Noah shoved the bastard back. “You don’t touch her. You don’t even talk to her again, understand?”
Colby Harrison blinked as he stumbled back a bit more. His gaze was full of rage and hate. “You know what she did?” He shook his head then yelled, “She ruined my boy’s life! Twisted him! Made him—”
“From what I hear,” Noah’s voice was still low, but grating with fury. “Your Ethan was a twisted bastard all along. You knew that. Instead of getting him help, you just covered up for the asshole.” He closed in on Colby Harrison. Stood toe-to-toe with the guy. “I know who you are. The question is…do you know I am?”
The ex-senator frowned at him.
“Noah York,” the other guy whispered from behind Colby. “He owns this place. Now, boss, come on, we need to get out of here.”
Colby’s shouts had attracted too much attention. That just wouldn’t do. Not only because Noah just didn’t allow shit like this in his hotels but because—
Claire can’t be upset.
“If you don’t get the hell out of here in the next five seconds,” Noah told him, holding Colby’s stare, “then I’ll have my men throw you out.” He smiled and knew the sight would be grim. “Or maybe I’ll just do that part myself. Because I don’t give a shit how old you are or who you used to be. When I look at you, I just see garbage that needs to be tossed away.”
Colby sucked in a sharp breath. “She should’ve lost her freedom. Just like him!” He tried to crane his neck and see Claire. “She seduced him. Made him kill. That woman is evil!”
Noah was done. He grabbed the guy’s shoulders and pushed him toward the door.
“You can’t do this!” Colby yelled. “I’m a senator! I’ve got powerful friends in this town!”
Two members of the hotel security team rushed toward Noah. He didn’t let go of Colby. He wanted the pleasure of tossing the bastard into the street himself.
“Knew this would happen,” the younger man said as he hurried behind them. “Knew it…”
Noah didn’t stop until he was on the sidewalk in front of his hotel. He still had a tight grip on Colby’s shoulders. “I don’t care who your friends are. You come near Claire again, and no one will be able to save you.” He leaned in close because he wanted to make sure Colby understood exactly what he was saying. “You so much as look her way, and I’ll destroy you.”
Then he dropped his hold. Colby stared up at him, fear flickering in his gaze. Good. The guy had gotten the message.
“I’m, um, sorry,” the dark-haired fellow began.
Noah whirled on him. “Who are you?”
“Vincent Finch. I’m the senator’s…I’m his manager.”
What the hell ever. “Keep him away, Finch, or go down with him.”
Noah turned on his heel and marched back into the hotel. Claire stood just a few feet in front of the elevator, exactly where she’d been moments before. Her head was down. When he looked closely, he could see that she was trembling.
Screw this.
He didn’t want Claire cowering from anyone or anything. People in the lobby were whispering as they gazed at her. He was pretty sure he’d even caught sight of a reporter with a camera. Gossip and D.C.—the two were always locked together.
Noah didn’t hesitate. He stalked right up to her. “Claire.”
Her head snapped up. “I-I’m sorry—”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
Chapter Three
Shock froze Claire. Noah’s arms were around her, he had her pressed tightly to his body, and his mouth—
His mouth claimed hers.
Her lips had been parted when he kissed her. His tongue slipped inside her mouth. There was nothing hesitant about the way Noah kissed her. He just…took.
And ignited her.
Her hands rose. Curled around his shoulders. She should push him back. She should do something, anything but—
Pull him closer.
Kiss him back.
Fear and shame knotted within her, fighting with a tide of hot desire that caught her by surprise.
Noah’s hands were on her hips. Holding her so tightly and he was—
Pushing her into the elevator. Still kissing her, but guiding her movements.
She heard the elevator ding, and Claire pulled away from Noah. For a moment, she stared up at him, lost.
“Will that be all, sir?” The question came from the man standing near the elevator doors. He had his hand up and was holding the elevator open. Chuck Collins. Claire had met the hotel manager earlier. As she stared at him, Chuck cleared his throat and asked again, “Will that be all?”
Noah glanced over at him. “Not quite.” His words were low and lethal. “That asshole never comes into the hotel again.”
Chuck nodded. “Understood.” Then he dropped his hand and the elevator doors slid closed.
Claire was still in Noah’s arms. Still shocked and lost and aching in a way she shouldn’t be.
“You can…you can let me go,” Claire managed to say.
Noah shook his head. His eyes were on her mouth. “I knew one taste wouldn’t be enough.”
It wasn’t enough for her, either. Noah tasted good. Very good. Good like the kind of wine Claire had when she saved her money and splurged. Not that she’d done any splurging, not in the last year. Like the wine, he also made her a little drunk.
“Ask me to kiss you again, Claire.”
He wanted to keep kissing her? After what had just happened in that lobby?
“Let me go.” She pushed against his chest. The elevator was rising, and she didn’t even remember Noah hitting the button on the control panel. But she knew where they were headed.
The top floor, of course. What she was thinking of as his floor.
The faint lines around his eyes deepened, but Noah let her go.
Claire rubbed her arms, chilled without him. “He shouldn’t have been here. I’m so sorry—”
“Apologize again, and I swear, Claire, you’ll push me too far.”
Her breath caught.