He wanted tonight to be just for her. With the guys staying at Addy’s with Solene, he had nothingbut time for Addy.
A knock at the door drew his attention. He felt his palms sweat and had to laugh at himself. The last time he’d been this nervous, he’d been on his first contract. Since then, he’d been in his share of dangerous situations, some he hadn’t expected to survive. Yet one pretty woman with bright green eyes and a heartwarming smile made him shake?
God, I’m pathetic.
Where had Ice gone, and should Noel even try to bring him back?
He opened the door and found a maintenance man with a clipboard on his doorstep.
Noel immediately recognized his mistake, taking for granted Addy had been at the door. As if the danger had passed and wasn’t waiting to take him again.
He prepared himself to snap the guy’s neck before assessing the scene forother threats.Stupid stupid.He’d turned off the back alarm since the others had been accessing the back and side yards to come and go through the new gate to Addy’s place.
The maintenance man glanced at the clipboard, then back at Noel in puzzlement. He didn’t go for a weapon or make any sudden moves. “Ah, is Ms. Hansen home?”
“Solene?”
The guy glanced at his clipboard again.His nametag read Bob in bright red letters and he wore a gray-striped, collared work shirt. “Is this NE 2228? Solene Hansen called about a flooding dishwasher.”
Noel relaxed, but not totally. “No. You want the house next door.” He reached into his back pocket for his phone and realized he’d left it on the dining table. “Hold on.”
He turned slowly, still feeling something off aboutthe man at the door. But Bob didn’t move while Noel grabbed his phone. Noel had just returned to the front door when he realized what bothered him about Bob’s untimely arrival. “Where’s your vehicle?”
Bob frowned and turned. “What the…? Son of a bitch!” Bob dropped his clipboard. “I parked it right there. I don’t understand. What the hell is going on?”
Bob faced Noel again with aglare. “Are you screwing with me?”
“No.”
Bob swore as he retrieved his clipboard from the ground. “Christ. This is all I need. I have to call my boss. Hold on.” He reached behind himself.
Noel did the same, gripping the pistol at his back.
But Bob only retrieved his phone and dialed. “Jeff? Hey man, I have a problem. A weird fucking problem.”
Noel eased his handoff the grip and brought his hands to his sides.
Bob continued to report about the theft of his van. “Yeah, I’m at—Hey, buddy. Can you tell me what address this is and who you are? I’m going to have to file a police report, but my boss wants to get this down too.”
“NE 2224 Beach Comber. Name is Noel—”
The clipboard shot at his throat so fast Noel only had time to veer backand shift, taking the blow against his collarbone. Better that than his jugular, he thought through the sting. Bob brought his phone up and aimed at Noel’s face.
Noel dropped, narrowly missing the electronic jolt that sizzled in the air. Not a phone after all, but a Taser. Furious with himself for lowering his guard when he knew better, he knocked the phone aside and straightened with anuppercut into his assailant’s gut. He followed up with a knee to the man’s face, a leg sweep, and stood over Bob, holding him in a wristlock to keep him on his back while the asshole bled over the porch with a broken nose.
“Who sent you?”
Bob wheezed. “Fuck you.” A small sound behind him warned Noel to move.Now.
Tiny pops. Gravel in the driveway scattered, and lead thuddedinto the porch railing as silenced-rounds peppered the area. Noel darted behind an Adirondack chair, determining the shots to be coming from the driveway farther down. He didn’t have a silencer on his pistol and didn’t want to alarm anyone next door, so he wouldn’t use his gun unless he had to.
Instead, he darted into the house and shut the door behind him. Then he grabbed his favoriteknife from beneath the coffee table in the living room and turned off all the lights. He exited quietly through the back door.
Fortunately, the late hour and cloudy evening cut way down on ambient light. Noel listened for movement. Hearing a slight rustle from the shrubs in the way back, he stayed low, behind his greenhouse.
Not sure if the intruders had night-vision capability,he figured he’d be better off back inside. But patience normally proved the smarter way to go, so he crouched, still, and waited.
The muffled sound of footsteps through grass had him turn and face the back porch. Before long, he saw a figure in black start up the back porch stairs. Noel rushed the guy and buried the knife in the man’s chest, Noel’s hand over his mouth to prevent a scream.Unfortunately, this intruder didn’t carry more than a knife and garrote with him. Needing to get back to Bob before the guy left, he hurried around to the front.
