Lusting (Carnal Sins Of Noah Trilogy #1) (19 page)

A hollow-souled demon, thrown into the vast darkness of purgatory
.

A purgatory I flung myself in when I committed one of the most deadly of sins
.

When I killed my own mother
.

There’s no saving me now, I’m way beyond redemption
.

Chapter Sixteen

I
t was Friday; two weeks had passed since Alexis had last seen Noah Kane. She hadn't heard anything from him. The days had been dark, dreary, and almost unbearable. But Ryan and Cadence were thoroughly helpful. Too helpful for her liking. They had cooked, cleaned and taken her out almost every day, when she just wanted to stay home and drown in her sorrows. But no, they refused to allow her to wallow in self-pity.

Alexis had told Ryan what happened and at first he was pissed, then he got over it. He said, 'shit happens', poured them both a drink, and they downed it as they reminisced about fun times.

Alexis needed that.

Cadence had told Alexis, that Harper told her, that Noah shut himself away from the world; that he didn’t even come to Eden anymore. Alexis shrugged and told her that she didn't
care. That she didn't want to know about Noah. And she’d meant it.

At Blissful Me Spa, everything was going great. Katie had been Alexis’s lifeline. She'd kept up on schedules, meetings, and even managed to land them a top tier marketing agent.

Everything was going well.

Well not everything, but I won't go there today
.

She hadn’t cried since that day and she didn’t want to begin now. Alexis started out feeling sorry for herself, then numbness set in and finally anger. She was angry with him. Not because they only spent one day together. That was understood.

She was angry with him for believing that he didn't deserve affection...to be cared for, to be loved.

But she was mostly angry at him for giving up on himself.

Alexis paced the length of her living room, fighting with herself to text him, to call him. Just to see if he was okay. She was still angry, but she wanted to...needed to know that he was okay. She pulled out her phone and started to text him when she heard a knock on the door.

Her heart stuttered. Was it him? It couldn’t be Ryan, he was at work. Cadence was in New York for the weekend with Harper.

Alexis looked through the peep-hole and saw a delivery man.

Her heart fell to the floor once more.

Of course it's not him
.

She opened the door.

"Ms. Monroe?"

Alexis nodded as she stared at the flower in his hand,

"Yes."

"Here you are Ma'am. Someone really cares for you." He said with a smile, as he handed her a beautiful bouquet of peach pink flowers in a sparkling crystal vase.

They were beautiful. She gently touched the petals and sniffed them; they smelled heavenly.

Alexis thanked the delivery guy and closed the door with a smile. Placing the flowers in the middle of her table, she noticed a card tucked in between with a chocolate kiss and reached for it. Chocolate was her weakness.

She opened the chocolate and popped it into her mouth as she read the card.

It's from Noah!
Her heart does a tumble, somersault and backflip.

He wanted her to forgive him...to meet him.

She was ecstatic, thrilled...pissed!

How dare he summon me!

She knew her anger was irrational and infantile, but damn it, she was not going to see him when he wanted to see her. She was not at his beck and call!

Glancing at the time, it was 9:30 p.m.

He should be home.

Alexis pocketed the card, grabbed the flowers, her purse and keys.

He's about to get a rude awakening!

She settled the flowers snugly in the passenger seat and drove to Noah's.

When she pulled up to the gate, she wondered how the hell she was supposed to get in unannounced. Then she saw Mack and waved to him. He waved back and came forward.

"Ms. Monroe." His stoic face a mixture of surprise, dread and what....relief?

"Alexis, remember Mack?" She chided with a half-smile.

His eyes crinkled in the corner. She had never noticed how gray they were, before now. She’d always seen him during the night and never really looked at him, until now. He looked close to her dad's age. And was very fit. Alexis wondered if he was prior military.

"Ms. Alexis. How can I help you? Is everything ok?" He inquired.

She sighed, "Mack, I need to speak with Noah. Will you let me in?"

The big, tall, muscle man squirmed and looked downright uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry Ms. Monroe, he's not meeting with anyone today. He's um...not in the proper mindset. I can tell him you came by."

Her eye's narrowed on Mack and he flinched.
What does he mean by ‘not in the proper mindset’?

Was he with another woman? After he sent her flowers? What gives?

"Mack." Alexis said softly, but her tone was underlined with steel, "Open the gate, please."

He looked behind him and then back at her and muttered, "I could lose my job for this, ma'am. But, I'm glad you're here. Someone needs to do something."

He motioned to two others who were standing guard and the gate opened slowly.

“Thank you.”

Alexis smiled impishly at Mack and then drove through the entrance. One of the other guards came around to open her door when she parked. Alexis grabbed the flowers and got out.

"Thank you." She mouthed.

"Ma'am." He nodded.

Mack caught up and rushed forward to open the door. As soon as she stepped inside, she was overpowered with loud music wafting through the hallway.

He was playing hardcore rock music. Definitely not something a sane Noah would do.

Her shocked expression met Mack's grim one.

What in the hell...?

Alexis walked into the living room and the scene that met her eyes, was one she'd never forget.

Noah was on top of his coffee table in his black Armani boxer briefs and a black silk robe, rocking out, using a liquor bottle as a microphone, singing at the top of his lungs, a guitar swinging at his hips.

It would've been funny if it weren't for the group of women hanging onto him, dancing, singing and drinking along with him.
The only female he let in his home my ass!

A blinding rage filled Alexis as she watched the show in front of her. She was feeling hot, sweaty and dizzy. Taking deep breaths, she calmly walked to the kitchen counter, sat the flowers down and then picked the remote up off the floor, where the group was too busy to notice her...until she cut the music off.

Then they all saw her. But, Alexis was only staring at Noah, who whipped around meeting her angry gaze, in shock.

Yes, shock was a great word to describe the look on his face and then it turned devilish.

"Well, well, well, Ms. Monroe. Couldn't stay away from the devil's lair?" He smirked, eye's devouring her from the top of her head to the edge of her toes.

He jumped down and landed unsteadily, before walking toward her.

He’s drunk!

Alexis stared him down then looked at the women who were pouting. "Leave." Her voice hard, jagged and cold, like a slice of ice off a glacier.

They looked like they were about to argue when Mack came forward, "Come ladies, I'll drive you home."

Alexis turned, swaying slightly, her throat tightening, lungs gasping for air, "Can you have…someone else do that Mack, I...may need you to drive...to the hospital."

His alarm was apparent, "I can't allow you to hurt him, Ms. Monroe. Please don't make..."

And then Alexis fell into a dark abyss.

Chapter Seventeen

N
oah’s eyes lit up when he saw her and then his mouth soured. She looked like she'd seen a ghost; pale, pupils dilated and breathing fast. Too fast. She was pissed when she told the girls to leave. He didn't care, he didn't really want them there anyway, so he let her throw her tantrum and send his company away. Noah liked this bossy Alexis. She could boss him around like that in the bed.

Wait...what's she telling Mack?

Before Noah could clear his head to understand, he watched in slow motion, as she fell forward.

Alexis!

But his arms and legs didn't react to his brain, telling them to run and catch her.

No!

Then Mack was there, he caught her, held her, felt for a pulse.

Everything happened so fast.

Mack shouted for the other guards; told them to take the other girls home and then turned to Noah.

"Sir, we need to take her to the hospital. Now! Her pulse is very weak."

Noah nodded, sobering up in a heartbeat, "Let me hold her."

Mack shook his head, "No sir, you've had too much to drink, you might drop her. We need to act fast." And he turned to rush to the front door before Noah could argue.

I should fire his ass
.

But Noah didn’t argue because Alexis needed him. He would do anything for her.

Noah looked at Alexis, her head in his lap. He felt for a pulse, for the umpteen millionth time, as Mack sped to the hospital.

It's still there
.

"Hang in there Alexis." He whispered to her. And for the first time in his life, he said a prayer and meant every word.

Please God, let her be okay
. They reached the hospital and she was immediately taken to the emergency room, leaving Mack and Noah watching after her.

Dread settled in the pit of Noah’s stomach, gnawing on his insides.

This is my fault! Please let me see her again
.

"Sir?" A doctor pulled Noah’s attention from the double
doors Alexis was rolled through.

"Yes?"

"May we get some information about the patient?"

Noah nodded. He told the doctor who he was and they went over all of Alexis's personal information. He text Harper so he could tell Cadence. And she could call Alexis’s father and sister, to let them know what’s going on...just in case. But he wouldn’t think about that. He couldn’t. The doctor asked if he knew of any allergies that Alexis may have. Of course he knew! Noah knew everything about her, down to her favorite nail polish; which was Marc Jacobs Jezebel. He’d spent the last two weeks obsessing about her. He knew where she went, who she went with and even what she ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He was her personal stalker. And she never knew. Only Mack knew. Noah looked over to Mack and found him talking to a nurse in a rather cozy manner. She looked over at Noah and nodded. Then Mack came back and sat next to him in the waiting room.

"What was that about?" Noah asked him.

He didn't look at Noah, "I've requested a favor sir."

Noah narrowed his eyes. Mack was being a dick. Again. Mack had been on Noah’s case for the last two weeks! But Noah didn't pay him to be insolent. If he wasn't partial to Mack, he would've fired his ass a long time ago. But, he was one of a kind and a great friend that Noah had come to depend on for honesty and loyalty. But still, Mack irked him, especially in the last two weeks.

"Careful, Mack." Noah voiced quietly.

"May I speak freely, sir?" Mack asked impatiently.