by M Brereton
“He said that!” Noah asked excitedly.
“Yes. Why? It was something he said often when Cooper and I argued.”
“Because what if Cooper was family?”
Even in the semi-darkness, Noah saw her eyes widen then her lips parted, and he stepped forward covering her screams as he held her.
“It’s just a guess, baby.” Noah murmured, “Maybe I’m wrong,” Please God let him be wrong! He didn’t want the murder of another relative on her conscience.
Her wracking shudders subsided, and Noah cautiously stepped away, “I could be wrong,” He whispered again. “It was just a guess.”
“I doubt you’re wrong.” Came Eva’s graveled whisper as she moved away heading back to the bedroom.”
“It was just a guess…” Noah whispered as he followed her.
“A very good one.” She shot back.
“We’ll run a DNA test on Cooper and see what we find,” Noah muttered as Eva sat on the bed. “Maybe it’ll be nothing.”
“I can’t live like this,” Eva muttered her tears flowing silently. “He goes and joins the mafia and ruins everyone’s life! He made me kill my own family! If he had told me or told Cooper…”
Maybe he was hoping on incest, came Noah’s unruly thought, but he squashed it quick saying instead, “It would’ve saved his life. I think he didn’t tell him to keep both of you there.”
“Of course, he did!” Eva sniffed bitterly, “It was another tactic to control us! If only I hadn’t… I’m so sorry Noah!”
“It’s okay,” Noah whispered as he sat down beside her. He put his arms around her and said. “This may not be a good time, but I told Alex, Suzanna and Richard about you.”
“You did what?!” Eva asked coldly, her tears ceasing immediately.
“They were putting the pieces together…”
“That’s because you were handing it to them!” Eva countered as she stood in front of him, her hands on her hips.
“It wasn’t fair to keep asking them for our help and not knowing why,” Noah explained then added, “They promised not to tell anyone.”
“Oh, they promised?” Eva said sarcastically as she paced, “Did you make them pinkie swear too?”
“We can trust them!”
“No. You can trust them!” Eva gritted out, “I know better.”
“Not everyone is your father, Eva,” Noah whispered.
Eva stopped her pacing and remarked bitterly, “So, now you’re a psychiatrist as well as psychic.”
“Sometimes, Eva, you just have to trust people.”
“Like I trusted you,” Eva stated bitterly.
“Eva…”
She put up her hand stopping him, “Save it. I’m the bad guy, right. You don’t mind if I don’t sleep here right? It’s best I don’t taint you.”
“Eva come on…” Noah called, but she already left slamming the door as she did.
* * *
Noah shot up in a sweat when a thought occurred to him. He scratched around in the darkness searching for his cell then dialed Alex, but his phone just rang until the voicemail kicked in. He called Richard next as he dived out of bed and raced to the walk-in. What time was it anyway? He wondered as he checked the screen, eight-thirty! Fuck!
He ran into the hall and ordered, “Shadow…John. Find Sam or Granger whoever has the lead for my wife’s detail. Now!” As John rushed off to do his bidding he almost ran into Granger approaching with Eva in tow.
“Right here, man,” Granger informed him, switching off her radio.
“I need to speak with you.” Noah told Eva.
“I have a meeting at ten. Reschedule your little chat.” Eva told him flippantly as she passed him.
“NOW, Eva!” Noah ordered as he grabbed her. She retaliated immediately, throwing a fist at him, but he grabbed her fist pinning her hands behind her back as he pinned her to the wall. “I’m not in the mood, Eva!” Noah growled in her ear.
Using his weight, she kicked off the wall leaning against him, but he held fast, so she tripped him intending to body slam him, but he didn’t move and a panic set in as he whispered. “Relax Eva, I’m not hurting you. I would never hurt you, but you need to calm down. Breathe, baby.”
Eva relaxed, and Noah released her, but she turned and kneed him. He shifted in time, so she didn’t do much damage, but before he could tell her she already ran off with Granger chasing behind her.
“I need a fucking normal woman!” Noah griped as he returned to the bedroom…where his cell was ringing in the walk-in.
“Alex! Finally!” Noah cried as he picked up.
“Well, your girl was here,” Alex informed him casually.
“What did she say?” Noah asked worriedly.
“She didn’t say anything. I woke up and she was in my bedroom, handed me a letter and left.”
“What does it say?”
“It’s a list of my family members, their jobs and schools, even the address of the girl I’m currently doing. Tell her I got the message, Marshall.” Alex finished then hung up.
“Fuck!” Noah cursed. Eva couldn’t leave well enough alone could she. His phone rang once more, and he automatically replied. “Alex I’m sorry…”
“So, you’ve spoken with Alex, I take it.” Came Moss’s cool tone.
“She’s just trying to protect herself…”
“I know. She visited Cho as well. The guys are pissing themselves.”
“She didn’t come to see you,” Noah whispered.
“No,” Suzanna responded in a pleased tone.
“She trusts you.”
“Yes. I tried to calm them down by telling them that. She needs to be able to trust us, that’s all.”
“She’s mad at me right now.”
“Yes, she told me last night.”
“I thought you said she…”
“She called Noah. From Cho’s phone, I might add. She was crying. Is there a possibility Cooper is related to her?”
“It was a guess.”
“She wants me to check. Shall I call you with the results first or maybe it will be better if delivered in person?”
“If my hunch is true. Don’t tell her. Let me do it…”
“Maybe it’s best if I do it…”
“He is, isn’t he, Suzanna?” Noah stated suddenly.
“I scratched it off as a mix up in the beginning. Maybe a lab error.”
“How long have you suspected this?”
“Noah, she can’t know this.”
“How close?”
“He could be a cousin maybe twice removed. It’s faint.”
Oh, Fuck! What was going on in Welker’s twisted mind?
“Noah…” Suzanna called, pulling him from his thoughts. “I can lie to her.”
“No. She needs people she can trust. We tell her the truth.”
* * *
Whatever arrangements were made for their family trip to Camp David, Noah was glad someone took the time to ensure their privacy. He definitely needed it for when he had to speak with Eva. He came off another conference call and watched Eva and the kids play in the pool, but he wasn’t the only one watching.
It wasn’t the first time he caught him doing it. From his vantage point, Noah had a great view of the scene, but his quarry couldn’t see him. Occasionally, he would look away and actually do his job, but basically, Tucker was staring at Eva.
Noah sighed, he thought about hurting him, but an evil part of him wanted him to touch just so he could watch Eva break him. But Tucker knew better and averted his eyes whenever Eva or Noah glanced in his direction. Noah had asked Sam if Tucker would be a problem and his response was, “He does his job. And he’s not on her detail. So, as long as it stays that way, you’ll have no problems.”
The problem was, he was lead on his, and when Eva was with him, he got to staring. Noah may as well be invisible to Tucker when Eva was around. He knew the other male agents (all well as some female agents) were fond of her that way, but none stare
d like this one.
Stepping into view, a chorus of “Daddy!” greeted him causing Tucker to finally look up from Eva in her dark blue bathing suit.
“Are you joining us?” Eva asked him casually. They hadn’t spoken since the incident in the hall and only appeared civil in public.
Noah stooped at the side of the pool and whispered to her, “You need to talk to me, baby.”
She looked everywhere, but directly in his eyes before muttering “It wasn’t your place to tell them. You put me in an awkward…”
“Then be mad at me!” Noah interrupted, “But they were helping us. Helping you. Outside their work hours. They needed to know why.”
“Let’s not talk about it here,” Eva muttered then suddenly smirked at him and said, “But you should be punished!” right before dragging him fully clothed in the pool.
The children laughed as Eva dragged him under. Noah was an adequate swimmer, but Eva was better and able to hold her breath longer as he fought for air on his way to the surface.
“The f… games – you play.” Noah gasped out as he broke through the surface.
“I thought you liked it when I played rough.” Eva purred in his ear as she squeezed his burgeoning erection underwater.
Noah hissed and pulled away, swimming to the pool’s edge as she smirked at him in victory.
As he stepped out, he growled at her, “One day, red-headed witch I’m gonna wipe that smirk off your face!”
“Oooh!” Eva cried, clapping her face in mock horror, further enraging him.
Noah stripped out of his wet shirt, belt and shoes and made to re-enter the pool, but her evil smirk stopped him, and he griped, walking away, “I’d like to see you grin like that without an audience.”
Eva blew him a kiss in response and he just shook his head and left.
32
Admirer
Eva knew she would pay later and her inner walls clenched in anticipation. Her mouth was dry, and a blush spread across her cheeks as she thought of the ways he’d make her pay. She felt someone watching her and looked up to see Tucker eyes’ fixated on her chest. He blushed and quickly averted his face, but she suddenly felt naked and exposed and wanted him gone.
“Can you find Sam for me please?” Eva asked him, not looking at him.
He nodded, strode off and Granger took his position.
“He’s starting to creep you out, isn’t he?” Granger remarked once Tucker was out of an earshot.
Eva said nothing but smiled at her before turning back to swim to the shallow end where the kids were with Kate.
“You wanted to see me?” Sam asked as he walked up.
“Not really,” Eva remarked, trying to glance behind him.
“He took a break,” Sam informed her.
“Alright,” Eva replied, visibly relaxing.
“I’m telling, Noah.”
“There’s no need for that. He hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“Except make you uncomfortable with his creepy staring. I’m still telling him.” Sam declared walking away.
“Sam!” Eva called, “Shit!” God save her from wannabe heroes! Eva thought bitterly then smiled. It was nice that they sought to protect her, it was nice to let someone else deal with it except her.
Eva and Kate left the pool with the kids before Tucker could return and showered and changed into a summer dress and hastened to Noah’s office. She was right to rush. Noah was already chewing out Tucker as Sam stopped her.
“Tucker needs to focus on his job. Don’t worry, it’s strictly professional.”
Tucker came storming out and almost ran them over in his haste to exit the building. Eva swept past Sam and went into the office shutting the door behind her. Noah paced the floor, the waves of rage coming off him palpable.
“Do you know what that fucker told me?” Noah growled without turning around and waiting for her reply, “He said that I was acting like I was the only guy that had a woman and I was afraid of a little competition because the only way you were interested was because I was President and once my term was up we’d see who the real man was. Who the fuck does he think he is?”
Eva glided up to him and guided him into the sofa and straddled him. She could feel his heart racing under her hand and made it race for another reason as she leaned down and kissed him.
He returned the kiss hungrily as he lifted her dress and tore off her panties, he freed himself and entered her in one hard thrust then flipped her on her back and growled, “Mine!” as he fucked her.
Eva relaxed and let him find comfort in her body and held on as pinned her in place and pounding into her.
“Say you’re mine!” Noah demanded as he continued his assault.
“All yours, baby!” She gasped out and his head went back as he came still thrusting inside her until she came with him.
“Feeling better,” Eva whispered after he collapsed on her.
Noah caught his breath as she ran her fingers through his hair, “I’m sorry, I was so…”
“Territorial,” Eva supplied with a teasing smile, “I knew you’d keep raging until you marked your ‘territory’ as it were. It’s okay. I like it when you’re like that.”
“I can’t wait to grow old with you,” Noah whispered.
“That’s so sweet!” Eva whispered in awe, but she should’ve known better because he added, “I’ll be able to breathe easier once you get all wrinkly.”
She punched him softly and he chuckled, content to stay in her arms. Eva stiffened suddenly, and Noah sat up and asked, “What is it?”
“Nothing!” Eva said quickly and kissed him, but Noah knew it for a distraction tactic and pulled away looking around him.
When he saw nothing, he asked her again “What’s wrong?”
“I said it was nothing,” Eva told him with a shaky smile. Then pulled him down and kissed him saying, “Can we do that again?” Noah kissed her back and Eva opened her eyes looking out the window to where she saw Tucker standing before.
* * *
Eva paced wearing out the bedroom’s thick Aubusson carpet, her silk robe flapping behind her, debating whether or not to tell Noah about what she saw this afternoon. On one hand, she didn’t want him to overreact, on the other she didn’t want to keep secrets from him. Even now she could feel Tucker’s stare and rubbed her arms as she shuddered.
“Feeling cold?” Noah asked, startling her.
Eva jumped a mile and saw Noah in the doorway watching her. He was giving her his interrogator’s stare which meant he knew something was wrong.
“So, the twins went down without a fight?” Eva asked as she turned away from him.
“Everyone is fine.” Noah told her as he got off the doorjamb and walked towards her. “Everyone is fine…” He repeated as he spun her around to face him. “…except you.”
Eva buried her face in his chest as she replied, “I saw Tucker through the window watching us this afternoon.”
“His replacement will be here in the morning,” Noah assured her as he kissed the top of her head. “Just don’t keep things from me. Okay?” Eva nodded against his chest then Noah held her away from him as his eyes went down her body then he frowned, “Unfortunately, I have to take my own advice, we have to talk.” He said as he led her to the bed.
Honestly, Noah didn’t know where to begin. How did you tell someone that they unknowingly killed their family? He hung his head and ran his hand over his face.
“Just say it, Noah,” Eva whispered.
Noah glanced at her through his fingers then he sat back. The words refused to come out of his mouth.
Eva leaned in and kissed his cheek, her tears already falling silently down her cheeks. “Who was he?” She whispered.
“It’s faint. She thinks … a second cousin, maybe.”
“He knew and didn’t tell us!” Eva wailed softly, and Noah held her as she cried. No wonder she always thought of Cooper as family, she never felt the way he wanted her to, but she had cared about him
and she had to kill him. He pitted them against each other and made her choose. She wished she could go back and ram the knife down his throat and watch him slowly die. Maybe then she’d get some answers.
Her rage had stopped her tears and Noah asked softly, “Will you be okay?”
Eva crawled into the bed feeling as though she aged a hundred years and whispered quietly as she pulled the covers over herself, “I’m never going to be okay.”
* * *
Noah worked hard over the course of their vacation to cheer Eva up. She grew quiet and distant after he gave her the news and slept more than usual. They were due to leave by the end of the week and Noah hoped her various charitable functions would do what he couldn’t, take her mind off the fact that she killed another member of her family.
Welker was a selfish dick. Noah thought as he watched the kids play. He kept the fact that Eva was related to Coop from both of them. Eva was right, it was a way to control them. Cooper was a trained sniper, so Welker no doubt dangled Eva as a prize along with the potential massive fortune he would get as her husband knowing fully well Cooper shouldn’t and couldn’t ever marry her.
He really wished Eva hadn’t killed that fucker! Nor Coop now that he thought about it. It was best not to dwell on that especially since Eva carried enough guilt for the both of them. And also, because Cooper left a piece of him, who was related to the both of them and would one day have to know the truth about his father.
No wonder Eva kept secrets. Knowing all this shit was enough to send you bat shit crazy! And then keeping it from everyone was insane! He kept secrets from her for the sake of national security, but this was different. It was also the reason he was glad to tell the guys at the bureau, he wasn’t Eva. He wasn’t strong enough to carry such a secret all by himself. No wonder Eva was in such a mess and so relieved when she was finally able to tell him. The thing felt like a weight around his neck choking him until he was able to tell someone.
And Welker kept loads. How did he feel about constantly lying to his daughter? Did he need her skills and the alliance with the Mancini so badly or was it because he wanted to keep his family tied to him after her mother died? Strangely, Noah felt it was the latter. After years of chasing him, Noah always wondered what his motivation was, but now he knew. In the beginning, it was vengeance then with Eva, it was protection. He wanted to keep her tied to him where in his mind, she would be safe then further aligning her with such a powerful mafia family would make her untouchable long after he was gone.