Mine to Hold (Mine 3)

Two New York detectives had joined the little party. One of the guys was named Sean Fuller, and the other guy, well, he hadn’t volunteered his name.

“So…” Gwen pulled out the chair across from him. She was obviously the leader of the party. “Why don’t we cut through the bull?”

He was seated at a wobbly little table in an interrogation room. They’d put a cup of coffee in front of him. The air blew overhead in a too-cold stream.

He smiled at her. “What do you want to know?”

His smile seemed to make her hesitate. She probably expected him to be nervous. Bring the tycoon downtown, throw him in interrogation, make him crack. Yes, he was sure that had been the general plan.

That plan was screwed.

“I want to know…would you kill for Claire Kramer?”

“Yes.”

Gwen blinked.

“But have I killed for her?” He shrugged. “Not yet.”

Gwen and Lane shared a long look. “So you’re planning to kill?” Gwen asked carefully.

“I’m planning to keep Claire safe. Someone planted a bomb at one of my hotels recently. I’m sure you’re aware of that.” The news had been flashed in a constant stream on TV. “I won’t just stand by while someone tries to hurt my fiancée.”

Noah figured he had about ten more minutes before his lawyer burst in, so he’d keep playing this game a bit longer.

“Tell us about your visit to Senator Harrison’s hotel room in D.C.,” Gwen directed.

Sighing, Noah leaned forward. “The guy was being a total dick. Seemed to me like he was borderline insane. That insanity must run in the Harrison family.”

Lane grunted.

The two New York detectives just frowned. Ah, are you two holding back because you just want me to be pissed at your D.C. counterparts? Worried I’ll come after you? Because the New York cops did look nervous as they glanced his way. One of the guys had even started to sweat.

Noah stretched and took his time answering. “I wanted to deliver a personal message to Colby Harrison. The senator needed to realize that he wouldn’t be able to threaten or harass Claire ever again.”

Gwen’s eyebrows arched. “And had he been harassing her?”

“Yes.” He kept his hands flat on the table. “That’s where Sloan Hall came in. The Harrisons hired him to keep watch on Claire. For years, they’ve been stalking her.”

“Bet that pissed you off,” Lane tossed out. “Knowing they were trying to hurt your lady.”

Pissed didn’t begin to cover the way he felt.

“So I guess it’s no wonder you shot the senator and Sloan Hall,” Lane continued as he rubbed his chin. “You wanted to make sure they didn’t hurt her again.”

Gwen’s fingers tapped on the table. “I don’t understand…”

Noah waited for her to continue.

“When did you meet Claire Kramer?”

“A few months ago, in Chicago.”

“And what? It was love at first sight?” Her words mocked the idea. “I don’t see that happening for a guy like you.”

He smiled at her again. “Maybe I’m the romantic sort.”

“I think you’re the intense sort. You’re also the sort who goes from woman to woman, night after night.”

His reputation sure seemed to get around. Had the lady been talking to Drake? “Not anymore.”

“Right…not anymore…not since Claire.” She tilted her head to the right and a line appeared between her brows. “What is it about her? Why the change for Ms. Kramer?”

“Claire’s a survivor. I admire that.”

“Because you’re a survivor, too?”

Ah, he should have seen that coming.

Gwen rifled through some files that waited on the table. “You survived your parents’ death, didn’t you? You were the only survivor when the boat sank.”

“Yes.”

“So you and Claire…it’s like to like?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Gwen gave a little frustrated growl. “Survivor to survivor. You both lost the ones closest to you, and you had to keep going.”

That door was going to open any second but he’d humor the lady a bit longer. “I’m with Claire because she’s what I need.” After so many years of going through the motions of life, she actually made him feel alive. She made him want to start thinking about a future.

“And are you what Claire needs? Someone who is willing to…kill for her?”

“Didn’t she have that before?” Lane questioned, the words rapping out.

Noah’s gaze cut to his. “You don’t want to go there with me.”

Now it was Lane’s turn to smile. “Don’t I? There were lots of stories circulating about Claire Kramer. Her parents were too strict, and they didn’t want her seeing her lover, so she decided to just get rid of them. She slipped away, giving herself the perfect alibi, and she got her lover to come and—”

Noah started laughing. “There went your badge.”

Lane’s smile vanished.

“You should be careful what you say about Claire,” Noah continued. His voice had dropped to a lethal softness. “I have a very long memory, and I don’t forgive easily.”

Lane’s eyes turned to slits. “You threatening me?”

“I get that you want to ask your questions. Nailing me for these murders would probably make all your damn careers, but it’s not going to happen.” Noah rose. “And if you keep screwing with me, you will find yourself without any career.”

The door opened. Only his lawyer didn’t stand there. Claire did. Her eyes were big, haunted, and her face was far too pale. Trace was right beside her. The guy’s lip was bleeding, and he had scratches on the side of his face. What. The. Hell?

“Noah didn’t do it,” Claire announced. “He didn’t kill Sloan Hall.” Her words tumbled together because she was speaking so quickly. “Ethan Harrison did.”

Chapter Thirteen

“You think I’m crazy, don’t you?” Claire asked as she turned to face Gwen Laszlo. The detective had taken Claire back to York Towers, and they were just entering the suite that Claire shared with Noah.

“I think you’re under a lot of stress.” Gwen pushed back her shoulders, and Claire saw the gun holster on the detective’s side. “I was there when the patrol car exploded. You can trust me on this. Ethan Harrison is in hell right now.”

The cops had sent a team to search the streets near York Towers. They’d searched for several hours. Turned up nothing. Claire had been the only one to see Ethan. Even Trace hadn’t noticed the guy.

Noah was downstairs in the lobby. The cops had finally let him go, and Claire needed him to hurry up there so they could talk. He’ll believe me this time.

“You came up here because you wanted to question me,” Claire said wearily as she shoved back her hair. “We both know that’s your plan.”