Maybe that’s why I’m so attracted to him. He’s not what I’m used to.
“What are you doing here?” He drops his eyes to my hands when I don’t answer, and I do the same, realizing that I’m clutching the toilet paper and beer to my chest.
“The guys stole her car, pointed a gun at her, and she’s been out of it since,” the attendant tells Noah before I can get my mouth to work. His eyes narrow.
“Pardon?” he asks quietly.
“Yep, pointed a gun right at her, then got in her car and took off.”
“They pointed a gun at you?” Noah’s gaze meets mine, and I honestly don’t know what to do with the look on his face, but I can see I need to answer very carefully.
“It was for like…a second. Then they took off,” I tell him quietly, and he looks me over.
“Did they hurt you?”
“No,” I assure him as a muscle in his jaw twitches. The walkie on his chest comes to life, and a woman relays some information, along with an address.
“Fuck,” he bites out, his jaw clenched. “I gotta go.” His gaze locks with mine. “Do you have your phone?”
“It was in my car.”
“I’ll call your brother and tell him to come pick you up.”
I shake my head, knowing I don’t want that. I’ve already burdened Aiden enough with my crap. He’s the one I called when I left Conner. And he’s been nice enough, despite our lack of relationship, to let me stay at the house he’s not been living in since he moved in with May. I don’t want him to have to come and get me from a gas station fifteen minutes from his house at seven at night. “I still have my credit card. I can get a cab.”
Noah leans into me, and my breath catches. “I’m calling your brother. I would take you home myself, but I gotta get your car back.” He starts to turn and walk away, and I panic, latching on to his arm.
“Wait, you’re going after them?”
“Yeah, babe.” His eyes drop to my hand on his biceps, and I quickly let him go.
“They have a gun.”
“I know.” He smiles, the expression beautiful but somewhat scary. “Wait inside for Aiden,” he orders. Then, without another word, he turns and heads back to his cruiser and gets behind the wheel. I feel my stomach bottom out as the lights and sirens come on. I wouldn’t say I’ve never been afraid before, but real fear courses through my veins as he drives away.
“So, I’m gonna need you to pay for the toilet paper and beer,” the attendant tells me, and I slowly turn my head his way. “Unless you don’t want the beer.”
“I don’t,” I mumble. He dips his chin, then turns to head into the gas station. With no choice, I follow him inside to pay for the package of toilet paper I do not need while I wait for my brother to come and rescue me once again.
Chapter 2
Bridgett
Broke and Broken
As I’m sitting cross-legged on my couch with my laptop on a pillow next to me, I scroll through a list of vehicles available at a local dealership that offers zero down since I have no money but need a car and quickly.
Last night, Aiden came to pick me up after Noah called him, just like he said he would. And while we were in the car on the way to my place, Noah called him again to let him know my car had been totaled. The guys who robbed the gas station rolled it while being chased down a country road by the police. Thankfully, no one was hurt, including them, but they were banged up enough not to run any farther and were both arrested.
As happy as I was to find out they will be held accountable for what they did, learning that my car would not be returned to me was a blow I wasn’t prepared for. With it being in Conner’s name, he’s the one who will receive the check from the insurance company once they finalize everything. And the chances of him giving that money to me so I can get another vehicle are about as likely as me being kidnapped by a billionaire who is madly in love with me.
Clicking on the photo of a white four-door Toyota that looks to be in good condition, I scroll through the rest of the pictures, then read over the details, honestly having no idea what any of the lingo means. If I were someone else, I’d have a friend or a friend’s husband I could call to ask questions, but I don’t. The friends I had with Conner have all turned their backs on me, proving what I already knew: None of them were really my friends.
Not that they would be much help since I doubt any of them or their husbands know much about cars, except what the most expensive one is and how to drive it. And I refuse to go to my parents for help. My dad has already given me a job, which is more than I deserve, and my mom’s assistance would come with contingencies or a verbal lashing about how my life would be so much easier if I just went back to Conner and stopped being stubborn.
With a sigh, I get off the couch and take my cup of coffee to the kitchen. Before I can do anything about finding a car this morning, I need to finish getting ready. Then I’ll walk down the street to the local drug store and beg them to use the phone so I can call a cab to take me to the police station to hopefully get my cell phone and my purse.
Halfway to my bedroom, the doorbell rings, and I turn to look at it, feeling my brows drawing together. It’s early, just after six in the morning, and no one ever comes to see me. Going to the door, I lift onto my toes to look through the peephole, and my heart pounds when I find Noah on the landing. I drop to my flat feet, unlatch the locks and twist the nob, knowing it would be rude not to answer.
“Hey,” I greet as I swing the door open and attempt to smile over how awkward I feel as his eyes move from the towel I wrapped my hair in when I got out of the shower to the robe I have on.
“Hey, babe.” He steps toward me, leaving me no choice but to move back. The door closes behind him, something I’m grateful for since it’s cold out today, even though spring is right around the corner. But having him this close, I feel like I can’t even take a breath without bumping into him. He’s still in uniform, including a bulletproof vest that makes him seem even larger—which you’d think would not be possible but is no less true. And he’s not without his gun either. Add to that his large boots, and he just takes up so much space. “I thought you might want this, so I figured I’d get it to you before I headed home.” I drop my gaze as he holds out his hands, noticing then he has my purse. “Your cell is in it.”
I lift my eyes to his and feel my throat get tight like I might cry. And I really do not want to cry.
“Thank you.” I take my bag from him. “I was about to go to the station to see if I could get it. You saved me a trip.”
“You might want to check it to make sure everything is still inside. I don’t think they had time to go through it, but you never know.”
With a nod, I carry it to the kitchen and place it on the counter, opening it to find everything exactly where it was last evening. “All of it is here.” I take out my phone and plug it in so it can charge, then look across the high counter that separates the kitchen from the living room. I find him still across the room by the door, but his gaze is on the couch where I left my laptop.
“You looking for a car?”