AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But he saved my life. He risked himself to keep me alive. And fuck it all, I love him! I can’t just sit back and let him die.
A chair is pushed and the sound of footsteps come my way. Before they reach the doors, I bolt out the entrance and am already across the street when I hear, “Emily!”
But I don’t stop. Don’t look back. My mission now is to save Noah.
22
EMILY
Irun like the Devil is at my heels, not bothering to glance back over my shoulder, because even that simple action could cost me precious seconds.
For blocks, I maintain that speed, my lungs burning and the stitch on my side threatening to bring me down.
When I’m far enough that I feel anyone following would have lost sight of me, I tuck myself into an alley and wait. After several minutes, I tug my cell phone out and dial Noah, but it goes straight to voicemail.
“Pick up, dammit!” I dial again, but like before, it goes to his mail.
“Noah. You have to leave your house. A man named Gideon Black is coming. He’s bringing men with him to kill you. Get out now!”
I call once more for good measure and leave another message. “Please let me know you got this. But first, get to safety.”
He doesn’t call me back. Now I have two options. Leave him to his fate. If Gideon finds him and kills him, that’s not my problem. Only, it is. Because in spite of everything, I love Noah. He did what he did out of some twisted sense of family.
But he didn’t kill me. Even though he believes I’m responsible for his father’s death, he couldn’t end my life. That tells me he feels something for me.
And that presents me with option two. The only option I’d ever go for.
Calling him again, I leave one last message. “I’m heading to your loft.”
* * *
The cab drops me off at Noah’s building an hour later. I pay him using the app on my phone, then go into the lobby. It’s as rich looking as his apartment, beautiful woods mixed with steel. All straight, sharp lines that give off a sense of calm. Like a spa.
At the far end of the reception is a desk manned by a thin young man. I go to him and when he glances up, he seems startled. I can only imagine what he sees. A crazy woman with wild eyes.
“My name is Emily Shaw. I’m a friend of Noah Ru—” I catch myself. “A friend of Noah Esposito’s. He owns the loft on the tenth floor. It’s urgent that I get to him.”
Ki—that’s what’s on his nametag—watches me warily as he types something on his computer. When he’s done, he finally looks down. I guess he must have entered the information correctly even though he was focused on me.
“Ah, yes,” he says. “Emily Jane Shaw. I have you on his permanent list with full access.” He takes a card from a pile beside the mouse and sticks it into a machine. When it comes back out, he hands it to me. “This is the key. You may take that elevator there.”
“Thank you,” I call over my shoulder, already halfway to the elevator.
I tap the card against a scanner when the doors shut, and without having to press anything else, it begins to ascend.
It seems like an eternity before I reach the tenth floor. The doors open to reveal the interior of Noah’s quiet space.
“Noah?” I say as I enter. “It’s Emily. Are you here?”
Although the sun has just begun to set, it’s much darker in here than it is outside. A byproduct of the film or whatever it is that makes his windows smart.
“Hello!” I move around the place, peeking into the bedroom and bathroom in search of him. But he’s not here.
Shit. I should be happy, but I’m still worried he’ll return just in time to meet Gideon.
Going to the living room, I pull out my phone and dial him again. “Please pick up.” His voicemail answers, and I’m about to leave him another message when the door that leads up to the rooftop rattles as if by a gust of wind.
I go to it and find it unlocked. Rushing up the stairwell, I burst onto the deck and scan the area. In the shadows, I spot something move.
