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Noah stiffened, one hand braced on the hood of his car. He closed his eyes against the lance of grief that flared in his chest. “My condolences. He was a great guy. But I don’t think you flew down from New York and stuck around for five days just to tell me your twin brother died. So nice try, but whatever your angle is, the answer is still no.”
“One hour, Noah. That’s all I need.”
He faced her. “You just can’t help yourself, can you? You want something, so you try and soften me up with your brother’s death. Well, here’s a newsflash—I’m over your mind games and your manipulative ways, Ashley. So leave with a little bit of the dignity you denied me two years ago. Or I will bring you to yourfucking knees. We both know how much you hate that position, don’t we?”
“It’s her, isn’t it? She’s got you so twisted around her little pixie finger you can’t see straight.”
He looked at her and tried to recall what it was about her he’d found so captivating four years ago. She was very well put together, not a hair out of place or smudged lipstick in sight. Her body was well toned—the result of a fanatic gym regime. She was beautiful in a cool and classy way that turned heads when she walked into a room. But all that was just surface gloss. He knew firsthand what lay underneath.
“My first warning was free, Ash.” He used the nickname she hated. “The second one won’t be.”
He yanked the handle and dropped into the bucket seat. Stabbing the key in the ignition, he barely gave the engine time to tick over before he stomped on the gas.
Noah got fleeting satisfaction from seeing her jump back from the fumes of burning rubber before his thoughts veered like a divining stick toward Leia.
It had been less than ten minutes since she’d left, and already he felt a gaping desolation. The idea of her out there, under Snyder’s dubious protection, stuck in his craw.
Gritting his teeth, he hit the phone button dial on the steering wheel and scrolled through to the number he wanted. “Any luck locating Willoughby?” he asked as soon as the call was answered.
“We have a lead but nothing concrete. We should have something for you by tonight.”
Noah paused. “I have another brief for you.”
“Yes?”
“Get me everything you can on Warren Snyder, La Carezza, Inc.”
“Okay. I’m on it.”
He hung up feeling marginally better. He ditched the idea of going to his condo and drove to his office instead. Maddie was headed out to an early lunch when he walked in.
“Mr. King! I wasn’t expecting you in till Monday.” She seemed nervous.
“I’m not stopping for long.” He paused on his way to his office. “Ashley Maitland met me at the airport. You know anything about that?”
Her eyes rounded behind her boxy glasses. “I’m so sorry. She’s been calling here all week. I refused to give her any information but this morning she said it was a matter of life and death. I know it’s stupid, but?—”
“She guilted you into it. I’ll let it slide this once. Don’t let it happen again.”
Relief poured over her face. “Thank you.”
“Enjoy your lunch. When you get back, call Tagliani’s. Have them deliver the chef’s special for two to my place at seven.” He intended to see Leia long before then, but he reckoned they’d need food before they went to bed.
“Yes, sir.”
He ploughed through two mountains of paperwork and numerous phone calls before he let himself glance at the clock.
2 p.m.
He speared a hand through his hair and checked his phone. He missed Leia. The emptiness inside him terrified and thrilled him. A part of him rejoiced that when Ashley had him carted off in handcuffs two years ago, she hadn’t succeeded in killing off every emotion that made him human.
To know he was capable of sustaining the connection he’d found with Leia made his heart race as he located her number and dialed it.
She’s got you so twisted around her little finger you can’t see straight.
Hell, yeah. And he wasn’t ashamed to admit it?—
The number you have dialed cannot be reached at the moment.