Protecting Lulu (Global Protection Agency) (14 page)

The
door opened and Dr. Burns entered, the nurse following him pushing a tray with
instruments, Band-Aids and antiseptic on it.

Lulu
brushed away her tears and turned to face the doctor, resolve on her face. “How
is Maria?”

“She’s
going to need more medical care. I’ve spoken to her husband and he’s on his way
to pick her up. I’ve given her a sedative and she’s sleeping.”

“Then
you call the best specialist for her. I don’t care about the cost. Maria is a
loyal viewer and I want to make sure she’s taken care of.”

He
remembered the woman watching Lulu with adoration in her face. “I doubt she’ll
sue.”

“I
will still make sure all the legal ramifications are taken care of,” Lulu said
firmly. “And I’ll send flowers.”

“I
have to make a phone call,” Noah told Lulu.

She
nodded absently as the doctor gently started probing the wound on her face.

 Harrison
paced back and forth outside the room. “Are you taking her out of the city?” Harrison
asked when Noah closed the door behind him.

 “She
won’t go,” Noah said. “We’re going to need the security footage. I need you to
talk to Wilder about getting new ID badges for everyone and the Geek needs to
tighten up security. We have a leak in here the size of Hoover Dam. We need to
call in some extra personal. I’m not letting anything happen to her.”

Harrison
nodded. “We’re on it.”

“She’s
filming tomorrow in Studio 2. I want extra security for the show. No one goes
in or out without us checking who they are. ”

“Do
you think she would let us do a pat down of the audience?” Harrison typed into
his tablet.

“I
doubt that.”

“Are
you okay?” Harrison asked.

For
a second, Noah had to think about that. “I’m fine.”

Harrison
patted him on the shoulder. “You keep telling yourself that.”

Noah
could feel the adrenaline rush receding. He slumped against the wall and ran a
hand across his face.

The
door opened and Lulu stalked out. “Come on. Let’s go.”

“Go
where?” Noah asked, pushing away from the wall.

“Marshal
the troops. I need a little retail therapy.”

“What
about your meetings?”

“I’m
easy to please and people know what I like. No one is going to disappoint me. I
know that it sounds a little egotistical, but most people like to please me.”

Noah
had never been to Bergdorf’s. The minute he set foot in the door, he thought
,
I’d rather be back in Iraq.

People
turned to look at her and he saw recognition in their faces. A couple looked
like they wanted to approach Lulu, but one look at Gideon and the gun bulge
under his arm stopped them.

A
lush, full-figured woman stood just inside the door, almost as tall as Lulu in
her red stiletto heels and wearing a black suit with a red scarf draped around
her neck. “Lulu, darling.”

“Valentina,”
Lulu said. She turned to Noah. “My personal shopper,” she said in an undertone.
“I’m assuming you’ve already checked her out.”

 “She
checks out,” Noah replied. He studied the woman’s stilettos. What was it with
women and their shoes?

Gideon
murmured. “Nice legs.”

Lulu
air-kissed Valentina, “You look absolutely delish.”

Valentina
ran a hand down her hip, “Lulu Wear from head to toe.”

“Fabulous.”

“Thank
you.” Valentina linked arms with Lulu and drew her toward the elevator. “Define
sensible shoes, Lulu.”

“No
stilts,” Noah said.

Valentina
gave him a scorching look. She glanced back at Lulu. “I did the best I could.”

They
exited the elevator and Valentina ushered Lulu into a private dressing room
with several stacks of shoe boxes.

The
room was pale peach and made Noah feel claustrophobic. On a table next to a
comfortable over-sized chair was a plate of fancy looking chocolate candies, a
flute and a bottle of champagne in a cooler surrounded by ice.

Noah
squatted in front of the stacks of boxes and started opening them revealing
high-heeled shoes. “No.” He tossed the box aside. “No. No. No. These are still
high.”

“What
is wrong with this man, Lulu? You said sensible and I figured three inch heels
are sensible enough.”

Noah
stood and took the woman aside to explain what he wanted.

“Oh,
my God,” Lulu said suddenly. “Oh, my God.”

Noah
whirled around and found Lulu holding a pair of shoes, lust so evident on her
face he was taken aback.

Lulu
caressed the shoe. They were mauve suede with an ankle strap that buckled with
a rose on the top. They felt so right in her hand. The heels were a stunning
six inches with thorns on them. Her heart raced and she knew she would feel
like a sex goddess in those shoes. Her feet would look beautiful. Her legs would
look beautiful. She sighed, knowing if she bought these shoes, she’d wear them
and Noah would be annoyed and start scolding her all over again.

Valentina
smiled. “I knew you would love them. They’re from Yves Saint Laurent’s new spring
line. Aren’t they beautiful?”

“Oh
hell, no.” Noah grabbed the shoes out of her hand.

Lulu
wanted to put them on and walk out of the store even though her feet would
freeze. Her thoughts wrapped around the shoes, but the memory of the light bar
crashing down came back to her. Fear resurfaced and she tried not to shiver.

She
handed the shoes back to Valentina. “I love them. Hold them for me. I promise
I’ll come back and buy them in a week or two.”

Valentina’s
mouth dropped open. “But Lulu—”

She
held up a hand. She had to be strong. “No. Not today. I need sensible shoes,”
she tried to sound confident, but inside she thought her heart would break. She
so wanted those shoes, but she knew she just couldn’t buy them.

Valentina
shook her head and reluctantly took the shoes from Noah and put them back in
the box. She disappeared out the door, snapping her fingers at her assistant
and telling them what she wanted.

Sensible
shoes equal life
,
Lulu chanted to herself while she waited.
Sensible shoes equal life.

“Lulu,”
Noah said.

She
took a deep breath. She really couldn’t get those shoes. She couldn’t remember
the last time she couldn’t get what she wanted. Honestly, she felt like crying.
“I need to be alone right now,” she said.

 Noah
didn’t move and Lulu glared at him. “I told you I wanted to be alone.”

“Until
this over, someone is always going to be with you.”

She
frowned at him.

“What
was it about those shoes that turned you on? They cost a $1,000.”

“All
right. I’m a shoe-aholic. I love them. I adore them. They make me feel
beautiful. Not just that, but powerful and in control.”

“You
don’t need shoes to make you look better.”

She
thought about her modeling days. “You silly man. Every time I make a top ten
best dressed list it’s a victory for all the big girls. It’s proof that size
zero isn’t the only way a woman can be thought of as beautiful. Shoes give me
confidence to go out there and flaunt that. That’s why how I look is important
to me.”

“You
put a lot of pressure on yourself,” Noah said gently. “You don’t have to be in
the public eye.”

Yes
she did. She loved the spotlight. “We’ll talk about celebrity some other time.”

Valentina
returned with her assistant carrying a stack of boxes. She set the boxes on the
table and Noah opened the top box and smiled. “Much better.”

Lulu
gazed at the leopard patterned shoes with the stocky, sensible heels. She
wanted to like them. They were fashionable in their own right. The label on the
side of the box said Christian Louboutin. She felt no enthusiasm for the shoes.
She sighed. “I’ll take a pair in every color.”

“I
have these.” Valentina showed Lulu a pair of peep-toed pumps.

“Those
too,” Lulu said with no enthusiasm.

“I
think this is the worst shopping trip ever,” Valentina poked out her bottom lip.

“I
know.” Lulu took out the black pumps and handed the empty box to Valentina.

Valentina
picked up the box with the leopard print shoes. “I’ll have all the shoes
delivered to your home in an hour.”

“Thank
you.” Lulu slipped on the black peep-toed shoes and gazed sadly at her
stilettos. She kept telling herself that she had a choice between running and
dying. She tried to be confident, but for the first time since the threats had
started Lulu knew she needed to take this more seriously now.

Suddenly,
Lulu was angry. Whoever was threatening her was hurting innocent people. She
had to stop whoever it was before someone else was hurt. If that meant wearing
sensible shoes, then she would do so. She stood and took an experimental step. She
sighed and turned to look at Noah.

Noah
simply watched her. His presence was oddly comforting. “Thank you.” Noah
offered her his hand.

She
took it and walked out of the dressing room, her head held high.

Noah
and Ian stood in the foyer. Noah tugged at his tie. Ian stood next to him
hogging the mirror. Noah wanted to punch him. He looked too handsome, too
debonair in a James Bond kind of way. Noah had never really paid any attention
to Ian’s handsomeness and for some reason he was irritated.

Noah
turned away from the mirror and watched the hallway where a parade of people
walked down the stairs. He recognized Lulu’s stylist and hair person wondering
how many people it took to get a woman ready for something as simple as a film premiere.

Last
in line came Lulu wearing a peacock blue gown with lace inserts at the waist
that sparkled with rhinestones. She looked...delectable. She wore a green silk
wrap that matched the shoes she carried in one hand and a small green purse
clutched in the other. On her feet she wore the plain black shoes she’d
purchased that afternoon. Noah approved of the shoes and stared pointedly at
the second pair in her hand. She ignored him.

Ian
stepped forward an admiring look on his face. “Bloody hell, that woman is to
die for.”

Gideon
came out of the living room and stared at Lulu. “So right.”

Noah
couldn’t help thinking how unprofessional Gideon and Ian were. But then again,
he was the one who’d been kissing on her and right now her lips looked thoroughly
kissable.

 “Yes,
you are,” Ian said.

She
handed her shoes to Noah. “I can’t wear these shoes to a premier, there are
cameras there.”

“Thanks,”
Noah said a sarcastic edge to his voice.

“You
are more than welcome,” Lulu said in a sugary sweet voice. She turned to her
crew. “Thank you, everyone, I appreciate all your hard work at making me look
glamorous.” The stylist, the makeup artist and the hair dresser wished her a
good time and departed, a rush of cold air swirling through the foyer as they
opened the door.

She’d
look glamorous in a plain white t-shirt, Noah thought. She pushed Noah away
from the mirror and stared critically at herself. She took off the wrap. “This
necklace,” she said, “is just too much.”

Noah’s
mouth dropped open at the sight of her cleavage. The dress barely covered her
breasts. He stole a sideways glance at Ian and Gideon. Ian looked shell shocked
and Gideon’s eyes were glassy.

“You’re
right,” Aiden said, stepping forward. “Who’s going to pay attention to some rocks
when the girls come out to play?”

Lulu
snickered and then took the diamond choker off dropping it on the table in
front of the mirror. She gave herself one last pat and turned to Ian. “I think
I’m ready now.”

“Yes,
you are,” Ian said, his eyes never leaving her cleavage.

“Thank
you,” she said then blew him a kiss.

Noah
was close to smacking Ian upside the head. He didn’t want him ogling her. Noah
had to admit in that dress it was impossible not to.

Gideon
grinned at Noah. “This is the best job ever.”

Noah
wanted to punch them both. “Let’s go.” He tapped his wrist watch. “We’re
running late.”

Aiden
helped Lulu back into her wrap.

Once
in the limo, Lulu sat in the back, chatting. “Can you imagine? Angelina and
Brad are coming! They are such nice people. Brad was so generous with his
advice and time. Martin Scorsese. Who would have thought he’d decide to come. I’m
just so excited. I didn’t think my first little film would generate so much
buzz.”

“What
about your TV shows?” Gideon said, “I’ve been watching
Interludes
for a
couple years now.”

“Well
thank you, Gideon,” Lulu said sweetly. “I never thought
Interludes
would
be something you’d watch.”