Sloan. The guy’s voice was so low that Noah had to strain in order to hear him.
The elevator rose.
“Look, dumbass,” Noah snarled. “I thought I made myself clear when we—”
“Claire killed the senator, and I have proof. I was watching her. Always watching. Come to meet me, or I’ll go to the cops.” Laughter. Rough. Taunting. “I’ll go to that pretty D.C. cop. She already thinks that Claire is guilty. It’ll be so easy, and Claire will finally get just what she deserves.”
Claire’s eyes had flared with alarm. “Noah? Noah, what’s happening?”
Noah shook his head. “Where. When.”
“You’ve just bought a new building here in town, right? The old Claymire Hotel.”
The building was completely empty right then. His crews would begin renovation work the next week.
“Meet me there at three, or, by four, I’ll be on my way to D.C.”
The caller hung up.
The elevator’s doors slid open.
Claire touched his arm. “Noah, what’s happening?”
He didn’t speak, not there. He caught her hand and led her to his suite. When they were alone, when he was sure that no one could overhear, Noah said, “I have to know the truth.”
“What truth?” Claire shook her head as confusion flashed across her face. “I’ve always told you the truth—”
“Did you kill the senator?”
Her eyes widened in surprise.
He didn’t have a lot of time. Protect her. He pulled her closer. “Did you?”
“No!”
“Then why did that jerk PI just tell me that you did? He says that he has proof, Claire. Proof that can lock you up.”
“I-I was at the senator’s hotel, but I didn’t go in. I didn’t see him.” Her voice shook. “I told you this already. You believe me, don’t you?”
“I have to know the truth.” His eyes never left hers. “If I don’t know what I’m facing, I can’t cover our tracks well enough.”
Her breath caught. Understanding filled her eyes. “Oh, my God.” She yanked away from him. “All this time…have you actually thought I killed him?”
Noah didn’t speak.
“He was shot in the head! Just like my parents.” She covered her mouth with her hand. Her gaze was stunned as it held his.
“He made your life hell. You wanting some revenge only seems natural.”
Her hand fell away from her mouth. “Killing isn’t natural for me. My parents were murdered. My sister was murdered. Violence has taken everyone from me.” She gave a hard, negative shake of her head. “Trust me. Believe in me. I didn’t do this.”
Then what the hell kind of game was Sloan trying to play? “I want you to stay here. Don’t leave the hotel until I get back.” He turned for the door.
But Claire grabbed his arm. “Where are you going?”
“The PI wants to meet me. Says if I don’t come, he’ll turn over the proof of your guilt to that D.C. cop, Gwen Lazlo.”
“There is no proof,” she whispered as her fingers tightened around him. “He’s lying to you.”
“He’s about to realize I’m not the kind of man you can jerk around.” Bad mistake, Sloan. He tried to brush by her.
Claire didn’t ease her hold. “If you’re going, then so am I.”
“No.” He was definite. “You’re not.”
“This is my life we’re talking about here! He’s saying I’m a killer. I get to face the guy!” Her breath heaved out. Red stained her cheeks. “You aren’t leaving me behind for this.”
That was exactly what he planned to do.
“The last time you saw Sloan, you attacked the guy,” Claire reminded him. Not that Noah needed the reminder. “Maybe this is some kind of payback plan he has. Get you alone, and then attack.”
Bring it, ass**le.
Claire’s stubborn chin notched up. “I won’t let you be hurt because you’re trying to protect me.”
Wait—what?
“That won’t happen.” Claire straightened her shoulders. “So either we both go, or you’re going to have to tie me to a chair…because I will follow you.”
This was the woman Drake had compared to a broken bird? Hell, no. There was so much more to Claire than just what met the eye.
“My life,” Claire said again. “Don’t shut me out. Noah, pl—”
He kissed her. Deep and hard. I told her not to ever beg me.
His tongue thrust into her mouth. He tasted her. He took.
Claire’s fierce response stunned him. Her tongue met his. Her kiss was as frantic and feverish as his own.
A perfect match.
Noah lifted his head. Their breath panted out.
“Take me with you,” Claire whispered.
If I have to hurt the guy, I didn’t want you seeing that. I don’t want you seeing…me.
But maybe it was time that he stopped hiding the man that he really was from Claire. Maybe it was time for her to see him for what he truly was.
Would she run then?
Or would Claire prove to be stronger than the others?
***
Noah stared up at the old hotel. The building was boarded up, and his crew had put a large, chain-link fence around the property’s perimeter.
He didn’t see anyone, but that didn’t mean Sloan Hall wasn’t already inside, waiting for him.
Claire’s shoulder brushed against his. “So what’s the plan here?”
He’d thought about getting back-up for the trip, but until he found out exactly what Sloan had to say, Noah hadn’t wanted to involve anyone else.
Claire didn’t kill the senator.
He believed that, but he also knew just how easy it was to frame someone for a crime. He wouldn’t let Claire be pulled into a legal nightmare.
“The plan is that I go in—”
“We,” Claire corrected crisply.
Right. “We go in,” he allowed, “and we find out what game this jerk is playing.”
Cautiously, they approached the building. He saw that the wood near the entrance had been pried open. Are you inside, Sloan?
He climbed up the steps. Claire hurried with him.
Then his phone rang.
Noah hesitated. Sloan?
He yanked out the phone, but this time, he recognized the number of the screen. It was Trace Weston’s personal line. “Not a good time,” he growled to his friend when he answered the call.