by A. M. Myers
“So, you’re in danger, too?” Blaze asks and I shrug.
“Maybe. Doesn’t really matter, though. I’m not walking away from her.”
Blaze holds his hands up with a nod. “I wasn’t suggesting that but do you think she’d be okay with staying here so we can keep you both safe?”
“I don’t know,” I reply. “I haven’t really talked to her about the club yet and last time I checked, her opinion of y’all wasn’t that high. I’ll ask, though.”
“Sounds good. Is she home now?”
“No.”
He nods before turning to Smith. “Why don’t you head over there today and see what we can do for her in terms of security?”
“You got it, boss,” he answers and Blaze turns back to me.
“We’ve got a transfer coming up next week and I want you to come along so you can really get a feel for what we’re all about now.”
I drum my fingers on the table and nod. “As long as someone’s keeping an eye on Kady, I’m cool with that.”
“Good. Let’s get to work.”
We all stand up and Streak heads back upstairs to start his deep dive into Biche’s life as Smith and Storm head out to inspect the cabin and strategize. I pull my phone out of my pocket as Blaze walks up behind me and claps my shoulder.
“We’ll get this taken care of, okay?”
I nod.
“And please tell Kady how sorry I am.”
“I could but I think it’d be better coming from you.”
He stares at the floor for a second before nodding. “You’re right. Maybe we can have a party here and I can talk to her. She can also see how different things are now.”
“Yeah, I’ll run it by her.”
With a nod, he heads back to his office and I walk out to the parking lot as I pull Kady’s number up on my phone.
“What, Noah?” she answers with a sigh on the second ring. I laugh.
“You know, some people would call the way you speak to me downright mean.”
She scoffs. “Good thing you’re not one of those people and I’ll stop if you can tell me that you’re not at least a little turned on right now.”
“Well, shit…”
“That’s what I thought.” She laughs. “Now, what do you want?”
I climb in my truck and lean back in the seat. “I was just wondering if you have plans tomorrow night.”
“Yeah. Mason wants to grab dinner and talk about getting back together.”
“What?” I snarl, jerking forward in my seat suddenly and a burst of laughter greets me.
Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.
“Not funny, woman.”
“Actually,” she says between her giggles, “it was pretty damn funny but to answer your question, no I don’t have plans. Why?”
Sighing, I relax back into the bench seat. “I want to take you out.”
“Oh… Noah, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
“Come on, baby,” I urge, praying that I can get her to agree. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Besides, I’ve been waiting seven damn years to take my girl out again.”
She sighs. “Well, when you put it like that…”
“Is that a yes?”
“I suppose but don’t get used to it.”
Laughing, I start the truck. “I love you, baby.”
“Good-bye, Noah,” she growls and before I can say anything else, she hangs up. I toss the phone on the seat next to me with a grin on my face as excitement races through me. I’ve been thinking about this date for the last seven years and I can’t wait to see the look on her face when I show her what we’re doing tomorrow night.
Chapter Thirteen
Kady
I purse my lips as I stare at myself in the full length mirror next to the bathroom and run my hands down the black and white striped dress that hits me mid-thigh as my stomach does a little flip. God, it’s been so long since I’ve been on an actual date with Noah and my heart is pounding right now. Turning to the bed behind me, I grab my studded leather jacket and slip it on before turning back to my reflection and sighing. I’m fucking hopeless. I raise my phone and snap a picture before sending it to Hannah with a string of question marks and a few seconds later, my phone rings.
“You. Look. Gorg!”
I scrunch up my face. “Really? You’re not just saying that?”
“Um, no. I wouldn’t do that.”
“God, I’m so nervous,” I whisper, pressing my hand to my belly like I can somehow calm myself. Hannah scoffs.
“What the hell are you nervous for? It’s Noah.”
“Exactly. It’s Noah… and I haven’t been on a date with him in seven years.”
“Aww,” she coos. “That’s so damn cute. I’m so happy y’all got back together.”
I take a few steps back and plop down on the bed. “Hey, no one said we’re back together.”
“Oh, come on, Kady. Who the hell are you trying to fool? The minute that man walked back into your life, you were his again.”
“Stop saying that like it’s a done deal,” I command, falling back onto the bed as I release a heavy breath. “You know it’s still a terrible idea and likely going to get one or both of us in a lot of trouble.”
She sighs. “I love you, Kady Jane Sinclair, but you’ve got to start living your life again. You’re not stuck in the basement anymore. You got out and that means you get to be happy now.”
“Oliver is still out there and he’s coming after me.”
“That may be true but you’re also not alone anymore. Noah is here and he’ll do whatever it takes to protect you.”
I open my mouth to argue when the motion sensor goes off. “Speak of the devil.”
“Oooh!” she squeals on the other end of the phone. “Have fun and call me to tell me all about it tomorrow.”
“Fine,” I grumble, fighting back a smile. Her excitement is contagious and it eases some of my nerves. “I love you.”
“Love you, too, babe. Now, go make your boobs look extra perky and knock that boy’s socks off.”
I laugh as we say good-bye and as soon as I hang up, he knocks on the door. Pushing off the bed, I inspect my outfit one more time as my stomach does that little flippy thing again. Brushing my hair back, I smack my lips together and leave the bedroom as Noah knocks again.
“Kady?” he yells, worry in his voice and I roll my eyes.
“One second.”
When I grab my purse off the counter, I grab a treat for Jack and hand it to him before walking to the front door and sucking in a breath as I open it. Noah smiles before his gaze slowly falls down the length of my body. His mouth goes slack as heat fills his eyes and I fidget in front of him, my heart pounding out of control.
“You look fucking incredible, baby,” he growls. Reaching out, I grab his shirt in my fist and pull him to me as he lets out a startled laugh.
“What do you say we stay in instead of going out?” I ask, skating my fingers down his chest and he studies me for a moment before slowly shaking his head as a smile stretches across his face.
“Sorry, darlin’. You’re not getting out of date night that easily.”
I meet his gaze and glare up at him for a second before stomping my foot and shoving him to the side so I can slip past him. His laughter bounces around the small confines of the porch and I roll my eyes as I stomp down to the truck. There are so many reasons why this is such a bad idea but of course, no one will listen to me.
“Hey,” Noah calls, catching up with me and spinning me around to face him. “What’s the deal, babe? You really don’t want to go out with me?”
There’s a touch of vulnerability in his voice, the first hint that he’s shown that maybe he’s not as confident as he always seems and it’s the one thing that breaks through all the armor I’ve built around my emotions these past seven years.
“No, it’s not that. I just…” I glance over my shoulder at the end of the driveway. Why does it a
lways feel like, at any moment, someone is going to race up and grab me again?
“This is a really big deal for you, isn’t it?”
I nod, my gaze fixed on the button of his plaid shirt. “I’m so scared, Noah. I can’t end up back in that apartment.”
“And you never will,” he barks, his voice somehow soft and consoling at the same time as he cups my cheek in his hand. “I will die before I let him ever get his hands on you again and we have the entire club at our back this time.”
“The club? For real?”
Nodding, he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into his body. “It’s different than it was when I was locked up. They’re a real family now and any one of them would gladly take a bullet to protect me and you. Hell, a few of them even got married and Storm has a baby girl.”
“Really?” I ask, arching a brow. It’s hard to imagine the wild outlaw club that I remember as the way he’s describing them now. He nods.
“Yeah, but you don’t have to take my word for it. Blaze suggested that we could do a party or a dinner or something. You can see for yourself how things are now and if you still don’t like it, I’ll leave.”
I meet his gaze, hopeful that maybe things really are different this time around. “You’d do that? For me?”
“I’ve told you, Kady. Everything I do is for you and I’m sorry if that wasn’t clear to you before. I never meant to cause you any pain and it kills me that that’s exactly what I did.”
My heart thunders in my chest as I stare up at him, the sincerity and love in his gaze stealing my breath. It’s like the layers of hurt and mistrust have been stripped away between us, even if just for a second, and as I look up at him, he’s the same eleven-year-old boy that walked into school with all the swagger of an adult and stole my heart with a look.
Goddamn it, I love this man.
I really do - even when he makes me so crazy I could kill him with my bare hands.
Leaning up on my toes, I pull him to me by his shirt and plant my lips on his. He groans, low in his throat, as his hold around my waist tightens and his tongue teases the seam of my lips. I sigh into our kiss and he takes advantage of the opportunity, his tongue tangling with mine as one hand finds its way into my hair.
“Noah,” I breathe, arching my body against his and he groans again.
“Shit, Kady. You have no idea how badly I want to haul you back inside and put this sexy body to use all night long but I really have something special planned for you.”
I nod, biting my bottom lip. “Later, then.”
“Oh, you can fucking count on that,” he growls as he opens the driver’s side door of the truck. I hop up into the seat and slide over until I’m in the passenger side and he gets in after me before starting it. As he backs out of the driveway, I scoot closer to him and he grins as he slings his arm over my shoulder just like he used to before we went away. Closing my eyes, I can’t help smile. When I shut out the rest of the world, it’s like no time has passed at all and I’ve never felt more right than I do sitting next to him.
“What are you so happy about over there?” he asks and I open my eyes as I turn to look at him. I want to thank him for talking me into going on this date but there’s no way in hell I could ever do that. The man would just use it against me and I’d have to stare at his smug face all night long. Finally, I shrug.
“No reason.”
“Can I let you in on a little secret, sweetheart?”
I arch a brow. “What’s that?”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
I scowl at him as he throws his head back and laughs, the sounds amplified by the tiny space of the cab. Despite my annoyance, it warms my soul. His laughter has always been one of my favorite sounds in the world and it’s no different now. When he first showed up two weeks ago, I was scared that anything we shared, any feelings or memories between us would be long gone but the more time we spend together, the more I realize nothing has changed. He’s still the same boy who stole my heart all those years ago and he always will be.
“Close your eyes and keep ‘em closed or I’ll have to blindfold you,” he orders as we slow down and I shoot him a glare.
“Why?”
“It’s a surprise,” he growls, stopping in the middle of the road and I peek over my shoulder to make sure they’re are no cars behind us. The cabin is pretty far out of town so thankfully, we’re alone. Turning back to him, I cross my arms over my chest as I challenge him. “Goddamn it, woman. I will blindfold you and if you’re not careful, I’ll fuck you in this truck before I take you to your surprise.”
I arch a brow and smile as I shrug.
“Have it your way, then.” He reaches for me and my smile grows but before he can even pull me into his lap, a car horn blares from behind us and I jump. He glances over his shoulder, whispers a curse, and takes his foot off the brake. We roll forward a little bit before he turns down a dirt road and shoots me a look. Rolling my eyes, I clamp my hands over them and slump back in my seat. We drive a little further down the road before the truck stops and Noah’s door opens.
“Come with me,” he instructs, gently grabbing my arm and leading me out of the truck. When I’m safely on the ground, he replaces my hands and begins guiding me somewhere. Frogs croak off in the distance but with the sun going down, there is a chill in the air and I pull my jacket tighter around me.
“Ready?” he asks as we stop and he turns me slightly. I nod and he pulls his hands away from my eyes. I blink as my eyes adjust to the warm light of the setting sun and gasp as the large balloon comes into focus.
I spin around to look at him. “Really?”
“Yep.” He has a smug grin on his face but I don’t even care right now. Ever since he and I were eighteen and watched hot air balloons float through the sky at this festival they had in town, I’ve wanted to go on one myself. He always told me that he’d take me someday but we just never got around to it before he got locked up.
“I can’t believe you remembered.”
“Gorgeous,” he chastises, linking his fingers with mine as we start walking over to the balloon. “I remember everything about you.”
“Evening, folks,” someone calls and I look up as a burly man walks around the large basket that’s staked into the ground.
“Hi,” Noah calls and I smile, barely able to hold still with the excitement coursing through my system.
“Y’all ever been up in a balloon before?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Well, don’t be nervous,” he says, smiling. “I haven’t killed anyone yet.”
“Hmm… that may be comforting based on how long you’ve been doing this. When did you get certified? Wait… that’s a thing, right? You had training and you’re certified to fly this thing?” I ramble, pointing to the giant balloon looming above us. He lets out a booming laugh as Noah shakes his head.
“Let me introduce myself. I’m Arnold and yes, I have been certified to fly this thing for the past ten years.”
I grin, practically bouncing on my toes. “Perfect. I’m Kady and this is Noah.”
“Nice to meet you, folks,” Arnold says before turning to point at the sky behind him. “We’d better get up in the air if y’all don’t want to miss the sunset.”
“Sounds good,” Noah answers with a hint of mirth in his voice. I turn and beam at him as he squeezes my hand. Arnold leads us over to the basket and they both help me in before Noah jumps in followed lastly by Arnold. He nods to someone I didn’t notice before by his truck and she rushes over and pulls the stake out of the ground as Arnold pulls on a string that shoots a flame into the balloon. I feel like a little kid again as I watch how it all works and turn to the landscape around us. We slowly drift into the air and it doesn’t take long before the trucks below us look like ants.
Noah stands behind me and wraps his arms around my waist as we turn to watch the sunset; gorgeous, vibrant colors streaking across the sky. I lean back into him and for the first
time in seven years, I am completely and totally relaxed. Up here, high in the sky with the love of my life, I am safe. No one can touch us and a tiny piece of my broken heart mends itself.
“Thank you,” I whisper, just low enough for Noah to hear and he leans down, pressing a kiss behind my ear.
“I love you.”
I nod, unable to say the words but I hope he knows how much I feel them, especially right now. Noah makes me madder than a hornet and drives me absolutely insane but he’s also my greatest source of comfort and the only man on this earth who understands me, inside and out.
We cuddle in silence as we watch the sun sink lower and lower in the sky and when it starts to get dark, Arnold begins guiding the balloon back to the ground. My stomach does a little flip as we get close but he sets us down without a problem and his partner is waiting with the truck to pick us up and load the balloon up. Arnold and his wife, Missy, are good people and an absolute hoot to listen to and by the time we get back to Noah’s truck, my belly hurts from laughing.
“Thank you so much, Arnold. That was absolutely amazing,” I say, shaking his hand and he nods, pulling me into a hug.
“Come back anytime, you hear? I’ll even give you a ride on the house. You kids remind me so much of Missy and myself a few decades ago.” He glances at his wife and she blushes as she returns the look. It’s so damn cute.
We say good-bye and after we climb back in the truck, Noah turns to me. “Wanna get some food?”
“Actually,” I say, scooting closer to him. “I was thinking we could go back to the cabin and see what we can get up to there.”
He arches a brow. “Yeah?”
“Yep.”
“Shit,” he replies with a grin as he starts the truck. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
* * * *
“Goddamn it, just open the door,” I growl against his lips as I grip his jacket and grind my core against his hip. He whispers a curse and I moan in frustration.
“You try to get a key in the hole with someone mauling you.”
Growling, I release him and grab the key out of his hand before whipping around and unlocking the door with ease. When we get inside, he closes and locks the door behind us as I stalk off toward the bedroom.