by Mandy Baxter
Fletcher was desperate, but not stupid. Luckily, neither was Noah.
“Anyone have eyes on Fletcher yet?”
Noah gave Quinn a sidelong glance. The agent’s silence indicated that no one on his team had spotted Fletcher yet. For a second, Noah wished he had one of the tiny earbuds in his ear so he could listen in on their conversations. Then again, maybe he was better off not knowing.
A few quiet minutes passed. Noah swore if something didn’t happen soon he was going to crawl right out of his damned skin. Quinn tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to face the FBI agent. “Black SUV headed to the drop point,” he whispered. “Get ready.”
Noah drew a deep breath into his lungs. He stepped out of the van the FBI used for their mobile command center and climbed into his own rig. He couldn’t help but laugh as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the drop point. In the movies, ten million dollars could easily be handed off in a large duffel bag. The reality of transporting that much cash required a pallet and a goddamned pickup truck. If Fletcher had thought the handoff would be inconspicuous, he had another think coming.
With a quick look in the rearview mirror, Noah pulled out and headed to the north end of the convention center where the docking bays were located. How Fletcher managed to circumvent security was beyond him but Noah figured he’d leave it up to the FBI to figure that little detail out. He’d no doubt used Parker’s connections to get it done. Something that’d probably help to seal his death warrant with the gangster once he realized the heat Fletcher had brought down on him.
Noah pulled into the rear lot and brought his pickup to a stop. He’d opted not to wear a wire despite Quinn’s insistence. FBI agents were stationed around the convention center and it was not like they needed verbal confirmation of Naomi’s kidnapping to arrest Fletcher. If he had her—and he’d better—they had all of the evidence they needed to arrest him. Naomi’s testimony alone would put Fletcher away for a good, long while.
Noah’s heart pounded in his chest as he got out of the truck. His hands balled into fists at his sides as Fletcher got out of his SUV and crossed the lot toward him. The urge to pummel the bastard into a bloody pulp was almost more than Noah could resist. But until he knew for sure that Naomi was with him—and unharmed—he had no choice but to be patient and play Fletcher’s game.
“I gotta tell you,” Fletcher said with a sneer as he approached Noah. “I still can’t figure out why a guy with as much money as you’ve got would waste your time with a nine-to-five gig. My ass would be on permanent vacation.”
“Where’s Naomi?” Noah had no interest in having a conversation with a slimy asshole like Jackson Fletcher. He was here for one reason and one reason only.
“Right down to business, huh?” Fletcher said with a laugh. “I’ll give you props for that. She’s in the backseat.” He jerked his head toward the SUV. “Once our transaction is complete, I’ll let her go.”
Noah didn’t buy it even for a second. The last thing Fletcher would want was witnesses. His jacket gaped at his chest, revealing the gun holstered under his arm. Yeah, once he had his ten million in cash, Noah and Naomi were as good as dead.
Fletcher was going to be disappointed more than once today.
“No.” Fletcher raised a brow at Noah’s harsh tone. “I want to see her before you get even a dime of my money.”
“Funny,” Fletcher remarked. “I don’t remember you making the rules here.”
“Funny,” Noah countered. “I don’t remember giving you a choice in the matter.”
Fletcher’s eyes narrowed as he studied Noah. Quinn had agreed not to move in until they had confirmation that Naomi was with Fletcher and not in any direct danger. It was not as though Noah had expected any of this to go down smoothly—or easily. They’d circle each other like bulls, stamping their hooves and stirring up dust, for god only knew how long until one of them backed down. It sure as hell wouldn’t be Noah who bowed his head first.
“I could put a bullet in her head and walk away from this,” Fletcher said.
A jolt of adrenaline dumped into Noah’s bloodstream. He clenched and unclenched his fists. Swallowed down the anger that prompted him to do something rash. “You could,” he replied with much more composure than he felt. “But you won’t.”
Another tense moment of silence followed before a wide smile split Fletcher’s face revealing a row of crooked teeth. “Pretty confident, considering I’ve got you by the balls, Christensen.”
“Do you?” Noah asked. “I’m the one with the brick of cash in the back of my truck. You want it? Then let me see Naomi.”
“You’re a stubborn son of a bitch,” Fletcher said with a chuckle. “I like you.”
He wouldn’t once the FBI showed up to arrest his ass.
Without another word, Fletcher turned and headed back toward his SUV. Noah dug his heels into his boots to keep from following after him and ripping the door open himself. Tension gathered his muscles into tight knots and Noah rolled his shoulders as he waited. The time it took for Fletcher to get to his rig was only a few seconds, but to Noah it felt like years. When he finally opened the door to reveal Naomi, bound and gagged, her expression fearful, Noah was ready to beat the bastard to a bloody pulp.
“Here she is,” Fletcher said with a sneer. “Now, give me my fucking money.”
* * *
Naomi cried out in relief at the sight of Noah watching her from less than fifty feet away. His dark brows drew down sharply over his hazel eyes and his jaw squared with anger. She’d never seen him so enraged, or so undeniably gorgeous.
“All right, you’ve seen her. Now, I want to see the money.”
Noah gave a sharp nod of his head. He climbed up into the bed of his truck and released ratchet straps from around a canvas-covered brick that sat in the bed. He pulled the canvas back and Naomi’s jaw dropped as he revealed a solid block of cash wrapped in clear plastic. Holy crap. Noah wasn’t messing around, was he?
“Now that’s a beautiful sight,” Jack said with a chuckle. “Load it in the back of my rig. Then, you can have Naomi.”
Not a chance.
Noah hopped down from the bed of his truck. He took several steps toward Jack who narrowed his gaze and reached for the gun holstered under his jacket. Naomi turned her full attention on Jack who’d grown antsier with every step Noah took toward him. Her almost-escape had put him on edge and Noah’s behavior wasn’t helping. Now that he was about to get what he wanted, she knew that it wouldn’t be long before he tied up all of his loose ends.
“FBI! Don’t move, Fletcher!”
A swarm of activity erupted around Naomi. Men in bulletproof vests jumped out from what seemed like thin air, guns drawn and shouting commands at Jack. Noah lurched forward at the same time Jack reached for her. He wrapped his arm around her chest and hauled her out of the backseat and against his body. Naomi’s heart pounded, her lungs constricted from Jack’s tight grip, and black spots swam in her vision. He pulled the gun fully from its holster and pressed the barrel against Naomi’s temple. “Anybody takes even a step closer, she’s dead!” he shouted.
Oh god. Panic seeped into Naomi’s bloodstream. Her eyes met Noah’s and she was taken aback by the unabashed rage she saw there. His jaw squared and he held out his hands, palms up, as though to placate Jack and diffuse the situation.
“Calm down, Fletcher,” Noah said from between clenched teeth. “No one has to get hurt.”
“You dumb motherfucker,” Jack spat. A tremor passed through him and Naomi swallowed against the lump that rose in her throat. He was twitchy as hell. If his finger so much as flinched on the trigger, she was dead. “I told you what would happen if you got anyone involved!”
A cacophony of sound assaulted Naomi’s ears. Noah, Jack, and the men in the FBI vests seemed to all start shouting at once, barking commands, threats, and insults that blurred into a single ear-shattering sound. Naomi knew better than to fall apart right now. She needed to keep her shit tog
ether if she wanted to get out of this in one piece.
“Here’s what’s going to happen!” Jack’s voice rang out above all the others and a stillness settled over the tense scene. Noah’s lips formed a hard line as he tore his gaze away from Naomi to focus on Jack. Damn it. She needed that eye contact to ground her. “Christensen is going to finish loading that block into the back of my rig. You’re going to stand down and let me drive outta here. Understand?”
Noah scoffed. “That’s not going to happen, Fletcher.”
“Yeah,” he said. “It is. Because I’m taking Naomi with me and if any of you fuckers try anything, I’ll kill her.”
So not good. She’d known since the day Jack had nabbed her that at the end of all of this, he was going to kill her. He had absolutely nothing to lose. Not the FBI, nor Noah’s sheer fury was going to derail his plans now. Jack would kill her in a heartbeat, if only to create a distraction so he could try to escape.
Noah focused his attention back on Naomi. She let out a shaky sigh of relief and gave him a slight nod to let him know she was holding it together.
“You’re going to be okay, Naomi,” Noah said. “I promise.”
Noah’s arm swept behind him in a blur of motion. He reached behind his back and whipped out a gun that he fired off without a second thought. Naomi flinched at the explosion of sound. Her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she waited for a bullet’s impact—either Jack’s or Noah’s—but instead felt only Jack’s grip on her slacken before he fell to the ground.
Violent tremors rocked Naomi’s body and she went to her knees. Pain radiated upward through her thighs as she made contact with the pavement below and she opened her eyes to find Jack beside her on the ground, gripping his bleeding shoulder.
“You’re going to pay for this, you son of a bitch!” he seethed. “You’re a dead man, Christensen!”
Shock kept Naomi frozen in place. The ringing in her ears deafened her. Her limbs grew cold and almost completely numb. When Noah reached down and scooped her up into his arms, it barely registered. The activity swarming around her as Jack was handcuffed by the FBI stole her focus. Jesus. What in the hell had just happened?
“Naomi?”
She looked around, wide-eyed and stunned. Her brain cranked into overdrive as it tried to keep up with what was going on around her. Strong arms held her against a wide chest and she rested her palm on a broad shoulder.
“Naomi? Talk to me.”
She shook herself from her stupor as her head came slowly around to face Noah. Concern etched every line of his face and his brows drew tightly over his eyes. “W-what?” she stammered.
“Are you hurt?”
Was she? Naomi shivered in Noah’s embrace and her teeth chattered. “I don’t think so.”
Relief cascaded over her as the realization of the situation finally hit her. Jack had been ready to kill her if need be and Noah had saved her. She threw her arms around him and sobbed against his chest. “Noah.” He held her tighter and she let out a shaky breath. “Noah, I’m so sorry.”
“Shh.” He soothed her as he smoothed a hand over her hair. “It’s okay, honey. You’re okay. Everything’s going to be fine.”
It would, wouldn’t it? Because Noah would never let anything bad happen to her. “I love you,” she said on a rush of breath. “I love you so much.”
He let out a quiet chuckle. “I love you, too.”
Noah carried her to his truck. He set her down in the front seat and she was reluctant to let him go. He kissed her forehead, her cheek, the tip of her nose, and once gently on her mouth before he pulled away. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”
“No hospitals,” she said.
He cocked a dubious brow. “All right. Can you sit tight while we wrap up here?”
She could wait as long as he wanted. “Don’t go too far.”
“I won’t,” he assured her. “Be right back.”
Naomi let out several shaky breaths before she felt as though her heart rate had returned to some semblance of normal. In the distance, Noah chatted with one of the FBI guys while the others transferred the large block of cash to an armored truck. He’d gone above and beyond to protect her. Noah Christensen loved her.
And she loved him, too. He was it for her. Period.
TWELVE
Naomi nestled closer to the warmth of Noah’s body and drew the covers up around them both. It was hard to believe that just forty-eight hours ago, she’d been held at gunpoint, not sure if she was going to live or die, and praying that she’d be given a chance to at least tell Noah how she felt about him. The details of that day were still a blur in her mind. Naomi had been terrified, certain that once Jack was arrested, Parker would come after her for retribution. Ever the hero, Noah had assured her that he’d taken care of her debt and that Parker had no interest in retribution. He’d get that from Jack, she supposed. Unless the FBI managed to break him first. Either way, it wasn’t any of Naomi’s business anymore, and that’s how she wanted it to stay.
She ran the flat of her palm up the ridges of Noah’s abs to the wide hills of his pecs. He stirred beneath her touch and a deep sigh escaped from between his lips. “If you don’t stop touching me like that, we won’t be getting out of this bed anytime soon.”
Naomi pressed a kiss to his shoulder and said against his skin in a husky murmur, “Who says I want to get out of bed?”
A shiver danced over her skin at Noah’s approving groan. Her hand wandered south and she reached between his legs to take the length of his cock in her hand. She stroked to the base of his shaft and he sucked in a breath that caused Naomi’s stomach to tighten and her thighs to clench. A familiar throb settled between her legs and she put her lips to his solid shoulder once again.
Her eyes drifted shut as Naomi reveled in the sensation of stroking Noah. His flesh in her palm was smooth and hard as marble. She brushed the pad of her thumb over the sensitive head and he shuddered, coaxing a smug smile to her lips.
In a flash, Noah had her on her back. A sinful grin spread across his full lips as he settled himself between her thighs. “You’re impatient this morning.” Naomi let her knees fall open and Noah’s gaze heated as it wandered to her pussy.
“I am,” he agreed. He grabbed a condom from the bedside table and ripped the packet open. “It took me six months to get up the courage to tell you how I felt about you. I’m not going to waste a second to show you.”
Noah might have thought that those six months were a waste of time, but Naomi might not have fallen in love with him otherwise. She’d gotten to know him, trusted him, liked him long before she’d loved him. He’d been her friend when she wasn’t sure if she could open herself up to trust anyone. Without even realizing it, she’d fallen for him. Hard.
“Actions do speak louder than words,” she teased.
Noah grinned. The expression was like the summer sun, bright and shining. Naomi’s eyes wandered down the length of his exposed torso, over the perfect V that cut into the skin where his thighs met his hips. Heat flushed her cheeks as she took in the sight of his erection and it grew even harder under her appraising stare. Noah ripped the packet open and rolled the condom on in a fluid motion before bracing his arms on either side of her. Her breath hitched in her chest as the engorged head prodded her opening and she let out a low moan as he drove home and filled her completely.
The sensation of their bodies joining had no equal. Naomi let out a low moan as Noah moved above her, pulling out to the tip before driving home once again. She hooked her ankles behind his knees as she thrust her hips up to meet his.
Naomi had never had it so good.
He fucked her slowly, taking his time the way he had their first night together. They’d had wild nights since then, passion that swept them up into a frenzy until they were tearing at each other’s clothes. But this morning, Noah loved her slowly. Thoroughly. Enjoyed her body and allowed her to enjoy his. He made love to her and in every deep thrust of his hips, she knew what he
felt for her.
Naomi’s back arched off the bed. She gripped his shoulders as she came up to meet him. His mouth found hers and his tongue thrust past her lips in time with each drive of his hips. The sensation coiled within her, giving the illusion that she was nothing more than a tiny sphere floating in the ocean. Noah rode the waves of her orgasm with her, lifted her to heights of passion that made her cry out and beg for more. He knew her body. Knew how to touch her, how to kiss her, how to make her purr. Not for the first time, Naomi marveled at the man she now called hers.
Noah was the total package. Brave, smart, caring, sinfully handsome, and sweet. Funny, sexy, playful, and serious when he needed to be. He was passionate. Affectionate. Honest and honorable. He was much too good for Naomi and yet, she’d been lucky enough to have won his love.
For the longest time, Naomi had lived by the adage, if she didn’t have bad luck, she’d have no luck at all. Moving to Sanger had been her saving grace, despite the desperation that had led her to borrow money from someone she shouldn’t have. That one bad decision had been a blessing in disguise, though. It had brought her closer to Noah. For the first time in her life, Naomi didn’t regret one of her mistakes.
“What are you thinking about?”
In the aftermath of her pleasure, Noah threaded his fingers through her hair. He rolled his hips against hers, shallow thrusts that brought her down from the high of orgasm slowly and rekindled the fire between them that smoldered in the peaceful lull.
“I’m thinking about you,” she murmured close to his ear. He thrust harder and Naomi’s back arched off the bed as renewed lust surged within her.
His low chuckle tingled over her skin like rain. “What about me?”
