Protecting Lulu (Global Protection Agency) (38 page)

She
touched his hand gently. “I have to go to the restroom for a minute. I’ll be
right back.”

“Let
me call E.J.”

“I
don’t know if I can wait. Look, there’s Bethany. If anything happens I’ll throw
her in front of the stalker. She barely weights anything and I’m stronger than
I look.”

“Lucinda,”
Noah started to object. He spoke into the tiny microphone on his collar calling
for E.J.

“Just
send her in when she gets here,” Lulu said heading for the restroom knowing she
was perfectly fine.

Aiden
stood near the bar, a glass of champagne in his hand, as he surveyed the room. He
kept one eye on the restroom where Mark had disappeared to take a phone call. He
thought about the last few weeks and how things had worked out. Lulu was in
love. Aiden was in love. The only bad part was someone trying to kill Lulu. Life
was almost perfect.

As
always, Lulu’s gala was a huge success. Every A-lister in New York was at the
ball. The paparazzi stood outside on the sidewalk waiting for the next
celebrity to arrive. The ballroom was absolutely perfect.

Mark
exited the bathroom, an odd look on his face. Something was wrong. Mark held
his phone in his hand. Aiden rushed to Mark’s side.

“What’s
wrong?”

“I
need to find Noah.” He pulled his arm up. “Noah,” Mark said, “I need to speak
to you immediately.”

Noah
answered and Mark started pushing through the crowd, searching for him.

“What’s
wrong?” Aiden rushed to keep up.

“I
just got a phone call from one of Benny’s foster mothers.” Mark increased his
stride. “I need to find Noah.”

“I
think I see him,” Aiden stood on tiptoe and glanced around. “He’s over by the
women’s restroom.”

Lulu
stood in front of the mirror tucking an errant strand of hair back into her
French twist. She had a sparkle in her eyes and though her blush had finally
faded, her cheeks felt heated. Love became her, she thought, securing the
strand of hair.

The
stall behind her opened and Bethany stepped out.

“The
attendant went to get more towels,” Lulu said as she turned. Lulu’s throat went
dry. She stared first at the gun in Bethany’s hand and then at Bethany.

“You
know,” Bethany said conversationally, “I just can’t rely on other people. If I
want something done, I have to do it myself.”

A
tingle of fear spread through Lulu. “What do you mean?”

“Benny
shouldn’t have had any problem getting rid of you. He’s a Ranger for God’s sake.
Don’t they know a thousand and one ways to kill a person with a paper clip?”

“Why
do you want to kill me?” Lulu asked trying to keep her voice level. Noah was
just outside the restroom, if she could just… She took a step and Bethany
leveled the gun at her head.

“I’ve
only wanted two things in my life. A movie career and Jake. Did you really
think I’d let you take him back?”

Lulu’s
heart was racing. “Bethany, he loves you. He’s with you. He left me for you.”

“Yeah,
right,” Bethany scoffed. “Did you know he sees a high class escort who looks
just like you?”

“I
had no idea,” Lulu lied. She wasn’t about to tell Bethany she knew about the
escort.

“He
talks to you in his sleep,” Bethany continued. “He may be with me, but he still
loves you. If you’re no longer here, then he won’t love you anymore; he’ll love
me.”

Oh
goodness, Lulu thought. Bethany was the last person in the world Lulu thought
wanted her dead. “We’re friends, Bethany.”

Bethany
tilted her head. “I can just as easily shoot a friend.”

Lulu
took a deep breath. Every psychology class she’d had didn’t seem to be sending her
solution to this problem. “Think about this. You’re not going to get away with
it. I have bodyguards outside. Once they hear the shot, they’ll be all over
you.”

“That’s
why we’re going out to alley.” Bethany tilted her head toward the door.

Now
was the time to get uncooperative. “I’m not going with you.”

“Yes,
you are,” Bethany said. “If not, I’m going to kill everybody I see, including
your handsome bodyguard. Noah. Isn’t that his name?”

Lulu
felt the heat blossom again in her cheek. She had to protect Noah.

“I
knew it,” Bethany gloated. “I knew you were in love with him.”

“Wait
a minute.” Lulu held up her hands stalling for all she was worth. “You just
said I was in love with Jake and wanted him back.”

“Women
like you think you have a right to everything: riches, power, and beauty.” Her
whole body stiffened with rage.

“And
you’re not all those things?” Lulu asked.

Bethany’s
eyes narrowed. “I earned what I have. No one gave me anything. I fought for
every little thing I could. You’ve had everything given to you.”

The
last thing Lulu needed to do was compare her life with Bethany. One accident of
birth had put her in her position, but she worked hard to keep it. “I have
nothing but admiration for you.”

“I
have none for you,” Bethany said. “Fat, over-privileged bitch.”

“Voluptuous,”
Lulu whispered. Shut up, Lulu, this was not the time to be arguing.

The
door opened and E.J. sauntered in. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Bethany
and her gun.

“Oh
look, someone else to join the party.” She waved the gun toward E.J. who raised
one eyebrow. “Go stand next to the fatty.”

“Let’s
be calm,” E.J. said in a serene tone. “Bethany, you don’t want to do this.”

Bethany
waved the gun in the air. “Who the hell are you to tell me what I want, Miss
Stupid-Sycophant-Personal Assistant who can’t do anything better with her--”

“Wait
a minute,” Lulu interrupted Bethany’s rant, “All this for a man! Is your
self-esteem that low? So he doesn’t want you. Move on. Find someone else.”

E.J.
sidled a few inches closer to Bethany.

“Look
at you,” Lulu continued, “my God, you are at the top of your game in a business
that eats people and spits them out for fun. Do you know how strong you are? You
are a terrific, talented actress as well as a beautiful woman. Jake doesn’t
deserve you.” Sister bond with me, bitch, Lulu silently commanded.

“But
I love him,” Bethany said, tears gathering in her eyes.

E.J.
eased another inch closer to Bethany, her eyes never leaving the gun.

Suddenly
the door flew open and banged against the wall with a loud crack. Bethany
glanced up, the gun went off and Noah made a small moan.

Without
hesitation, Lulu threw her purse at Bethany. E.J. tackled her. Bethany went
down in a tangle of arms and legs. The gun skidded across the floor. Lulu
picked it up.

E.J.
straddled Bethany.

Bethany
started to cry. “Damn! Damn! Damn!” she moaned as she lay on her back staring
up at Lulu. “I hate you!”

“Shut
up, you crazy bitch.” Lulu said with a snarl just as she noticed Noah leaning
against the wall, a red splotch growing on his white shirt.

Roman
and Dante followed Gideon into the room. Gideon went to help E.J. with Bethany
while Lulu rushed to Noah. He sagged against the wall holding one hand to his
chest. He started to slide down. “Popped by a girl.”

Roman
already had his phone in his hand and was speaking into it. Dante slid an arm
around Noah and helped him to a chair. Lulu grabbed his other arm and helped
steady him. She grabbed a couple towels gently opened his jacket to press the
towels against the spread of blood.

“Noah,
don’t you dare die on me.” Lulu stuffed the towels tight against his chest.

His
gaze went unfocused and his head lolled back against the chair. Lulu knelt next
to him.

“Please,
Noah,” she cried, tears streaking down her face. “Please don’t die on me.”

He
said nothing. His eyes closed and he sighed.

The
hospital room was painted a cheerful yellow and white. Noah lay on the hospital
bed hooked up to a dozen different monitors. Lulu sat by his side, silently
commanding him to wake up. He’d been out for nearly twelve hours and though the
doctors assured her he’d wake up, she couldn’t leave him.

Aiden
had brought her a change of clothes and taken her bloody gown away.

The
door opened on silent hinges and Aiden pushed in with a tray in his hands. “You
need to eat, Lulu.” He put the tray on the table next to her.

“I
don’t know if I can,” she said. “What am I going to do?”

“First
you’re going to eat and then we’ll worry about what to do next. You’re just
waiting for him to wake up.”

“I’m
supposed to be the strong one.”

“I
can’t always be the pretty one,” Aiden retorted.

Noah
started laughing. “Damn, that hurts.”

“Noah,”
Lulu cried. “You’re awake.” She jumped to her feet, the food forgotten as she
leaned over Noah. “Where do you hurt?”

He
opened his eyes and glanced first at her, then at the IV line attached to his
arm, the monitor at his side, and then back at her. “Bethany shot me.”

“Yes,
she did. But, I think it was just luck on her part.”

“I’ll
get the nurse,” Aiden said.

“Are
you all right?” Noah asked.

“I’m
fine now.” Lulu leaned over and kissed him tenderly on the mouth.

The
door opened again, the nurse pushed in followed by Harrison and Aiden. A few
seconds later, the doctor appeared. He looked at all the monitors and then
turned to Noah. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m
alive. I’m good,” Noah replied.

Silly
man, she thought, trying to be brave for her. The doctor nodded as he noted
something on his clipboard. “I’ve ordered some painkillers for you. You’re a
lucky man, Mr. Callahan. The bullet glanced off a rib and penetrated your left
lung, did a bit of damage, but everything was repairable. You’ll be fine in a
few days. Just take it easy and if you don’t develop any infections, you’ll be
able to go in a day or two.” He turned and left, his white coat flapping after
him.

“I’ll
get you something for the pain,” the nurse said and left as well.

Lulu
stood next to the bed. Harrison stood at the foot while Aiden hovered by the
window.

“What
the hell was wrong with Bethany?” Noah asked.

“Bethany
thought if she could get rid of me, Jake’s obsession would stop and she’d be
the primary person in his life.” She had done nothing but think about why this
happened. “She was trying to protect herself.”

“She’s
was arraigned this morning,” Harrison added. “She’s going to be facing some
jail time. The media frenzy is like feeding time at the zoo.”

“How
did you know?” Lulu asked.

“The
Geek being the Geek,” Harrison said, “contacted every foster home that Benny
had been in. Turns out he and Bethany spent time together in one foster home
and kept in contact. When she needed someone to do the dirty work, she called
in her Ranger ex-boyfriend."

“Oh,
my God,” Lulu said, “Aiden told me she was stepping out with some commando
type. You think I would have picked up on it.”

Noah
shifted slightly as though getting into a more comfortable position. “We never
saw this coming.”

“You’d
think that someone who has everything would just be happy,” Lulu said. She was
happy. Yes, she had a great life, a great career, and a great future. She was
happy despite the shadow the loss of her parents cast over her life. “I don’t
understand why someone in her position worked so hard at being miserable. She
could have walked out her door on any day and found a man ten times better with
just one lift of her eyebrow. God knows I did.” She glanced around. “Oops. Did
I just let the cat out of the bag?” She leaned toward Noah and whispered. “We’ll
talk about that later.”

Noah
grinned, though it turned into a grimace. The nurse returned and injected
something into his IV line, made a few notes and then departed again.

Harrison
grinned. “Aiden, I think you and I need to get on the road. Noah is in good
hands. I want to gloat over all the money I made. We have to get the wedding
date pool started.” Harrison turned toward the door and pulled Aiden out with
him.

Alone
with Noah, Lulu sat down again. “I love you.”

“You
shouldn’t love a man like me,” he replied.

She
reached over and covered his hand with hers. “What exactly is wrong with a man
like you?”

“I
have a lot of baggage.”

“Right,”
Lulu said, “and I don’t?”

He
turned his face away as if he didn’t want her to see him. “Lucinda, you should
marry a prince, or a billionaire, not the son of a murdering Irish mobster.”

He
looked so pale and tired, Lulu’s heart ached. “I did a little research about
Max Callahan. He was a decorated war hero, a respected cop, a loving father and
husband. That’s the man who is your father. That’s the man you’ve become.”