by M. Malone
“What are you giggling about down there?”
“Nothing,” Lucia lied. “Just thinking about everything. We’ve known each other so long that it feels like you’ve always been in my life.”
He shrugged, the movement displacing her from his chest slightly. She sat up and looked at him in the darkness. Even in the dark room, his eyes glowed with intensity. She had no doubt that even now, when he appeared to be relaxing, he was on alert for anything that might pose a threat. He’d been taking care of her and Nonna for years now. But who took care of him? When did he get to relax?
It was a telling thought that she’d never considered that before. She’d been more than content to live her life unaware, happy in the world that Noah made safe for her without ever thinking of the things he must have sacrificed to keep her that way. It shamed her that she’d been so oblivious for so many years. Despite being the ultra-capable, alpha-male, badass type, she liked to think that someone was looking out for Noah, too.
“I was just thinking about how you’ve been so amazing, always being there for me and Nonna over the years.”
“That’s no hardship, Lu. I want to be there for you two. You’re my family.”
“I know. But I’m just grateful that you feel that way. Nonna doesn’t let people help her easily, but she told me about the money you’ve been sending her every month. I know she’s too stubborn to thank you so I’ll do it. Thank you for taking such good care of us.”
She leaned down and hugged him again. He was stiff against her for a long moment before he slowly relaxed. She knew it was hard for him to show affection; it just wasn’t something he was used to. Everything she’d learned about his past made her want to shower him in love and show him that he was worthy of it. He might not be used to this kind of attention, but she would continue to show him with her actions how much he meant to her.
“Nonna is stubborn. So … what has she been doing with the money?”
Lucia shrugged. “She says she’s saving it for a rainy day. But it’s not like she’ll ever need it. I saw that you paid her hospital bill, too. You’re so good to us, Noah.”
He pulled her tighter and kissed the top of her head. “You deserve everything in the world. Now go to sleep. I know you’re tired.”
“No, I’m not,” she protested but the words were broken by a huge yawn. Her eyes closed involuntarily and once they were closed, it was hard to open them again.
Noah’s husky chuckle warmed her. It was so nice to hear him laughing instead of being so serious for a change. After everything they’d gone through together, all the tragedy, Lucia decided then and there that she would bring laughter back into his life.
“Goodnight, princess.”
It was the last thing she heard before she dropped off into sleep.
chapter nine
NOAH DIDN'T WANT to leave Lucia’s bed again. Not after the last time. But he couldn't sleep. However, if he stayed he’d only wake her, and then neither one of them would get any sleep. Not that he minded, but she needed rest. It had been a long few days, and she was running on nothing but adrenaline.
She hadn’t been sleeping well lately, but given that last orgasm, he hoped she’d be out for hours. Unless he was losing his touch. Though given her cries of "Oh my God, Noah …There, right there … Please oh God, yeah,” he doubted it. With a smirk, he dragged on pajama bottoms that he found in the back of his drawer. When was the last time he put on pajama bottoms?
Quietly, he padded out of his room, gently closing the door behind him. His first stop was the tech room. He doubted Matthias was asleep. The kid barely ever slept. Too many nightmares, Noah guessed. What Noah wasn't sure of was whether it was stuff from his life before or the things that ORUS asked him to do that kept the kid up. Anyway, if Noah didn’t live with him he would have never known he barely got more than three or four hours a night. Occasionally he'd take a catnap, but somehow the kid was always alert, hyperaware, ready to run.
As expected, he found Matthias in front of a couple dozen monitors. Most of the computer screens were security feeds. Places that needed watching. Their own building. Lucia’s building. A couple of clients’ locations. The other monitors displayed code. Lines and lines of code. Noah learned from experience, that it was never a good idea to ask exactly what Matthias was working on. He would either go into extreme detail, boring you with the nuances of every one and zero, or he’d tell you exactly what he was doing, which occasionally would make your hair stand on end. Especially when it dealt with nuclear codes. Noah shuddered.
He hated to think of just how many governments Matthias could fuck with just because he felt like it. Good thing he was one of the good guys. Good thing you saved him.
“Kid, need any help?"
Matthias spun around, dragging an earbud out of his ear, the other hand in his lap, wrapped around the muzzle of his gun. "Fuck, Noah. You startled the shit out of me."
Noah held his hands up. "Easy does it, kid. You could hurt someone with that."
For a long moment, the guy gave him a flat stare. Completely dead eyes, as if he were running through the scenarios. That was the shit that scared Noah. For a moment in time, he thought he had lost his friend. And then Matthias blinked. He was coming back to himself. His hand gently eased off of the gun. "Sorry. I thought you guys were asleep. I'm just edgy after the fashion show."
Noah nodded and gently eased his hands down. "You know, we didn't talk about it. After you brought her back, we didn't —”
Matthias shook his head. "I’m fine."
Noah sighed. "I know you're fine, but I need to know if you’re tight. I know that day probably triggered a whole bunch of bad shit for you. I'm sorry I put you in that position."
Matthias looked down at the gun in his lap. "I had a job to do. I didn’t even think twice. That's the shit that scares me. It was like an instinct. Every goddamn move, pure instinct. I was ready and willing and wanting to rip the head off of whoever walked through the door. I was disappointed that there wasn't something bad on the other side. I wanted to kill something." He picked up the gun and put it on his desk. "So yeah, I'm fine. But maybe not tight."
Shit. He had to get the shrink. "Okay. I hear you. I’m feeling like I shouldn't have given you that assignment so soon after we talked to the FBI."
"No. We’re running ourselves ragged here. I need to pull my weight. Even if it means that you have to pull the trigger. I'll try not to get too lost. Besides, it was Lucia. Maybe that's why I didn't blink. I knew I had to protect her."
Noah's gut curled. He knew the kid had a crush but didn't that sound vaguely like love? "Listen, kid, I know how you feel about—"
Matthias shook his head. "I'm good. You love her. And she loves you. Besides, she and I were only ever going to be friends. I know it’s not like that.”
Damn straight it wasn't. Every one of Noah’s territorial instincts had already been triggered having her around all the guys. Probably why he was just about ready to fuck her on every flat surface of his office as much as he could. But he didn't say that out loud. "Good," he managed.
Matthias smirked and began turning the chair around. "Besides, given how loud she is, the whole office heard she's pretty much yours."
Motherfucker. They'd heard her. Every damn word. "You guys need to learn to shut your fucking ears off."
Matthias lifted his brow. "Can't. You pay me to watch and listen to everything. Eyes and ears, bruv. And unfortunately I got more than an eyeful. And earful.”
They’d been in his office. Sure Oskar had gotten a view, but how had Matthias? "You didn't see shit."
Matthias glanced over his shoulder and winced. "Next time, boss, you might want to use the privacy glass and remember I’ve got cameras in every corridor. Everyone pretty much stayed in the conference room until you guys, uh, finished. Except Oskar of course. He was unlucky enough to come in after you two uh … commenced."
Noah cursed. "You’re saying all of you guys got a good look at Lucia�
�s ass?”
Matthias shook his head quickly. "No, unfortunately, we all got a good view of your ass." He shuddered. "I'd rather not have to look again."
Noah shook his head and laughed. "Sorry. Privacy glass. Got it."
"Thanks. I know the only reason you're not waking up half of this building with her screams is because you need something."
Damn. This was going to be tricky. With her here, his whole crew was going to get an eyeful of her at some point. You have to figure out how to mitigate that. But that was another problem for another day. Right now he had a very specific problem. "Okay, so Lucia went to see her grandmother today. Nonna said she’s been getting money for years. Since Rafe died. Cash in her mailbox, once a month or so. Could be at night or during the day when she's out. But not just a little money. A few thousand. Maybe five."
Matthias frowned. "That's well over a hundred grand for the year."
"I know. And the kicker is she thinks I've been sending her that money."
"You’re shitting me right?"
Noah shook his head. "I swear. Not shitting you. I need to find out where the fuck that money is coming from."
Matthias tapped away on one of his keyboards. "And it started showing up after Rafe was gone?"
Noah nodded. "According to Lucia, and what Nonna told her, as soon as Rafe died, the money turned up. Now, if it was an electronic transfer or something, I would say that was Rafe’s set up. Then when he died, all of his money would go straight to her. Hell, that's my set up. But this is something else. It’s coming in cash to her door."
Matthias shrugged. "Maybe Rafe had someone set up to bring it to her."
Noah didn't buy it. "Yeah, but if he did, that would be me. Nonna practically raised me to adulthood. I'd be the one sending her money. Hell, I do send her money. Not as much as that, but still every month. I take it over when we do Sunday dinner. She never says a word." He ran his hand through his hair. "I need you to find out where the money’s coming from. While you’re at it, find out what happened to Rafe’s accounts. I knew that man better than I would know my own brother. He would've wanted Nonna and Lucia taken care of. Why hasn't his money from ORUS been coming back? That's a good place to start."
Matthias nodded as he started typing frantically. "If there's a trail to be found, I’ll find it. If worse comes to worst, we put a man on her house, round-the-clock, and find out how that money is being delivered, and by whom."
Noah heard Lucia softly calling for him. He turned his attention briefly to Matthias. "Let me know when you find something." He didn't wait for Matthias to answer before he was already heading back to the bedroom. Apparently Lucia’s nightmares were too much for her to sleep, too. Good thing he knew exactly how to help get her back to sleep.
Lucia stretched gloriously. Noah Blake knew how to deliver one hell of a wake-up call. Jesus, she may not be able to move her legs ever. She was certain they didn't work properly.
After he’d stretched over her that morning, intent on giving her the wake-up call to end all wake-up calls, he’d told her to join him in the shower. Lord knew she would have, but she could barely sit up, let alone stand.
And if she knew Noah, no way would he have her in there just to shower. Oh, it might start innocently enough. A little harmless soaping of her back here, a little rinsing of her breasts there. It was a slippery slope with that man. He really was shameless.
The things that man could do with his hands. And his mouth. Not to mention his dick. Wow. She’d never even known it could be like this with someone. Sure, she’d had a feeling they could be explosive, but there was no anticipating Noah Blake. The problem was now that she knew he wanted her, would she ever be able to stop? The man was addictive. And that thing, the fluttering he did just when she hovered on the edge of oblivion … Holy hell. More than once she’d been sure he was trying to kill her with sex. There were worse ways to go than death by orgasm.
And truth be told, she was tempted to throw the covers off and join him as he suggested. She wanted to run the soap all over his body. It didn't take much before her imagination was running away with her. If she could move, she would join him. She would help soap his back and his abs. Because obviously he would need help washing his abs. There were so many of them, after all.
And of course she’d wash other things too. She’d never admit it to him, but she loved being able to snap his control. It always gave her a rush of feminine power that she could bring a man like Noah to his knees. And she wanted to learn all the ways to do just that. It made her wish she’d brought along the box of lingerie, toys, and videos she’d gotten from that bachelorette party.
While she was mulling the possibility of Noah allowing her back into her apartment to retrieve it, her phone rang. Unwilling to get out of bed into the chilly morning air, she wiggled sideways and leaned over the side of the bed to pick up her purse and drag her phone out. The number was unknown so she didn't answer at first but then wondered if it might be important.
"Hello?"
"Lucia?"
It took a moment before she could place the slightly familiar voice. "Brent? Where are you?"
"It's better that I don't tell you." His voice was garbled for a moment, and she strained to hear. "Lucia, listen to me. You’re in danger."
Wait, how did he know that? Did he know about the attack? "Brent, what do you mean? How did you know? It only just happened. Besides, I thought that you were out of this whole thing. I thought you had managed to run."
He coughed. "I didn't run far enough. Listen. Maybe I did something stupid, but after I saw you I started to poke around some more. I think I asked the wrong kind of questions. Because there's been a team following me since I left New York. I should keep moving, but I needed to tell you."
Why would he do that? Why would he risk his life, his freedom, for hers? That was madness. "Tell me what?"
"Listen, not over the phone. It's too dangerous. But there are people trying to hurt you. There are people trying to kill you. I made a mistake. I don’t want you to as well. You need to get out of town, too.”
She sat up, wrapping her arms around herself. "What mistakes did you make? You have to give me more to go on. You can’t just tell me to leave town. You don't understand. My whole life is here.”
“Lucia, this is serious!”
“I know, please don’t think I’m not taking it seriously. I know that someone is after me, but Noah and his team have told me they’ll look into it. I trust him to keep me safe. I don’t want to run away. You shouldn’t have to run away either."
There was a long pause on the phone. Then he spoke, his voice low. "Lucia, you don't get it. You're going up against the mafia."
She gasped. “What do you mean mafia? Who?”
Brent shushed her. "I don't know if they can tap the line you’re on, but we can’t talk about this openly. Look, I'm coming back to the city. Can you meet me?”
Was he insane? There was no way in hell Noah was letting her out of his sight. Unfortunately, Noah also wasn't going to tell her a damn thing about who was after her. If she wanted some information, she was going to have to dig it out on her own. And Brent obviously knew something she didn’t.
But the real trick would be getting away. For her own safety, Noah was never going to let her out of his sight. One of the guys was always with her. Maybe it was time to call JJ. She'd have a way.
"Okay look. I'll meet you. You name the place, we’ll come and you have to let Noah help you. This is what his team does. He can keep you safe. He can hide you a damn sight better than you’re hiding yourself right now."
"No. He can't. And as a matter-of-fact, I think you should stay away from him. I don't have all the pieces, but I think your boyfriend knows more about this than he’s telling you. Look, we can’t talk on the phone. I'll give you all the information when I see you. Come alone. I’ll text you the location."
She bit her bottom lip. She’d promised Noah that she was going to let him and his guys deal with
this. But if Brent would only talk to her, that's just the way it was. Besides, she would be cautious. She wasn’t going to lose this opportunity to get more information.
"Fine. Text me the address. I'll be there."
"Okay but remember—Come alone. I don't trust that guy. You may think he's on the up and up but you need to be careful. We all do."
chapter ten
NOAH WAS GOING to kill her. Kill her dead. But only after he gave her that disappointed look he gave her when she didn't trust him. He’s going to great lengths to protect you and this is how you betray him? Lucia tried to shove that thought to the back of her mind.
She battled back the guilt that kept trying to surface as she patted down the blond wig that hid her dark hair. In the next stall, she could hear JJ changing into the clothes that Lucia had been wearing. If all went according to plan, she would leave the restroom dressed like JJ and no one would be the wiser. Except you. You will be the wiser. You will know that you’re lying.
Oskar was going to be pissed if he figured out what she was up to, but she honestly couldn’t think of anything else to do. She was all out of options and Brent was offering her a lifeline. She had to take it.
She pulled out her phone and looked at the text message she’d received from Brent earlier in the day. It had been such a surprise to hear from him since she’d thought he’d already left town. But from the tone of his message, he had something really important to share. Considering the type of information he’d already given her, she figured it was worth her while to see him.
Even if that meant ditching her bodyguard. Oskar was family now. She felt terrible … except she didn’t. As bad as she felt, she knew what was at stake.