It’s like I’m eleven years old all over again. One look from him and my heart and body know exactly who they belong to, who they’ve always belonged to. He is and always will be my own personal siren call. He owns me just as much today as he did sixteen years ago. Only he’s not a boy anymore. No, he’s all man - tall, dark, and covered in tattoos but still just as sexy as he was the last time I saw him. As my gaze travels down his arm, I notice my name inked on his skin and I suck in a breath.
“Kady,” he breathes like he’s just found salvation and he takes a step toward me. I cock the gun again before leveling it at him even though it pains me. I have to end this, shut it down, and block out anything I might feel for him. I can’t afford to feel anything for him.
“Don’t come any closer.”
He holds his hands up in surrender. “Kady, baby, it’s me.”
“Don’t you “Kady, baby” me, Noah LeBlanc. I know who you are.”
His brows furrow, confusion written all over his face. “Then why the hell are you pointing a damn gun at me?”
“You need to leave,” I tell him, proud of how sure my voice sounds when on the inside all I want to do is run into his arms. God, if I closed my eyes right now, it would be so easy to remember how good it used to feel to be in his arms, how safe I felt surrounded by his scent.
I was so stupid.
I gesture toward the driveway with the gun before turning it back on him. “Go.”
“There’s not a chance in hell I’m doing that.”
“Don’t test me, Noah. I swear to God, I will shoot you.” Tears burn my eyes and I grit my teeth as I blink them away. I don’t want to but I will. He scowls, studying me as he takes another step toward me.
“What the hell is going on here? Where have you been for the last seven years?”
I shake my head. “Just let it go. It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“The fuck it doesn’t,” he growls, taking another step. Shit, I know that look, the determination in his eyes. This isn’t something he’s willing to let go. And when Noah wants something, he’s a one man wrecking crew. Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, will get in his way.
“Leave.”
He shakes his head. “Tell me what happened to you. Why haven’t I seen you since the day I got locked up?”
“Because I didn’t want to see you, Noah. We were a mistake.”
He reels back like I physically slapped him as his eyes widen. “What?”
“What did you expect?” I hiss, ignoring the growing ache in my chest. “That I’d just put my entire life on hold for you? That I’d sit back and be the good little wife while you did whatever the hell you wanted? I don’t think so.”
“I don’t believe you,” he growls, taking a couple steps toward me and my heart jumps into my throat.
Shit.
I need to do something to stop him.
“Noah!”
I point the gun at his feet, giving him one more chance to leave and when he takes another step, I fire into the dirt right in front of him. He jumps back, holding his hands up as he looks up at me with confusion in his eyes. An image from the night he proposed to me pops into my mind and it feels like my entire soul is weeping but on the outside, my expression remains stony.
“God damn it, tell me what the hell is going on, Kady! Nothing, from the moment I got locked up to now, makes any fucking sense.”
“I’ve said all I’m going to say,” I tell him, pointing the gun toward the driveway again. “Leave.”
He stands up a little taller, squaring his shoulders. “No.”
“Yes.” I cock the gun again and aim it at his chest as we stare each other down, so many things passing between us. The memories come in rapid fire succession and my heart aches for all the loss and pain I’ve endured over the last seven years. All because of him.
Finally, he sighs. “Fine. But I’m coming back, Kady, and I’m getting some damn answers. You hear me?”
I shake my head. “Don’t. Do us both a favor and stay far away from me, Noah.”
“That’s never going to happen,” he growls before turning and stomping back down the driveway, kicking up dust as he goes. When he gets to the end of the driveway, he stops and my heart skips a beat. He glances over his shoulder and our eyes meet. It’s a sweet torture that I can’t pull myself away from and just when I think he might turn around and stomp back over to me, he sighs, shakes his head, and walks away. As soon as he’s disappeared from sight, I release the breath I’d been holding as my chest aches. A single tear slips down my cheek. I wipe it away and glance around the yard as my skin prickles, the sensation of being watched overwhelming.
It’s exactly why Noah and I can never be together again.
* * * *
“How’s it looking, Kady?” Dr. Hebert asks as he walks into the room with several patient files in his hands. I look up from the floor and grip the broom handle tightly as I look around the room and nod.
“Good, Sir.”
He shoots me a look that I know all too well after working here at the animal clinic for the past six years. “Come on, Kady. How many times do I have to ask you to call me Dr. Hebert? Or Patrick?”
“Probably a couple times more, at least.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard that before,” he jokes as his gaze travels around the room. “It looks good in here, though.”
I nod, pride welling up inside me. “Thank you.”
“I also have this for you.” He holds out an envelope of cash and I take it from him before thumbing through the bills inside. I sigh.
“This is more than we agreed upon.”
He shrugs. “You deserve it.”
“I don’t want any charity.”
“Kady…” he sighs. “I know, as your boss, that it isn’t my place to say anything but when Hannah came to me and asked me to hire you but pay you under the table, I got the impression that you were in a bad spot and based on the fact that I’m still giving you envelopes of cash every week, I assume that hasn’t changed.”
“That doesn’t mean…”
He holds his hand up, cutting me off. “You’ve become a part of this little family in the last six years and I have the means to help you out so I’m going to continue to do so and I don’t want to hear anymore about it. Do we understand each other?”
“Reluctantly,” I mutter, scowling at the envelope in my hand before folding it up and tucking it into the back pocket of my jeans. As much as I don’t want any charity, I honestly don’t know where I’d be if it wasn’t for Hannah asking Dr. Hebert for his help and his willingness to step up without any questions. He took a huge chance on me and saved me when I was at the lowest point in my life.
“Well, that’s something, I suppose,” he replies, chuckling as he shakes his head and sets the files on the metal table next to him. “Any big plans for the weekend?”
“Oh, yeah,” I answer, leaning the broom against the wall. “I have a wild weekend of reading planned in between stopping by to give our two new patients a little TLC.”