by M Brereton
Sam shook his head vigorously behind her.
“This doesn’t concern you, Sam!” Eva said, still facing the door. “Move now!” Her tone took a deadly turn and the agents began debating if getting involved was worth their jobs. They stepped aside.
“Nooo!” Sam cried. “She’ll kill him!”
Noah’s detail pulled their weapons and Eva reacted instantly breaking wrists and busting noses as she disarmed them.
“I didn’t mean literally assholes!” Sam corrected as he watched them writhe on the floor.
Eva barged into the room ordering, “Get out now!”
“I saw your speech earlier…why do you look pissed?” Noah asked hesitantly.
“We’re in the middle of a very important discussion…” Johnathon began, but Eric and Wayland grabbed him and evacuated, despite Johnathon’s complaints, when they saw the look in Eva’s eyes.
As soon as the door shut behind them Eva questioned softly, “You’re having lunch with Veronica?”
“That’s what you’re mad about!” Noah relaxed as he asked, “So?”
“So!” Eva screeched then repeated as she rounded the desk. “So!” Noah slinked down as she ranted, “You’ve been seeing her behind my back and all you can say is so!”
“We just talked Eva! I swear!”
“This is not about what you’re currently doing. It’s about what you want to do, and you’ve wanted to fuck that bitch forever!”
“It isn’t like that, Eva!”
“So, you don’t find her attractive?”
“Yeah… but I don’t feel the way about her the way I feel about you!”
“You hated me for almost two years!”
“I’m not sleeping with Veronica!”
“I didn’t ask if you slept with her! I’m asking if I wasn’t here, would you sleep with her?”
“Not here, as in dead?” Noah questioned carefully, and Eva nodded. “How long have you been dead?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Well, I’ll need time to grieve.”
“YOU’RE STALLING!”
“It’s a legitimate scenario!” Noah assured, honestly because honestly, he knew he was never answering that question.
With a huff, Eva conceded, “Fine! I’ve been dead six months.”
“Six months! That’s no time at all for the love of my life. I need at least five years maybe longer and she may be already married by then and I’m no home wrecker…”
“You think you’re so smart,” Eva remarked as she watched him smile at her.
“Baby relax, there’s no other woman for me but you, you know that.”
“Don’t make me break my promise, Noah.” Eva threatened, lowly.
Noah lost his smile as he understood her. She would kill Veronica. “There’s no need for that,” Noah assured quietly.
“There better not be.” Eva reiterated. “Cancel the lunch date.”
“She told me she had a surpr…it was important. I can’t cancel.”
“Cancel the lunch date!” Eva repeated.
Leaning back in his chair, Noah looked away from her as he responded, slowly. “No.”
“What?” Eva responded coldly, shocked by his denial.
Turning back to her, he pointed out, “This is your hang up! I told you I’m not cheating and that should be the end of it!”
Eva stared at him as though he suddenly grew horns then turned on her heel and walked out, closing the door softly behind her.
Noah was afraid he had just become her enemy.
14
RSVP The Marshalls
After his words to Eva in the Oval Office, obviously, Eva wasn’t speaking to him, but she made her wrath felt. Eva didn’t do something as mundane as go and kill Veronica, but she did something way worse in Noah’s eyes; she gave him the ‘look, don’t touch’ torture. Then she messed with his schedule, his meals, and his wardrobe. Eva laid out his suits for everything, so when he turned up dressed in a polo tee and khakis for a university talk, he knew she was messing with him.
At least she didn’t attend the lunch with Veronica, but Noah had a feeling she would know everything that went down. Veronica showed up, but she wasn’t alone.
“Roland!” Noah exclaimed automatically, forgetting himself then as he remembered his eyes widened.
“Don’t worry,” Roland assured as he hugged him. “You can say my name. I don’t work for them anymore or for you, for that matter.”
“He’s Interpol now,” Veronica informed him.
“Wow!” Noah said as he sat down, Veronica and Roland joining him. “What do you mean, you don’t work for me? Don’t you mean with me?”
“I’m a French citizen now and since you’re President. I mean for you.”
“You live in France now?”
“To be near my wife,” Roland answered, looking lovingly at Veronica.
Noah caught on and asked, “You two are married!”
“Three months now.” Veronica supplied as she held hands with Roland.
“And neither of my so-called friends invited me to their wedding!”
“I wasn’t invited to yours.” Roland countered.
“I couldn’t invite you, I’d be taking a gamble with your life.”
“Same reason you weren’t invited,” Roland said, “As the POTUS you would’ve brought the press with you and we need to lead private lives.”
“Besides, you also had your hands full with Eva’s shooting,” Veronica said.
“Damn, Noah! Where did you get her?” Roland asked. “The way she moved, like a pro!”
Noah got nervous with Roland’s assumption and evaded, “A yoga class.”
“You take yoga?”
“She does. I just like to watch.” Noah grinned with Roland.
“Noah’s little woman has an assortment of deadly skills. Doesn’t she, Noah?” Veronica asked, staring at him.
Exactly how much Veronica knew about Eva, Noah suddenly wondered as he said. “Yeah… she has some interesting hobbies, she has a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, speaks several languages and is an equestrian.”
“She sounds amazing!” Roland praised. “And from the pictures I saw, she looks amazing too.”
“She’s a great cook too,” Noah added. “Doesn’t get to do it that much at the White House though. Noah mused then suggested, “Why don’t I have you over at our old house? Eva can make dinner and you can meet her. She’s even more beautiful in person.” It would be a win-win for Noah as he would get Eva off his back about Veronica as well.
“Not as beautiful as my Roni.” Roland teased as he kissed Veronica on her cheek.
“Well, even I have to admit Eva’s some pretty steep competition,” Veronica admitted as she continued to watch Noah.
Getting tired of her interrogator stare, Noah stated boldly “Well, now that you’re married to my good friend Roland, maybe you ladies can play nice.”
“You don’t get along with Eva?” Roland asked Veronica, taking the bait.
“We…maybe I should say, Eva has a problem with my friendship with Noah,” Veronica replied, turning finally away.
“She’s just being a bit possessive,” Roland teased, hugging Veronica. “After all, no woman wants their man hanging out with a gorgeous woman like you all day. Especially with that accent, who can resist?”
“I did,” Noah stated coldly.
“That’s different, she wasn’t interested in you.” Roland pointed out.
Noah almost smirked, but he glanced at Veronica whose eyes widened. Seems keeping secrets from your man is a woman’s MO, Noah thought and debated whether or not he’d tell Roland. In the end, it all depends on Veronica anyway.
“Roland, can I have a minute with your wife?” Noah asked.
“If you only need a minute, then I’ve got no reason to worry.” Roland joked as he stood. “I know you wanna find out about Roni’s cases, you work whore. Tell him nothing!”
As soon as he left, Noah aske
d. “What do you know?”
“Nothing I can prove. It’s all speculation at this point. She cleans up well.” Veronica informed him.
“Is this the reason you wanted to see me? To throw Roland at me and gripe about your feelings?”
“Who is she?”
“Who’s who?”
“Don’t play dumb, Noah Marshall!” Veronica hissed. “Who is she?”
“My wife,” Noah answered stubbornly then asked. “What did you find?”
“Too many questionable circumstances, but no proof. I may not have anything concrete, but I know your wife is no saint.”
“I know that too. She can be a real bitch sometimes.” Noah admitted then asked, “What would you have me do V? Tell you something that you can use to arrest the woman I love and mother of my children? A little advice, someone gave me years ago and I’m glad I listened – stop making work your life. You just got married, enjoy it. Life is short. One day you’re here, the next you’re gone.”
“Are you threatening me?” Veronica hissed.
“No, no!” Noah assured, then explained, “Three months ago a doctor told me Eva was dead and trust me the last thing on my mind was what I was mad about for the last two years. Even arguing with her is precious to me now. You have a dangerous job. Take time to enjoy each day given, not every lead is worth your life.” Noah warned.
The warning was understood. Veronica should stop digging into Eva’s life.
“I may not be the only one,” Veronica told him.
“There’s a reason you can’t prove your case V and you know it as well as I do.”
The words ‘all the witnesses are dead’ were unspoken between them.
“Are you being held against your will?” Veronica asked seriously.
Noah laughed and said, “She has tied me up a few ties, but trust me, I didn’t complain.”
“Fine! Make a joke out of this, but my analysis indicates she is very dangerous!”
“As long as her family is safe, we have nothing to worry about,” Noah assured as Roland rejoined them. “I’ll check with Eva on her itinerary and set up a date. I’ll let you guys know.” He finished as he stood. “I have a meeting. We’ll catch up, Ro and congratulations.”
“Thanks!” Roland replied before adding, “And I’m really sorry I couldn’t be there for Coop man.”
With his back to them, Noah muttered, “Me too.”
* * *
Back at the Presidential Bedroom.
“We need to talk,” Noah stated then walked around the room searching.
Seeing his actions, Eva assured him as she worked on her laptop. “They don’t bug the bedroom. I checked.”
Noah stopped and said, “Veronica knows.”
Without looking up, Eva replied. “Veronica knows nothing. I assure you there’s nothing to know.”
“You knew she was checking on you!”
“I didn’t know she was still trying to steal my husband so that’s one point for her,” Eva stated dryly.
“Well, bigamy is still illegal, so I doubt she’d succeed.”
“How sad for you.” Eva retorted.
“I mean she’s married now.”
Eva finally looked up and asked. “How long has she been married?”
“Only for the past three months.”
“And you didn’t tell me.”
“I didn’t know,” Noah admitted. “And guess what her surprise for me was?”
“She still wants you.”
“That I don’t doubt,” Noah smirked. “Her husband is Roland Simmons.”
“Who?”
“Shit, I forgot I never told you about Roland. Roland was undercover in the Mancini camp for years. I suggested to Nolan we pull him out after the arrest, but I never heard from him. Then with the campaign, I forgot. You’ve got to meet him, I told him all about you…well not all about you, obviously. I want us to have dinner together. You’re cooking. I want him to meet the kids. So, when are you free?”
“I’m cooking?” Eva asked. “You went on your little date, with your little friend. Let her cook!”
“Come on Eva, let’s not do this.” Noah griped.
“Let’s not do this?” Eva argued, “You chose her! And now that she’s married to your friend Roland, you want me to make nice! I am not cooking a meal for that bitch unless it’s poisoned!”
“Eva, Roland would be there, and I want to hang out with Roland.”
“So, hang out with Roland, but don’t expect me to be friends with her.” Eva countered resuming her work. “Did you ever stop to consider why she was checking up on me? I certainly gave her no reason to.” When Noah said nothing, Eva pointed out “That’s right, she wanted to get rid of me. She wanted to turn you against me. You know she threw the fact that we were having problems in my face? You still speaking to her behind my back just made things worse. So, no. I’m not going to play nice with Miss Perfect.”
“Fine. What do you want?”
“I want you to stop speaking to her behind my back!” Eva hissed. “And I want for her to die, but that’s ‘illegal’ so I want her to back the fuck off and you to not have lunch dates with her!” She gritted out.
“Ok, but it will be kinda weird if V…Veronica and I don’t speak when I meet with Roland.”
“In the presence of others, you may speak with her, but never alone!” Eva conceded.
“You know you’re being ridiculous.”
“I don’t care.” Eva pouted. “You’re mine and if I can’t kill her. You have to do this.”
“Fine.” Noah agreed then grinned suggestively “I love it when you get possessive. How about you come and take what’s yours?”
“How about you be glad I don’t knee you again and let you live?”
“I’m fine with that,” Noah muttered as he shielded himself.
As Eva continued to mutter angrily to herself about not being able to kill greedy sluts, Noah slipped out of the room. Maybe it would be best for the country if he didn’t sleep there tonight.
15
Dinner Disaster
It took Noah two more weeks of begging to finally get Eva to agree to the dinner and still, she wasn’t happy about it. In the end, it became a family affair with Olivia and Eric, his aunt and uncle, his mother and Johnathon Cross.
On the day of the dinner, his mother and aunt aided Eva in the kitchen, so he was sure she wouldn’t be trying to kill anyone with them there. To soothe her ruffled feathers, Noah, Eric, and Olivia set the table and the appetizers. Olivia added fresh flowers to the table and made sure her husband and cousin didn’t botch the job.
Roland and Veronica arrived and joined in the festivities while Eva was still in the kitchen. Noah chatted with Roland to delay informing her of their arrival for as long as possible. He didn’t get off that easy as Olivia informed them that Eva went to change and would be down shortly, so the dinner party could officially begin.
Eva was a woman that would never bore him, Noah realized as Eva swept into the den. She had her hair down and dressed in a red dress that made Roland’s eyes pop out of his head and Noah want to cover her. Her full breasts were on display as the dress wrapped around her curves. To make matters worse, she was wearing no underwear.
“You must be Roland.” Eva greeted in that fucking bedroom voice of hers.
“Uh…” Roland gasped out as he stared at her.
“Bonjour again, Veronica. It’s so nice to see you again.” Eva greeted in French.
Finding his voice, Roland stated, “You speak the language like a native.”
“I lived in Italy as a child, traveling around Europe and learning the language is natural,” Eva answered in Italian.
“Wow. I’m impressed.” Roland gushed.
Of course, he was, Noah gripped internally. She was charming the pants off of him. She was screwing with both him and Veronica with her little show. He didn’t know if he should be mad, applaud her antics or take her upstairs and rip that dress off and fuck her u
ntil she couldn’t move. As he continued to stare at her, his mind leaned towards the last.
Eva leaned forward as she offered Roland an appetizer and a better view of her cleavage. Honestly, Noah had to give it to Roland, he did try not to look, for about a minute then his eyes plastered there until Eva tilted his eyes up, smiling at him. She finally turned to Noah as though she just remembered he existed.
“He looks like you,” Eva said as she slid into Noah’s lap. “I don’t know how I feel about that.” She practically panted as she bit her lips, eyeing Roland from head to toe. “I think he’s a little taller though. How tall are you Roland?” Eva asked him as she absently stroked Noah’s hair.
“I’m six-two,” Roland answered. He hadn’t taken his eyes off Eva since she stepped into the room and his new bride beside him, stewed with rage as he pointed out. “Noah’s a little bulkier than me though.”
“Really.” Eva breathed then proceeded to feel on his biceps, much to the ire of both their spouses. Her actions also placed her chest against Roland’s. “Stand up,” she commanded and as he did she put her arms around his neck. “Just a little taller and leaner. You smell a bit like him too.”
Noah saw the look in Roland’s eyes and knew she had gone too far. Roland had his hands fisted at his side as though he was fighting the urge to put them around her. Veronica too had had enough as she yanked Roland away and back into his seat.
“You’ve proved your point, Evaline.” Veronica ground out.
Eva smirked at her in triumph as she returned to Noah’s lap. Her grin said it all – You can’t get my husband, but I could have yours. Noah whispered lowly to Eva, “You are going to pay for your little game, you know that right.
“If your twin comes along, I definitely wouldn’t mind,” Eva purred, breathlessly.
And that’s what really scared Noah, Eva wasn’t faking her attraction to Roland. He watched her eye him up and down and wondered if the attraction stemmed from the fact they looked alike, or if she really liked him.
Noah gently pushed her off his lap and as he stood he whispered for her to announce dinner. That was a strategic mistake on Noah’s part because he didn’t take into account the seating arrangements. Eva sat at his right with Roland beside her. Veronica was seated next to Roland, but she might have been invisible for all the attention he paid her. His mother was on his left with Johnathon beside her. His uncle was at the other end of the table with his wife at his left and Eric at his right with Olivia beside him.
