Bliss Series Boxed Set: The Whole Damn Harem

by B. J. Harvey

  “I’m not jealous,” I say under my breath, getting worked up at his assertion that I’m threatened by her. “But don’t you think it’s weird she’s here?”

  He sighs, his arm tightening around my waist. “Mom must’ve invited her. Our parents are friends unfortunately.”

  I square my shoulders, showing my bravado in the face of the bitch who treated Noah so badly it led to his life-changing decision which eventually led him to me. “I can be civil if she can.”

  “I don’t think she has it in her,” he mutters, sounding annoyed.

  “Well, I’ll be polite if she talks to us.”

  “You’re a bigger person than I would be.”

  “But if she tries anything, I can’t make any promises,” I warn, watching as she walks over to the bar and turns her saccharine sweet smile toward the barman.

  “Fuck knows what I ever saw in her . . .” he says forlorn.

  “We all know what you saw in her, and it had nothing to do with her nice personality,” Matt says.

  That breaks the mood, thank God. Soon our attention is back to the party with amazing food, an open bar with great cocktails—because while wearing a cocktail dress one must drink cocktails, of course—and snuggled in the arms of the man I love. The night couldn’t get better.

  Oh, but it does.

  A little while later, I excuse myself from talking to a lovely couple who were telling us all about their retirement plans to buy a bed and breakfast.

  “I need the bathroom.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Noah says, lacing his fingers with mine and leading me through the back door of his parents’ house.

  “You don’t have to wait, you know.”

  “I want to. Besides, if I stay here, you can’t get into any trouble.” He raises an eyebrow to give me a knowing look.

  “Oh I’m sure!” I snark, shutting the bathroom door but not missing his amused chuckle. Damn that man. Even when he’s laughing at me, he still makes me smile.

  I do my business and freshen up, stepping out of the bathroom into the empty hall with Noah nowhere to be found.

  Hearing voices from the end of the corridor, I follow the sound, because there’s something in my gut telling me that I should.

  “Come on, baby. I miss you. I miss your cock inside of me.”

  I walk through the doorway to find Nikki leaning into Noah, his hands gripping her arms and her lips just an inch away from his face as she goes in for a kiss.

  Oh, it’s on!

  “It’s a pity he likes putting his cock in me then, isn’t it?” I remark. Noah’s eyes go as wide as saucers as he pushes Nikki back and steps toward me.

  “Sweetheart, it’s not what you think.”

  “Oh, it’s exactly what I think, but you’re not the problem. She is.” I glare at the blond bitch who is now facing me, a fake knowing smile gracing her overdone red painted lips.

  “Don’t worry, I know what Noah wants and I definitely know what he needs,” she purrs, and I see red. I storm over to her and punch her right in the mouth, shocking myself almost as much as her.

  “Whore!” she shrieks, her lip bleeding as she comes at me, but thankfully Noah steps in front of me. I shake my hand, which is now hurting like a bitch.

  “Nikki, I ended it. Sorry if you don’t want to hear this, but it was the best fucking thing I have ever done. I meant everything I said to you. You’re not going to get very far in life if you keep looking for a sugar daddy to pay your way. “

  I can’t resist peeking around Noah to catch a glimpse of Nikki’s shell-shocked face, her mouth wide open as my man puts her in his place.

  “If I hadn’t ended it, I wouldn’t have Zoe, and she is more of a woman than you’ll ever be. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to watch the fireworks and enjoy the rest of our night. If I were you, I’d make a quiet exit while you still can.”

  As much as I want to have another go at her, Noah must be a mind reader because he doesn’t give me the opportunity. Grabbing my hand, he pulls me back down the hallway and shuffles me into the bathroom, slamming the door closed behind us before locking it and pushing me back against it.

  “What is it about you and me and walls?” I ask, bemused.

  “Fuck I love you,” he spits out before he kisses me, his hands going underneath my ass and pulling me up so my legs have to circle his hips.

  Seems I didn’t have to wait till later for him to jump me. Winning!

  Chapter 24

  “Psycho”

  Noah

  I look at my watch again, wondering where the hell Zoe is. We’d arranged to meet in the cafeteria for lunch, since we haven’t seen each other since yesterday due to me working a longer shift and studying for my boards.

  Pulling out my phone, I shoot her a text.

  Noah: Hey, I’m here. Where are you?

  After waiting another five minutes with no reply, I text her again.

  Noah: Still waiting. Did you get caught up? I can bring lunch to you.

  Still no reply, and with my lunch break likely to end with a call to the ER at any time, I decide to go down to radiology and see if I can find her.

  Watching my phone, I walk out of the elevator and almost knock Greta over.

  “Hey, have you seen Zoe?” I ask.

  “A friend of hers popped by, and they were in the MRI suite the last time I saw her. Just head on down, go to the end and turn right.” She points down the corridor.

  “Thanks, Greta. She’s late for lunch.”

  “Well you better go find her and tell her off. And also tell her to take her time coming back; we’re quiet at the moment.”

  “You’re a goddess, Greta. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” I lean down and kiss her cheek, which makes her blush. Wonders will never cease.

  She shoos me away and presses the elevator button as I walk off.

  I walk to the end of the hall as instructed and turn right, hearing a guy ranting about something I can’t quite make out. I walk into the MRI suite and into the booth, expecting to find Zoe. But it’s empty. Then the muffled voice becomes clearer.

  “You just wouldn’t listen to me. You don’t understand how much I need you.”

  I look through the glass into the screening room and my blood goes ice cold at the sight of Zoe being held up against the wall by a visibly angry man with tattoos down his arms. His fingers are gripping her bare arms tightly, biting into her skin as he shakes her violently.

  “What are you doing, Justin?” she asks.

  Oh fuck, the ex. The apparently harmless ex.

  Storming out of the booth, I try to open the door to get to her but it’s locked from the inside and just won’t budge. My heart thumps against my chest as I hear him continue to berate her.

  “You won’t respond to me, so I had to come to you,” he barks.

  Desperate to get in there, I ram the door with my shoulder, barging through the doorway to save her.

  “You’re coming home with me. You’ve made your point. You got my attention.” He turns his head and looks right at me when the door slams against the wall

  “Justin, no. You need to m . . . move. Step back . . .” Zoe begs, her eyes wide with terror.

  “Oh no, baby.” He says with a snide grin, looking me straight in the eyes as he continues, “I’ve finally got you cornered, and you’re going to hear me out.”

  “No, she’s fucking not!” I yell as I rush forward and jerk him sideways away from her, knocking him off balance and sending him crashing to the floor.

  “Are you okay?” I ask her, scared out of my mind but trying to make sure the dickwad doesn’t come at her again. She’s shaking now and wraps her arms around her chest, looking toward her ex with fear in her eyes.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Justin asks, getting to his feet again with a menacing feral look in his eyes.

  “Her boyfriend. You need to get a fucking life and leave her alone, once and for all.”

  “Fuck you, asshole.” H
e comes at me, swinging his arm wide but I see it coming and block him, deflecting the hit, then punching him hard in the stomach.

  He immediately bends over, winded. I take the opportunity to grab Zoe and move her out of his reach. “Go press the emergency button over there, sweetheart.”

  She looks up at me and nods, running to the panel by the door and pressing the red button to call security. “Noah . . .”

  “Zo, get out of here until security arrives.” But she doesn’t move.

  “Zoe . . .” Justin moans, lifting his head to look at her. “I love you. We belong together.”

  She looks at him and takes a deep breath, her confidence returning as she squares her shoulders and rallies herself. “I broke up with you months ago, Justin. Months! You followed me, broke into my bedroom, and even when you were warned by the police, you wouldn’t fucking listen!”

  “Zo . . .” he whimpers.

  “You just don’t get it. I don’t love you, Justin. I never loved you. I know what love is now and you’re not in love with me. You’re obsessed with me. It needs to stop. The texts, the calls, the following me, the gifts, the flowers . . .” I go completely still when I hear the words, realizing that she’s been hiding a hell of a lot from me during the past few months.

  She looks at me with wide shocked eyes, grasping exactly what she just revealed to me. Even still, she turns her attention back to him just as two burly security guards run through the door. They seem to evaluate the scene before looking at me.

  “Doctor?”

  “He physically assaulted her and held her against the wall, then tried to punch me,” I explain.

  They rush over and each grab one of Justin’s arms as he starts fighting them, trying to get free.

  “What do you want to do? Do you want the cops?”

  I open my mouth to answer, but Zoe beats me to the punch. “Yes, I need this on record. There’s a detective that I’ve been dealing with. I need to make a statement.”

  “Zoe, baby . . .” Justin whines as the guards lead him out.

  “Wait!” she says, stepping in front of him. “I need to say something.”

  I place a hand on her arm. “Zoe, I don’t think—”

  “You need to leave me alone. I’m going to get a protection order and you will have to leave me alone. No contact, no visits—nothing. Justin, you need to get on with your life and forget about me, because I’ve met a man who I love more than anyone else in my life and I know that hurts you, but I’ve moved on, and I’m not coming back.”

  And fuck if the guy doesn’t start crying.

  “You can take him now. I’ll take her to the precinct to give her statement and press charges,” I tell the guards, who turn and drag him out the door and out of sight.

  Before I can say anything to her, Zoe rushes at me and wraps her arms around my chest, bursting into tears. I pull her closer, my heart still racing at the thought of what happened before I got here and what could’ve happened to her if I hadn’t come looking.

  “It’s over, sweetheart,” I murmur into her hair, my hand stroking her head as the tremors wracking her body slowly disappear.

  She steps back and looks at me. “Noah, I—”

  “You okay? Let me check you out.” I scan her face, her arms, everything, looking for any sign of injury.

  “I’m fine, Noah. I’m so sorry.” Her voice waivers as her eyes fill with tears again.

  Not wanting to make the situation worse, or even in a position to comprehend what just happened, I put my arm around her shoulders and pull her into my side. “Let’s go, sweetheart. You can leave a note for Greta and come with me. I’m finished anyway so I’ll take you down to make your statement.”

  “Okay,” she replies quickly, burrowing her head into my chest as we move out of the room. I need to keep a close eye on her, her trembling body and shallow breathing a sure sign of the adrenalin seeping out of her system and reality sinking back in.

  “He was really mad. Desperate,” she murmurs. “I’ve never seen him angry like that. He’s never physically hurt me before.”

  “He’s unhinged, sweetheart. I think he’s got the message loud and clear now.”

  “Hope so.”

  “Let’s go find this detective you’ve been talking to. And your brother.” She stops dead in her tracks and her eyes go wide. “Oh no. No, Noah. We can’t tell Zander. He’ll lose the plot,” she pleads.

  “He’s going to find out anyway. Better to find out from you than through the grapevine.”

  Because God knows it makes you feel like shit to know someone you love doesn’t trust you enough to tell you the truth.

  ∞∞∞

  Zoe

  I was right. Zander’s expression is murderous when he walks into the room while I’m in the middle of giving my statement. Jeremy goes to open his mouth, probably to tell him off for barging in and interrupting, but slams it shut when he sees Zander’s look.

  “Zoe, I could wring your neck right now,” he whispers as he pulls me up and hugs me tight.

  “I’m sorry,” I reply roughly.

  “We’ll talk about it later. That guy needs to get the message to stay the fuck away from you. So you’re going to finish your statement and then Taylor is going to take you home.” He looks at Noah and nods. “When I’m off shift, Kate and I will come to your place. Okay?”

  “Yeah,” I reply weakly, the events of the day starting to take their toll. I’m exhausted, so fucking tired, relieved and still worried, just not about Justin now.

  Noah was amazing. When he stormed in the room and pulled Justin off me, I just stood there and watched as he took control of the situation and put Justin in his place. But now that the shock of it all is starting to pass and I recount everything to the detective, the guilt of hiding everything from everyone for the past few months is making its presence felt in a big way.

  I thought I could handle it. I thought Justin would back off when I didn’t reply to his texts, didn’t answer his calls, and definitely when I started sending the flowers back once I realized they were from him. But I was wrong, so very fucking wrong, and look where it got me—shoved against a wall and held against my will.

  I look over at Noah sitting beside me, giving him a small smile. He just nods in response.

  Something isn’t right with him. He’s here and he’s supporting me, holding my hand and encouraging me with gentle squeezes as I tell Jeremy everything that has happened since I arrived in Chicago, and even before I left Indiana, but his eyes are flat—he is flat. There is no cocky edge, no smile, and dare I say, no feeling there at all.

  I expected some response, an outburst of some sort. But there’s nothing.

  I sign my statement and Noah ushers me out of the room, Jeremy’s card clutched in my hand as he reassures me that Justin will not be getting anywhere near me anytime soon.

  We walk to his car and Noah opens the door for me, shuts it, then walks around the front of the car. He hops in and turns the key, starting the engine, then pulling out into traffic and heading toward my apartment.

  “Are you okay?” I ask warily.

  “Yep.” Again his voice is flat, void of emotion. It’s heartbreaking, but probably nothing less than I deserve.

  “Okay,” I reply, because what else can I say? I lied, or omitted the truth, but I never, never meant to hurt anyone, not my brother and especially not Noah.

  So I sit back and lean my head against the car window, watching the city pass by, and try to brace myself for the time bomb that is preparing to explode.

  I can only hope that Noah and I are still together after the explosion.

  Chapter 25

  “Man on a Wire”

  Noah

  I’m numb. I’m filled with anger. I’m lost, wondering how the fuck I’ve come full circle to be back where I started, with a woman unwilling to give herself completely to me. Zoe is not Nikki; that is not where I’m going with this. It’s the fact that I love Zoe, more than anything else in my l
ife.

  The man with the reputation for having a big dick and knowing how to use it is finally done for. I’ve found the woman I want to be with. I don’t want anyone else in my life, my bed, or my fucking heart.

  Then her obsessed ex walks into the hospital and manhandles her and I save her, only to find out she’s been hiding everything she’s being going through from me, from her brother, from her mom and sisters—from everybody. I don’t know whether to wring her neck or hold her close and never let her go.

  I park my car and get out, walking around to the passenger door to help Zoe.

  “Give me your keys and we’ll get you upstairs,” I urge, holding my hand out as she drops them in my hand.

  She’s been quiet the whole ride home, probably overthinking shit as much as I am. We need to talk this out. I need to know why she kept everything hidden from me. Hell! From everybody it seems. Why didn’t she trust me enough to tell me about what was happening, and everything she was going through? I fucking knew she was holding something back from me; I should’ve pushed hard, demanded answers.

  The nightmares, the caginess whenever she’d get text messages, and her general evasiveness when I’d ask whether she needed help—now it all seems obvious. Listening to her giving her statement, she’s been going through hell for months, even when she came to Chicago to get away from the idiot. He was persistent, he was desperate, and his irrational behavior continued to escalate until it led to today’s clusterfuck.

  Then there are fucking bruises on her arms from when he grabbed her and held her against the wall. I won’t forget that look of fear in her eyes.

  I’m mad at her.

  I’m mad at myself.

  My issue is honesty—or the lack of it.

  Mac and Daniel have it. Zander and Kate eventually got it. Even Sean and Sam got their shit sorted once they were finally honest with each other after years of avoiding their issues.

  “Noah?”

  I turn to look at her, realizing I’ve been walking on autopilot while lost in my head, and we’re now standing outside Zoe’s apartment door.