Page 17 of Saving Noah

“Overprotective, much?” Zach squeaked into the phone. A mixture of emotions tumbled around in Zach’s head, but none of them were fear for his own safety.Allof them were focused on keeping Noah safe…making Noah feel safe. No wonder Noah was afraid of his own shadow. “I’m not moving.”

“I had a feeling you’d say that,” Connor answered. “I knew it was too late. I knew it the second I saw you look at him last night. You’ve already tumbled head over ass for this kid, haven’t you?”

Zach leaned against the counter because there was a good chance his legs were about to give out on him. “The tumbling motion may already be in progress,” he answered honestly. “Just for the record, he isn’t a kid. It makes me sound creepy when you call him that, like I’m a pedophile or something. He’s only eight years younger than us.”Fuck, eight years sounds like a lifetime when I say it out loud.

“No, more like a cradle robber,” Connor answered with a laugh. “Okay, we’ve got to move on to Plan B, then. If you aren’t going to move, then we’ve got to make sure you and Noah stay safe while I work on another plan to make Moretti disappear for more than six fun-filled years in his local penitentiary. I’m going to meet with the head of security for your complex tomorrow. Do you think Noah would talk to me? I need to know everything he knows about Moretti. I’m sure he’s in some kind of witness protection program, so talking to me would break all kinds of rules. Of course, telling you his real name broke the cardinal rule, so I’m assuming he’s a rule-breaker by nature. Does he even know how serious this situation is? Hell, Zach, if he’s being an idiot about his safety, then we’re going to have a serious problem. I’m not going to let his stupidity put you in danger. Regardless of how bubbly his ass is.”

Zach rolled his eyes heavenward and answered, “Oh, trust me, I think Noah understands how serious the situation is. I can assure you he isn’t taking any unnecessary risks with his life.”

Connor went from run for your life to kick ass mode in a manner of seconds. Best. Friend. Ever.

“How nervous should we be over this Moretti family?”

“I have two answers for that question,” he said slowly. “First answer: very nervous.”

Zach waited a couple seconds before asking, “Second answer?”

“Fuck the Moretti family. They don’t mess with what’s mine.”

Laughter bubbled from Zach. “What’s yours? You and Noah seemed to hit it off last night, but I would hardly call him yours.”

“No, you’re mine; he’s yours. We’re family, Zach. You know this. If you’ve finally decided to take a chance with your heart, I’m not going to complain just because you picked the worst possible candidate as your choice. I mean, seriously, Zach? The Moretti family? You had to pick somebody who fucked over the Moretti family?”

“Fuck the Moretti family,” Zach said with a laugh, throwing Connor’s words back at him. “What’s your Plan B?”

“Don’t have one yet. I’ll be working on it while you’re working on sexing up your neighbor. Why do you always get all the easy jobs?” Connor started clicking away on his computer, the sound of the keys reverberating through the phone line. “See if Noah will talk to me, okay? That’ll be the first step. I’ve got to get a feel for the situation.”

“I’ll try. Needless to say, he’s pretty guarded around people.” Another thought occurred to Zach. “Hey, can you run some names for me?” He wanted to learn more about Cameron and the idiot doctor prescribing all those meds to Noah.

“Run some names? That is not correct police jargon, Zach,” Connor corrected while the clicking of the keyboard continued. “Yes, I’ll do a background check for you. Give me the names. I assume they’re connected to Noah?”

“Yep. See what you can find out about Cameron Maverick and a Dr. Robert Jones, definitely connected to Noah, and I don’t think in a good way. I don’t trust that either of them have his best interests as a priority.” Zach rubbed his eyes and struggled with how much to tell Connor about Noah’s problems. Connor was his best friend, and Zach trusted him with his life, but he still didn’t want to violate Noah’s privacy in any way. While he couldn’t share anything that happened during the hospital visit, he could talk with Connor about what he’d learned while performing his neighborly duties. Connor wouldn’t betray him or Noah.

“It’s bad, Conn. Really bad. He needs help…more help than I’m qualified to give him. He’s on a shit-load of meds that shouldn’t be mixed, and though I’m not an expert on his struggles, I do know some of these medications would have the absolute opposite effect of what he needs to make progress. There’s a basket of drugs, all with current prescriptions, but he says he hasn’t seen a doctor in three years. Cameron brings everything to him.” Zach’s anger escalated as he remembered the shit Cameron said about Noah in the ER. “I have no idea what that relationship is, but Cameron said he’d been appointed by the courts to make Noah’s medical decisions for him. That’s bullshit, Conn. He may have some problems, but his mental capacities are all intact.”They are, aren’t they? I’d know if they weren’t. “His apartment has the same setup as mine, but…but…hell, Conn, you wouldn’t believe how it looks.”

“He’s a single guy, Zach. A young single guy. Shit gets messy. I don’t think you need to base any judgments on his housekeeping skills,” Connor said quietly. “Do you think maybe your attraction to him is causing you to see things too critically?”

Zach rolled his eyes in frustration. “It isn’t his housekeeping skills. The place is spotless, organized, and coldly sterile. No pictures. No color. Thick black curtains cover every window in the place. It’s dark—like a dungeon. Hell, Conn, it isn’t a healthy environment for somebody his age.” It wasn’t a healthy environment for anyone, regardless of age. Zach had been shocked when he’d first entered the apartment. There hadn’t been a streak of sunlight to be seen.

“Set up a time for me to meet Noah. Tomorrow. At the latest, Zach.” Connor paused a second and then added, “I don’t think it would be good for him to come to the station—don’t need anybody else around here recognizing him. Could we just meet at your apartment?”

Zach smiled sadly. “Yeah, that would probably be for the best. I’ll call you in the morning.”

“Maybe I should sleep over tonight? I can do my research from wherever. You’ve got an extra bedroom”

“I don’t need a babysitter, Conn. Stay home and research. Security here is excellent; it’s one of the reasons I picked this complex.”

“Maybe, but…”

“I’ll call you in the morning,” Zach cut him off before Conn found a way to wrangle an invitation out of him. “See what you can find, and I’ll talk with Noah about our meeting.” He hung up before Connor could argue. Sixty-two minutes. Zach groaned. He hadn’t meant to leave Noah alone that long. Grabbing his basket of healthier food, Zach headed next door.

He tried to enter the apartment as quietly as possible so he wouldn’t disturb Noah’s rest. Between the drugs he took on a daily basis and what they’d given him at the hospital, he had to be about sixty-two minutes deep into a drug-induced sleep. Add the toll panic attacks had on one’s body, and Zach wasn’t sure he’d be able to wake Noah in order to get some food down his throat. That was why he nearly screamed out loud in shock after he eased the door shut and turned around toward the living area. Noah and Denala were involved in a slow-paced—because of Denala’s epic battle with birthing last night—game of fetch with what appeared to be one of Noah’s socks. Neither of them noticed him, so he took the time to admire his neighbor while Noah’s guard was down. When he’d been sleeping earlier, Zach stared at him practically the entire time, memorizing his perfect features, but also noticing that even when Noah slept, worried lines creased his brow. Playing with Denala put a look on Noah’s face that took Zach’s breath away. He was having fun…and looked fucking beautiful doing it. If Zach allowed it, he could fall in love with Noah.

He wouldn’t allow it, though. He couldn’t.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the metal door. Hell, he wasn’t going to be able to stop it. Something about Noah called to Zach’s heart.

Admitting defeat, he walked closer to them, making noise as he moved. He didn’t want to startle Noah too badly.

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