Biker (18 page)

“Yes, Todd. What did you think I would do with your crap? Create a shrine for them? Weep over your college sweatshirt every night?”

“You threw out my sweat shirt?” he fumed.

“Whoops.”

“Damn it, Noelle. Why would you do that?”

“Excuse me? A better question is why did you cheat on me? And how did I know you would want that crap back? I figured you left it behind because you didn’t want it.”

“I left it behind by accident!” he exclaimed.

“Sorry,” she shrugged. “I’m not a mind reader.”

Noelle opened the door to let herself in, but Todd stopped her.

“So you really threw my stuff out?”

“Yes, Todd,” she said exasperated. “It really wasn’t that much stuff. A few beat up clothes –’’

“Some CDs!” he interjected.

Noelle shrugged again. “A few old CDs, yes! I’m not a mind reader, Todd. Now if you’ll excuse me, I want to go inside.”

“So, it’s going to be like this?”

Noelle whipped around, her eyes flashing. “Like what? How would you like me to be? You dump me the night before our vacation, telling me that you’re in love with someone else and taking
her
to Aruba? So, tell me. How
should
I be acting?”

For the first time, Todd looked remorseful. “You’re right. It was a really shitty thing to do.”

“It was completely underhanded and cruel! You broke my heart!” she cried out, losing her composure and letting her emotions get the best of her.

“Alright, Christ, Noelle. I’m sorry.”

There was a long pause, and when Noelle looked at Todd, she realized that she truly didn’t want to be with him anymore. Now she only saw him as a weak man. A weak, dishonest man.

“It doesn’t matter, Todd. Let’s be honest here. There’s no reason for us to keep in touch. Your things are gone, and I can’t do anything about that now. Please leave.” Noelle was weary and she just wanted to go inside and relax.

“Fine,” he threw his hands up, though Noelle could tell that he was still pissed about his stuff. Just as he started to leave, Noelle spoke up.

“Just tell me this much, Todd. Who is she?”

Todd turned around, and he looked aged. Noelle wondered if his new girlfriend was okay with his being a cheater. Or would she always have to wonder if Todd was going to cheat on her just as he had done to Noelle.

“Her name is Whitney. She works in my building.”

Noelle nodded, feeling only a slight twinge. She didn’t know why she suddenly needed to know that information, but somehow knowing it now, helped her. There was a name to this other woman, and a place.

“Well, let’s hope Whitney trusts you. I know I could never trust a man who had to cheat in order to be with me.”

Noelle saw the look of surprise and irritation on Todd’s face, but she didn’t even care. She went inside her condo, and slowly closed the door.

* * *

T
o her surprise, the encounter with Todd didn’t throw her into a tailspin as she had half expected. However, the brief meeting left her feeling exhausted, although that might have been the result of too little sleep. Soon after Todd left, she ate a quick dinner and collapsed into bed.

Noelle woke up Saturday morning feeling different. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but something within her had changed. For the first time since Vegas, she didn’t peek at the money hidden in her desk, and she felt strangely calm. As she ate a leisurely breakfast, it finally hit her.

There was a reason that the surprise encounter with Todd hadn’t bothered her.

Her heart had moved on, however foolish that might be.

At that moment, Noelle knew with more certainty than she had ever felt, that she was meant to see Blaze again. She still didn’t think that she could actually run away with him, or see a real future with him yet, but she knew that she had to see him again. And as scared as it made her, she was willing to help him in one last heist.

Another four hundred thousand dollars would open doors for Noelle, and even though it was wrong in every sense of the word, she couldn’t refuse the freedom it provided her.

And if that’s what it took to see Blaze again, then she would do it. She was unable to stay away.

She gave a wry smile as she took her medicine, knowing that any normal person of sane mind would never agree to help rob a casino for a third time. But Noelle wasn’t a normal person. She had seen things that no other person should have to see.

She waited until late in the afternoon to call Blaze. This time he had given her his actual cell number.

“Hello?” his voice came over the line clear and sexy. It was as if he were standing right next to her.

“Blaze?”

“Noelle!”

The fact that he recognized her voice made her beam like an idiot.

“I’ve been hoping you would call,” he said. “But I didn’t really think that you would,” he added.

“I wasn’t sure myself if I would ever call you again, Blaze.”

“So... are you calling because you want to come back out here?” he hedged.

“Yes.” She paused, unsure of how to phrase things. “I can’t make any promises about afterwards, but I will come out to help you one last time.”

“Are you doing this because of the money, or because of me?” His voice was gruff with emotion and Noelle ached to be near him.

“Mostly because of you,” she admitted.

“Good,” he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “Come out in two weeks. Text me your flight information so I know when to pick you up from the airport.”

Noelle hesitated, suddenly feeling needy. “Can’t we speak before then?”

“I wish we could, but I think it’s best that we don’t.”

Noelle nodded, hurt, even though Blaze couldn’t see.

“Right. I’ll text you my flight information.”

Blaze’s voice dropped softly. “I can’t wait to see you.”

Noelle felt so many emotions at the prospect of seeing Blaze again, and while there was so much she could say to him, she kept it simple.

“Me too.”

Unable to wait, she immediately booked her flight. She was tempted to immediately text Blaze the information, but she didn’t want to seem too desperate. She would text him as the time drew closer.

Now that her mind had been made up, she was able to get through the rest of Saturday without turmoil, and soon Sunday night arrived.

Nervously, Noelle got into her car and started driving to her sister’s house north of Philadelphia. Noelle wasn’t sure what to expect, and she wondered briefly when she might see Vivienne again if she did something crazy like run away with Blaze.

Noelle pulled up outside Vivienne’s house, and her sister hurried out onto the porch, waving and smiling.

Vivienne looked as pretty as ever, her blonde hair hanging in loose waves past her shoulders. She was dressed in a simple peach maxi dress and it was hard to imagine that someone so lovely looking could have suffered such a viciously abusive childhood.

“Hi!” Noelle called, climbing out of the car and waving as she walked toward the house.

“It’s so good to see you,” Vivienne exclaimed, embracing her.

Noelle hugged Vivienne back, a flood of memories emerging as she recalled growing up under her big sister’s care.

“I missed you Ellie,” Vivienne said affectionately, using the private nickname she had for Noelle. Clasping her hands, Vivienne leaned back to look at Noelle.

“You look great! Your hair is different,” she observed.

“Thanks.” Noelle ran a hand through her hair self-consciously. “I got some new highlights.”

“Come on in! I want you and Brian to meet.” She ushered her inside and Noelle looked around her sister’s house. She had only been here a handful of times, and she had forgotten how cozy it felt.

A tall man with olive skin and deep brown eyes was standing in the kitchen.

“Noelle this is Brian. Brian, this is my sister, Noelle.”

“So nice to meet you,” Brian said, extending his hand. “Vivienne has told me so many things about you.”

Noelle picked up on a slight accent, and she was suddenly burning with questions to ask her sister.

“Thank you,” Noelle said kindly, “it’s so nice to meet you.”

“Vivienne keeps talking about her little sister,’’ he explained, his eyes twinkling, “but I didn’t think such a sister existed. I’m so glad you could join us tonight.”

Noelle felt another wave of guilt, though she knew that Brian had not intended it that way.

Vivienne quickly bustled around the kitchen, pouring Noelle a glass of wine, and setting out a small tray of cheese and crisp vegetables.

Noelle settled into Vivienne’s couch, and she found conversation with Vivienne and Brian to be comfortable and effortless. Noelle watched when Brian gently stroked Vivienne’s hand as she spoke, and when he gazed at her with obvious adoration, Noelle had to look away. She almost felt at times that she was intruding on their intimacy.

As Vivienne teased Brian about his terrible taste in movies, Noelle wished she saw her sister more. Everything felt so warm and easy, and while Noelle always felt like she was lacking in family, she realized that it couldn’t be further from the truth. She had family right here – a family with whom she felt entirely comfortable.

“Vivienne, we should do this more,” Noelle blurted out as they sat down to dinner.

Vivienne’s eyes lit up and her face broke into a grin. “Yes, we should! I would love that!”

The evening passed so quickly that Noelle could barely believe the time when she glanced at her watch and saw that it was past ten.

“I have to go,” Noelle said sadly, “I have a seven a.m. shift.”

Vivienne and Brian stood up. “This was so great,” Vivienne said hugging her. Noelle squeezed her and then turned to hug Brian too.

“It was so good to meet you,” she said to Brian, before turning back to Vivienne.

“I love you,” she whispered, hugging Vivienne. “Thank you for having me.’’

“You are welcome here always! We’re sisters.”

Noelle left Vivienne’s house feeling lighter than she had in weeks. How ironic... just as she began to consider running away from her life in Pennsylvania, she suddenly felt family roots take hold as she realized what a connection she had with her sister.

T
he next two weeks crawled by and Noelle felt herself becoming increasingly nervous as her trip to Vegas approached. Four days before her flight, she texted Blaze with the details.

As she packed her bag the night before her trip, she wondered what the weekend would hold. Would she be able to say goodbye to Blaze when the heist was over? Would she want to spend more time with him? Would she suddenly get the urge to do something crazy like run away with him?

As she boarded her flight Friday afternoon, her stomach was a jumble of nerves. She had admitted to Liz and Quinn that she was going to see Blaze for the weekend, and they both seemed happy for her and told her to be careful. Because they’d both met Blaze, they were aware of his charming personality and good looks, but they’d also picked up on the aura of danger that surrounded him.

If they only knew.

Noelle grabbed her weekend bag from the overhead bin and debarked the plane. She nervously ran a hand through her hair, which she had meticulously straightened. Today she was dressed in a simple cotton wrap dress. She no longer worried about pretending to be someone else with Blaze.

All the nerves and anxiety melted away when she saw Blaze standing near the passenger pickup exit. His hair was slightly longer, which made him even sexier in her opinion, and he had dark shades covering his eyes. He was dressed in torn black jeans, and a white t-shirt, and as Noelle got closer she saw that he hadn’t shaved in a few days, giving him a slight stubble.

Her knees felt wobbly and her insides lit up with desire.

Before she could speak a single word of greeting, he grabbed her and pulled her to him, crushing his mouth to hers in a passionate kiss.

Noelle gasped and dropped her bag.

Normally she would be self-conscious of such public displays of affection, but she was so aroused and so happy to see Blaze, that she didn’t care.

She kissed him back, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck, and breathing his name into his mouth. Blaze in turn wrapped his hands around her hips, then lowered his hands to her ass and squeezed.

Tightly.

Noelle heard someone nearby clear their throat, but that didn’t bother her at all. She only deepened the kiss.

Finally, Blaze pulled away and held her at arms’ length. “You’re a sight for sore eyes,” he said gruffly, rubbing his thumb against her wrist.

Noelle quietly laughed. “I guess that means you missed me?”

“Did I ever!” He picked up her bag, took her hand, and led her out through the exit.

The summer heat of Vegas hit her like a ton of bricks, and she felt a momentary sensation of suffocation caused by the oppressive warmth.

She would quickly adjust to the dry heat.

“Didn’t you miss me too?” he teased, lifting his shades to give her a sad, puppy dog look.

“You have no idea,” she admitted, playfully swatting his behind. Something about Blaze brought out a more carefree side of her; one that she didn’t even know had existed until she met him.

They reached Blaze’s car and he tossed her bag into the back and held the passenger door open for her.

“So chivalrous,” she observed, climbing into the car.

Blaze winked at her. “I’ve got to work hard to convince you to give me a shot.”

Noelle was saddened by his words. How could someone as sexy and caring as Blaze really think he had to work to win the affection of someone like herself?

“Blaze,” she said seriously when he entered the car, “You know it’s not like that.”

“But isn’t it?” he asked sadly. “You’re afraid to date the bad boy?”

He was over-simplifying the issue.

“It’s so much more than that, and you know it. Please don’t make it seem so trivial.”

“Fair enough.” He started the car and they made their way out of the airport.

As they drove down the highway, Blaze looked over at her and licked his lips seductively.

The gesture made her insides clench.