“I know.” He pulled her in and kissed her gently.
“Well, isn’t this nice?” The deep voice sounded from behind them, and Harley turned while he pulled Norah behind him. “Boss is going to be so happy to see you, Norah.”
“Carl,” she muttered.
“Nice to see you again, sweetheart! Maybe now we can finish what we were going to start before that whole charity banquet incident.”
“Oh, you mean when you hit on me?
Answer’s still no.”
Carl laughed. “You have some backbone now, I see!” He reached for her, and Harley pulled out his gun.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Carl, warned and then nodded to the other two men who surrounded them. “Don’t want to have to kill you before the boss gets to talk with you. Now drop it.”
Harley did as he was told, and Carl picked up the weapon. “Now let’s go and have a chat, shall we?”
* * *
NORAH TRIED HER best not to shake. She really tried to put on a brave face, but seeing Clayton again sent fear straight to her bones.
He looked the same as before. His dark hair slicked back and his brown eyes trained sternly on hers. He still had that same scar just below his left eye from a fencing accident—or so she had been told. Still, he seemed so different to her. So much more menacing than he had. She supposed that was because she now knew what he was capable of.
“Norah darling!” he said cheerfully, and pulled her against him for a loud kiss. She pushed away and he laughed. “Can’t say you’ve ever done that before. Normally you beg for more.”
“What the fuck do you want?” Harley said aggressively, and moved towards Norah. Carl put his big hand on Harley’s arm, but released it when Clayton nodded at him.
“My fiancée home safe and sound, of course! And my bracelet. Did you bring it, darling?” he asked as he stroked a finger down her cheek.
“No.” She felt the sting from his hand as it slapped across her cheek.
“Don’t you fucking touch her!” Harley yelled, and then grunted when Carl slammed his brawny fist into his gut.
“No!” Norah yelled, and reached for Harley.
“I’m not done with you.” Clayton grabbed her by the arm. “Here’s the deal, Norah. Get me the bracelet and I’ll let you both go.”
“No, he won’t,” Harley grunted. “Don’t agree to it.”
“I will. I don’t give a shit about either of you. All I want is my bracelet.”
“We just have to bring you the bracelet, that’s it? Then you’ll let us go?”
“You have to bring me the bracelet. I’m going to keep the good ex-cop here as collateral. If you tell anyone about the agreement, or if you don’t return, I’m going to put a bullet in his head.”
“Norah, listen to me. He is lying,” Harley pleaded. Clayton lifted a gun and pointed it at Harley.
“NO! Don’t hurt him. I’ll get it, and I won’t tell anyone, I swear!” Norah said as fresh panic set in.
“Sounds like we have a deal. Carl will drive you.”
“No.”
“No?”
“I will go alone. I will come back tonight. But I don’t want Carl or anyone else driving me.”
Clayton laughed. “Fine. Walk.” He motioned to Carl, who dragged Harley from the room. “Don’t make me kill him, Norah. If he dies, it’ll be on you.”
* * *
“YOU’RE A REAL piece of work, you know that?” Harley taunted Clayton as Carl chained him to a floor-to-ceiling pole in the basement.
“I am quite amazing, aren’t I? I suppose that’s why Norah wants to marry me.”
“She wants nothing to do with you.”
“Then why is it that she used to beg for me to fuck her, Harley? Every day since the day I have known her.”
Harley laughed in his face.
“You don’t believe me?” Clayton said in mock shock.
“Not a damn word.”
“Well, maybe I’ll let you watch after we’re married. Perhaps I’ll keep you alive that long.”
“You won’t fucking touch her or I swear I will tear you apart.”
“I think somebody is jealous, Carl. Wouldn’t you say so?”
“I would, boss. Sounds like he wants your fiancée.”
Harley ignored them. He didn’t want to give Clayton anything else against Norah, and he was pretty sure the bastard already suspected something. Otherwise he wouldn’t have been taunting him the way he was.
“You had better hope she comes back,” Carl muttered as he and Clayton left the basement.
Actually, Harley prayed she didn’t. He hoped she went to Gerry and Marissa and they got as far away as fucking possible.
* * *
“HEY NORAH,” GERRY said when she entered the safe house.
“Hi. I need my bracelet. We are meeting with Zach in a bit and he wants to see it,” she lied. She trusted them, but couldn’t risk Clayton finding out she had told anyone. She wouldn’t let anything happen to Harley.
“Oh, sure. I didn’t remember Harley saying anything about it.” He stood and went to the small safe.
“Last-minute change in plans. He’s waiting for him at the diner.”
“You came here alone?”
“In case you’ve forgotten, Gerry, I’ve been on my own for quite some time.”
“Look, Norah—”
“No, I’m sorry, Gerry, that was rude.” She sighed and took the bracelet as he handed it to her. “I understand why you didn’t tell me. I know it must have been difficult to know I existed but feeling as if you couldn’t talk to me,” she said gently. If she didn’t get another chance to tell him, she wanted to make sure he knew. “I forgive you, and I look forward to getting to know you.”
Gerry beamed at her. “Thank you, Norah. I would love that.”
She kissed him on the cheek. “We will be back in a bit.”
Norah walked out into the cold night air with her bracelet in hand. She walked quickly, and took a different route so Gerry and Marissa wouldn’t be able to find her if they realized something was up. She needed to get back to Harley as quickly as possible, and it had already been two hours since she had left him. She saw a cab dropping someone off and rushed to the door. “Corner of Lincoln and Seventh,” she said, and shut the door.
“You got it, miss,” the man said as he pulled away from the curb. “So, how’s your evening going?” he asked conversationally.
“Fine, thanks.”
“Crazy weather, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but I have a terrible headache starting and I’m headed home to get my meds now. Can we please drive in silence?”
“Sure, hope you feel better soon,” he said, but she knew he didn’t believe her.
“I’m sorry,” she said again. “I promise I’m not trying to be rude. Normally I love to chat.” She offered him a smile in the rearview.
He smiled softly back and nodded. “I understand.”
They drove in silence, and when he pulled off to the curb, she offered him the twenty she had in her pocket.
“It’s only—”
“Keep the change.” She smiled and walked quickly towards Clayton’s.
“Look who’s back!” Carl exclaimed as he met her at the door.
“I want to see Harley.”
“All right. You could be a little friendlier, you know.”