Perfect Picture [The ShadowDance Club 7] (Siren Publishing Classic) (15 page)

“Baby, we need to get you home. Come on. Let’s find you a nice comfortable place to sit while I check on a few things. I want to make sure things are arranged with Myla before we leave.” She was barely awake by the time he’d settled her in a comfortable recliner and by the time he’d returned a half hour later she was sound asleep.

Noah hadn’t expected to be so long, but he hadn’t wanted to leave until things were settled with Myla. The little girl had immediately taken to her paternal grandparents once they’d gotten her away from Cash. Everyone had laughed because it had taken his new wife pretending to feel slighted to get him to set Myla down. After arranging for Myla to spend a couple of days at the Lamonts’ getting more comfortable with her grandparents before transitioning to living with them full-time, he’d made his way back to the sitting room where he found Ilaina curled into a small ball, sleeping soundly.

He was standing just inside the doorway looking down at Ilaina—lost in the wonder of how truly amazing she looked and wishing he had a camera so he could capture the moment. He was so caught up in the moment he hadn’t even noticed Collin standing beside him. “She is amazing isn’t she? I know the world looks at her and sees a perfect face and body, but I look at her and see the little sister I didn’t spend enough time getting to know because I was so busy bossing her around.” The emotion in Collin’s voice surprised Noah and when he turned to look at the man standing beside him he was shocked to see he was clearly wearing his heart on his sleeve.

“She is amazing, but it’s a beauty that shines from within. You would have been so proud of her when we went for Myla. I can’t even begin to tell you how deplorable the rushed travel arrangements and shooting locations were, but she did not complain once. Her presence almost caused a riot in every airport we visited, yet she calmly signed hundreds of autographs and posed for a thousand pictures and her smile never wavered. I’ve never known anyone like her.” Noah wanted nothing more than to tell her brother just exactly what his plans were, but Ilaina was a grown woman and she deserved to be the first one to know that he wanted her to be his wife—and the sooner, the better.

“I hope you are planning to take her to your place tonight. We just got a call from one of the perimeter guys I’d hired and we’d had him on close patrol until I could do some upgrades on our security systems. Somebody has managed to bypass my system. When he went inside Ilaina’s apartment there was a large vase of roses in the middle of the kitchen table with a letter detailing how her
fiancé
intends to make Ilaina the happiest woman in the world. It’s a good thing I got the call, because if it had been Cash you wouldn’t get out of here with her. Cash would have her under armed guard 24/7.” Noah noted the affection in Collin’s voice and had to smile at the truth of his words. “But, I’ve seen the way you look at her and I know all about the security protocols you’ve installed in that fortress you call a studio and home. You need to get on the road before somebody alerts Cash. Alex said to tell you to use the Bat Cave entrance.”

“Christ, I can’t believe he actually got in your home. Do you have someone securing it now? I’ve got plenty of room if you’d like to stay with us tonight.” Noah knew there was no way a Navy SEAL was going to let something like this keep him from his own home, but he wanted to make the offer anyway. He was already moving toward the door with Ilaina cradled in his arms when Alex opened it and then moved toward his truck to open the door so that Noah could settle her in and fasten her safety belt.

Alex nodded toward the road. “Let us know when you are safely inside the warehouse. We’ve got people at various locations along your route, but no one close to the entrance to the tunnel so we don’t draw unnecessary attention. We’ll video conference tomorrow at 1400. That should give our team plenty of time to get a few things in place. Colt and Mitch have a couple of ideas.” Ordinarily, Noah wouldn’t have let a comment like that go unchallenged, but the sly smile on Alex’s face actually put him at ease. Alex had always reminded Noah of Hannibal, the leader of the A-Team. Not in looks, but in his ability to pull together a plan out of thin air at the drop of a hat.

Noah hadn’t wasted any time getting down the mountain and was pleased to see the hidden gate was already open as he entered the cave entrance. He hit the remote that would close and lock it again as soon as they’d cleared it. He quickly made his way through the tunnel and into the secured underground of the warehouse. All of his security systems were still armed so he was sure no one had made it inside. After he’d parked the car he turned to check on Ilaina and found her staring at him. Her eyes were huge and he didn’t even have to ask if she had been awake when they’d driven through the tunnel because he could see the questions written all over her lovely face.

Turning so he faced her and taking her face in his hands he leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. “Come on
cara
, let’s get you inside so you can ask all those questions I see swirling around in those beautiful dark eyes.” There wasn’t going to be any good way to break the news to her that the sanctity of her home had been breached, but it still had to be done. Collin Red Cloud’s words of faith in him earlier this evening were well placed because protecting Ilaina would always be his primary responsibility.

Ilaina had come awake as Noah had been racing down the mountain. She’d heard him speaking softly into a Bluetooth connection about everything being clear just before he’d swerved off the road and into a cave. When they’d passed a large gate she watched as Noah pressed on the top of a small remote he held in his hands and she watched in the rearview mirror as the large gate slid back into place behind them.

She remembered Noah had told her his warehouse had an alternate entrance but she hadn’t expected anything nearly this sophisticated. The more she learned about this man the more questions she had because it was obvious he’d been much more than a photographer and casual participant in the operations he’d referred to. When he’d pulled into the bottom level of the warehouse she’d watched as the wall slid back into place as if it had never been opened. Staring at Noah she saw the wariness in his eyes when he turned and saw she was awake.

Sitting at his kitchen bar a few minutes later rotating her beer bottle on the counter-top in slow rotations she painted circles in the condensation and tried to wade through the palpable questions swirling in the air around her. Noah sat next to her and she could see he was watching her cautiously. She knew he was simply giving her time to organize her thoughts and she appreciated his patience. She finally took a deep breath and looked up at him. And even though she knew her smile was forced, she felt better for the effort.

“I barely know where to begin, Noah. But first of all, why tonight? I assume it was someone at ShadowDance on the other end of that phone connection, what I don’t know is why it was necessary for you to sneak me back here.” She looked up at him and saw his hesitance…was the information that daunting or was he concerned that she couldn’t handle whatever he had to say? “Before you answer, let me remind you that I’m fairly bright, Noah, and I
will
know if you lie to me or edit the truth. My brother was a Navy SEAL and I know more about what he did than I probably should because I did a lot of research. I’m not totally oblivious to the ways of the world and even though I have traveled the world and have rarely seen anything to rival the level of security that surrounds my friends on this remote mountain in the Colorado Rockies—what I don’t know is why.”

She saw the corners of Noah’s mouth lift ever so slightly. “
Cara,
the one given in this whole thing is that fact that you are very intelligent woman and I’ll never lie to you. Your brothers might try that smoke and mirrors routine with you, but I promise you I have always known exactly how quick that mind of yours works. Don’t ever mistake my desire to protect and cherish you with underestimation.”

Ilaina hadn’t looked away from his eyes while he was speaking and had noted nothing but sincerity. She also knew he wouldn’t miss the unshed tears filling her eyes. She barely managed to rasp, “Thank you,” before he took her bottled beer and set it aside. When he pulled her to her feet she followed him willingly as he led her into the large living room. He tapped the front of the music system on his way by and the room filled with the soft sounds of Chopin’s
Romantic Piano
.

Turning her in time with the music Noah simply wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close and led right into a dance that was pure comfort. “Dance with me for a bit, love. I need to feel you in my arms.” When she would have stepped back, he held her tight. “No, settle a bit. I’m going to answer all of your questions, I promise. This moment is for me, not you. I need to hold you.” Ilaina had not considered that he might need to find the words to explain things even though it made perfect sense once she’d considered it. Letting her questions slide to the back of her mind, Ilaina just relaxed and let the music and the safety she felt in Noah’s embrace carry her for a few minutes.

Noah finally leaned down and whispered against her ear, “Let’s sit for a few moments while we talk.” He led her to the leather sofa that faced the rock fireplace. As he explained how the man who had been stalking her had somehow managed to circumvent her brothers’ security system, Ilaina felt as if she was going to faint. When she had started to shake, Noah had gotten down on his knees in front of her and placed both hands on the sides of her face so that her attention was focused on him and him alone. “Breathe with me
cara.
That’s a good girl. I’m sorry to be the bearer of such unsettling news. Collin agreed with me that you are safer here while this is sorted out.” He hadn’t moved from in front of her and she was grateful she still had him to focus on.

When his words finally registered, she flinched. “Oh my God, I’m putting everyone I care about in danger. I have to leave…
now
.” Even she could hear the panic in her voice and she hated how weak it made her sound. She knew she would never forgive herself if anything happened to her brothers or her new sister-in-law. And dear God if something happened to her unborn niece or nephew she didn’t know what…
I can’t even think about that, it’s just too much.
Everything was swimming in her view and she wasn’t sure if it was from tears or the fact she was fighting off a full-blown panic attack.

When Noah pulled her focus back to him and she saw the concern in his face and she regretted that she had been the one to put it there. Taking several steadying breaths, Ilaina tried to smile but knew she had failed miserably. Feeling her eyes fill with a flood of hot tears she tried to blink them back but they breached her lower lids and began a race to her chin. She tried to use the unusual color of his eyes as a distraction. They were a strange combination of green and various shades of blue, and the depth of color always seemed to be determined by his mood at the time. When he was angry she knew they would be almost Kelly green, but when he was sliding his length into her, his eyes were always a deep Caribbean blue. Her eye color never seemed to vary at all, so his had always fascinated her.

“
Cara
, I don’t know where you have been for the past several seconds, but I’m pleased that it must have been a wonderful escape.” God the man’s smile was devastating. It could literally light up a room. She had seen him use his smile with women of all ages and the results always seemed the same…he could charm babies and the elderly alike.

Lainy reached for Noah and he took her hand and turned it so he could kiss her palm. “You are so very patient. I’m sorry I panicked, but the idea of harm coming to those I love is just so frightening. I really do think it would be best if I just left Climax. I’ve attracted a few over-jealous admirers over the years and I can tell you shaking them usually takes a long time. And their efforts tend to crescendo if they don’t get results.” She could feel her hands starting to tremble and it just plain pissed her off that she was scared…
again
. And now her fears were compounded because the lunatic had gotten entirely too close to the people she loved. “I know you don’t understand. But I really need to start making plans to leave Climax, because—”

Lainy’s words were cut off by Noah’s growled “No. You are not running from this. You have some of the best operatives in the world helping you. Do you really believe they would endanger your family? Do you honestly think you are safer
without
their protection?” She could see he wasn’t about to let her leave and truthfully there was a small part of her that was afraid to leave. He watched her for long seconds and then asked, “Even if you managed to get away from me—which isn’t going to happen, do you really think Cash would let you leave? And you know what, love? I don’t think you really want to leave. I think you know we can do more than you can do alone, but you are worried about your family and that’s the only way you see right now to protect them.”

He was right…on all counts. She tried to hold back the sob that was bubbling up from deep in her chest, but it wasn’t possible. When he picked her up and took her place on the sofa and set her on his lap she buried her face in his chest and just let all the tension purge itself through her tears.

Noah had been worried Ilaina was going to make herself sick. She had cried so hard and for so long that he had finally given her a shot of Glenfiddich whiskey before stripping them both and moving into the shower. Setting the shower so it was a slow misting warm rain along with softly muted strings playing in the background, he hoped she would relax and settle down. Ilaina had never been one to wear her heart on her sleeve, so the intensity of her reaction had surprised him. Noah knew this reaction was no doubt the result of a culmination of recent events, but he was still worried about its ferocity.