Chapter 2 - The Birthday Night He Came to Her Door
The next morning began like every other morning, which was exactly what made Noel suspicious.
Nothing was wrong.
Nothing looked wrong.
The subway was crowded. The wind was sharp. The coffee machine on the fourteenth floor made a noise like it was dying. Derek from accounting complained about the printer.
Nobody mentioned her birthday.
Nobody ever did.
Noel told herself that was fine.
She had never expected birthday flowers from Emmet Sartori.
She hadn't expected anything from him.
But at ten seventeen, her phone buzzed.
UNKNOWN NUMBER:
Don't come home tonight.
Her fingers went cold.
A second message followed.
UNKNOWN NUMBER:
Take Sadie and leave the city.
Noel stared at the screen.
Then it vanished.
Deleted automatically.
She looked around the office.
Nobody was watching.
"Miss Vance."
She nearly dropped the phone.
Emmet stood behind her.
She hadn't heard him approach.
He was dressed in a charcoal suit, no tie, his expression unreadable.
She immediately stood.
"Sir."
"Come upstairs."
Her stomach tightened.
"Have I done something wrong?"
"No."
That single word was so unusual that she almost believed it.
He turned.
She followed.
The elevator doors closed.
Neither of them spoke.
For three years Noel had learned the art of silence around Emmet Sartori.
Today the silence felt different.
He pressed the button for the top floor.
Then, without looking at her, he said, "Does anyone know where you live?"
"My landlord."
"Anyone at work?"
"No."
"Your family?"
"I don't have family."
He glanced at her.
"Sadie?"
"My sister, yes."
"Does she know your schedule?"
"She's eight."
"I know."
Noel stared at him.
"What is this?"
He didn't answer.
When the elevator opened, he walked into the office.
His desk was almost completely empty except for a black leather folder and a framed photograph turned face down.
"Sit."
She sat.
He remained standing.
"You're taking the afternoon off."
She blinked.
"What?"
"You're taking the afternoon off."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
Something inside her finally snapped.
For three years she had swallowed every sharp question, every unexplained summons, every humiliation.
Today she was tired.
"Twelve minutes ago," she said, "someone texted me not to go home tonight."
Emmet froze.
Noel pulled out her phone.
"I didn't know who to tell."
"Show me."
She handed him the phone.
He read the messages.
His expression became terrifyingly calm.
"Did you tell anyone?"
"No."
"Good."
"Good?"
He looked at her.
Then came the sentence Noel had never imagined hearing from him.
"You're in danger."
Her mouth went dry.
"Because of you?"
"Because of something connected to me."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because if you knew, you'd ask questions."
"I am asking questions."
"I know."
For the first time in three years, Emmet pulled out a chair and sat directly across from her.
"You are not going home tonight."
"I can't leave Sadie."
"We're not leaving her."
"Who are we?"
He stared at her.
Then he said, "Me."
Noel didn't breathe.
"What?"
"You're coming with me."
She stood abruptly.
"No."
His eyes narrowed.
"No?"
"No. Whatever this is, I am not being dragged into some private problem of yours."
"It stopped being private last night."
"Then call the police."
"I don't use police."
"Of course you don't."
The sarcasm landed.
Something flickered in his eyes.
Then his phone rang.
Luca.
Emmet answered.
"Tell me."
Luca spoke quickly.
Emmet listened.
The color drained from his face.
"What happened?"
Noel stood frozen.
Emmet ended the call.
"Your apartment has been compromised."
She felt like the floor had moved.
"Sadie?"
"Safe."
"Where?"
"Mrs. Puit took her to school this morning."
Noel grabbed her purse.
"I'm going."
Emmet stood.
"No."
"She's my sister."
"Exactly."
"Move."
He caught her wrist.
Not hard.
Just enough to stop her.
She looked down at his hand.
He released her immediately.
His voice was quieter when he spoke.
"If you walk out of this building alone, I may not be able to keep both of you alive."
Noel stared at him.
"Why?"
He didn't answer.
"Why do you care?"
His jaw tightened.
"Because I do."
The words were so quiet she almost missed them.
Before she could ask anything else, the elevator doors opened.
Luca stepped out.
"Boss."
Emmet turned.
"What?"
"We found the first team."
"Where?"
"Across the street from her building."
"And?"
Luca looked toward Noel.
"Dead."
Noel went pale.
"Dead?"
Luca nodded.
"Someone got to them first."
Emmet closed his eyes for a second.
Then he looked at Noel.
"Come with me."
"Where?"
"Somewhere nobody can reach you."
She wanted to refuse.
Every instinct told her to refuse.
But then she thought about Sadie.
So she nodded.
The drive took forty minutes.
Noel sat in the back seat beside Emmet.
The city moved past the windows, gray and wet.
She kept looking at him.
He eventually noticed.
"What?"
"Did I really do something?"
"No."
"Then why?"
His eyes remained on the road.
"Because three years ago, someone stole something from my family."
"And?"
"And your name was the last one attached to it."
She stared at him.
"I don't understand."
"You will."
They arrived at a townhouse in Beacon Hill surrounded by enough security to make Noel's stomach turn.
She stepped inside.
Everything was immaculate.
And strangely warm.
A woman in her sixties approached.
"Miss Vance."
Noel stopped.
"How do you know my name?"
The woman smiled sadly.
"Because Mr. Sartori has spoken about you for longer than you would believe."
Noel turned toward Emmet.
He looked annoyed.
"Maria."
"Yes, sir."
"Please prepare the guest room."
Noel stared.
"Guest room?"
"You'll stay here."
"For how long?"
"Until this is over."
"And when will that be?"
Emmet walked past her.
"I don't know."
He stopped at the staircase.
Then turned back.
"It's my birthday tonight."
She blinked.
"I know."
He looked surprised.
"You know?"
"Someone at the office mentioned it last week."
Silence.
Noel didn't know why she suddenly felt sad.
Maybe because she realized she had remembered the birthday of a man who had barely looked at her for three years.
Emmet seemed to read something in her face.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I bought your birthday card three years ago."
He froze.
"What?"
"I never gave it to you."
"Why?"
"Because I thought you hated me."
Something broke behind his eyes.
Very quietly, he said, "I never hated you."
Before she could respond, his phone rang.
He stepped outside.
Noel turned toward the window.
She could see rain streaking the glass.
Then she saw the black car in the driveway.
The same kind that had been outside her apartment on her birthday.
Her heart began to race.
Emmet returned five minutes later.
His expression was different.
"Pack a bag."
"What?"
"We're leaving."
"Why?"
He looked at her.
"Because they know where I live now."
"And where are we going?"
He hesitated.
Then he said the one thing she never expected.
"My birthday dinner."
"You're still going to a dinner?"
"No."
He grabbed his coat.
"You're going."
She stared.
"With you?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
His gaze held hers.
"Because I want whoever is watching to believe you matter to me."
She swallowed.
"Do I?"
His face became painfully still.
"More than I should."
That was the moment Noel understood something had changed.
Not outside.
Inside him.
And perhaps inside her too.
That night, they entered a private dining room filled with flowers, crystal glasses, family members, and men who went silent the moment Emmet walked in.
Every eye turned toward Noel.
Emmet placed one hand at the small of her back.
She nearly flinched.
He leaned closer.
"Stay beside me."
"Why?"
"Because tonight, everyone needs to believe you're mine."
Her heart pounded.
"Are you pretending?"
His voice dropped.
"No."
Across the room, someone raised a gun.
Luca moved first.
So did Emmet.
He pulled Noel into his arms just as the first shot shattered the chandelier above them.
The room exploded into screams.
Noel clung to him.
And for one breathless second, with bullets cracking through glass, she heard him whisper against her hair.
"I should have told you three years ago."
May you like
Then another shot rang out.
And the lights went dark.
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