Chapter 18
Remington
Noah didn’t say a word as he led me down the hall and back to his room.
I knew I’d made him mad. It was written all over his face, but I was just trying to help.
And honestly, I thought my idea was a good one.
Sure, it could all blow up in my face, but if it meant getting my life back, it would be worth it.
I just had to convince Noah I was strong enough to handle it.
But before I brought it up again, I wanted to see about his arm.
He’d tried to play it off, but I knew something bad had happened to him.
Not only was there blood on his sleeve, but his jacket and t-shirt were also soaked in it.
Hoping he might open up to me, I walked over to him and placed my hand on his chest.
“Are you okay?”
“I already told you, I’m fine.” He took off his leather jacket and laid it across the chair, and I gasped when I saw all the blood covering his shirt. Before I could ask, he quickly removed it and tossed it to the floor. As he started towards the bathroom, he said, “I’m going to take a shower.”
“You aren’t going to tell me what happened to you?”
“Nothing to tell.”
“You can’t be serious,” I argued. “You’re covered in blood, and it looks like someone put a hot poker to your arm.”
“It’s just a graze.”
“You mean a bullet graze?” I gasped. “You were shot?”
“I can’t get into this with you, Remington.”
Cutting me off, he continued towards the bathroom, and seconds later, I heard the shower turn on.
I just stood there completely stunned, trying to piece together the few facts I had, and it didn’t take much to come to the realization that he’d been in some kind of altercation—one that led him to being shot.
Horrified by the thought, I went into the bathroom to confront him.
By the time I walked in, he was already undressed and in the shower.
Unwilling to let it deter me, I eased the sliding door back and asked, “What happened to you, Noah?”
“I already told you”—he leaned into the water, letting it stream down his muscular shoulders—“that I can’t get into it with you.”
“Can you at least tell me if this had something to do with me and what happened the night I was attacked?”
“Let’s just say it’s been handled.”
Something about his tone suggested that I didn’t need or want to know what he meant by it having “been handled,” so I didn’t push for more.
Instead, I slipped off my clothes and stepped into the shower.
As I inched closer, I placed my hands on his back, letting my fingers drift along his spine and down his shoulders.
When I reached the bandage on his bicep, I leaned forward and whispered, “Are you sure you’re okay? ”
“Yeah, baby, I’m fine.” He turned to face me; the water trickling down his beautiful body as he pulled me closer and lowered his mouth to my neck. “I’m even better now.”
His hands slipped around my waist as he leaned over to me and pressed his lips firmly against mine. I wound my arms around his neck as his calloused fingertips roamed down the curve of my ass. There was something about his touch that made the rest of the world disappear.
I quickly forgot about the exchange we’d had in the bar, the suspicious wound on his arm, and all the words that had been left unsaid.
At that moment, it was just him and me. Nothing else mattered.
A soft whimper escaped my lips as he deepened our connection.
The kiss was hungry and full of desire as the water cascaded down our bodies.
I was lost in the moment when I felt myself being lifted, my back pressing against the cold, wet tile.
Seeking more, I released his mouth and tilted my head back, letting the water flow down my breasts.
Noah trailed kisses along the curves of my neck to my collarbone, and ever so slowly, he moved his hand up and down my slick side.
His fingers brushed against my breasts, working their way to my hips, and I groaned with pleasure as his hand found its way between my legs. His fingers slipped inside me, moving ever so gently as he whispered, “I want you to know, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Remington. Nothing.”
“I know,” I gasped.
“Good. ’Cause you’re mine, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you and keep you safe.”
I was so riddled with emotion I could barely respond with a whisper of his name. “Noah.”
He made love to me in that shower, taking his time to claim every inch of my body.
When he was done, he dried us off, then lifted me into his arms and carried me to bed.
As soon as we were under the covers, he slipped his arm around my waist and pulled my back against his chest. His body was still warm from the heated water, and I could smell the fresh scent of soap when he nestled in behind me.
I kept waiting for him to say something, but all I got was silence and the subtle exhale of his breath at the back of my neck.
He was so still and quiet, I might’ve thought he was sleeping, but I knew he wasn’t. I could feel the tension radiating off of him as he lay there next to me, staring at the back of my head. I remained perfectly still as I whispered, “You okay?”
“Um-hmm.”
“Got something on your mind?”
“Yeah, you could say that.”
“You thinking about what happened tonight?”
“Yes and no.”
“Okay, then. What’s got you so tense?”
His voice was low and filled with turmoil as he answered, “Just ready for this to all be over so we can get on with our lives.”
“I completely understand.” I rolled over to face him. “I feel the same way. So, what can we do about it?”
“I’m still trying to figure that out.”
“I wish you would just listen to my idea.” I laid my head down on the pillow next to him as I snuggled a little closer. “I really think it could work.”
“Where did you come up with this idea of yours anyway?”
“It just kind of came to me.” With a giggle, I admitted, “I watch a lot of CSI, and I’ve learned a thing or two.”
“This isn’t some TV show, Remington. You’re talking about your life here, and I don’t want anything putting you in danger.”
“I wouldn’t be in danger. At least, no more than I’m in now with that Detective Mathews still out there looking for me.” I glanced up at him. “Besides, it would be a quick in-and-out kind of thing. And you and your brothers would be there to make sure nothing happened.”
“Okay, give me this idea of yours.”
“Well, it’s pretty simple. We just make it look like Detective Mathews kidnapped me.”
“And how are we supposed to do that?”
“Well, first we’ll need to know where he lives or if there is some secret property that he owns. Once we get that info, the rest is pretty simple.”
I went on to tell Noah everything about my plan, and to my surprise, he didn’t tell me it was crazy or that there was no way in hell we would ever do it, but he didn’t tell me we would either. Instead, he simply leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. “I’ll think about it.”
As much as I wanted to push harder to convince him it could work, I decided it was best to leave it alone. His arm, on the other hand, was a different matter. I skimmed the top of the bandage with my fingertips. “I don’t like that someone hurt you, Noah. It scares me.”
“This isn’t the first time, and it certainly won’t be the last.” He gave me a quick kiss before saying, “It’s late. Get some rest.”
And just like that, our conversation was over.
Noah closed his eyes, and it wasn’t long before he drifted off to sleep.
I, on the other hand, couldn’t sleep for the life of me.
With my mind racing, I tossed and turned the entire night, and when morning came, I was tired but eager to get on with my day.
Being careful not to wake Noah, I eased out of bed and started to get dressed.
I’d just slipped on my shorts when Noah opened one eye and grumbled, “Where do you think you’re running off to? ”
“I thought I’d go down to the kitchen and get us some coffee.”
“And what if I wanted you to stay here in this bed?”
“Then, I’d say I’ll get back in bed with you once I go get us some coffee?”
“Alright, then. Hold on,” he said as he threw back the covers. “I’ll go with you.”
“You don’t have to come, Noah. I’m capable of getting it myself.”
“I’m well aware.” He put on his jeans and added, “I need to check in with Viper anyway, and while we’re down there, we can grab a bite of breakfast.”
“Okay, I could make us some eggs or something.”
“Doubt that will be necessary.”
“Why’s that?”
After putting on his boots, he slipped on his cut and said, “You’ll see.”
I followed him out the door and down the long, narrow hallway.
I was still trying to get used to the clubhouse.
I’d really only been in the infirmary, the room where I’d stayed after the attack, and the bar.
Until now, I hadn’t realized that there were so many different bedrooms, or that there was a large family room with an oversized kitchen in the back.
It was easy to see why Noah liked it here.
When we walked into the kitchen, a bunch of the guys were sitting at the table eating breakfast while several scantily dressed women were scurrying around the stove cooking. I looked over to Noah with a curious expression on my face. “Who are they?”
Before he could answer, a beautiful brunette wearing bright purple scrubs came up behind us and answered, “Don’t mind them. They’re just the club girls. They help the guys out with the cooking and the cleaning.”
“Oh.”
“I don’t believe we’ve met.” She extended her hand and said, “I’m Delilah, Hawk’s ol’ lady.”
“Oh, hey. I’m Remington.”
“I thought so.” She glanced over at Noah. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
As we continued towards the table, Widow looked over to us and said, “Perfect timing. Pancakes just came off the griddle.”
“Oh, man. Pancakes are my favorite. I wish I could stay.” Delilah leaned down and kissed one of the men on the cheek, then said, “I’ve gotta get to work.”
“Bye, babe. I’ll see you when you get home.”