Page 118 of Under the Lies

I’m too busy being entranced by Noah’s powerful strides. And I don’t think. I run. Eating the distance between us with my steps until there is none and I’m jumping on him. My arms around his neck and legs twisted around his waist.

He catches me easily, not stumbling back in step. He’s solid beneath me, not moving. I’m not even sure I feel him breathing.

I don’t know what just came over me, but it was like an outside force controlling my body. And now I’m wrapped around him, holding tight while his hands are still at his sides.

Too grateful that he’s okay to care at first he’s not hugging me back. The feel of him is enough—a lie I try to convince myself of until I can’t.

He’s still not hugging me.

While he’s as still as an unmoving tree, my thoughts run at the pace of a sharp winter’s breeze.

Why isn’t he hugging me?

Should I not be hugging him?

I want to let go, but my body isn’t listening. I feel like it never listens when Noah is around.

And then slowly, almost unperceivable, his arms start to move.

They wrap around the base of my back, locking around me like bands of iron.

His head tilts, resting on top of mine. I don’t know what to do now for a whole new reason.

Noah’s touching me in a way he never has before. It’s not tender—a word like that could never be used for a man like Noah. He holds me as a necessity, like he needs to and can’t let go.

And I need him.

“They’re gone,” he growls, frustration bleeding from his tone.

“Gone?” Thea asks.

“Just fucking disappeared. I need you to get on the city cameras.”

The events of tonight have crashed down on me like rubble from a tumbling mountain and I hold him a little tighter. His hold adjusts as well, matching my strength with his own.

Nothing else outside of us exists, not when I’m in his arms. Not when I never want them to leave now that I have them. And especially not as he whispers, “I got you, Sayer. It’s okay.”

His hand comes up to cup my neck and his thumb brushes my pulse. “It’s okay.”

At first, I’m confused, why is he saying that?

But then I feel something small and wet roll down my cheek, down my chest and realize why.

I’m crying.

I’m crying and didn’t even know it.

How numb have I really become?

Pulling away, just enough to be able to look into his restless face—a combination of fierce fighter still on the offensive and budding concern for me—I start to say something when Thea screams for us.

In a blur, Noah drops me from his chest and is shoving me behind him as he reaches for his gun…I balk, not even knowing he was holding one.

That killing machine was pressed against my back. He held me with such a need, such urgency, I didn’t even realize…

Not even being offended by Noah shoving me behind him, he is the one with the gun after all, I simply stretch on my toes and peer over his shoulder.

And see why Thea yelled.

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