Page 59 of Saving Noah

Chapter 15

“Hello.” He answered his cell on the first ring even though he didn’t recognize the number. It had to be Zach calling from one of the phones at the hospital. “Did you see the news? Moretti killed himself. It’s over.” He gushed. He and Connor spent the last two hours watching every detail the news had to offer and then confirming each of those facts with Caleb, Connor’s contact at the prison.

“If you ever want to see your boyfriend alive again, you’ll do everything in your power to make sure Detective Connor Vanderwall believes you are on the phone with Dr. Meadows right now,” a voice warned. “You’ve been a disappointment your entire life,John. Don’t let one of your many shortcomings lead to the murder of your lover and his best friend. If you play this smart, you’ll be the only one hurt. If you play it dumb, you, Zachary, and Connor will all die. Which is it going to be, Noah? Are you going to be a good boy or a scaredy-cat? Smart or dumb?”

Noah’s gaze shot straight to Connor. He sat on the couch, his eyes still glued to the television as he watched the news unfold about Moretti’s suicide/murder. As if he sensed something wrong, his brown eyes lifted to find Noah watching him. He arched a brow and nodded to the phone in Noah’s hand.

It was only an instant in time, but Noah saw the train wreck of his life flash before his eyes. He saw Donovan Moretti threaten him as they led him away after the guilty verdict. He saw the look on his parents’ faces when they told the FBI they wanted to enter a separate witness protection program than that of their only son. He saw the four disastrous years that followed and how it led to him being locked in a prison created by his own mind. He knew what Moretti was capable of. It was time for him to finally pay the price for his sin against the crime family. He smiled calmly and said to Connor, “It’s Zach. I’m going to go to the bedroom to chat. You keep watching the news.”

He walked down the hall as the man on the other end of the phone laughed. Chills washed over him. How could he have not known? Once inside his bedroom, he closed the door and leaned against it. Tears trailed down his cheeks. “What do you want?”

“I’m going to tell you exactly what to do, Noah,” the voice answered with a laugh. “I need you to follow my instructions to perfection. If you do, Zachary and Connor won’t be harmed. If you don’t…well, you know what will happen. You’ve seen my work in the past, haven’t you?”

“Just tell me what you want,” Noah hissed. He listened for a few minutes and then broke in and argued, “If you’ve been watching me like I know you have, then you know I can’t leave this building without making a fucking scene. You can’t expect me to do what you’re suggesting.” The room started spinning wildly. He couldn’t do this…couldn’t do what he was asking of him. Could he go to Connor? Beg for help? Could Connor even get to Zach before it was too late? No, he’d known this would happen, planned for it. Why balk now? He had to find the courage to save the man he loved. He’d known it would all come down to this moment.

“Be a fucking man, Noah! For once in your miserable life, be a fucking man.” The man hissed into the phone, his frustration mounting. “I thought you loved Zach? That’s what you’ve whispered into his ear…I’ve heard you,” the voice said. “I’ve heard you moaning and whimpering like a bitch in heat when he’s been fucking you. Was that all an act, Noah? Were you tricking him or do you really care about the good doctor?”

“How did you…”

“I have listening devices all over your apartment, Noah,” the man answered with another laugh. “I’ve enjoyed listening to you beg him to fuck you almost as much as I enjoyed listening to you cry and start to come undone during those first months. I would have given anything to see your pretty face early on as the terror became wilder and wilder in your eyes. I could hear you begging for strength to keep going. It never came, though, did it, Noah? Strength has eluded you your entire life, so don’t expect to grow a pair of balls now. It wouldn’t be in Zach’s or Connor’s best interest.”

Listening devices meant he would hear Noah if he told Connor the truth.

“Why are you doing this to me?” he asked. “Why can’t you just let it go? I’m no danger to you now.”

“I’m doing it because I enjoy it, Noah. Now, do as you’re told, and remember, I’m listening to your every move and word. Fuck up, and Zach will be dead before Connor can make it to the elevator.”

“Fuck you,” Noah mumbled weakly. He didn’t have any other choices in front of him. Risking Zach’s and Connor’s lives was something he wouldn’t even consider. With robotic movements, he turned the doorknob and stepped out into the hallway. He knew what had to happen next. When he stepped into the living area, he quietly reached for Connor’s gun, lying innocently on a table in the hallway, and unlatched it from the holster. Connor’s back was to him and his eyes were still glued to the television on the wall. News footage of Donovan Moretti’s death still ran. Tears swam in Noah’s eyes.

“Oh…and Noah?Nine. Ten. No one will ever see you again.” With a laugh, the man disconnected the phone.

It all came down to this moment. Noah supposed he should have known the Moretti family would never leave him in peace. If this could have only happened before Zach came into his life, it wouldn’t have hurt so badly. He hadn’t really had anything to live for. Why now? Why when he was finally getting strong again? When he was finally getting a taste of living and loving again?

Because they know it will hurt more this way.

As a last-ditch effort to somehow let Zach know how he felt about him, Noah hid the gun behind his back and said, “I love you, Zach.”

Connor glanced back and saw him still on the phone, snickered, and then turned his attention back to the television.

“I loved you the first time I saw you. I’d convinced myself I wasn’t worth loving, but you proved me wrong. You made my heart feel again. Thank you for that,” he whispered.

As he said those final words, the sound of a cell phone ringing caused him to cringe. He stood directly behind Connor and saw Zach’s handsome face flash across Connor’s phone. Connor lifted the phone, saw who it was, and muttered, “What the…”

Noah slammed the gun against the side of Connor’s head before the man could finish his question. Connor, now unconscious, fell to the couch. The cell kept ringing—Zach’s face right there for Noah to see. Denala barked at him and then whimpered in confusion. She went to Connor and licked his face.

Noah quickly typed a text to Zach and, like the man had ordered, he dropped his cell onto the couch next to Connor.

I love you, Zach.

He kissed Denala’s wet nose and then walked out of his apartment. Silently, he touched his door when he stood outside in the hallway, wondering how in the world he was going to survive the last hour of his life without Zach there to be his strength.

*****

Zach stood in front of the television in the waiting room of the hospital, watching the news unfold about Moretti’s questionable suicide inside his prison cell. He should be feeling nothing but elation since the death of Moretti would mean Noah wouldn’t have to live in fear any longer, but instead, dread hung over him like a thick raincloud. He’d tried calling Connor three times. He’d tried calling Noah six times. He’d gotten anI love youtext from Noah, but that had been the end of any communication between him and Noah or Connor. It wasn’t like either of them to not answer his calls.

Something was wrong.

Something bad was happening.

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