Page 28 of Noel
“I’m fine,” I promise quickly.“Noel locked me in a conference room with one of his soldiers.It’s very, um, secure.”
“Oh, good,” she sighs, but I hear the tension under the words.“Connor said you found another note.I swear, Holly, this is beyond unnerving.Now, I don’t want you to worry.You don’t have to go home tonight if you’re scared—you could come to our place.Or we have a Sigma safe house near the river, or a hotel if you’d rather privacy?—”
“Clem, no,” I interrupt gently.“If I run, whoever’s doing this wins.And I can’t leave Drew’s House hanging.The gala’s in a couple of days.”
There’s a pause.Then: “Holly, this isn’t about pride, sweetheart.It’s about safety.”
“I know.”I press a hand to my chest, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice.“But I can’t just hide.It’ll be okay.Noel’s here.Well, he was here.”I glance at the door.“He’s doing whatever it is ex-Special Forces bodyguards do.”
She chuckles softly.“Ah, the growly one.Connor says he’s the best.”
“He’s, um,” I swallow.“He’s very thorough.”
“I bet he is,” she teases instantly lighter.“But, Holly, I’m serious.You shouldn’t be alone tonight.Please let me put you somewhere with proper security.”
I open my mouth to argue again—then the door swings open.
Noel strides in, all dark lines and controlled energy, headset still in his ear.
He looks like he’s been carved out of focus and tension, eyes sweeping the room the second he crosses the threshold.
He zeroes in on me.“Everything good here?”
Kai nods once and slips out at Noel’s silent signal, leaving me alone with six-foot-plus of danger and calm in one very unfair package.
“Clem’s on the phone,” I tell him, covering the receiver.“She wants to put me in a hotel or something.”
“She’s right,” Noel says immediately.“You’re not going back to your apartment tonight.”
I roll my eyes.
“You two have the same script, huh?”
Clementine’s laugh filters through the speaker.
“See?He agrees with me.You should listen to your bodyguard, honey.Just pick a hotel?—”
Noel folds his arms, every inch the immovable wall.
“I can keep her safer than any hotel staff.”
I look at him.
“Meaning what?”
He meets my eyes, steady.
“Stay at my place.It’s off-grid, reinforced, and no one knows the address except Sigma.She’ll be protected, Clem.”
“Oh!”Clementine sounds positively delighted.“That’s perfect!Thank you, Noel.Holly, that solves everything.”
“Clem—”
“Sweetheart, I have to jump on a call with donors, but this is the best option.You’ll be safe, I’ll stop worrying, and Connor won’t have to sedate me.Promise me you’ll go?”
My mouth opens, but the words don’t come.
Because Noel’s standing there, quiet, unflinching, waiting.And every rational part of me knows this is the smart play—the safe play.
