Someone had tampered with the rock-climbing ropes today. Someone had tried to hurt her.
She still couldn’t wrap her head around it. If Noah wasn’t the former Marine that he was, she could have been seriously hurt, just like Buck. Not that she’d received an update on Buck—all she knew was that he hadn’t regained consciousness before the ambulance had arrived.
Her breathing was shaky as she left the bedroom. The second she stepped into the hall, she heard him. Noah was shout-whispering over the phone, and the anger in his voice…God, she could almost feel it.
“It was Rhett, Jesse, I know it was. The asshole helped set up the equipment. He had access to the climbing rotation, so he knew Addie and Buck were going up first. He was trying to hurt her. Hell, he already bruised her arm last night. He also had the means to steal her key from her bag. All it would have takenwas telling Addie or Cass at the desk that he needed to use the kitchen while they were at the front desk.”
It was true. All of it. But her question was—why? Why would Rhett want to scare her?Hurther?
Noah turned when she walked into the kitchen, and the second he saw her, he scanned her from head to toe. He seemed to take in her bare legs. His sweatshirt over her body.
She stopped at the kitchen island and lifted herself up to the edge.
Noah poured dark liquid into a mug before handing it to her.
Hot chocolate. Thank God. It was exactly what she needed.
“I know.” Noah sighed. “I just…I want him in your custody. I want him off the streets so that he doesn’t have the opportunity to hurt her or anyone else again.”
She sipped the hot chocolate, closing her eyes as the sweet liquid warmed her belly. What the heck had Noah put in this? She scanned the counter behind him, but he’d already cleaned up.
“Thanks, Jess.” Noah hung up and turned to her, gaze intense. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I will never rock climb again in my life. In fact, count me out of all semi-dangerous, could-fall-to-my-death outdoor activities.”
He growled like he didn’t find it the least bit funny before gripping her thighs and stepping closer. “You should have been safe up there.”
“Does Jesse know what happened?”
There was a small pause when Noah’s eyes darkened to the color of coal. “Battery acid. Someone coated the middle of the rope with it. When it evaporated, the rope didn’t look any different, but because the rope’s made of nylon, it weakened the internal fibers.”
“Which made it break when weight was applied,” Addie whispered, her skin suddenly cold again. “So it had to be whoever set it up, right? They needed the middle part of the rope to be coated in the acid so that no one smelled it.”
“Colt said Rhett, Cass and Buck were the first ones there, and they set up the rope. Cass said she didn’t see Rhett do anything wrong, and we haven’t been able to ask Buck yet.”
“How is Buck?”
“The crash pad saved him from any serious damage, but because of the angle he hit, he has a concussion and a broken wrist. He’ll spend the night in the hospital.”
Jesus.
“Why?” Addie whispered, the question one that had popped into her head so many times. “Why would Rhett do it?”
“I don’t know. But one way or another, we’re going to find out.” His hands slid up her bare thighs, making the hairs on her arms stand on end. “The important thing is, you didn’t get hurt today.”
“What does this mean for the park?”
“We’ll close down for a week or two. Have all the equipment checked and make sure it’s safe before we reopen. Hopefully in that time, Jesse can find the evidence he needs on Rhett.”
Thank God they’d been closed to the public today.
She focused on Noah. He was close, standing between her legs, hands on her thighs… It was the best kind of distraction.Hewas the best kind of distraction. “Thank you for saving me.”
“When I saw your rope almost snap, everything else disappeared.” His fingers tightened on her hips. “You scared me.”
“You didn’t look scared.”
“I was terrified. Of you being hurt. Of me not being able to get to you in time. And I just kept thinking…I shouldn’t have run from us.”
