to Noah with just the touch of the screen.

  She stood, and Sebastian cut her off before she made it halfway around the desk. “Harley,” he said low. “Dear, dear, Harley.” His hands went to her shoulders, and he began kneading her muscles. Harley didn’t dare step closer to the phone for fear Sebastian would think she was stepping closer to him. She didn’t want to back up and have him backing her in a corner, so she stood her ground and brushed his hands away.

  Undeterred by her brush-off, Sebastian continued, “I know it was a risk coming here today, but it was one I had to take.”

  “Uh-huh.” Harley prompted in an effort to keep him talking. She leaned against the desk, hoping to brush her fingers against the phone.

  He shifted his weight and leaned his hip next to hers.

  Harley cursed silently.

  “The times we’ve spent together have been the happiest of my life.”

  “Really? I mean, a few play dates and a family vacation here and there doesn’t add up to much time when you think about it.”

  Sebastian leered at Harley’s lips. She held back from making gagging sounds, but just barely. “It wasn’t the quantity that mattered, it was the quality. And Harley, time with you was golden.”

  “Thanks, Sebastian. That’s nice of you to say. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do.” She stepped around him and hastened to the door, sending clear signals that it was time for him to leave.

  To her great relief, Sebastian left the desk. He paused in front of her. “The truth is, Harley, I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember, and I think you love me too.”

  “What gave you that idea?” Harley asked in a neutral tone.

  “When Wyatt would run off with his friends, you stayed behind—with me.”

  Out of pity for the awkward kid who no one liked.

  “At parties, you sat next to me at dinner.”

  Seating arrangements.

  “And you never forget my birthday …”

  Personal assistant plus family birthday list.

  Sebastian took her hand. “Let’s not fight the attraction between us any longer.”

  At the intensity in Sebastian’s eyes, Harley stepped back and smacked into the heavy open door. “I just got married.”

  “I know it’s bad timing, but we can disappear together. We’ll go to Europe. We can leave right now. I have a car and suitcases packed.”

  Harley’s hand went to her head. “You packed me a suitcase?”

  “Of course. I’ll take care of you, darling.” He kissed the back of her cold hand, his lips squishy and warm.

  Every bit of Harley knew that getting into a car with Sebastian was a horrible idea. And she was done being nice to him. He hadn’t taken her subtle clues to leave, so it was time to throw off the niceties and get rid of him once and for all. Jerking her hand out of his, Harley narrowed her eyes and said, “Sebastian, I don’t love you. In fact, half the time, I don’t even like you. I tolerated you my whole life out a sense of familial duty. No more. You need to leave, and I don’t want you to come back.”

  Sebastian’s face turned crimson. “You little—!” He clamped his hand around her arm and shook her with surprising force. Harley gasped in shock at his rough handling. “You and I were meant to be together, and instead you pick some California cowboy who wouldn’t know the difference between a merger and merging lanes.”

  Harley glared. “At least Noah is a gentleman.”

  “I’ll show you gentleman.” He yanked her to him and smothered her mouth with his. Harley’s scream was muted. She struggled to free herself and fin
ally succeeded in twisting her head away.

  Sebastian left a trail of saliva across her cheek. “You’re not so high and mighty.”

  “You’re a dead man.” Harley spat on his suit.

  Sebastian raised his hand to strike her, and suddenly he was tackled to the floor. Harley grabbed for the fire that burned in her arm where Sebastian’s fingers had torn at the flesh. She fell against the door as a blur of arms and grunts tussled in front of her, too shocked by what had happened to call for more help.

  Noah appeared at her side, looked her up and down, and then jumped into the fray. He came up with Sebastian in a choke hold. “You make one move and I’ll squeeze.”

  Sebastian glared at Harley, but he held still.

  Harley turned to the man who had saved her, ready to thank the security guard for risking life and limb, when she got the second biggest shock of the day.

  Jackson wiped blood off his bottom lip. “That’s gonna leave a mark.” He glared at Sebastian.

  Tears filled Harley’s eyes, and she threw her arms around her older brother. He stood there for a moment before accepting her spontaneous show of affection and returned her hug. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Jackson relaxed into her hug. “Any time.”

  They were interrupted by the arrival of several security guards. Once they took Sebastian, who was slowly turning purple, from Noah, Noah helped Harley into her chair.

  “Call my lawyer!” shouted Sebastian. “I’ll have you thrown in jail for assault, Jackson. I’ll take every penny.”

  “Get him out of here,” ordered Noah.

  The guards nodded and pulled Sebastian from the room as he sputtered about his innocence and the way he’d been mistreated by Jackson. Noah balled his fists, ready to take him down again if needed.

  After Sebastian was contained in the elevator, Jackson nodded once to Noah. “I’m going to get some ice for my lip.”

  Noah nodded back. “Thanks, man.” He flipped around and squatted next to Harley’s chair. Taking her hand in his, he asked gently, “Are you okay?”

  Harley’s body shook, but her mind was clear enough to compare her reaction to Noah’s flashbacks. “Am I going to live with this? Will it haunt me?” she asked, holding up her shaking hands for Noah to see the effect. She didn’t want to turn her back on the work she loved, or forsake the position she’d earned and never see the office again, just to find peace of mind.

  “No, darlin’. We won’t let it.” Noah brushed his hands up her arms, much like she had done for him in the car, and Harley gasped at the pain. Gently pulling the fabric up, Noah revealed four deep red marks on her arm.

  “His fingers.” Harley brushed the marks and sucked air in through her teeth.

  Noah cursed. “We need ice.”

  Madeline was there in a heartbeat. “That son of a—”

  “Hold off,” said Agent Gonzales from the doorway. “I’d like to get a few pictures for evidence.”

  “Then get over here and get it done. She doesn’t need to be in pain,” Noah barked.

  A uniformed police officer practically ran from the other side of the room to take a few pictures of Harley’s arm from different angles. “Is there anywhere else, miss?”

  “He … he kissed me.”

  Noah’s eyes widened, and he looked as furious as an avenging angel. Harley hid her face, embarrassed that Sebastian had been able to take so much and she hadn’t been able to fight him off.

  The photographer took two photos of her lips, and then Noah was in front of her, cupping her face. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here. I’ve failed you in the worst way.” He hung his head.

  “How did you know to come?”

  “Jackson called. He said he heard a strange noise in your office and was headed over to check it out.”

  Harley checked the room, but couldn’t see him. Her eyes came back to Noah’s broken posture. She placed her hands on his cheeks and lifted his face. “You didn’t fail, Noah.”

  Noah stood and pulled her into his embrace. His palm did circles on her back, and Harley believed she could live in this moment for eternity. Noah had a power over her heart and her knees that left her breathless. Their marriage wasn’t supposed to be like this, and yet how could it not? In her mixed-up world, Noah was her anchor and her supply of helium all wrapped up in one amazing man.

  “It’s over,” he whispered, his tone melancholy. Harley wondered if he was talking about the stalker, or about them. Was this the moment her hired husband quit? Would he ... could he leave behind all they’d shared?

  She tightened her hold around his middle. Leaving wasn’t an option.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to get a statement from you, Miss,” said Agent Gonzales. Noah let her go without comment, which was unusual for him. Noah always had something to say, usually something that unnerved her. His silence was so much worse.

  “Actually,” Harley’s gaze followed Noah out of the room. “It’s Mrs. Baker.”

  Chapter 29

  The rest of the afternoon was spent filing charges against Sebastian, handling paperwork, and relaying the events to Stewart and John. By the time the family gathered for a celebratory dinner, Noah was exhausted and had little appetite.

  With Sebastian behind bars, Noah’s job here was done. Moving on to the next case was part of a police officer’s life. Only, he wasn’t a police officer; he was a husband—a temporary husband.

  Noah watched Harley laugh with Wyatt. She was a different woman tonight. Her eyes danced when they met his. Her skin glowed. Her hair shone. She’d always been beautiful, but he hadn’t noticed the shadow of fear that had hovered over her, until it was gone.

  Jackson was the guest of honor, and Julia served lobster tails and crab legs, which she explained were Jackson’s favorite. “I’ll bet you have good seafood at home,” said Wyatt.

  “Yeah. There are some great restaurants.”

  “Can’t wait to try them when we head out.”

  Noah was trying not to think about heading back to Norco. He missed his family, and he could really use one of his mom’s Dutch-oven dinners and a day in the saddle, but that would mean he and Harley were done. And that made whatever appetite Noah had left completely disappear. He couldn’t sit here and celebrate knowing that he was biding his time until the divorce.

  He scooted his chair back. “It’s been a really long day, and I can hardly keep my eyes open. Thank you for the wonderful meal, Julia.”

  “You’re welcome, pumpkin.” Julia smiled.

  Harley placed her napkin next to her plate. “I’ll come with you.”

  “No.” Noah shook his head. “You should stay and spend some time with your family.” Movement at the table stopped, and it seemed everyone was wondering why he had made the statement as though he wasn’t a part of them. But he wasn’t. No one else was paid to be there. No one else had a time limit on their membership in this exclusive club.

  Harley slowly picked up her napkin without saying a word, her eyes in her lap.

  At home—well, Harley’s home—Noah was met with a room as empty as his heart. Both his and Harley’s beds were made. He slipped his final gift out of his top drawer. He’d bought it online several weeks ago from a guy in Snow Valley, Montana, who sold artwork made from old horseshoes. The small circle made from a horseshoer’s nail hung on a delicate silver chain that glinted in the soft light. He’d always been fond of the story of the cowboy who couldn’t afford a diamond ring for his girl, so he forged one out of an iron nail. The nail head was bent up so it resembled a diamond set in a ring. He’d carefully written down the story in poem form and stored the letter with the necklace.

  He still hadn’t figured out what Harley wanted that she couldn’t buy, but he’d been willing to offer his heart and hoped she’d accept it. After watching Harley sparkle and shine tonight, he realized she was a diamond, and he was just a cheap substitute. It was time to go home to Norco, where he belonged.

  He set the envelope and neckl
ace back in the drawer and crawled into bed, where he waited to fall asleep until he heard Harley settle in an hour later.

  * * *

  Noah awoke to a dark room, slashes of moonlight coming through the blinds and cutting his eyes. He blinked, trying to figure out why he’d woken up. Harley lay on her side, facing him. Her blond hair spilled over her shoulder. Listening, he could just make out a soft sigh as she exhaled. Scrunching the pillow behind his head, Noah stared at the ceiling. His stomach growled, and he decided his hunger must be the reason he was up that the unholy hour of three a.m.

  He crossed the room as quietly as possible so as not to wake Harley. The moment he entered the hallway, the motion-sensor safety lights kicked on. Positioned shin-high, they threw their yellow glow against the hardwood floor and kept Noah from tripping into decorative tables. The living room lights didn’t come on, and he made a note to tell the maintenance man. The fireplace loomed in the shadows, and Noah shivered.

  He pushed the swinging kitchen door open and was suddenly thrown back by a pain in his shoulder. A thundering boom came a hair later. Noah stumbled into the back of the couch, holding his left arm with his right. The room spun before him, the fireplace getting closer and then farther away. He tripped and fell. Throwing his arms out to protect himself from the unforgiving hearthstones, he cried out as fire exploded through his wound. “Harley!” he yelled—at least, he thought he did. Everything was fuzzy—and then it was dark again.

  Chapter 30

  “Hmmm?” Harley was sure Noah had whispered her name. She put her arms out in an effort to pull him close, but felt nothing. “Noah?” she moaned, half in and half out of sleep. When there was no answer, she lifted her head and checked Noah’s bed to see if she’d dreamed about him again or if he was actually calling her.

  In the pale moonlight, she could see his covers folded back and the bed empty. “Noah,” she whispered loudly, flipping onto her elbows to check the bathroom. The door was open and the lights off. Harley flopped onto her pillow.