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“Last night…after I saw you at the clubhouse…when I came home, Alex was waiting for me.” Tears glimmered in her eyes. “But he had already taken Noah. Because I hadn’t done what he told me to do.”
I thought about her turning up on my doorstep. About the emotion pouring out of her as we’d made love. The goodbye. The packed suitcases by the door. She was going to run. But not before she got Noah back.
I glanced around the apartment. “What were you planning to do?”
“I’m going to the lake house where Alex has Noah. I know where it is because I followed him there last night. And I’m going to make him see reason and ask him to let me and Noah go.”
“And if he doesn’t.”
“Then I’m going to kill him.”
Jesus Christ. Who the fuck was this woman?
“Either way, I’m going to get Noah back, and we’re going to leave town. Start all over again.” A tear broke free and spilled down her cheek.
“You’re leaving me?”
Another tear spilled down the other cheek as she fought her trembling chin. “Please believe me, it’s the best thing I can do for you. After all of this, you deserve better than me.”
I shook my head.
“You’re going to break my fucking heart…just like that?”
“Only to protect you.” She was crying now.
I felt my own emotions overpower me.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve helped you and Noah. You knew how I felt about you. Fuck, I would’ve done anything to protect you. Anything!”
Before she could answer, the front door opened, and as quick as a whip, we both raised our guns and pointed them at the doorway.
Both our killer instincts were razor sharp.
“Jean-Paul…” Taylor said the name as if it left a sour taste in her mouth.
The man standing in the doorway with his gun pointed at us glared at her.
“Well, well, well, doesn’t this look cozy,” he said.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Taylor replied, wiping her wet cheeks.
“Alex begs to differ.”
“It’s under control.”
“Doesn’t look like it from where I am standing.” He gave me a dark look, but it was Taylor he spoke to. “Are you going to introduce us?”
Taylor didn’t take her eyes off me. “Bull, meet Jean-Paul. Jean-Paul, meet Bull.”
This was Gimmel Martel’s son?
This skinny little runt with the receding hairline?
“Alex wants this done and he wants it done now. He says you’re dragging it out, so he sent me down here to check it out. I can see he had reason to be concerned.” He looked at me with dark eyes. “Best put that gun down, my friend.”
My finger itched on the trigger. I wanted to put a bullet in him. But I had to think about Noah.
“You fool, I had it under control,” Taylor said to Jean-Paul, her voice sharp and hard, and completely void of warmth. In seconds she’d changed. She swung her gun away from him, and pointed it at me. “Sorry, Bull. It’s nothing personal, I hope you understand.”
What.
The.
Fuck.
This woman made my head spin.
I glared at her. “What the fuck are you doing?”
I glanced over at Jean-Paul who was studying her.
“You were right, and I’m too tired to keep up the façade. Anyway, it kind of seems pointless now that Jean-Paul has blown my cover.” Her eyes were cold. Her beautiful face expressionless. Her words hard. Her tears dry. “But as much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. I’ve let it drag on too long.” She let out a dramatic breath, as if it felt incredible to finally let it all out. “It’s time to stop pretending.”
“You psychopathic…” my words trailed away.
Jean-Paul was smiling now.
“Where is Noah?” Taylor asked him, although her eyes remained fixed on me.
“He’s with Alex.”
“At the lake house?”
“Yes.”
I saw a small breath of relief escape from her lips.
“Is he okay?”
“Of course.”
“Good.” For the first time since she started talking about her brother, she looked at Jean-Paul. “Let’s go.”
Jean-Paul hesitated, but then lowered his gun and nodded. “I have a car parked down the street.”
“Do you have a driver?’
“No. I came alone.”
She nodded and walked over to me. Her eyes slipped away from mine as she disarmed me. “Bull, it’s time to go.”
“You’re bringing him?” Jean-Paul asked. “Why not kill him here?”
“Because I want back into the family, and me bringing Bull to your father will ensure it.”
Jean-Paul thought about it for a moment, and then nodded. “Okay. But you can do the explaining to Alex. And I’m warning you, he’s already pissed that you haven’t done it yet. He thinks you’ve lost your nerve.”
“The only thing I’ve lost is my patience. Now, let’s go.”
Our eyes met before she ushered me toward the door.
Jean-Paul went first, followed by me with Taylor’s gun pressed into my lower back. But as soon as we were out in the hallway, Taylor brushed past me and strode right up to Jean-Paul, knocking him to the ground unconscious.
