And maybe it was all because of Alice and that he didn’t have other nanny prospects, but she knew deep down he had resources to call on if he had to. He wasn’t helping her solely because it was more convenient for him to keep her.
So why was he? That’s what she didn’t know, and what she wanted to find out.
“That’s right,” Saint said. “No buts. We’re doing this. I want to circle back to the house in Vegas later. For now, we need a plan to get Jenna’s aunt and bring her back here.”
The conversation moved on to Aunt Maggie. Gem, Zany, and Muffin—such an odd name for a grown man—peeled off as soon as the plan was made and hopped into Zany’s SUV to make the trip to Delaware. The rest of them stayed to discuss getting into Sam’s house and finding the money he’d stolen.
Jenna didn’t know how they were going to do it or if there was any money left to find, but it was the only hope she had of getting out of this mess. By the time the meeting was finished, it’d been agreed that Bliss was going to call on her contacts and head to Vegas. Hacker didn’t like it, but he accepted it.
Bliss gave Jenna a hug as they were leaving. “Don’t worry. I’m good at what I do. If there’s anything in that safe, I’ll find it. And if there’s not, then we’ll find another way. Everyone has pressure points, Jenna. Remember that. We’ll find the right lever and apply enough pressure to make it too painful for them to continue. Have faith.”
“Thank you,” Jenna whispered, her throat tight. For the first time since this nightmare had started, she was actually beginning to believe it might end and her life could return to normal.
If she was lucky, that meant a life with Noah and Alice. If he didn’t want the same thing, well, at least she’d be free to choose what came next.
It was a nice thought, but the pit in her stomach said otherwise.
Chapter Eighteen
Jenna crashed on the couch after everyone left, drained, as Alice played on the floor. Noah had gone outside to see them off, still talking with Saint and Hacker, and the house was strangely quiet with only Alice’s little voice talking to her toys.
Jenna blew out a breath, thinking over everything that’d happened. She felt hopeful for the first time in months, but a part of her was stubbornly filled with anxiety despite the confidence and plans of Noah’s team. She’d been scared for so long that it was hard to let that go.
She wanted to sit and think, but she had to get up. It was almost time for dinner, then it would be Alice’s bath time, a little more play time, and bed.
Not that Jenna thought she’d be able to sleep a wink tonight while she waited for the guys to return with her aunt. They hadn’t called yet, but they’d only been gone for about two hours.
When Noah came back inside, a surge of fresh emotion flooded her, leaving an ache inside that she didn’t understand. She had so many feelings, and she didn’t know how to sort them out right now.
Noah dropped beside her and put an arm around her. She burrowed against his side, happy that she could do that now. “How you holding up?” he asked.
“I feel like Lola’s battery.”
He chuckled. “Depleted? Yeah, I understand. That was intense, I know.”
“I’m so grateful, Noah. You have no idea. I’m still scared it’s not going to be enough, but I want to thank you for trying.”
He hugged her a little tighter. “Have faith, Jen. It’s going to work out.”
“I’m trying.” She sighed. “I need to fix dinner. Alice will be hungry soon.”
“Let’s order pizza. Make it easy.”
She loved that he knew she needed a break. “I think that’s a great idea. I need to take care of so many things before Aunt Maggie arrives. I can sleep in Alice’s room, but I’ll need to gather up some blankets and make a pallet, unless you have a cot tucked away somewhere.”
Noah reared back. “What? No way, babe. You aren’t sleeping on the floor.”
“I have to give my bed to Aunt Maggie.”
“I know, but I thought you’d sleep with me if I’m being honest here. Unless you think your aunt will be scandalized, then you can take my bed and I’ll take the couch.”
She gaped at him. “You would do that?”
“Yes.”
“But—why?”
“Because you have enough to worry about. You don’t need to sleep on the floor or the couch. I’ll do that. Or I’ll sleep with you, because that’s where I want to be.”
Her heart was never going to recover from the tender way he treated her. Never. She wasn’t sure if it meant anything or if he was just that thoughtful, and she didn’t want to read anything more into it than was truly there.
“I didn’t want to assume since we slept together once that you’d want to share a bed. That’s a little relationship-y, and I didn’t want you to think I expect that from you.”
“I know you don’t. But it’s what I want.”
“A relationship?”
“Yes, ma’am. Does that shock you?”
She could only blink at him for a long moment, her heart hammering. “Yes.”
“Why?”
The heat of embarrassment warmed her. “Well, uh, we haven’t known each other long, and you just found out I hid something pretty big from you. I feel like you could do better, Noah. Honestly.”
There, she’d said it. He had too much going for him, and she was little more than an itinerant nomad at this point. Maybe she really would get her life back soon, or maybe she’d always be hiding from the Mafia, but either way it was a lot to deal with at the moment.
“All I know,” he said, gently tipping her chin up so their eyes could meet, “is that I feel differently than I used to. A month ago, I wasn’t the same man I am now. I want to keep Alice. I want you to stay with us. I want to see where we go.”
He hadn’t said anything about love, but that was a mighty big word for what might only be a shared connection because of Alice. “And if we don’t go anywhere?”
She was always waiting for the sky to fall. Since her parents had died so suddenly and unexpectedly, her perspective about what could happen had altered. She knew that life changed in an instant, and she wasn’t ever going to forget it.
“Then we’ll figure it out, won’t we?”
He made it sound so easy. Maybe to him it was. His life had been filled with uncertainty since he was a child. And with unspeakable cruelty. He’d endured, and he’d made something of himself. Something amazing.
It hit her that she could love this man, and not just because he was so damned gorgeous and sexy. He was a good man, despite what he’d been through. That kind of abuse could have twisted him, but it hadn’t.
“My dad would have really liked you,” she murmured. She hadn’t meant to say it aloud, hadn’t realized that she had until he grinned at her.
“I’m glad. I wish I could have met him.”
Jenna turned toward him and put her arms around his neck and her legs across his lap. He leaned toward her, pressing his forehead to hers. “My mom would have liked you too,” she whispered, her heart pounding, feeling a bit shy but also like she had to say it since she’d said it about her dad.