Chapter Twelve
Noah
The computer cursor blinked repeatedly as Noah stared blankly at the form that needed to be completed in order for Eli to close one of his contracts. Instead of focusing on the paperwork, his eyes had taken on a mind of their own and drifted to the corner of the screen that currently read 1:35. Maybe Theo would need to take a look at the computer to make sure it was functioning properly. It had to have been at least ten minutes or so since the last time Noah had checked the time and it had said 1:32. Just under two hours left until he could leave to grab Bree for her collaboration that evening.
A knock interrupted his thoughts. “Come in,” Noah called.
Theo walked in and closed the door behind him with a soft click. Noah’s senses immediately went on alert. Normally, they share closed-door information at the morning staff meetings, but Theo hadn’t shared anything this morning.
“Hey, Theo. What’s up?” Noah asked, putting his computer to sleep and giving him his full attention.
Theo sat in the chair across from Noah’s desk and picked up the stress ball that permanently sat on the corner, squeezing it until his fingers turned white. “I want to talk to you about Aubrey Gray.” He said, his hands tightening a little more.
Noah furrowed his brow. “What about her?”
“You asked me to take a look into her family, socials, background, and related things.”
“I did,” Noah said, confusion lacing his tone.
“I haven’t been able to deep dive into her parents yet. That’s next on my list, but...Have you seen her socials?” Theo asked, making eye contact with Noah.
“No, I haven’t.”
“Pull up her Instagram,” Theo said, gesturing to the phone sitting on the desk, alarm set and ready to alert Noah when it was time to go and pick Bree up.
“Why?”
“Just…do it, please,” Theo said, his jaw ticking.
Noah went to Bree’s Instagram page, her gorgeous, joyful self smiling right at him. The pictures showed her beauty and radiant joy, but failed to show off her spirit and backbone, which were simultaneously the bane of his existence and two of the things he deeply admired about her. Warmth filled his chest, and Noah smiled at the carefree look on her face. He would pay good money to see that look on her face now. “Okay…” He said, looking at Theo for further direction.
“You see the most recent five to ten pictures?”
“Yep.”
“Look at these comments,” Theo said as he handed Noah his phone.
Noah scrolled through the screenshots one at a time, nausea, disgust, and rage taking over as he read more and more of the vile messages.
“It’s been getting worse. Not only have the comments been coming in more often, but they’re also getting more vulgar. More brazen.” Theo added, anger lacing each word.
Noah found himself agreeing, his muscles taut as he continued to read. It was message after message of things they think about her. Things they’d do to her. Things they’d like to show her. Some chick named Skyler seemed to adamantly oppose any and all of the creeps, but she was just one of many who tried to keep the people in line who had no interest in wasting the perceived anonymity that the internet provides.
“Find them.” Noah ground out, handing Theo’s phone back to him while his stomach soured. “Let me know if they pose a threat to my—to Bree.”
“Consider it done,” Theo said as he stood up to go. “Your Bree, huh?” Theo added cheekily.
“Shut up,” Noah said good-humoredly. Theo grinned and headed for the door.
“And Theo?” Noah said.
“Yeah?”
“Order the security cameras, and let’s get them installed this weekend. The sooner, the better.”
Theo nodded before walking out of the room.
Noah looked at the clock on the computer—1:53—and stood up, ramming his fingers through his hair. He wanted to break something. Specifically the three-dimensional faces of the sick men who had written those things to Bree. About Bree. Noah shoved his chair away from the desk and stormed through the office and down the stairs until he reached the training room. He shrugged off his suit jacket and laid it on the bench before going to town on the nearest punching bag. Every time he hit it, he thought of one of the messages that had been left for Bree. Had she been reading that vile crap?
One of them talked about what they would do if they found her home alone without her bodyguard around—Noah stopped short, the punching bag swinging back and catching him in the stomach. Oof. They knew Noah was with Bree? How would they know that? Did they know where she lived? Panic fluttered in his chest, and his heart raced. What if the offender decided today was the day to show up? Noah wasn’t there…Bree was home alone, just like that sicko wanted.
Noah turned abruptly and grabbed his suit jacket, jogging for his office. He threw his keys and computer into his briefcase before practically sprinting out the door. He had to get to Bree. Noah picked up the phone when he got into the car and tried to give her a call, but her phone only rang a couple of times before going to voicemail. He waited for the longest minute in the history of man before calling again. This time, it went straight to voicemail. Fear caused his heart to stutter in his chest as he pressed down on the gas. His girl could be in trouble, and he needed to get there.
Noah drifted around the corner into the neighborhood and raced out of the car, uncaring of how it appeared to Mr. Robinson or anyone else. He pounded desperately on Aubrey’s door, praying she was okay and would be able to answer. He’d give her thirty seconds before he kicked in it. That would be quite a sight. Mr. Robinson would for sure be on the phone with the police in that case.
There were a series of light thuds on the other side of the door before a harried-looking Bree answered, a shoe in her hand and one on her foot, cell phone pressed to her ear. Noah walked into the living room trying to dispel the cloud of anger and fear that raged through him. He scanned Bree as she spoke on the phone, checking her for any injuries before letting loose a breath as he realized she was unharmed. Safe. And he would keep her that way. Or die trying.
“Hello?” Bree’s exasperated tone drew his attention back to her, a small frown line marring her beautiful face. “Hello?” She said again while trying to slip on her last heel. She teetered and fell backward before he could get to her, landing promptly on her bottom. “Ouch!” She reached for the shoe that was on her foot and chucked it across the room, narrowly missing Noah’s face.
“UGH!” Bree grunted, clearly frustrated by whatever was going on with the call. She didn’t say anything else before ending the call and chucking her phone across the room onto the chair, where it bounced safely.
“Are you okay?” Noah asked, walking over and offering her a hand.
“I’m fine.” She grumbled, a deep blush spreading across her face. She accepted his hand, letting go as soon as she was steadily standing in front of him, her bare toes resting on the hardwood floor.
“What was that about?” He asked.
“Just wondering if whoever sold my picture sold my cell number too.” She said, anger lacing every word. “I got another call.”
“Did he say anything to you?”
“Not this time.”
“Is it the same number?”
“As yesterday? Yes.”
“I’ll make a note and have Theo look into it. He’s also going to be by this weekend to install the security cameras we talked about.”
“Noah, I don’t want security cameras.” She argued. “You can’t just order them to be put on my house!”
“You’re being unreasonable, Bree,” Noah said, anger and relief still pulsing through him simultaneously.
“I’m being unreasonable? This is my life. This is my home. You can’t just waltz in here and tell me what to do. We are a team, and we make decisions together. If you want to change something, we sit down and talk about it like adults. Hear both sides, write a pro and con list. Something.” She said stubbornly, looking up at him for the first time since her tirade started. Her wrath seemed to pause for a moment as she looked at Noah. Truly looked at him. A frown marred her beautiful face. “You’re early.” She said, surprise mingling with concern on her face as she continued. “And angry. What happened?”
“Theo popped into my office this afternoon,” Noah said.
A look of confusion crossed her face. “Is he okay?” She asked.
“He’s fine.” Her inherent concern for others—especially those she loved—was one of the things Noah liked about her. “Did you happen to see the comments on some of your last pictures and videos?”
A look of understanding crossed her face. “The new comments.” She sighed. “I did, and it’s nothing new, Noah. These creeps come out of the woodwork from time to time.”
“Theo said it’s been happening a lot more frequently. He said it has escalated. The frequency. Bree, the threats.” Noah practically croaked out the last word, taking a deep breath and struggling to reign in the violent emotions coursing through him.
“It’s not a big deal, Noah. It’s just the internet.”
Anger flashed through him, temporarily giving him a feeling other than disgust, which had consumed him since reading those messages himself. She read them? He wanted to hunt each slime ball down and rip them to shreds for threatening Bree. For exposing her to such vile thoughts. The blood rushed in his ears, and he felt like his self-control was being torn to shreds by this woman who seemed used to being on the receiving end of unconscionable behavior. Which meant there was someone—dead or alive—who had treated her that way. Who made her feel it was normal. And he wanted to end them. Violently.
“Can I use your restroom?” He asked Bree through clenched teeth, desperately needing a moment to pull himself together now that he knew she was okay and back under his protection.
“Of course,” she said brightly, her mood apparently unaffected by the boundless number of creepy men on the internet. “I’m going to go back into my room and finish getting ready. I shouldn’t be but five to ten minutes.”
“And Noah?”
“Hmm?”
“No cameras. Please.”
Noah frowned and headed down the hall, taking a minute to splash some water on his face and take in a deep breath. He needed to chill. Aubrey Gray was a client—nothing more. He couldn’t make this personal which meant he couldn’t take personal offense. He was always bothered by the crap that people put out on the internet—things they would never say or do in real life because they’re behind a keyboard, and they think that it can cover their identity enough to get away with everything.
Ha. Nothing on the internet is anonymous if you know where to look and how to mine the information. But regardless, he needed to present a calm, put-together front. He did not need to look like a raging lunatic who was going to go after every man who dared to threaten his woman. He wanted to protect her. He felt a burning need to keep her safe in his very bones. But Aubrey was not his woman. Even if he wished that weren’t true at the moment.
No, that had to be the adrenaline talking. He wasn’t looking for a relationship. Though if he was, he’d look no farther than—nope, not going there. He didn’t have time for dating. Definitely not a former celebrity. Especially not a client. No way was that going to happen. Not only was it against company policy—a policy he wrote himself—but most women didn’t understand the commitment level his job required. They didn’t understand the deep-seated need he had to protect. And they didn’t trust him to be loyal while on assignment which is what stung the most. All it did was end in heartache for everyone… well, mostly for them. Noah didn’t let himself get attached enough for it to be a problem. Not after Sarah.
He walked back out into the living room and did a perimeter check to make sure all of the doors and windows were closed and locked before they left. After confirming that all points of entry and egress were in fact secure, he sat on the couch to wait for Aubrey to be ready.
A soft rhythmic tapping drew his attention to the hallway a while later, and his tongue suddenly felt as though it were glued to the top of his mouth. Noah’s pulse raced as he slowly took in the vision that was Aubrey Gray. Her curly hair was down, her face lightly made up, a shy smile on her face. She was wearing a white halter sundress with a pair of wedge sandals that functioned like heels and made her legs look as though they went on for days. Wow.
Noah cleared his throat. “You…you look beautiful.” He told her honestly—incapable of stopping the compliment from falling from his lips. A pretty pink blush painted her cheeks and he found himself wondering just how far that blush went.
“Thank you.” She said, clearly a little uncomfortable with the compliment which was oddly endearing. Noah couldn’t count how many celebrities or other clients he’d worked with who would get dolled up regularly and still riffle around for compliments from their entourage like they were going through a junk drawer.
“I just need to grab my a sweater and my purse and we can head out.” She said walking across the room to fetch her things from the coat closet near the front door. Bree grabbed her things quickly and met Noah by the garage door, a soft smile on her face. “Let’s go.”