Page 45 of Ultimate Justice

The security cop looked at her from between the headrests. “Are you sure you don’t want me to call the—”

She slammed the door shut, and they bolted to her pickup. Breathing heavily again, she tossed the shopping bags into the bed of the truck. “Come this way.” She waved Noah over to the driver’s side and shoved the key into the lock. The second the door opened, she all but pushed him inside, waiting another half second for him to scoot over to the passenger side.

Marlie started the engine and yanked the truck into reverse. Driving a bit faster than she should through a mall parking lot, she headed onto Colfax Avenue and floored it.

We made it. That didn’t keep her stomach from twisting into knots.

Noah had slumped in the seat and wrapped his arms around his chest. She reached over and gave his shoulder a quick squeeze. “Everything’s going to be okay.” She hoped so, anyway. What she ought to do was tell Evan where they were and that they were safe, but along with the shopping bags, she’d hurled her handbag containing her phone in the bed of the truck.

Ten minutes later, she turned into her apartment building’s parking lot. There were no parking spaces in front of the building, except the empty fire zone. Not giving a shit, she screeched to a stop in the striped fire zone, parking directly in front of the No Parking sign.

“Let’s go!” She turned off the engine, hopped out, and raced around the hood to grab Noah’s hand and drag him to the door of the building.

They climbed the stairs to the second floor. Only then did she realize she’d completely forgotten their bags in the truck. Getting Noah inside to safety was the priority.

The only sound in the stairwell was their heavy breathing and pounding feet. At the top of the stairs, she shoved open the heavy fire door and raced with Noah down the hall to her apartment. Once inside, she slammed the door shut and twisted the deadbolt. The heavy sigh she made next was louder than a balloon losing air all at once.

“Marlie?” On the sofa, Noah hugged a pillow to his chest.

“Oh, sweetie.” She sat beside him, opening her arms. She held him tightly, rocking both of them. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.” God, this was all her fault.

Protective urges she’d thought lost forever swept over her like a tidal wave, stronger than ever before.

I’ll keep him safe. No matter what.

No matter the consequences.

Pounding came from the other side of the door. Marlie flinched. Noah jerked his head up, and she pulled him to his feet. “Go to your room. Lock the door, and don’t come out unless I tell you to. Go. Now!” She pushed him into the hallway, waiting until she heard the lock click.

More pounding came from the door. If Manello was out there, she’d—

What? She needed a weapon.

In the kitchen, she grabbed the biggest knife she could find and gripped it tightly, raising it over her shoulder. The pounding continued.

“Marlie! Open the door! It’s Evan.”

“Oh God.” She dropped the knife and flinched again when it whacked on the kitchen tile.

She raced to the door, twisted the deadbolt, and flung open the door. Vaguely, she registered Blue and two other men flanking Evan, both of them nearly as big as he was. Behind them stood two uniformed officers. She threw herself against Evan, wrapping her arms around his back.

He held her tightly. “Are you okay?” he asked.

With her head pressed firmly to his rock-solid chest, she nodded, taking a deep breath that smelled of him. Woodsy and spicy, clean and fresh. “Yes.” Now that he was here.

His chest expanded, and warm breath blew against the side of her face. “I’ve got you.” He dropped a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

Marlie nearly sighed out loud at how good it felt and wondered what his lips would feel like on hers, and how he’d taste if she opened her mouth to his. If only this was another place and another time. If only she hadn’t been so adamant about getting Noah set up for school.

I’m a terrible person, totally unfit to be Noah’s legal guardian.

He pulled away enough to look down at her. “Where’s Noah?”

Blue trotted in and went right to Noah’s bedroom door. The two men standing beside Evan exchanged looks of relief and something else she couldn’t decipher. Curiosity?

“You need us?” one of the cops asked.

“We’re good,” Evan said. “Thanks.”