“Sorry it took so long,” Claire told him with a slightly nervous edge in her voice. “I had to, um…improvise a few things.”
He reached for her hand. Noah had to do it. That ribbon was driving him insane. How could something so simple be so sexy?
He lifted her hand. Turned her wrist and realized—
She’s not wearing this to be sexy. She’s using the ribbon to hide her scars.
“I improvise if I wear something without sleeves,” Claire said, her voice so low it was almost a whisper. “It’s just…people might ask questions, and I didn’t want to embarrass you.”
A growl rumbled in his throat. “You would never embarrass me.” He didn’t let her hand go. He knew exactly how Claire had gotten those scars on her wrists. His Claire had broken once.
Because of Ethan Harrison.
Noah would make sure that she never broke again.
Her lips started to curl. He waited for her smile to come. For her dimples to flash. He—
“Claire Kramer!” The snarl cut across the hotel’s lobby. The tall, arching ceiling in the historic hotel seemed to make the cry echo all around the space.
Noah turned at the cry, frowning at the fury he heard in those words.
An older man had just entered the lobby. His gray hair had thinned, his shoulders hunched, but a feverish intensity lit his eyes. Eyes that were locked on Claire.
“I’d know you anywhere,” the man snapped.
He advanced on Claire.
The hell, no.
Noah stepped in front of Claire even as he heard her gasp behind him.
“Mr. Harrison, no!” This cry came from the man who was hurrying to grab the older guy’s arm. A brown-haired fellow wearing a three piece suit. Probably in his late twenties, with one of those All-American faces.
But Harrison shook off the man’s hold. “You damn bitch!” He yelled at Claire. “You should be in prison! Not my boy! You should be—”
“You need to close your mouth,” Noah said, his own voice lethally soft. “Before I close it for you.” His hands were clenched, and he wanted to drive his fist into the old man’s jaw.
He knew he was looking at ex-Senator Colby Harrison. He’d seen photos of the guy, but those photos had been during the man’s time in office. Harrison hadn’t aged so well. Age spots and thick lines marked his face, and the stench of booze clung to the man.
Colby Harrison wasn’t a D.C. power player any longer. This jerk was about to find his ass kicked into the street.
“I’m sorry,” the man with Harrison muttered. “He got a call that she was here, and I couldn’t stop him—”
Harrison made a mistake then. He tried to lunge around Noah and actually touch Claire.
Huge mistake.
Noah shoved the bastard back. “You don’t touch her. You don’t even talk to her again, understand?”
Colby Harrison blinked as he stumbled back a bit more. His gaze was full of rage and hate. “You know what she did?” He shook his head then yelled, “She ruined my boy’s life! Twisted him! Made him—”
“From what I hear,” Noah’s voice was still low, but grating with fury. “Your Ethan was a twisted bastard all along. You knew that. Instead of getting him help, you just covered up for the ass**le.” He closed in on Colby Harrison. Stood toe-to-toe with the guy. “I know who you are. The question is…do you know I am?”
The ex-senator frowned at him.
“Noah York,” the other guy whispered from behind Colby. “He owns this place. Now, boss, come on, we need to get out of here.”
Colby’s shouts had attracted too much attention. That just wouldn’t do. Not only because Noah just didn’t allow shit like this in his hotels but because—
Claire can’t be upset.
“If you don’t get the hell out of here in the next five seconds,” Noah told him, holding Colby’s stare, “then I’ll have my men throw you out.” He smiled and knew the sight would be grim. “Or maybe I’ll just do that part myself. Because I don’t give a shit how old you are or who you used to be. When I look at you, I just see garbage that needs to be tossed away.”
Colby sucked in a sharp breath. “She should’ve lost her freedom. Just like him!” He tried to crane his neck and see Claire. “She seduced him. Made him kill. That woman is evil!”
Noah was done. He grabbed the guy’s shoulders and pushed him toward the door.
“You can’t do this!” Colby yelled. “I’m a senator! I’ve got powerful friends in this town!”
Two members of the hotel security team rushed toward Noah. He didn’t let go of Colby. He wanted the pleasure of tossing the bastard into the street himself.
“Knew this would happen,” the younger man said as he hurried behind them. “Knew it…”
Noah didn’t stop until he was on the sidewalk in front of his hotel. He still had a tight grip on Colby’s shoulders. “I don’t care who your friends are. You come near Claire again, and no one will be able to save you.” He leaned in close because he wanted to make sure Colby understood exactly what he was saying. “You so much as look her way, and I’ll destroy you.”
Then he dropped his hold. Colby stared up at him, fear flickering in his gaze. Good. The guy had gotten the message.
“I’m, um, sorry,” the dark-haired fellow began.
Noah whirled on him. “Who are you?”
“Vincent Finch. I’m the senator’s…I’m his manager.”
What the hell ever. “Keep him away, Finch, or go down with him.”
Noah turned on his heel and marched back into the hotel. Claire stood just a few feet in front of the elevator, exactly where she’d been moments before. Her head was down. When he looked closely, he could see that she was trembling.
Screw this.
He didn’t want Claire cowering from anyone or anything. People in the lobby were whispering as they gazed at her. He was pretty sure he’d even caught sight of a reporter with a camera. Gossip and D.C.—the two were always locked together.
Noah didn’t hesitate. He stalked right up to her. “Claire.”
Her head snapped up. “I-I’m sorry—”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
Chapter Three
Shock froze Claire. Noah’s arms were around her, he had her pressed tightly to his body, and his mouth—
His mouth claimed hers.
Her lips had been parted when he kissed her. His tongue slipped inside her mouth. There was nothing hesitant about the way Noah kissed her. He just…took.