Chapter 54
Chapter Fifty-Four
It took well into the next morning, but finally, all the police were gone. Noah shut the front door and walked into his family’s living room.
Danica sat on the couch, eyes half closed. Noah wanted to scoop up his girl and hold her, but they had an audience. Both of their families were here.
Ginger sat on one side of Danica, an arm around her shoulders, while Tori was on the other side, holding Danica’s hand. William Foster-Grant leaned against the wall, though from the angle of his body Noah guessed the man was ready to collapse from exhaustion.
The only person in the room getting any rest was his grandfather. Gramps was sprawled in his favorite chair, snoring at an astonishing volume.
Noah went to the center of the room, and the others looked up. “We should probably decide if we’re going to get some sleep, or if we’re going to be awake. If it’s awake, I’m going to order coffee and lemon pancakes from Uber Eats.”
Everyone else—except for Gramps, who continued to snore—waited for Danica to answer.
She managed a smile. At some point she’d showered and changed her clothes, but Noah hadn’t seen her sleep. “I need some rest. Dad, Tori, why don’t you both head home. I’ll talk to you later.”
William jolted back to alertness. “Go home without you? After all that just happened, I’d feel much better having you close by.” He quickly lifted his hands to cut off her protests. “I’m not ordering you back to the house. I know better than that.”
Do you? Noah thought. He certainly hoped so.
“I am so sorry for everything, Danica,” her father said.
“For lying to you, for not believing your suspicions about Blake’s behavior earlier.
I’ve made so many mistakes in my life. But I love you.
I love both my daughters, and Soren too, though I’m not sure that’s a relationship I can repair.
All I’m asking is for your permission to stay here with you.
” William nodded at Ginger. “Assuming I have the blessing of Noah’s family? ”
Noah hadn’t imagined the man could be so contrite. But the revelations of the last several hours had taken their toll on everyone.
“I’m fine with you sticking around, Dad,” Danica said. “As long as Noah feels the same.”
Noah nodded. He doubted he’d ever be a fan of William, and the feeling was probably mutual. But forever was a long time. Danica needed her family. Noah would never stand between them.
As soon as Noah had left the Foster-Grants’ last night, Soren had taken off, possibly to head back to New York. He’d sent a message to Danica, apologizing for his indirect role in the kidnapping. She hadn’t decided whether to write back.
As far as Noah was concerned, and as guilty as Soren might be of other things, he was innocent of trying to hurt her. So Noah didn’t really care what Soren did next.
His Bennett Security teammates, along with Chase Collins, had left hours ago after giving their statements.
There’d been some talk about charges related to Tanner’s efforts to distract the Foster-Grants’ security guards.
Reckless driving, property damage, trespassing…
Thankfully, William had refused to pursue it once he’d understood the circumstances.
Tanner had driven his Jeep straight through the gate at the Foster-Grant residence.
He’d acted like he was drunk and lost, a story that had been even more convincing because he’d stripped down to his underwear.
A stroke of brilliance, Noah thought, because even the most trigger-happy security guard wasn’t likely to shoot a drunk guy stumbling around in his undies.
He wondered if any security cameras had recorded Tanner’s antics. That would’ve been fun to see. And it would’ve made a great screensaver at headquarters.
The commotion had given Tori the cover she needed to go into Blake’s office and use his desktop to locate his other devices. Blake had taken all sorts of precautions to keep his secrets hidden, but he’d given his assistant access to most of his systems and passwords.
Blake had had a tendency to underestimate the Foster-Grant women. He’d never get the chance to do it again.
The paramedics had arrived minutes after the shooting. But Blake had been pronounced dead at the scene, along with Lindley Colter.
The Larsons’ property would have to be repaired, including the bullet round to the drywall and the window Noah had broken to storm inside.
Luckily, the family wouldn’t return to West Oaks for a while, so the repairs probably wouldn’t inconvenience them.
The damage was minor in the scheme of things, but Danica had already been fretting about it.
Ginger clapped her hands onto her knees, then stood up. “It’s settled. I’ll show William and Tori to a couple of guestrooms. We’ll all get some rest, and when we wake up, I’ll match Noah’s offer of pancakes, and throw in some mimosas.”
She waved for them to follow her. Tori and William each gave Danica a hug.
Before he left the living room, William extended his hand to Noah. They shook, and William held Noah’s hand in both of his. “I am incredibly grateful that you found my daughter. And I don’t just mean last night. I’m sorry for any suggestions I’ve made to the contrary.”
“Thank you, sir. I’m grateful she and I found each other, too.”
“Take care of her?”
Noah could see her rolling her eyes in his peripheral vision. “I will. But Danica is extremely skilled at taking care of herself.”
“I know that. But it’s much harder to go it alone. I’ve learned that firsthand.” William nodded at them both. “Until later. Looking forward to those pancakes.”
“Bye, Dad.”
After her father had left, Noah took Danica’s hand. They went upstairs to his bedroom.
The minute the door clicked closed, she walked into his arms, and they held one another. He dug his fingers into her hair and breathed in the sweet scent of her. Like the jasmine that grew everywhere in the West Oaks hills.
“I love you,” she said. “So much. When I thought I might never see you again, it was the worst thing I’ve ever felt.”
“Same here. I love you, Dani. More than anything. I’m so thankful you’re safe.” His voice started to break.
Until now, Noah hadn’t allowed himself to truly feel all the terror he’d been holding back. Even downstairs with their families, he’d been running on adrenaline and fumes.
“Thinking I might really lose you,” he said, “that there was nothing I could do…” A tear streaked down his face.
He didn’t cry easily. Maybe even less than Danica. But he wasn’t afraid to show this side of himself to her. With Danica, he wanted to be open about everything.
She looked up at him and wiped at the trail his tear had left. Then she gave him that coy smile he loved so much.
“Well, it’s a good thing I was busy saving myself. I mean, you helped speed things along by showing up when you did. But, you realize I had Blake in my guard when I was on the ground, right? I was totally about to break out some fancy moves on his ass.”
“You saying you didn’t really need me?”
“I always need you.” She smoothed her hands over his shoulders and down his arms. “Especially to stand around looking pretty. You’re really good at that.”
With a growl, Noah grabbed her around the waist and lifted her in the air. Danica giggled, wrapped her legs around him, and held him by the neck.
She kissed him with soft pecks that turned deeper and slower. Her tongue licked into his mouth.
Maybe she hadn’t really wanted to rest.
But when Noah took her to his bed and laid her down, Danica started dozing within seconds. Laughing, he snuggled behind her and stretched the covers over them both.
Then Lucifer jumped down from the bookcase and sauntered over. The cat leaped onto the mattress and curled up by Danica’s other side.
“Thanks for looking out for her, Lucy,” he whispered, and closed his eyes.
Noah woke to Danica kissing his neck.
“No more resting.” She straddled him, raining kisses on his face, hands snaking under his shirt.
“Don’t you want me to brush my teeth?”
“No. I need you. Right now.”
He looked around the bed. “Is Lucy…?”
“I put her in the hall.”
This woman was not taking no for an answer. Not that he’d ever say “no” to her, anyway.
“You’ll have to move so I can take off my clothes.”
She kneeled beside him on the mattress. Noah pushed his pants down and off, along with his boxer briefs. His dick was just starting to perk up.
Dani’s head dipped down, and she took him into her mouth. Noah made an incoherent sound, trying to stay quiet since they weren’t alone in the house.
She swirled her tongue and sucked him until he was rock hard in her mouth, which took all of two seconds.
They took off the rest of their clothing, making out in between. They were both gentler with each other than they’d been before. Kissing and caressing. Taking care, even if Danica had still set a fast pace.
Every moment with her gave him a rush of energy and feeling. The sheer joy of being alive.
She lay back, naked, and Noah hovered just above her. Danica snaked her legs around his hips.
“You’re not going to flip me, are you? Not sure my back can take it today.”
“I want you to have me. Just like this.”
Noah’s skin flushed with heat. He brought the head of his cock to her opening. They both moaned as he slid inside, her body offering no resistance.
Then somehow, she tightened, like she was squeezing around him.
“Oooh.”
“You like that?” Danica’s body tensed again, her hips lifting as her legs gripped him.
“You know I do. Love how strong you are.” Noah lifted his upper body so he could watch as he fucked her, his cock gliding in and out of her. This woman was so strong and beautiful. She could be rough on him and could take it when he was rough back.
But she was sweet, too. When she wanted to be. Noah wanted to earn all that sweetness. Every day, again and again.
“I love you,” she whispered to him.
Noah lowered himself down to hold her in his arms. Then he didn’t think about anything for a while except how good this was. How the universe might still laugh at him for being a romantic instead of a cynic, but he was going to love this woman with every part of his being for as long as he could.