by Brook Wilder
I was glad I had been lazy about getting Hunter a baby bed. He could have easily stepped in all of this. Taking care where I put her feet, I made my way across the room and took my son from his crib, cuddling him close as I made my way back to the door.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Mommy’s here. It’s okay.”
Shutting the door to the room, I carried Hunter through the house and into the lounge, flicking on the lights. I sat Hunter near his toys and started to distract him, showing him his blocks. It took a while but finally Hunter was not crying anymore and was giggling and laughing at my antics. He started playing on his own and I used that moment to sneak away into the kitchen. I groaned when I saw it was nearly one in the morning. This was not the time for anything.
But, for the first time in a long time, I was scared. Very scared. Someone had thrown a brick through my son’s window. He could have been seriously hurt. And I had no idea what to do about it.
Except call the one person I knew would drop everything for me.
My hands trembled as I dialed Noah’s number. It rang five times before Noah picked up, his voice thick with sleep.
“Yeah?”
“Noah.”
“Liz.” Noah started to sound more awake. “Are you okay? What’s wrong? Is it Hunter?”
My heart almost broke at the panic in his voice. I sank to the floor and huddled against the cabinets.
“Someone broke the window to Hunter’s room. I think I managed to chase them off, but I’m scared they’re going to come back.” I started to sob. “I… Oh, Noah!”
“Don’t open the door until I get there.” There was the sound of rustling at Noah’s end. “I’m coming right over right now.”
I hung up and wrapped my arms around myself. I was close to breaking down. Hunter was everything to me; if anything happened to him, I didn’t know what I would do. I couldn’t have Hunter taken from me, whether it was the cartel or my mother.
It seemed like years before I heard a pounding on the front door.
“Liz, it’s Noah.”
“Dada!”
Hunter had heard him. He managed to stand up and toddled over to the door as I hurried over. I unlocked the door and Noah was there, filling the doorway. He was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt that looked like it had seen better days. His hair was standing on end and his sneakers had been hastily pulled on. But he was still a welcome sight.
I flung my arms around his neck, burying my face into his chest.
“Thank God!”
Noah’s arms went around me, and I allowed myself a moment of comfort, sinking into his warm embrace. This felt really good. I had missed this. Then Hunter was whining, nudging against Noah’s leg.
“Dada!”
He held up his arms. Noah smiled and pulled away from me, his lips brushing against my forehead, before scooping Hunter up. His son giggled and gave him a hug around the neck. Noah held him close, looking like he was just as relieved as me.
“Hey, buddy. Glad you’re okay.” He looked over at me, his eyes searching me. “You’re not hurt, are you?”
“No. We’re safe.” I shut the door behind them. “But there’s glass all over the floor in Hunter’s room.”
“You take Hunter into the lounge and distract him.” Kissing his son’s head, Noah passed Hunter across to my arms. “I’ll check the rest of the house.”
I knew that was the best thing to do. But I hesitated. I didn’t like being away from Noah right now. Not with someone attempting an attack on my home and on my son. Noah seemed to sense my hesitation because he drew me close to his side, brushing a kiss across my lips.
“You’re going to be fine, honey,” he whispered, kissing me again, a simple chaste kiss than made me lean into him. “Focus on our son. He’s more important. I’ll look around while you look after him.”
He was right. I knew he was. And those kisses… they soothed me as much as they aroused me. Biting my lip, I nodded and moved away, taking Hunter into the lounge. I busied myself with keeping Hunter entertained while Noah went around the house. It didn’t take long, and Noah was back in the doorway, his expression softening as he saw Hunter cuddled against my side while we quietly watched TV, sucking his thumb.
“It’s clear. Nobody’s here but us. But I’ve kept Hunter’s door closed.”
“Thank you.” I murmured. I hugged Hunter closer to my side. “I’m going to have to do a lot of vacuuming tomorrow.”
“Let me know and I’ll take care of Hunter while you do that.”
“Thanks.” I held up my hand and gave a self-deprecating snort. “God, I’m shaking.”
“It’s natural.” Noah moved into the room and sat beside me. “Come here.”
I didn’t argue. I leant into him as Noah put his arm around my shoulders and held me close. He kissed my head and I didn’t have the strength to tell him to stop. It felt too good.
“Thank you for coming over.”
Noah’s arm tightened around my shoulders.
“I’d do anything for you and Hunter. Never forget that.”
“That was before you were locked away.”
“That’s not changed.” Noah paused. “I might have but my priorities haven’t.”
That was satisfying to hear. I was glad to know I was still part of Noah’s priorities. Things may have changed but that hadn’t.
We sat like that watching the film, and I was almost falling asleep against Noah’s chest. He felt very warm, very comfortable. Very safe.
Too safe.
As the credits rolled at the end of the movie, I looked down to see Hunter fast asleep, his thumb slipping out of his mouth as he lay with his head on my thigh. I stroked his head.
“I’d better get him to bed. He can come sleep with me.”
“Okay,” Noah grunted, and he shifted out from under me, standing up hurriedly. “I’d better get going.”
“What?” I sat up. “You’re going?”
“Yeah. You’ll want some privacy.”
But I didn’t want him to go. I wanted him here, to stay. I reached for him and took his hand. Noah started.
“Stay?” I pleaded. “Please?”
Noah stared at my hand like it was something alien to him. Then he stared at me. I could tell he hadn’t been expecting that.
“I don’t know that’s a good idea, Liz.”
“Why not?”
“You’re not thinking clearly…”
“Fuck that, Noah.” My grip tightened on his hand. “I don’t want to be alone. Just having you in the house makes me feel better. Please, Noah?”
I could see him warring with himself. He knew leaving was the right thing to do but I didn’t want him to do the right thing. I didn’t care if this got misconstrued; I just didn’t want to be alone. Finally, Noah’s shoulders slumped, and he rubbed a hand over his face.
“Okay. Just let me sort out the window first.”
That was enough for me.
Chapter 14
Noah
It took a while to find a piece of cardboard big enough to cover the hole in the window, but I managed it, fixing it up for now with duct tape. I made a mental note to call my buddy in the morning to replace the glass. I would have a closer look at everything in the morning.
Closing the door, I tiptoed down to the bedroom I used to share with Liz. The light was on low with the dimmer switch, the door ajar. I gently pushed it open and saw Liz lying in the huge bed, Hunter cuddled up beside her. He looked so angelic asleep. But Liz was still awake, looking up at I came in.
“How’s our little guy?”
“Out like a light, thankfully.” Liz grimaced as Hunter moved. “Moving in his sleep. That’s the third time he’s kicked me.”
“Do you want me to bring his crib in here for you?”
“No.” Liz stroked Hunter’s hair. “I don’t want him away from me right now.”
“I understand.” I could. I hadn’t felt the surge of fear before like the one that had ripped through me w
hen I heard Hunter could have been hurt or abducted. I sat on the edge of the bed and touched Liz’s knee. I felt her leg tense through the duvet. “Can’t sleep?”
“No.” Liz shook her head miserably. “I’m still shaking.”
“You’re safe now.” I squeezed her knee. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know.”
Even as she spoke, I could feel her withdrawing from me. She was pulling into herself again. I hated it when she did that. Liz used to tell me everything. Now she was treating me like the enemy.
I didn’t like being regarded like an enemy.
“What happened to you, Liz? What happened while I was away?”
Liz stared at me, her eyes widening. I saw the color drain from her face.
“Noah…”
“You’re not the same person I knew before I went,” I persisted. “Something’s happened. I want to know. I want to help. If you could just talk to me…”
“I can’t.” Liz pulled her leg away, almost huddling herself around Hunter’s sleeping form. She looked terrified. “Please, Noah, don’t make me say. I…I can’t.”
Can’t or won’t? I stopped myself from saying that. Liz was clearly not in the right mind to talk about it. This was too raw right now, especially after what had happened. I decided backing off was, for now, the best thing to do. I held up my hands and sighed.
“Okay. I won’t. But I do want to know soon. You can’t keep things from me like this. And I know it involves me somehow.”
Liz didn’t say anything. She was watching me like I was going to pounce. Then she slowly sat up, brushing her hair behind her ears.
“You can stay here in the bed” She asked shyly. “If you want.”
I blinked. Had I heard her correctly? She had been pushing me away and now she wanted me close?
“I didn’t think you would want me near you right now.”
“Please, Noah.” Liz leant forward, her hand resting on my arm. “Just hold me. It’s been a long time since you did just that. Please?”
I knew this was dangerous. I needed to leave before I got us into trouble. The fact Hunter was there did act as a deterrent but not much. My blood was stirring for Liz again. I swallowed and nodded, trying to ignore the throbbing in my crotch.
“Okay. But not for long.”
The smile I got off Liz was worth it.
“Thank you.”
I knew I was going to hell for this.
Chapter 15
Noah
How I managed to get through the night, I had no idea. I woke up the next morning with Liz and Hunter both cuddling me, Hunter tucked into my side and Liz practically wrapped around my waist with her head on my chest. If she moved her hand, she was going to know how much I was enjoying it.
That wasn’t what we needed right now. But it was everything I wanted. Right here and now. But Hunter was a bigger priority.
It took a while to get both of them to wake up, but I managed it. I took care of Hunter, changing him and playing with him while he had his breakfast, while Liz tidied up the bedroom. I could hear the vacuum going for a very long time. Eventually, Liz finished getting up all the glass with an expression that said she might have to change the carpet, just in case.
I would put aside whatever money I could to help her with that.
But I had more pressing things to do right then. After checking Liz and Hunter were safe, I gunned my way back to the annex. I needed to speak to Mason, and I wasn’t going to leave until I do.
Thankfully, Mason was in, just heading into the office as I arrived. Mason frowned at my expression.
“What is it? You look white as a sheet.”
“You could say that.” I glanced around us. There was no one there but, even then, I lowered my voice. “I need a favor. Can we talk?”
“Sure.” Mason let me in and shut the door behind us. “What’s wrong?”
I knew this was asking a lot. But I couldn’t see any way around it.
“I need a safe house.”
“A safe house? What on earth do you want a safe house for?”
“It’s not for me. It’s for Liz and Hunter. Someone threw a brick through Hunter’s window last night.”
Mason was frowning but he was also shaking his head.
“A brick through a window doesn’t warrant a safe house, Noah.”
I wouldn’t have thought so either, until I’d had a quick scout around outside while Liz was giving Hunter his bath. I had found something that told me it was more sinister than a simple act of vandalism. I fished out my cell phone.
“It was Ruiz’s men.” I found the picture I had taken and held it out. “I found this etched into the side of the house this morning. Right under Hunter’s window. It was a message.”
Mason took the phone and stared at the picture. The initials ‘RF’ were clear to see. It didn’t take three guesses as to who it was referring to. Mason cursed loudly.
“So, Ruiz knows.”
I snorted. “It’s not going to take a genius to know about Hunter. Especially if Liz was being watched.” I folded my arms and gave Mason a pointed look. “I have a feeling I was the only one in the county who didn’t know about my son.”
Mason shook his head, tossing me back my cell phone.
“I’m not going into that anymore, Noah. But I do see your point.” He went to the desk and opened a drawer. Ferreting around at the back of it, Mason withdrew some keys and glanced at the name tag attached. Then he tossed them across to me.
“These are to my aunt’s place. She left it to me when she died.”
“Who else knows about it?”
“Other than Cassie, just Diesel. He keeps maintenance on the place. It’s got a top security system and it’s childproof.” Mason’s frown deepened. “But there’s a catch to it.”
“There always is.” I grunted.
“I don’t have extra resources to protect them. They’re family but the club’s got bigger issues. I got bodies dropping out in the desert. You want to put them up at my aunt’s place, you handle your own protection.”
I’d had a feeling that would happen. With the war, we were stretched to the limit. I sighed and nodded.
“I can do that. I wasn’t going to ask for protection, anyway. Just somewhere safe to put them.”
Mason cocked an eyebrow. “Is this an indication you’re getting your life back together?”
“Sure.” Not even close.
Chapter 16
Liz
Two weeks. Two weeks I had been in the safe house. And it was driving me mad. I felt like a gilded bird in a cage, unable to go anywhere. Noah was adamant about that. We had only left the house once and that was to go to Harry and Julie’s place for dinner. The couple had welcomed me back with open arms, making me feel even more guilty for pushing them away.
I didn’t think the safe house was necessary. But Noah had shown me the etching of Ruiz’s initials and said it was imperative I was put in a safe place with Hunter. I hadn’t had much choice, packing what I could before driving out to the safe house in the middle of nowhere outside Eden. Noah had been busy. The place was fully stocked with food, diapers and new clothes. He had noticed that Hunter was outgrowing his clothes, which I hadn’t been able to buy and replace. And Hunter had a baby bed in his room, which Hunter adored. Plus, he had all the toys he could possibly have.
Noah had pretty much spoiled his son. And I didn’t have the heart to be cross about it. It was sweet to see this big biker going all gooey-eyed over a little boy, who was lapping it all up.
But staying in the house with just Hunter and Noah was driving me mad. I often went out with Hunter to the shops or to the park. Now we were confined to a house in the middle of nowhere. Noah was so paranoid that he wouldn’t let us go outside into the garden and it was turning into nice weather.
There were times when I just wanted to beat him over the head with the baseball bat.
On the thirteenth day in the house, Noah caved in an
d said I could have a visitor. I immediately chose Cassie. She was just what I needed to lift my spirits. So, within a few hours of telling Noah, Cassie was at the door, beaming as she came bearing gifts. I tugged her into a grateful hug.
