Page 76 of Noah

Adrienne’s mouth dropped open as Mhane caught Owen’s hand, which he had been holding out in greeting, and she spun him by it. Mhane twisted Owen’s arm halfway up his back and kicked the back of his knee. Owen went down like a straw house.

Owen grunted as his knee hit the floor.

Mhane’s eyes were colder than ice, reflecting only one thought and emotion; to destroy him. Mhane tensed, her body coiled tight like a viper.

Mhane didn’t even seem to see them.

Adrienne wouldn’t be surprised if Mhane struck out at her.

Noah whipped into immediate action. He got in front of her, placing himself between them, and shoved his hand firmly into her stomach pushing her back behind him. Briar growled.

“Noah,” she screamed as Owen quickly rose eyes deadly.

She was worried about what they would do to Mhane. Should she jump in and help? Her eyes flicked to Mhane’s casual control of Owen’s muscular body and Adrienne suddenly realised that maybe she didn’t need help.

“Mhane?” Her eyes flickered as if she were struggling to come out of whatever haze had a grip on her and she shook.

Then Owen moved as if he was going to grab his gun and her grip tightened, her foot finding his back as if she was going to push him to the floor.

“Mhane,” Adrienne whispered.

Ren couldn’t believe this was her baby sister and it must have been reflected in her tone because something crossed Mhane’s face when Adrienne whispered her name.

Mhane shook her head and snapped out of whatever it was. Her eyes warmed up in slow increments. It was like watching her fill her skin back up. Her shoulders slumped and her body began to uncoil. Relax.

Adrienne tried to move around Noah to see if she was okay. And Owen. Noah growled his hold on her firm, warning her not to move. “Noah,” she growled back. “She is my sister!”

“And she just proved she’s dangerous,” Briar snapped, cautiously moving as if he didn’t want to spook Mhane.

Mhane let Owen go, her hand dropping off him as if he were on fire. Owen glowering, got to his feet quickly and turned with his gun in hand. “Don’t do that again,” he said his voice flat and the threat clear.

Adrienne squeaked. She finally got around Noah, ducking around Briar despite both their shouts. Her fingertips touched Mhane’s, and Mhane’s fingers curled around hers as they stood side-by-side.

Adrienne’s heart cracked as she glanced down at their entwined slim womanly hands. Mhane’s skin was darker than hers, a milk chocolate brown, decadent and smooth. Adrienne remembered their tiny toddler hands, fat and pudgy holding on as they swung up and down between their Mums.

They hadn’t known it was an odd arrangement. They had only known their love for each other. Adrienne had only known her little sister was hers to look after and teach.

The room was silent and when Adrienne looked up, she saw why. Mhane was smiling at her. Noah however looked…rejected. Disappointed? God, he looked like Adrienne had wrecked his heart.

Her mouth dried when she glanced at Briar and saw an angry scowl on his face as he glared at them.

“What?” Adrienne snapped.

Noah’s growl cut off and he turned his back on her. He walked back to the wall of drugs and called out, “Owen, can you get Nick involved and see what he can do? Contact our press team and see if we need to put a spin on this or if we’ll be able to keep this concealed. We can get ahead of any negative press if it gets out. The last thing we need is anyone accusing us of running drugs.”

Adrienne’s heart pounded as she realised he was excluding her. He threw orders and ignored her, turning his back on her deliberately.

“I’ll call Nick, are you okay here?” Owen pointedly glared at Mhane.

“Nothing we can’t handle,” Briar replied confidently.

If Briar thought he frightened Mhane it had a different effect entirely as Mhane stared at him in a different light.

Adrienne looked away and rubbed her hands across her eyes. The day had been a total mess.

“Noah,” she said. When she tried to walk towards him, she forgot Mhane had her hand and jerked to a stop.

Noah’s shoulders stiffened. He took a deep breath and then spoke to Briar as if she wasn’t there. “We need to leave. Make sure we don’t touch anything else.”

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