Chapter 8 #3
She stared at the image for a moment. The woman’s eyes were so swollen Ziggy could barely see the whites of them. Black, blue, and purple bruises were everywhere. Her cheeks were twice their normal size, and one was split open. “You don’t know who she is?”
He set the phone on the table and stood. “I’d need to look at it longer than a few seconds, and right now I can’t. I just know that I didn’t do that.”
He marched off the rooftop. The door clicked closed behind him.
Her father leaned forward and looked at the cell. “You could've handled that differently."
“I'm not sure how," Ziggy said. "While I know Noah would never hurt anyone, the image was shocking.”
“Shock or not, you need to go after him.” Her mother waved a hand. “Now.”
As gracefully as she could, Ziggy rose, snagging her phone, and made her way into the building. It seemed to take forever for the elevator to come and take her up the three flights. She could have taken the stairs, but she wasn’t sure her legs would carry her.
She found Noah in the kitchen, pacing, cell to his ear, his voice low and controlled. “…she just walked in. I'll have her send it to you." He shifted his gaze. “Send the image and a screenshot of the text to Jag.”
“Okay.” She copied the text and the image and sent them. Ten seconds later, Jag replied that he'd received them and that he’d be in touch. She set her phone on the counter, making sure that damn picture was face down.
Noah had thanked her brother, tucked his cell in his back pocket, then leaned against the counter. Running his hand over his face, he released a long breath.
"Are you okay?"
"I don't honestly know."
"I'm sorry if my shock over the seeing that image—"
“No need to be sorry, Zig." He crossed to her side of the island.
"That's how it works. Someone sends something like that, and suddenly...” He pressed both hands flat on the counter.
"This is the kind of thing that not only destroys people, but it also buries them. One image. One anonymous text. Doesn't matter if it's true. Doesn't matter if I dated that poor woman, or if I’ve never seen her before. And even if it doesn’t stick, it landed, and people don’t forget. It's why we insist on thorough research. I might want to uncover the truth, but I’m not in the business of destroying people just because I can.” He gestured toward her phone.
“Whoever sent that wants to put a wedge between us. Break our professional and personal trust. And then they want to make sure my career is over.”
“And do we believe this could be your father?”
“If it is, I don’t know how he’s doing it from prison.
” Noah rubbed his temple. “But this is the game. That’s what I was saying the other night—this is my dad's playbook. He finds pressure points. Somehow, he found out that you’re the biggest one I’ve got, and he’s going to use that.
” He pulled her into his arms, and he touched his lips to her temple.
"I'm sorry I stormed off. It wasn’t your reaction. It was seeing that woman’s face and knowing my father somehow had a hand in sending you that text.
” He held her tighter. “I sat in that courtroom as a kid and stared at photos of his victims, beaten to death, and… and…”
"You needed a minute.”
“Thank you.” He cupped her face, tipping her head up, and kissed her gently.
It was tender and kind and all the things that Noah had always been.
No matter how much he pushed her away, he’d never been cruel about it, except maybe the first night.
Even when he dated other women, he hadn’t been a jerk.
He just went out with women who weren’t for him.
Which was the last thing she should be thinking about that while his hands were wrapped around her body, and his tongue was making her skin tingle in all the right places.
"We really should get a bell,” her father’s voice bounced off the kitchen walls.
Ziggy dropped her forehead to Noah's shoulder.
“Or maybe a whistle,” her dad continued, with way more satisfaction and humor than necessary. "To announce ourselves. Spare everyone the gross public display of affection we keep walking into.”
Her mother laughed that little delightful chuckle she had when she thought her husband was the funniest man around. "I'll look into it."
"Please do," Noah said, against the top of her head. “It’ll save me further embarrassment.” He stuck his finger under Ziggy’s chin and tilted it. “Though, I do find her cheeks adorable when they turn this blush rose.”
“You’re as bad as my brothers.” She slapped his shoulder.
“Which is why he fits right in.” Her dad slapped Noah on the back. “I can’t tell you how many times we caught Darci and Reid in a lip lock. I swear that man was doing it to try to embarrass me.”
“No, honey. That was all, Darcie.” Her mother smiled. “And it was you who turned all sorts of red every time.”
Noah laughed.
“I plead the fifth on that one.” Her dad let out a long breath, but he did so with a smile.
Ziggy stood in Noah's kitchen with his arms around her while he chatted with her parents, as if this was how life was supposed to be, and Ziggy understood in that moment that some things—the right things—were worth the wait.
But outside, somewhere, Cormac stood watch. While she’d waited many years to be with Noah, a dark cloud loomed over their heads. It was only a matter of time before the sky opened and released the gathering storm.