Now she was staring at him with big eyes that showed she was confused and he didn’t get that.
But he didn’t ask after it.
He stayed on target.
“But this guy, Circe,” he kept at her, “this guy is not any guy. He’s an attorney. He’s a good one. Not a fighter. A warrior. He’s wealthy and he earned that, he didn’t get born to it. And he does pro bono for a domestic violence shelter for no reason than that’s his mission. And he buys a ten thousand dollar table at their gala event, leaning on all his attorney buddies to do the same. That was how we got him there last night. He probably could be doing a hundred things on a Friday night. He was not doing those things. He was there facilitating a donation from Franka.”
She seemed surprised at this information but said, “Noc, his commitment to that says nice things about him but it has nothing to do with me. Now what I’d like to talk about is how you feel about—”
He interrupted her.
“What I’m saying is, we’re not talking sympathy. We’re not talking empathy. We’re talking about a man who respects women, knows how they should be treated and does something about it when that shit doesn’t happen,” Noc informed her.
She shut her mouth.
Noc kept going.
“No one can look at that man and not think he has his head up his ass about his looks, his money, his talents. He’s confident, but that’s not what he’s about. What he’s about is that he’s all that and he’s still the man he is for women.”
“Again, this is all very nice to know about him but, Noc, it has nothing to do with me.”
“Not sure how you see it that way when the minute he saw you, the world faded away.”
That was a blow she didn’t expect. So much of one, she took a step back.
“And Circe,” he pushed, “when you saw him, your world did too.”
“I was simply surprised to see Lahn there,” she bald-faced lied.
He gentled his tone when he shared, “This wasn’t about Lahn. You knew that man was not Lahn. This was about Dax. All about Dax.”
“Noc—”
“I did not like this idea,” he stated. “When Franka shared what she and Valentine were up to, I didn’t like it at all. And she never talked me around to liking it. I was there last night to look after her, because I didn’t know this guy, and to look after you, because she was determined to throw you in his path. Then I saw him with you, Circe, and no way in fuck I’d let anyone get near you I didn’t trust. But I saw him with you and here I am.”
“Noc—”
“I want you to be happy. Franka does. Valentine does. Hell, everyone does. The only one standing in the way of that is you.”
“I like my life,” she asserted.
“Are you happy?”
“Yes, of course.”
It was the truth.
And it totally wasn’t.
“Are you really happy, babe?” he pressed.
“I’m far more content than I’ve ever been,” she replied. “I’m my own woman. I say where I go and what I do and who I’m with. I have friends. I love this city. I have my power back and it’s all mine.”
“Content isn’t happy,” he noted.
“It’s better than anything I’ve ever had.”
“Okay, I hear that,” Noc conceded but didn’t let up. “And it sucks that’s true. But it’s a far cry from what you deserve.”
“Noc, there’s a good deal to say about being content in your life.”
“I’ve got Frannie. I fell in love with her. She fell in love with me. She’s here and it’s not good, it’s great. I’ve got a house I dig and serious money in the bank so I not only don’t have to worry about just covering emergencies, I’m set for life. And last, I’ve got a job that pays me more than I ever thought I’d make. So I’m in a position to say that contentment works, but happy in a good place, a fantastic city, with good friends, a good job and a woman I love to share my life with is a fuckuva lot better.”
“I see you won’t understand what I’m trying to say,” she remarked, beginning to look agitated.
“I think it’s the other way around,” he returned.
“Can’t you just let it go?” she requested.
“After what I saw last night, what I can say is, I want to do that for you, because you want that from me. And I totally cannot do that, also for you.”
“Noc—”
He knew she wanted him to let it go.
But he saw what he saw last night. He felt it.
So he just couldn’t.
“This guy has got it in him, Circe. He can be that guy for you. He might be the only one in two universes that can be. He’s a warrior and he’s a protector. You know where I’m at with you. I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t feel it in my gut that it’s true.”
“Noc—” she tried again.
But he kept going.
“And the most important thing about it is, you so rocked his world last night just looking at you, I know he’ll take it all from you. He’ll hear it and he’ll get it and I mean all of it. Who you are. The power you have. What happened to you. Where you’re from. He won’t care if you tell him you’re from the moon. The man I saw last night, babe, he just wants you.”
“He terrifies me,” she blurted.
That was unexpected.
Noc fell silent.
Circe looked beyond him, drew in a visible breath then looked back at him.