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I hold my breath, hoping I didn’t just blow my entire plan.
“You want him to come here? You’re going to let him try to kidnap her? Are you out of your mind?” His voice raises with every question.
Nora sighs. “Alex, no, he isn’t. I won’t even be there. SJ is putting himself in danger to catch David and end this.”
Her concern comes out as frustration. Alex just happens to be on the receiving end.
I hear Alex’s sigh of relief. “Good. So, I’m just supposed to lie? To everyone?”
“Yes. Let everyone believe she’ll be there. Rehearse like you always would. Opening night, Nora’s understudy will take the stage in her place. Nora will be safe at another location. I’ll be there to get the guy, and this will be over for everyone.”
He’s quiet for a moment before responding, “I’ll do it… for Nora,” he says reluctantly.
“Thank you, Alex. I appreciate this more than I can express. I just want my life back.” Nora’s voice is filled with both hope and sadness wrapped into one.
“I love you, Nora.”
Alex’s words are clear and direct. There’s no doubt how he loves her. It isn’t the way a friend says they love you. He’s saying he loves her.
My heart plummets, and my eyes dart to Nora. Her eyes are wide. She’s as shocked by his words as I am, but she doesn’t offer any words of endearment back. The line goes eerily quiet for a second.
I clear my throat. “I’ll be in touch in the next few days to go over details.” I can’t think of anything else to say, so I don’t wait for him to respond to end the call.
“What the hell was that?” Nora reacts before I can.
“I knew there was something. I’ll admit, I didn’t think it was that, but I knew there was something I didn’t like about him.”
“I…I’m shocked. Do you think he really meant it that way?”
I nod. “Yeah, I do, cupcake.”
Her surprised expression hasn’t left her face since ol’ Alex dropped the love bomb on her.
“It never occurred to me that he was interested in me beyond a working relationship. I feel like an idiot for not seeing it.”
“He’s willing to go along with the plan. That was the goal of the call. The ‘loving you’ part will have to be addressed…later.” My blood isn’t quite boiling, but I’m at a simmer. We’re finally together, and I’ll be damned if Alex fucks it up for me.
She must see the expression on my face.
“You have nothing to worry about between me and Alex. Or me and anyone. You are who I want to be with, SJ. Just you.”
“That explains why I felt like I couldn’t trust him,” I say simply.
“You’re saying you knew he loves me, and I didn’t?” she asks, her tone filled with disbelief.
“Not exactly, but I knew there was something about him I didn’t like or trust. That must be it. It explains his erratic behavior the night he thought he saw David at the theater. He was blinded by concern because he loves you. He doesn’t have the training I have and didn’t respond appropriately.”
I don’t like the thought of another man being in love with Nora. He didn’t say exactly those words, but we both heard it in his tone. There’s no doubt how he meant love.
“Are you saying you’d respond one hundred percent with the training you have and not with emotion, even now? Considering everything we’ve had together?” Her interest is piqued.
She saw me lose my shit in the parking lot when I found the bouquet of roses on the SUV, so saying yes wouldn’t exactly be the truth.
I clear my throat, my mouth suddenly very dry.
“I think I’m still capable of applying my training even though I’m emotionally invested in you and this situation.”
“That’s a very professional response, Samuel.” She enunciates every syllable, mocking my stuffy response. It makes me laugh, really laugh.
