Control - Noah's Rise Bundle (Books I-III): A Billionaire Romance Series

by M. P. Lodi

  “God that feels so good.” She said. Jackson's strong hands had her enjoying the moment.

  “Has Noah been on that stuff a long time?”

  “No, that's a recent thing for him. Maybe a few months. You can see it in the skin on his face when he takes it.”

  Jen reached for her cell with her left hand, not wanting to move and stop Jackson's massage. She looked at the cell.

  Jackson asked, “What's up, any news?”

  “No, just checking messages. I'm a little worried at how Noah's talking. Having his people here now with our security has me a little worried too. His buddies from the Army when he was in Afghanistan. They look too eager, you know what I mean?”

  “Noah went through a lot in that war. He trusts these men with his life, and they can handle weapons well. I, for one, feel safer with them here.”

  “I do too. I'm just worried about how he talks. Like what he said about the private detective and how that hitman was in Texas now. Em told me Noah was confident that the mobster character would fall for his trap right here on the estate. I'm just worried about Noah and Em too. What Noah will do if this guy does try to get us here.”

  “What are you worried about, the hitman's safety?” Jackson smiled, watching her scroll through messages.

  Jen put her phone down and looked right at Jackson. “Noah is intent on ending this here. I can see him doing something stupid, especially if he’s juiced up and that’s affecting his judgment.”

  Jackson signed. “Nothing we can do about it all. Noah isn't the type to be afraid and seeing you, me, and Emily scared has him wanting to do anything to stop it.”

  “That's what I'm afraid of”

  Noah

  Five days later...

  It was dark outside, and the rain fell down hard. Lightning flashed here and there as well. “I still think we were followed the other day” Em said to Noah, who lay flat on his back with one hand behind his head and the other on his iPhone, staring at the screen. He had his gun holster on with his Glock.

  Em turned from the window to look at her man. He never lay in bed with his holster on, but after he received a text five minutes earlier, he immediately put it on. Em turned on her side with her head on the pillow. She placed her right hand on his chest and squeezed his muscle, or tried to as she looked at Noah reading his cell. He didn't turn his head at all and was preoccupied with his phone. Then what Noah was waiting for happened, his phone buzzed. He read the text and nearly jumped off of the bed saying “You stay here, understand?”

  Emily looked scared as he said that. She sat up on the bed “What's wrong, what's going on?”

  “Score, we were followed the other day, and we just caught a couple of fish. One jumped over the wall on the south side of the house. The plan worked perfectly. Stay here, I'll handle everything.”

  He left the room and ran down the hall to the stairs. Thirty seconds later he walked into the back yard and saw Ian Colitzi, with his hands cuffed behind him, laying on his stomach on the floor soaked as the rain fell.. Next to him was what had to be his brother, Carl. Four security men had their guns aimed at them. Three others were on the alert walking all about the yard nearby.

  “Bring him in” Noah said to the head of security, a six foot tall clean cut and shaven Aryan looking guard named Gary. Gary had been a former secret service agent going back ten years when he worked for President Bush's detail. He had quit his job during the current administration when President Obama went on a hiring spree for the agency.

  “Big man needs a lot of help to handle me” Ian, the hitman said as Gary and another agent lifted him off the ground, holding him under his arms. A few other security people came over to help cover the scene.

  Just inside Jackson came over, and saw as Ian and his brother were forced to their knees. Jackson had his own Glock in his hand. “You've got to be kidding me. Your plan worked?” he said as he looked at Noah.

  “Don't look so surprised. I knew it would. This type have no patience, and with us hiding out for so long in one place, we were too tempting a target. Like I said, we just needed to give him a way in.”

  Jen walked into the room and stood at the entrance and immediately covered her mouth, standing there next to Jackson.

  The low life scum said “You think this is over, motherfucker? Even if we're rotting in prison we'll get you all. You think you can take out the whole family?”

  Gary, who was one of the guards holding Ian at his knees said “I should call the police now, they can be here in less than five minutes to pick these two up.”

  Noah said “No, wait.” He then looked at Jackson and Jen. “You two need to leave. Jackson, please take Jen upstairs.” Jackson grabbed Jen by her arm and left the room with her.

  Gary looked at Noah, as Noah waved over his own men. Noah looked at Gary “Do me a favor and go check the perimeter.” When Jackson hired Gary, Noah wasn't very happy. Sometimes things needed to be done and Gary was such a law and order type that if something needed to be done that wasn't exactly legal, Gary would be of no use and would be more of a hindrance.

  “We need to call the police now. Waiting isn't going to help.” Gary argued.

  “Gary, please check the perimeter to make sure these two don't have friends with them.”

  One of Noah's men grabbed the hitman's left shoulder as Gary let go and left the room.

  Noah looked at two of the other guards who were new. “You both go with Gary, and be on the look-out. These people have serious resources. Be ready for anything.”

  “Yes sir,” said the taller crew-cut haired guard who looked to be about twenty. After they left, only Noah and his men, and the two Colitzi brothers were left in the room.

  Ian Colitzi said “What are you going to do? Execute us? You don't have the balls... muscles.”

  Noah was incensed. “You come in here to kill me, my girl, my good friend Jackson and his wife and you think I don't have the balls to do what needs to be done to protect us all?” Noah's temper flared. He had promised Em to not touch the steroids but had worked out hard earlier in the day with his men, and juiced up. His control over himself was near zero.

  “You don't, so stop pretending like you do.” The hitman said.

  Noah couldn't think well and his anger took hold of him. He put his Glock to Ian's forehead and pulled the trigger. A shot rang out and the back of the man's head seemed to explode to the wall behind him as his body fell to the ground.

  The hitman's brother said “What the...” and Noah shot him point blank in his head. Both men were obviously dead within seconds. Noah's men didn't look surprised. He had told them his plans and both were ready to do anything he asked.

  Gary ran to the door from outside with his gun pointed at the two men as he entered.

  “What the fuck did you do? We're not outlaws. Noah, you dumb fuck, you executed these men.” Noah's men pointed their guns at Gary when he didn't put his down.

  The tension in the room was unreal. Em came running into the room almost in tears. Noah yelled to her, “Stay there!” as he pointed his own gun at Gary.

  “Gary, I don't want to hurt you, none of us do. Put your gun down and we'll put ours down. Gary lowered his weapon “We have to call the cops.” Gary said.

  Em's hand was over her mouth, Jackson came in to stand next to her. “What in the hell?” He said.

  “Listen, I have to get out of here. I did what I had to do. I'm not going to live in fear or have you all worry about these fuck heads killing any of us. Fuck that.”

  Noah turned to Gary as two other guards walked in the door with guns drawn.

  “Gary, give me just ten minutes and then call the cops. Can you do that for me?” Gary nodded in agreement. Noah knew this boy-scout like guard, and former Secret Service Agent would have to speak to the cops and be honest. Noah and his men had to get the hell out of there.

  Noah waved his men to follow him as he walked past Jackson and Em into the next room. “You guys get our things and meet m
e in the car.” Noah stood there, looking at Jackson and Em.

  “I'm going to make this right. I think this is it for a while brother.” Jackson had tears in his eyes as Noah said that. Em started crying.

  Em shouted at Noah, “You stupid fuck, I told you that temper would really hurt us. You'll be arrested and spend years in prison.”

  Noah put his pistol in his holster and hugged Em. “I do love you babe, more than you'll ever know, but I had to do this, and I'm going to take care of things with all of them back in New York. Then you, Jen and Jackson will be safe. No more bullshit. I have no choice now, I'm not getting arrested for killing the scum who wanted to kill us. You can't live life in fear.”

  He looked at Jackson, then kissed Em on her head. Em said “You know I was writing our story as a romance novel. The way Jen and Jackson met, but you can't have anyone dying in a romance novel. People don't get shot in them.” Em said as tears streamed down her cheeks. Noah wiped them away with his right hand, and put his hand under Em's chin to make her look him in the eye. “I love you, don't ever forget that.”

  She was crying hard now. The tears streamed down her cheeks. She kissed him and put her head over his shoulder as she hugged him. “I love you too. I'm coming with you.”

  Noah said “You can't Em, I'm going to be wanted. I can't claim self-defense for shooting two cuffed killers. I'm not getting arrested and spending a single day in prison. Fuck that.”

  “I'm coming with you.” She wouldn't let him go as he tried to break their embrace.

  They each heard Jen yelling from upstairs “Who was shot? Jackson?” She cried out.

  “I have to go to Jen, brother.” Noah held his arm out for Jackson to slap and said “I'm going to stick with the plan, remember the escape plans, cash, and hide-aways. I'll be fine brother. Talk to you soon.” He slapped Jackson's hand, then held Em again with both of his arms around her.

  Jackson moved in to hug Noah, but Em wouldn't let him go. It was a three way hug for a moment until Jackson broke it off and went to Jen who sounded like she was crying by the staircase.

  “I can't believe this is happening.” Em cried into his ear. Noah’s shoulder was almost soaked from her tears.

  “I have to go now, you go upstairs by Jen.”

  “No, I said I'm coming with you, and I'm not taking no for an answer.” Em demanded.

  “Are you sure, honey? You really want to come with me, live underground in hiding?”

  “I told you I would, let's get out of here before the cops get here. You fucked up my book's ending. Maybe it’s you that needs your ass whipped, what do you think?” He smiled at her, then kissed her. She tried to make light of the situation, tensions and stress were at a maximum. She told Noah days earlier that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. No matter where that road led them. She was serious, surprising Noah.

  Noah hugged her. “Like Jen is always saying. Life is fucked up. You never know what's going to happen next. One second we're all happy and content and the next... Bam, our whole world is changed. Fuck following the rules, I'm not taking any shit from anyone. Why should my life end when I had to do what I had to do to protect us all? Let's hurry and get out of here before Jackson's law and order type calls the cops. Just always remember how much I love you.”

  The two of them hurried to the front door and behind them they heard Jen yell “Em!”

  Noah and Emily stopped at the door and looked up at the top of the staircase. Jen was crying hard and looked at both Noah and Em and said, “I knew this would happen. I'll take care of your Mom. Don't worry about her.” Jen looked worse than Emily did, with makeup streaming down her face. Jackson was holding her and rubbed her back.

  There was too much for Noah to say, so it was better to not say any of it. Noah was sure Emily wanted to say something to Jen as well. Life as they knew it was now over. Things were going to be very different from this point forward. With tears in her own eyes, Em only waved to her best friend, turned and ran into the rain with Noah, as lightning flashed above them.

  Table of Contents

  NR Chapter 1 Emily

  NR Chapter 2 Jen

  NR Chapter 3 Noah

  NR Chapter 4 Jen

  NR Chapter 5 Emily

  NR Chapter 6 Noah

  NR Chapter 7 Jen

  NR Chapter 8 Noah

  NR Chapter 9 Emily

  NR Chapter 10 Charlotte

  NR Chapter 11 Joshua

  NR Chapter 12 Emily

  NR Chapter 13 Noah

  NR Chapter 14 Jen

  NR Chapter 15 Joshua

  NR Chapter 16 Noah

  NR Chapter 17 Emily

  NR Chapter 18 Jen

  NR Chapter 19 Noah

  NR Chapter 20 Joshua

  NR Chapter 21 Emily

  NR Chapter 22 Noah

  NR Chapter 23 Charlotte

  NR Chapter 24 Joshua

  NR Chapter 25 Noah

  NR Chapter 26 Jen

  NR Chapter 27 Charlotte

  NR Chapter 28 Noah

  Emily

  The rain was coming down hard, with lightning flashing from multiple locations in the sky. There were no streetlights, but for seconds at a time everything was fully lit up from God's own firework show.

  Emily's heart was still beating fast as she looked over to Noah sitting next to her. He was looking out of the window at the crazy lightning and rain that was coming down hard.

  “You see that one? I swear it must have hit something not even a few hundred feet from us.” He was like a kid watching lightning for the first time. Not a care in the world. Or worry, it seemed.

  That was Noah for you. He just shot two hitmen point blank in the head at their good friend’s home in North Texas. The two brothers were trying to kill Emily, Noah, and their two friends, Jackson and Jen. They were hitmen out of New York, from the Gambino crime family. They were believed to have been hired by the former CEO of Jackson's father's company, who was now in federal lockup and never getting out. Or at least not until he was a very old man.

  Jackson's younger brother Brent, along with the CEO, had hired the killers to not only kill Jackson, but also his father. Their deaths would have left Brent as the sole heir to the Russo family fortune, estimated in the billions.

  Emily leaned over to put her head on Noah's chest, and as she did, he put his arm around her body. “Don't you worry yourself about anything, my love. We have places to go, ways to get there, and we'll be completely safe.”

  Somehow she didn't feel assured of her future. Noah was now a wanted man. Sure, he had plenty of friends, contacts and a plan, but that didn't do much to console her. After all, she was giving up everything to be with him.

  Emily looked up into his eyes, her heart still beating like crazy. “You have to be kidding me. Noah, we're on the run. Police all over the country will be after us, not to mention the FBI now that we're about to cross state lines. Is your head really that far up your ass to not see that?”

  Her eyes were half enraged and half sad. Anger consumed her while, at the same time, her love for him was the reason she joined him in the car in the first place. Behind her anger there was a pleading quality to her voice. She had forced him to take her with him and wasn't going to take no for an answer. He told her to stay with Jen and her husband until the police arrived, but she couldn’t stand to say goodbye, not like that. Not after knowing how he had saved them all from the killers back in New York. Not knowing that he would take it upon himself to put an end to the mobsters in New York who gave the orders to kill them as they were living in Texas. Last but not least, she couldn't give him up so easily knowing how well they both fit together. He was her soulmate and was finally starting to open up to her, showing his vulnerable side just to her in those private moments. But not now, not in front of his men that he'd known since the Army.

  “Baby, like I said, we planned for this for years. In case of any eventuality, like us now on the run from the law, Jackson and I have plenty sta
shed away. Safe-houses, cash, and even gold if the dollar craps out. We're set. And we will actually be better off than most Americans if the Feds were to destroy the dollar and the economy.”

  “What the hell are you talking about? I'm talking about our own lives here, not some conspiracy by the Federal government. Noah... smarten the hell up. You're on that shit again, aren't you?” Noah looked back out the window as lightning flashed again.

  Emily moved to get a better look at his face and grabbed his chin to force him to look directly at her. She demanded, “You took those synthetic steroids, didn't you? Don't lie to me, not now. We're in a world of hurt and I'm standing by you through it all, but I need to know the truth.” Noah avoided eye contact which told Emily all she needed to know.

  Out of nowhere, Emily pounded on his chest with both of her hands. Noah caught her wrists after the first few poundings and held them tight. She continued, “I told you that shit would set you off and leave us in trouble. What the fuck Noah? You promised to never touch it ever again! Now this all makes sense. You didn't have to kill them. Security had them cuffed, and they were ready to call the cops. Why?”

  Thunder rolled above the black Pathfinder as lightning flashed above. Noah released her hands and looked outside the window as Emily sat and looked forward. She noticed Joshua looking back at her and Noah through the rearview mirror. He focused on the road ahead when he saw her notice.

  Joshua was looking straight ahead in the front seat and asked, “Can you feel the love in this car?”

  Emily glared towards the front seats at both of them. She was pissed off. Joshua, riding shotgun, seemed to be holding back a laugh. This was all a damned joke to them both. Her life and Noah's life were ruined, and his men in the front seat were joking about the stress that was just killing her.

  She turned her head to look straight at Noah. “Hon, I need a commitment right now from you.” Noah turned his body to face her and looked her in the eyes.

  “I want you to quit that shit from this point on. Are you understanding me? No more lies. You've promised me four times already and lied every time. So this time I need your solemn oath. I want you to swear on your mother’s grave that you will never ever take another steroid again.” She figured that should be enough to get him to be serious. Noah's Mom had died and he would never lie if he swore on her memory.