Mine To Hold (25 page)

“No, I’ll be dragging you down to the NYPD.
We’re cooperating with them, you see. Because we think the murders
of a PI named Sloan Hall and Senator Harrison are connected. Same
MO. And the ballistics match proved the killer used the same gun
for both crimes.”

Claire gave a frantic shake of her head.
“You’re wrong. Noah didn’t kill Sloan. He was with me! He
didn’t—”

“Every minute? Was he really with you every,
single minute?” Lane pressed, his doubt obvious. “Because I’m
betting he could have slipped away, and I think you know that,
too.”

Claire swallowed. “Noah didn’t do it.”

“Then he can just explain to us who did kill
the senator and Sloan Hall…he can explain all that down at the
NYPD.” Lane slapped his hand on Noah’s shoulder. “Let’s go,
York.”

“Call my lawyer,” Noah said to Trace. Because
he knew the cops were about to go after him with every bit of power
they had.

Lane pushed him past Claire.

“Stay with Trace,” he told her. “
Stay with
him
.”

“Noah?” Worry darkened her eyes.

“I’ll be back before you know it.” But he
would be damned if he’d leave her unprotected until he got this
shit sorted out.

A few minutes later, Noah found himself being
pushed into the back of Lane and Gwen’s unmarked car. At least it
wasn’t a patrol car, but he knew word about this incident would
spread through the city like wildfire. Engaged one night, arrested
the next. A scandal like that would make headlines.

The cops climbed in the front of the vehicle.
Before Lane could turn the key, Noah drawled, “Are you both really
sure you want to go up against me?”

Gwen glanced back at him. “Am I supposed to
be afraid of you?”

Yes.

“We do our jobs, and we don’t care how much
power you have.”

Under other circumstances, Noah would like
Gwen Lazlo. But since she was trying to toss his ass in jail… “Fair
enough. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Because they were about
to find out just how much influence he had in the Big Apple.

***

For a moment, Claire stood frozen in Noah’s
office. No, that
hadn’t
just happened. As the shock faded,
she turned and rushed for the door.

“Wait.” Trace grabbed her arm. “You don’t
want to go after them.”

“They’re
arresting
him. For
murder!”

And he’d thought I killed Senator
Harrison?
Noah had thought she was a killer, and he’d still
protected her.

Trace shook his head. “They’re not arresting
him. They’re questioning Noah. The cops think they can push him
into making some kind of mistake.” He laughed. “They don’t know
Noah well.”

He pulled out his phone. Called a lawyer. She
tried to stop her knees from shaking. When he ended the call,
Claire blurted, “They don’t know Noah well, but you do.”
I
thought I did, too.

Trace put the phone back into his pocket.
“I’ve seen the man survive hours of torture, and he never
broke.”

“Wh-what?”

His eyes slid over her face. “But I guess
Noah doesn’t want you knowing about that time, does he? I never
wanted it touching Skye, either.”

Her head was about to explode. “When was Noah
tortured?” The idea of him being hurt that way made her sick.

“In one way or another, I think the guy’s
been tortured most of his life.”

“That’s a really shitty answer,” Claire
snapped, fed up and pushed too far.

Trace blinked at her.

“
Who hurt Noah
?” Because she had the
fierce desire to hurt them right back.

“One of our missions went to hell. Noah paid
the price.”

Her icy breath chilled her lungs.

“Noah has seen more death than most people
can imagine, and because of that, the guy doesn’t get real close to
other people.”

Neither did she, or at least she hadn’t,
until Noah. “And he holds tight to his control.”

Trace nodded. “Noticed that, huh?”

It was hard not to notice it.

“Consider his control a good thing,” Trace
told her. “Because I’ve seen him lose it before, and when Noah
breaks…” He gave a long sigh. “Men die.”

She backed away from him. “That was war. That
was—”

“Noah values his control more than he values
anything else, because he knows how dangerous he is without
it.”

“
Why
are you telling me this?” Was he
trying to scare her? Test her?

“Because I think you need to know exactly who
you’re dealing with.” He crossed his arms over his chest. Noah had
just been hauled away by cops. They should both be rushing out
after him, but Trace was locking his steely gaze on her. “If you
can’t handle him, all of him, then you need to pull back.”

She shook her head. Pulling back wasn’t an
option. Noah needed her then.

“I see what’s happening between you. It may
already be too late for him, and if you can’t take him—all of
him—then you’ll wreck him.”

“I-I’d never hurt Noah.”

“Are you sure about that? Because I saw your
face when you looked at that photo of him at the senator’s hotel.
For an instant, you were terrified.” He took a step toward her.
“You thought he might have killed, and terror consumed you. He
thought that you might have done the same thing, and he protected
you.”

“Stop it! It’s not the same—you don’t
understand!”

“I understand that Noah is my friend. And the
biggest threat that the man has ever faced…she’s standing right in
front of me.”

Claire straightened her spine. Focused on
trying to calm her racing heart. “You don’t know me. And you don’t
know how Noah is with me.” She wouldn’t let this man intimidate
her. “And now you need to get out of my way because I’m not just
going to stay in this place while he gets questioned. He was with
me when Sloan was killed.
Every minute.
” Trace wisely backed
away. She marched for the door. “And I’ll make those cops believe
me.”

Trace called her name, but Claire didn’t
stop. She hurried through the hotel. Ran by the doormen. The street
outside was so busy. Packed with cars. She raised her hand, ready
to hail her own taxi, and her gaze flew around the area as—

Ethan Harrison.

He was standing across the street from the
hotel. His hands were shoved into the pockets of the long, black
coat that he wore. His eyes—his eyes were on her. He was watching
her.

Then he smiled.

“Claire!” Trace yelled from behind her.

Ethan turned away.

Trace’s hand closed over her shoulder.
“Claire, come on, look, I’ll get us down to the station—”

She yanked away from him and ran into the
street. “
Ethan!”
Cars honked. Brakes squealed. Trace roared
her name.

Ethan didn’t slow.

She ran faster, and Claire could see him—

She was shoved through the air. Claire
slammed onto the cement with an impact that rattled her bones.

Trace rolled her over, swearing. “Dammit,
Claire, that car almost hit you!” His hands patted over her body.
“Are you hurt? I didn’t think I was going to get to you in
time.”

She shoved his hands off her, shoved
him
off her, and leapt to her feet. “Ethan!”

“Ethan?” Trace echoed.

Not bothering to respond, Claire ran down the
sidewalk. There were so many people. So many—but where was Ethan?
Where had he gone?

“He was here,” Claire whispered. “He
is
here.
I just have to find him.” She whirled around. Looked to
the left. The right. Bodies passed her in a blur as she kept
searching for the man with the bright blond hair.

The man who should be dead.

***

Two New York detectives had joined the little
party. One of the guys was named Sean Fuller, and the other guy,
well, he hadn’t volunteered his name.

“So…” Gwen pulled out the chair across from
him. She was obviously the leader of the party. “Why don’t we cut
through the bull?”

He was seated at a wobbly little table in an
interrogation room. They’d put a cup of coffee in front of him. The
air blew overhead in a too-cold stream.

He smiled at her. “What do you want to
know?”

His smile seemed to make her hesitate. She
probably expected him to be nervous. Bring the tycoon downtown,
throw him in interrogation, make him crack. Yes, he was sure that
had been the general plan.

That plan was screwed.

“I want to know…would you kill for Claire
Kramer?”

“Yes.”

Gwen blinked.

“But
have
I killed for her?” He
shrugged. “Not yet.”

Gwen and Lane shared a long look. “So you’re
planning
to kill?” Gwen asked carefully.

“I’m planning to keep Claire safe. Someone
planted a bomb at one of my hotels recently. I’m sure you’re aware
of that.” The news had been flashed in a constant stream on TV. “I
won’t just stand by while someone tries to hurt my fiancée.”

Noah figured he had about ten more minutes
before his lawyer burst in, so he’d keep playing this game a bit
longer.

“Tell us about your visit to Senator
Harrison’s hotel room in D.C.,” Gwen directed.

Sighing, Noah leaned forward. “The guy was
being a total dick. Seemed to me like he was borderline insane.
That insanity must run in the Harrison family.”

Lane grunted.

The two New York detectives just frowned.
Ah, are you two holding back because you just want me to be
pissed at your D.C. counterparts? Worried I’ll come after you?
Because the New York cops did look nervous as they glanced his way.
One of the guys had even started to sweat.

Noah stretched and took his time answering.
“I wanted to deliver a personal message to Colby Harrison. The
senator needed to realize that he wouldn’t be able to threaten or
harass Claire ever again.”

Gwen’s eyebrows arched. “And had he been
harassing her?”

“Yes.” He kept his hands flat on the table.
“That’s where Sloan Hall came in. The Harrisons hired him to keep
watch on Claire. For years, they’ve been stalking her.”

“Bet that pissed you off,” Lane tossed out.
“Knowing they were trying to hurt your lady.”

Pissed didn’t begin to cover the way he
felt.

“So I guess it’s no wonder you shot the
senator and Sloan Hall,” Lane continued as he rubbed his chin. “You
wanted to make sure they didn’t hurt her again.”

Gwen’s fingers tapped on the table. “I don’t
understand…”

Noah waited for her to continue.

“When did you meet Claire Kramer?”

“A few months ago, in Chicago.”

“And what? It was love at first sight?” Her
words mocked the idea. “I don’t see that happening for a guy like
you.”

He smiled at her again. “Maybe I’m the
romantic sort.”

“I think you’re the intense sort. You’re also
the
sort
who goes from woman to woman, night after
night.”

His reputation sure seemed to get around. Had
the lady been talking to Drake? “Not anymore.”

“Right…not anymore…not since Claire.” She
tilted her head to the right and a line appeared between her brows.
“What is it about her? Why the change for Ms. Kramer?”

“Claire’s a survivor. I admire that.”

“Because you’re a survivor, too?”

Ah, he should have seen that coming.

Gwen rifled through some files that waited on
the table. “You survived your parents’ death, didn’t you? You were
the only survivor when the boat sank.”

“Yes.”

“So you and Claire…it’s like to like?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Gwen gave a little frustrated growl.
“Survivor to survivor. You both lost the ones closest to you, and
you had to keep going.”

That door was going to open any second but
he’d humor the lady a bit longer. “I’m with Claire because she’s
what I need.” After so many years of going through the motions of
life, she actually made him
feel
alive. She made him want to
start thinking about a future.

“And are you what Claire needs? Someone who
is willing to…kill for her?”

“Didn’t she have that before?” Lane
questioned, the words rapping out.

Noah’s gaze cut to his. “You don’t want to go
there with me.”

Now it was Lane’s turn to smile. “Don’t I?
There were lots of stories circulating about Claire Kramer. Her
parents were too strict, and they didn’t want her seeing her lover,
so she decided to just get rid of them. She slipped away, giving
herself the perfect alibi, and she got her lover to come and—”

Noah started laughing. “There went your
badge.”

Lane’s smile vanished.

“You should be careful what you say about
Claire,” Noah continued. His voice had dropped to a lethal
softness. “I have a very long memory, and I don’t forgive
easily.”

Lane’s eyes turned to slits. “You threatening
me?”

“I get that you want to ask your questions.
Nailing me for these murders would probably make all your damn
careers, but it’s not going to happen.” Noah rose. “And if you keep
screwing with me, you will find yourself
without
any
career.”

The door opened. Only his lawyer didn’t stand
there. Claire did. Her eyes were big, haunted, and her face was far
too pale. Trace was right beside her. The guy’s lip was bleeding,
and he had scratches on the side of his face.
What. The.
Hell?

“Noah didn’t do it,” Claire announced. “He
didn’t kill Sloan Hall.” Her words tumbled together because she was
speaking so quickly. “Ethan Harrison did.”

Chapter
Thirteen

“You think I’m crazy, don’t you?” Claire
asked as she turned to face Gwen Laszlo. The detective had taken
Claire back to York Towers, and they were just entering the suite
that Claire shared with Noah.

“I think you’re under a lot of stress.” Gwen
pushed back her shoulders, and Claire saw the gun holster on the
detective’s side. “I was there when the patrol car exploded. You
can trust me on this. Ethan Harrison is in hell right now.”