His brow arches as it falls down my body. “You should put that jacket back on.”
“Bite me,” I argue, shaking my head and he grins.
“All in good time, babe.” He’s flirting again and saying all the right things but there’s just something off about him and I can’t put my finger on it. Just when I’m about to ask, the waiter approaches our table.
“Good evening, folks. I’m Julio and I’ll be taking care of you this evening. Can I get you started with some wine or appetizers?”
I order a glass of wine and some kind of potato appetizer on the menu and Julio turns to Noah, who just orders a whiskey. My eyes widen.
“Uh, what the hell is up with you tonight?” I ask as soon as Julio walks away and Noah sighs, shaking his head.
“Nothing.”
My eyes narrow. “Liar.”
He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “It’s about the run I went on today.”
“Okay,” I prompt with a frown as he shifts in his seat as stress etches itself onto his face. Where the hell is my arrogant, playful man?
“She was Biche’s girlfriend… or captive… shit, I don’t know what to call her.”
I suck in a breath. “What?”
“I know, baby,” he answers with a nod. Julio stops by with our drinks and as soon as he sets Noah’s whiskey down in front of him, he drinks half of it. Julio’s surprised gaze flicks to mine and I grimace.
“Maybe just keep those coming, okay?”
He nods, understanding dawning on his face. “Ah, one of those days, huh?”
“Yeah.”
He nods in agreement before leaving us again and Noah runs his hand through his hair again. I reach across the table and grab his other hand.
“Tell me what happened.”
He sighs. “When I went outside, everyone was waiting for me at the end of the driveway. They told me that Sammy, that’s her name, had first reached out for help a while back but when they tried to get her, she’d disappeared.”
“You think he found out about the plan?” I ask and he shrugs.
“Honestly, I have no idea but we rushed over there today to free her and she told us that she’d met Biche four years ago and they dated for a month before he convinced her to move in with him and that’s when he went from sweet guy to total psycho.”
I nod.
“He didn’t allow her out very much and if he did, she had to take guards with her, cut her off from her family, and didn’t even allow her to have a phone. She walked into their relationship willingly but then she became a prisoner.”
“That’s awful,” I whisper, imagining being in that hell for four years and I shudder. Noah sucks in a breath.
“That’s not even the worst part. He also convinced her to get plastic surgery by playing off her insecurities and saying he wanted her to feel as beautiful as he thought she was.”
I shake my head as tears sting my eyes, my heart aching for this woman I’ve never met.
“Apparently, he went behind her back and changed the plan with the plastic surgeon to make her how he wanted her.”
“Holy shit,” I whisper as I wipe a tear from my cheek. “That’s just…”
“The thing is, babe… She looked just like you. All that surgery was to make her your twin because he’s that damn obsessed with you.”
Before I can respond, movement behind Noah catches my attention and I glance up as an ice cold feeling of dread rushes through my body and my eyes widen.
“Oh my God.”
He shakes his head. “I know it’s fucked up, baby, but you don’t have to worry about…”
“Noah,” I hiss, squeezing his hand. Noah’s eyebrows draw together in confusion for just a second before he follows my gaze and starts to look over his shoulder but it’s already too late. Oliver Ford slips into the seat next to him and grins at me, his toxic gaze tracing the curves of my body.
Fuck.
I wish I hadn’t worn this dress.
“Evening, you two.”
Noah jerks, his gaze flying to him before he stands up, almost knocking his chair over in the process.
“Sit down, Henn,” Oliver whispers, his voice calm and collected but the anger in his eyes gives him away. “We wouldn’t want to draw a scene, would we?”
Noah glances around the dining room as a few other diners turn their attention to us and he mutters a curse as he rounds the table and takes the seat next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
“Aw, isn’t this a pretty picture,” he quips, his lip curling back in disgust before he focuses on me. “It’s damn good to see you again though, Kady. You’re lookin’ real good.”
“Shut your fucking mouth,” Noah growls, his grip on me tightening and Oliver laughs.
“What are you going to do, LeBlanc? You put even one finger on me and you’ll get sent straight back to jail. I’ll make sure of it.”
“I don’t give a shit if I go back as long as I get to kill you first,” Noah vows and I gasp as I grab his other hand and squeeze it. Oliver laughs as he leans back in his chair.
“Just try. I’d honestly love to watch as my guys blow you away.”
My gaze floats around the dining room and I notice at least five men that I didn’t see before, all watching us intently and when I glance at Noah, he nods and pulls his phone out of his pocket. He starts typing out a message to Blaze and Oliver slams his hand on the table to get our attention again.
“Texting your brothers?” he sneers. “Excellent. I need to have a word with your president. Seems y’all took something that belongs to me. Unless, of course, you’re willing to replace her.”
Noah’s jaw tightens. “Not a chance in hell and she doesn’t belong to you. In fact, she called us begging for help to leave your pathetic ass, same as my girl did. What does that say about you, Oli? You can’t seem to keep a girl to save your life.”
“You motherfucker,” he growls, glowering at us from across the table. “Is it really such a good idea to taunt me? Maybe I’ll just decide to take back the one I really want.”
His gaze falls on me and a chill sweeps through my body as my stomach churns and my hands start to shake. I can never go back there. I’d rather die.
“Fucking try, asshole.”
Julio stops by the table with another whiskey for Noah and he stops short, his gaze bouncing between the three of us.
“Do we need another menu?” he asks warily and I shake my head.
“No, just the check, please.”
Oliver pulls out his wallet. “No, allow me.”
“Absolutely not,” Noah growls, his muscles impossibly taunt as he holds me closer and I lay my hand on his knee, trying to calm him. Julio looks between the three of us again before holding up his hand and shaking his head.
“You know what, it’s on the house. Y’all have a good night.”
Noah stands and pulls me to my feet as I grab my jacket and force a smile to my face.
“Thank you so much,” I tell Julio, slipping him a twenty-dollar bill and he nods.
“Have a good evening, folks.”
Oliver grins and winks as Noah and I step away from the table, pointing a finger gun in our direction that feels far more threatening than it ever has before. “See y’all around.”