Page 68 of Deadly Obsession

“A murdery vibe. You always offered to kill Chase for me, and a part of me suspected you weren’t joking. I almost took you up on that offer too. You just make me feel safe.”

Noah’s eyes fill with tears. Her shoulders, which have been tense all throughout brunch, relax as she reaches out for my hand again. “I was so scared to tell you because I didn’t want to lose you. Thank you for being an amazing best friend.”

“Well, I should tell you then that my real name isn’t Sage Manilow.”

Noah laughs and it’s such a vibrant sound. A laugh that has only grown brighter the longer I’ve known her. I think that has something to do with Del.

“I assumed as much. I couldn’t find shit on you when I did a background check.”

“You did a background check on me?”

“Shortly after we met. Typically, learning someone has a fake identity is a red flag but, I don’t know, there was something different about you. I didn’t see you as a threat. Honestly, you seemed lost and broken like me.”

I frown because she’s right. I never knew how much I needed Noah in my life until we met. It’s as if my soul had finally found its missing piece. Well, part of my soul.

Is Elias the final piece I’ve been searching for?

“So, what’s your real name then?”

“Sage Morgan.”

“It’s nice to officially meet you, Sage Morgan.” Noah checks her phone for the time. “Okay, it’s noon. We have two hours before happy hour ends. Do you want to get day drunk? Del and I are going to celebrate New Year’s on the couch later tonight, but I need more bestie time before sexy time.”

“Absolutely. Elias and I are also supposed to hang out tonight, but he said he won’t be home until closer to six.”

“Home? Wow. That sounds serious.”

“It’s not, I promise.”

It’s a lie. It feels serious, which terrifies me, especially so soon after my divorce to Chase, but this is different.Eliasis different.

I realize I still had a lot of healing to do from my time with Chase. Elias might have been exactly what I needed to move on.

My new drink arrives, and Noah orders another.

“Question,” I say and take a sip. Noah must see the mischievous look on my face because she raises a brow. “What do you know about getting woken up with sex?”

Noah and I leave Boqueria sloshed, enough that my two bodyguards help me to the SUV. Noah threatenedthem with bodily harm if I didn’t arrive back at Elias’s penthouse in one piece, then she sent me off with the best bestie hug. Del showed up to escort her back to their place in Flatbush since Noah was just as drunk as me.

One of Elias’s men, whose name is Aaron, hands me a bottle of water, and I suck it down before taking a nap in the backseat.

I wake just as we pull into the horseshoe driveway at Elias’s building. He’s out there waiting, arms crossed.

Uh oh.

I’m in trouble.

“Okay, who told on me?” I ask the two guards. Neither of them makes eye contact with me.

Narcs.

Elias opens the door.

“Hello, stranger,” I say with a wink. “You’re home early.”

Elias leans in, and I close my eyes, licking my lips expectedly. His mouth tickles mine, but instead of giving me sweet smooches, he unlatches my seatbelt.

“Inside, troublemaker,” he says and pulls away.