Page 5 of Million Dollar High

He kissed the side of her mouth, his tongue licking at the point where her lips wrapped around his thumb. “I’m not ashamed to beg, Leia,” he whispered. “I need you. Don’t leave me, baby. Whatever the fuck’s going on, we’ll work our way through it.”

She wavered. Maybe they could work their way through this. Maybe she could even work her mind past the fact that he’d spent time behind bars. That was something else she’d have to deal with. But it didn’t compare to the fact that another woman was having his baby.

He pulled his thumb from her mouth and replaced it with his lips. Their kiss was incandescent as Noah mercilessly reminded her of their incredible chemistry. As if she needed reminding. Too soon, he let her up for air.

She tried to gather her scattered thoughts. “Noah…”

“You can have this, sweetheart. So many nights and days of this. Don’t you want that? My cock inside your tight, beautiful body?” His hand slid from her ass to wedge between her legs. Subtly applied pressure had her shuddering and suppressing a groan. “I’ll take care of you, baby. Worship you day and night. No matter what. You’re the most important thing to me. Don’t fucking walk away from me now. Please.”

The sound of the door sliding back registered at the edge ofher consciousness. Half of her was relieved at the intrusion, even as the other half crumbled in inevitable dread.

“Leia.”

Warren’s voice made Noah freeze. His whole body went rigid beneath the hand she’d clamped around his waist in the heat of their kiss.

She stared into his eyes. The ruthless lover she’d grown to love was very much present. But so was the vulnerable guy who was floundering in the wake of shocking news. She wanted to hold him to her. But that would prolong the agony for them both. Because she wasn’t what he needed. He needed a woman who wasn’t broken beyond repair. A woman who wasn’t at this very moment existing in fear of her life from her stepfather’s threats.

“I… I’ll be right there, Warren.”

Noah’s face froze into a mask of pure frost. The mouth that had kissed her so hungrily and reverently moments ago thinned into a formidable line. His hand slid from between her thighs and the grip on her neck disappeared between one breath and the next. When he spoke, his voice was blade sharp.

“You have exactly one minute. That’s as long as I’ll hold myself in check. I’m not a violent guy, Leia. Despite your complete lack of faith in me, I hope you know that. But if you’re not out of here in the next sixty seconds… the doors get locked, the ropes come out, and you get a taste of how much of a monster I can be. I’ll destroy you before I watch you leave with that asshole, Leia. Trust me on that.”

Unable to speak in the presence of his arctic-cold anger, Leia jerked out a nod.

He stepped back, stared down at her for another few seconds, then turned away. She knew the threat was real, thatshe’d wounded him badly. But she couldn’t move. Her feet remained caked in heart-wrenching fear and regret.

“Leia.”

She turned sharply toward Warren, her nostrils flaring in an effort to stem the hot, scalding tears that surged.

When she finally managed to get her feet moving, Warren held out a hand to her. She ignored it, just as she ignored the sharp reproach in his eyes.

He could go to hell. He, Ashley, her stepfather and the whole fucking world could go to hell. Her heart was hammering itself out of existence because she was choosing to be fucking noble. To do the right thing.

She swallowed a hysterical laugh and stumbled into the sun-splashed living room.

Ashley sat exactly where they had left her ten minutes ago, not a single hair out of place. She glanced at Leia and a small triumphant smile played at her lips. Leia’s fingers itched to slap the look off her face.

“You think you’ve won him back? Newsflash, bitch, all you’ve done is mess up both your lives. Even if he stays with you, it will be out of pity.”

“Is that why you’re running away? Because you’re afraid of competing with a little pity? Or are you afraid that it’s just a little bit more? Perhaps more than you’ll ever be able to handle?” The questions were barely above a conversational murmur, but they raked over Leia’s skin like industrial-strength sanders.

Leia heard Warren enter. The sound of the door sliding shut reminded her that Noah was out there, counting down her minute.

Shivering in remembrance of his cold warning, she summoned a smile for Ashley. “Good luck.”

About to walk away, she saw the file of Noah’s allegedcriminal charges. It was open to his NYPD mugshot. Her insides clenched hard. The look in his eyes was truly terrifying. They promised retribution of the worst possible kind—the retribution of a man who believed himself wronged.

“If you did this to him and you’re stupid enough to come back for more, trust me, you’re going to need all the luck in the world.”

She had the satisfaction of seeing Ashley’s demeanor crumble for a second before that infernal smile returned.

“I’m having his baby. It’s as simple and final as that. But if you need it pointed out to you further—baby trumps trollop. It’s been nice not knowing you.” Ashley waved her away.

“That’s quite enough,” Warren said. She’d forgotten he was behind her, and she jumped when he touched her arm. “Are you all right, my dear?”

She snatched her arm away. “I’m fine,” she responded automatically, unwilling to let anyone see how very much not fine she was. “I need… I need to grab my things… I’ll be right back.”

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