Colters' Gift Read Free Page A

incredulously.
    There was a hint of anger to his voice and his scowl deepened.
    “No,” Noah said quietly. “I think she’s scared out of her mind.”
    Liam’s expression darkened even further and he gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles went white. “I want that bastard.”
    Noah nodded because he felt the same way. When they’d taken the job from Max Wilder, they’d expected a stereotypical rich-girl scenario. An overprotective brother who wanted a babysitter for the sister he didn’t have time for.
    Nothing could have been further from the truth.
    Lauren Wilder was a shy, sweet woman who’d been badly abused by a man she’d trusted. From the moment Noah had laid eyes on her, he’d ached to hold her. To wipe away all the hurt and show her that all men weren’t abusive assholes.
    Liam had reacted even more strongly than Noah had. He’d taken one look at Lauren and had been so furious that he’d ended up scaring the holy hell out of her.
    The two men had worked together for a hell of a long time. They’d seen and done it all. But they’d never fallen for the same woman, and Noah still wasn’t sure what the hell they were supposed to do about it.
    For now, they existed in denial, and they only discussed her in a professional context. Anytime it started to get personal, Liam clammed up and got that look in his eyes that meant the subject was closed.
    Noah sighed. “I want him too, but I’m starting to think we’re barking up the wrong tree.”
    Liam’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell does that mean?”
    Suddenly Noah straightened, his gaze fixed on a tall blond woman walking down the sidewalk.
    “I think that’s her,” he said.
    Liam’s hand went to the door handle, but he waited, tense and silent.
    Both men watched as she turned up the walkway to the apartment. A moment later, she took her keys out and unlocked the door.
    “Let’s go,” Noah said.
    He and Liam got out of the car and hurried up the walkway just as the woman swung open the door and stepped inside the foyer.
    “Ms. Jennings?” Noah called.
    The woman whirled around, fear immediate in her eyes.
    Noah held out a placating hand. “My apologies for startling you. My name is Noah Sullivan and this is my partner, Liam Prescott. I was hoping for a moment of your time. We’re looking for someone, and it’s very important that we find him. We’d just like to ask you a few questions if that’s all right.”
    She stared suspiciously at them, her hand still gripping the edge of the door.
    “Are you cops?”
    Noah shook his head. “No, ma’am. We’re not cops. I guess you could say we’re investigators of sorts.”
    “Like a P.I.? I always thought those weren’t real. Just stuff you see on cop shows and in the movies.”
    “We’re not private investigators,” Liam said gruffly. “We were employed to keep a woman safe from the jerk who beat on her. We want to find this asshole so we can put him away. We need your help to do that.”
    She blinked at Liam’s bluntness but her stance relaxed and she was clearly conflicted about whether to allow them into her building. Finally she took a step back, opening the door wider.
    “Come in,” she murmured. “My name is Susan, but my friends call me Suki. Long story, but you can call me Suki.”
    Noah could tell the woman was as nervous as a cat backed into an alley. He didn’t want to frighten her, but he had Liam with him and Liam was . . . Well, he was Liam. Blunt. Overwhelming. And growly.
    Especially when it came to Lauren.
    Once they walked up to her second floor apartment and were seated in the living room, Noah pulled out a photo of Lauren and slid it across the coffee table toward Suki.
    “Can you tell me if you’ve ever seen this woman?”
    Suki went completely still. Noah wasn’t even sure she was breathing. Her hands shook as she reached for the photo and fear crowded her eyes.
    Then she turned with a fake, too-bright smile and said, “No, sorry I haven’t. Did