Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
Max sent a car to the safe house to pick them up. With weekend morning traffic, they’d have a little over an hour for their ride to arrive.
Noah watched Danica send a message to her father, letting him know she’d be on her way to the house. But she’d chosen not to contact Detective Murphy, and he couldn’t blame her. Noah still wasn’t sure about the detective, either.
He and Danica picked things up as best they could. They’d pretty much just had their clothes when they’d arrived, but his tux and Danica’s dress were ruined. After a quick lunch to keep their energy up, the two of them sat together on the bed, arms around one another.
“Does your father know I’m arriving with you?” Noah asked.
“I didn’t give him that many details. But he probably assumes, given what I said to him the last time we spoke.”
“Which was?”
“That I care about you and want you in my life. And that we’re seeing each other.”
Hearing those words made him indescribably happy. “I don’t think we were technically seeing each other at that point. We’d gotten naked, but…”
She playfully punched his arm. “He knows how I feel about you, okay? And even if he didn’t, he’d figure it out pretty quick.”
Noah thought about his own family. Ginger and Gramps wouldn’t be too surprised. But Noah couldn’t wait to tell his mom and dad that he and Danica were together. Mom and Dad would want to know all the details of how it had happened. How Noah had finally won her over.
Twelve years apart and a lot of drama, and here they were. Together.
He didn’t ask when she’d be leaving West Oaks. She had enough to think about at the moment. But it was an important question.
What if she asked him to move to New York with her?
He couldn’t leave right away because he had responsibilities here. But maybe… Yeah. He thought he could. For her.
If she asked.
The car arrived, with Rex driving. Noah hugged him, and then Danica did as well. “Good to see you in one piece,” Rex said. “Tanner said you got stabbed?”
“It was a scratch.” He probably needed to have a doctor look at it, though. It would be dumb to end up out of commission from an infection.
Rex dug into his pocket and produced their phones. “I got clearance to return these. We found yours inside the museum, Danica. Even charged them up for you.”
Noah thanked him, tucking away the device as they got into the car. He looked wistfully at his Ducati as they drove away. Max was going to send a tow service to bring it home.
That had been pretty fun. Pulling those moves on the freeway with Danica on the back. He’d never gotten to ride the bike that fast before, and it had been a thrill. One he hoped he’d never have to repeat.
Rex took them down the access road and along the route back to the freeway. Danica snuggled against Noah’s side in the back seat, and they watched the trees fly past.
Noah didn’t know what they were returning to. Was Danica truly out of danger, as Detective Murphy claimed?
He wasn’t counting on it. Not until they knew who’d altered the museum security footage. But it did seem likely that her family had nothing to do with it.
They still hated Noah, though. He had no doubts about that.
Danica had said she’d choose him, but Noah didn’t like the idea of becoming a wedge between her and her loved ones.
We’ll figure it out, he told himself. Somehow.
The car stopped, and Noah opened his eyes. He’d fallen asleep. Danica was blinking and rubbing her eyes beside him, so he guessed she’d done the same.
“We’re at the Foster-Grant residence,” Rex said.
“You ready?” Noah asked.
Danica reached for his hand. “I’d better be.” They got out together, and her grip on his hand tightened as they approached the front door.
Just a few days ago, they’d made this same walk. Once again, Blake Halston waited for them, arms clasped behind his back.
But now, everything between Noah and Danica was different.
He wasn’t her bodyguard anymore. But his protectiveness over her had only increased.
There was no bantering on the front steps. Blake and the house guards swept Noah and Danica immediately inside.
“Where’s Rosie?” Danica asked, glancing around the entryway.
Blake clasped his hands in front of him. He was wearing his usual suit. “She’s been fired.”
“Are you kidding? That’s ridiculous. Why?”
Blake gestured at Noah. “You’ve already got a bodyguard, apparently. So we no longer needed Ms. Consuelo’s services. Mr. Vandermeer, I understand we have you to thank for saving Danica’s life.”
Before Noah could respond, William Foster-Grant appeared. “Danica.” He grabbed his daughter into a hug. Then William noticed Noah and gave him a brisk nod. “Thank you for bringing her home.”
Danica visibly bristled. “Coming home was my decision, Dad. Noah is just here to support me. We all need to talk.”
“Detective Murphy already gave us an update on the latest developments,” Blake said.
William was nodding, his usual confident demeanor on display.
Was he really that unflappable? Or did he just hide his emotions well?
“That’s right. Let’s sit down, try to relax.
You must be starving and exhausted. Talking things through can wait until later.
” He said this with another glance in Noah’s direction.
“No, Dad.” Danica took a step away from her father, reaching again for Noah’s hand. “You promised you’d answer my questions if I came home. So, here I am. Tell me.”
Blake’s mouth had pressed into a hard line, but he didn’t look confused or surprised. The chief of security knew exactly what Danica was talking about.
He knew whatever William was hiding.
Her father looked resigned. “All right, if that’s what’s necessary. I suppose it’s time. But this is a private family matter. Absolutely no exceptions.”
“You’re still doing this shit? Noah and I are together,” Danica said. “Whatever your secret is—”
But her father interrupted her. “When you hear what I have to say, you’ll understand.”
Full strength had returned to his voice. He wasn’t going to back down.
William pointed down the hallway toward his office.
“I will tell you what you want to know, right here and now. But only you, Danica. I love you, and I’ve always tried to protect you.
You will always have a place in my life.
But this is the only way. We will discuss this in private, or we won’t discuss it at all. Take it or leave it.”
Noah could tell what she was about to say. She was about to tell her father off and turn around, even though she needed to hear this. Whatever this secret was, it had been haunting her for a lot longer than the kidnapping plot.
Danica was stubborn. Noah didn’t have a single doubt about that. But she’d clearly gotten that stubbornness from her father, and the two of them were at a stalemate.
“I’ll stay here.” Noah ran his thumb over Danica’s wrist reassuringly, then let go. “I’ll be waiting when you’re done. I’m not going anywhere.”
He knew he’d made the right call when Danica didn’t fight him. They both knew this was the way it had to be. She could choose to talk with him later.
Noah still didn’t completely trust her family, especially when it came to her emotional well-being. But if she walked away from them now, if she chose Noah instead, she might not be able to go back. He didn’t want to be responsible for that. She would only end up resenting him.
With one last glance at Noah, Danica followed her father down the hall. The déjà vu was uncanny. But she’d been fine the last time they were here, physically at least.
After she was gone, Blake gestured at a doorway. “Why don’t you wait in the sitting room? It’s more comfortable.”
“That almost sounded friendly.”
“What makes you think it’s not? I may seem like a hard ass. But I’m grateful to you for helping Danica. Her father and I both are.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
Blake’s mouth moved, showing a hint of a smirk. “I’ve heard that Bennett Security helped with the investigation as well. William will make sure your company is compensated.”
“I don’t want his money. Neither does Max Bennett.”
“But you were fine taking Danica’s.” He shrugged. “I suppose that’s your choice. Regardless, the case is solved, thankfully. We can move on from it. And Danica can return to New York.”
The implication was clear. Blake was letting Noah know he was a temporary fixture around here, nothing more. So much for being friendly.
Noah went into the sitting room and took a spot on a couch. “I’ll wait for Dani. Thanks.”
Blake nodded and left the room. Noah settled onto the cushions, crossing his legs.
He was sure Danica was safe right now. But he hoped that, whatever her father had to tell her, Danica would be all right after hearing it.
“Vandermeer.”
Noah turned at the voice.
A dark-haired man stood in the doorway, the hard curl of a sneer at the corner of his mouth. A face Noah hadn’t seen for twelve years. Not since they’d come to blows.
His former friend. Danica’s brother.
Soren.
Shit.