Page 84 of Noah

“Sorry, what did I miss?” Noah wasn’t sorry for fantasising about her, not in the least.

However, he wasn’t going to blurt out he had been thinking about how sweet Adrienne would look all agreeable, submitting to him, and how she tasted like honey.

“They are just explaining that Mhane is going to stay at Harper’s home tonight. Harper hasn’t been staying there, she’s been…” Adrienne’s eyes cut to Harper and Nick, then back to Mhane. “Well, it doesn’t matter.”

Noah was grateful that even if Adrienne trusted her sister, she was willing to keep Numbers’ secrets and not divulge where Harper would be staying and with whom.

“She’ll stay tonight, and security will go back with her tomorrow. I want to see her home. Would you come?” Adrienne asked him.

He frowned until he realised…oh, right! Because of the story he concocted, she couldn’t leave him.

Rubbing a hand over his jaw and looking at her earnest face, Noah felt guilt sharper than ever, and bile rose.

Adrienne wasn’t going to forgive him when she found out.

The Alphas shifted uncomfortably, noticing his souring scent. His fear smelled like rotting fruit, but it wasn’t just fear. There was a sharp note of loss.

As if his beast already knew it had done something terrible, it howled.

Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth Noah nodded. “Of course, we’ll do it,” he said easily. He knew before things could progress further, he had to talk to her, and he realised there wouldn’t be a perfect time.

What if she left him? What did he have to offer her?

Noah’s heart felt heavy as Adrienne’s smile wobbled, unsure.

The Numbers kept quiet, although they were clearly uncomfortable about it. Mhane and Adrienne may have only been humans, but they weren’t stupid and had easily detected the undercurrent, the tension filling the air.

He wanted to snap at the Alphas not to interfere and to stop giving her the wrong idea. Noah knew they weren’t at fault. He needed to take his stupidity out on someone.

He would make this right if it killed him.

Chapter 13

Adrienne

Noah couldn’t do enough for her and Mhane. He seemed intent on helping her gain a genuine sisterly relationship with her and for almost a week he had journeyed back and forth with her to Mhane’s apartment, even staying outside so they could have sisterly bonding time.

All the while Number’s security and Nick had been quietly negotiating with authorities over releasing the drugs to them without mentioning Adrienne or Mhane’s names. It was supposed to be an under-the-table deal.

The drugs were linked to a Columbian crime family who had links to the mafia and people Adrienne couldn’t even bring herself to think about.

Mhane was right to be cautious. Adrienne didn’t know about the street value of drugs, but hundreds of thousands were where the first estimates came in.

What a weird reality, that her dad had had hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of drugs.

When did something like that become normal? Did anyone know? Was that why he ran as if demons from hell were after him? Because it wasn’t far from the truth.

People she imagined you didn’t mess with and if you did…they ended you.

It was dramatic to even think in those terms. Adrienne had found herself thinking in terms that she never thought she would.

A month ago, it was about choosing universities, and figuring out what she wanted to do.

Now at Noah’s urging she had thrown herself into her art. It was less of a hobby and looked like a full-time job now. She just had to have the courage to set up a viewing.

“What about this one?” She pointed to the open space and imagined it full of her paintings.

“Not that one. It’s expensive but not necessarily better. The space is limited compared to other buildings. You want to get as much wall space as possible,” Noah commented, looking over her shoulder at the laptop set up on the kitchen table.

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