Chapter 11 #2
She launched herself at him, arms wrapping around his neck, face pressing into his shoulder. Carson caught her, pulling her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her and holding on tight.
She was sobbing now—great, heaving sobs that shook her whole body. Carson held her through it, one hand in her hair, the other rubbing her back, murmuring quiet reassurances.
“I’ve got you. You’re safe. I’m not letting go.”
“I was so scared,” she gasped between sobs. “When the lights went out and Euton didn’t answer and Dan was there— I thought—”
“I know. But I got here. I told you I’d protect you. I meant it.”
“He knew about us. About the kiss. He was watching us—”
“I know. And we’ll figure out how. We’ll make sure there are no more surprises.” Carson pulled back enough to look at her face. “But right now, I need you to breathe. Can you do that for me?”
She nodded, trying to slow her breathing. Carson helped her through it—the same counting pattern he’d used for her panic attacks before. In for four, hold for four, out for four.
After several minutes, her breathing steadied. The tears slowed.
“There you go,” Carson said softly. “That’s better.”
“I’m sorry. I’m falling apart again.”
“Stop apologizing for having normal reactions to traumatic situations.” His hand cupped her face, thumb brushing away tears. “You were just held at knifepoint by someone who wanted to kill you. You’re allowed to fall apart.”
“But I keep falling apart on you.”
“Then I’ll keep catching you.” The words came out rougher than he’d intended. More revealing.
Nora stared at him, her eyes still wet but clearing. “You always do.”
“Always will.”
The promise hung between them—heavier than the others, more personal. Not about the case or his job. About them.
“Carson—”
“Detective?” Finn appeared in the doorway. “EMTs are here for Ms. Bell. And the captain wants you to call him ASAP.”
Reality crashed back in. The case. The job. The aftermath.
Carson helped Nora stand, keeping one arm around her waist to steady her. “EMTs need to check you out. That cut on your neck—”
“It’s nothing. Just a scratch.”
“Still needs to be looked at.” He guided her toward the main room where the EMTs were setting up. “And then I need to take your statement. Process the scene. Make sure Dan doesn’t have any more surprises waiting.”
“I don’t want to leave you.” The admission came out small. Scared.
“You’re not. I’m staying right here. I’m not going anywhere.” He sat her down on the couch and nodded to the EMTs. “Check her out. And be thorough. She was attacked tonight and last night. I want to make sure there’s no additional injuries we missed.”
While the EMTs worked on Nora—cleaning the cut, checking her vitals, asking questions—Carson stepped away to call Holloway.
The captain answered on the first ring. “Tell me she’s okay.”
“She’s okay. Shaken up, minor cut on her throat, but okay. Dan Morrison is in custody. Gunshot wound to the shoulder. He’ll live to face charges.”
“Thank God.” Holloway’s relief was palpable. “Carson, when you’re done processing the scene, take a few days off. You’ve been running on empty for a week. You need rest.”
“I’m fine.”
“That’s an order, not a suggestion. Take Nora somewhere safe. Somewhere quiet. Let her recover. Let yourself recover.” Holloway paused. “You did good today. You saved her life. Twice. You should be proud.”
Proud. Carson felt anything but proud. He’d let Dan get to Nora. Had been lured away by a fake tip. Had almost been too late.
Again.
“I’ll file my report in the morning,” Carson said instead of voicing any of that.
“See that you do. And, Carson? About the protective detail. About her staying with you.” Holloway’s voice softened. “I’m not going to write you up for that. You did what needed to be done. But be careful with your heart, son. Victims and detectives—that road doesn’t usually end well.”
“I know.”
But as Carson hung up and looked at Nora—bruised and scared and brave, sitting on his couch, looking at him like he’d hung the moon—he knew it was already too late for warnings.
He’d already fallen.
Now he just had to figure out what came next.
***
Two hours later, after statements and processing and more questions, Carson finally got Nora alone again.
They’d moved to a new hotel—even more secure, even more anonymous. This time, Carson got a suite with one bedroom. No more separate rooms. No more pretending he wasn’t going to stay within arm’s reach of her until this was truly over.
Nora sat on the couch, wrapped in a hotel robe, her hair still damp from the shower. The cut on her throat had been cleaned and bandaged. The bruises from Eugene’s attack were already fading. But the shadows in her eyes remained.
Carson sat beside her, close but not touching, giving her space.
“Dan said there were others,” Nora said quietly. “People who blame my father. Do you think that’s true?”
“I think Dan was trying to scare you. To make you feel like the danger never ends.” Carson shifted to face her. “But Finn’s doing a deep dive on everyone connected to the embezzlement case. If there are others, we’ll find them. And we’ll make sure they never get near you.”
“What if this never really ends? What if I spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder?”
“You won’t. Because I won’t let that happen.” He reached out slowly, giving her time to pull away, and took her hand. “Nora, I made you a promise. I said I’d catch whoever was doing this. I did. Both of them. It’s over.”
“Is it?” She looked at him with those dark eyes that saw too much. “Because it doesn’t feel over. It feels like I’m still waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
“That’s trauma. That’s your brain trying to protect you by staying in hypervigilance mode.” Carson squeezed her hand gently. “But you’re safe now. Really safe. And I’m going to keep reminding you of that until you believe it.”
They sat in silence for a moment. Then Nora said, “You told me to drop. And I did. Without hesitation. Without thinking. I just...trusted you.”
“You should. I’d never tell you to do something that would put you in more danger.”
“I know. That’s what scares me.”
“What do you mean?”
She turned to look at him fully. “I’ve spent my whole life not trusting people.
Not letting anyone in. Protecting myself because no one else would.
But with you... I trust you completely. Without reservation.
And that terrifies me. Because what happens when you’re not there?
When this case is closed and you move on to the next victim and I have to figure out how to live without you watching over me? ”
Carson’s chest tightened. “Is that what you think? That I’m going to disappear once the case is closed?”
“I don’t know what to think.” Her voice cracked. “Earlier, before Dan came, we were...and you said we’d finish the conversation. But maybe that was just adrenaline. Maybe when you have time to think about it rationally, you’ll realize I’m too damaged, too complicated, too much—”
“Stop.” Carson cupped her face, making her look at him. “Listen to me. You are not too anything. You’re brave and smart and strong. You’re a survivor. And I’m not going anywhere.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“Yes, I can. Because I’m falling for you, Nora.
Hell, I’ve probably already fallen. And it has nothing to do with protecting you or saving you or any hero complex.
” He brushed his thumb across her cheekbone.
“It’s because you make me feel things I haven’t felt in years.
Because you look at me and see someone worth believing in.
Because when I’m with you, I want to be better. To be the man you think I am.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Carson—”
“I’m not good at this. At relationships. At letting people in. But I want to try. With you. If you’ll have me.”
“If I’ll—” She laughed through her tears. “Yes. Yes, of course yes.”
He kissed her then—gentle and careful, mindful of her injuries, her exhaustion, everything she’d been through. But Nora kissed him back with an urgency that said she needed this. Needed him. Needed proof that this was real.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, Nora rested her forehead against his.
“What happens now?” she asked.
“Now you rest. You heal. You let yourself feel safe.” Carson pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her. “And I stay right here. For as long as you need me.”
“What if I need you forever?”
The question was barely a whisper. Vulnerable. Terrified.
Carson pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Then forever it is.”
They stayed like that, wrapped around each other, until Nora’s breathing evened out and she fell asleep against his chest.
Carson held her through the night, watching over her, protecting her even in sleep.
Because that’s what you did for the people you loved.
You stayed.
You protected.
You never let them face the darkness alone.
And somewhere along the way, even though some may say it was too fast, Carson Black had learned to love again.