CHAPTER 189 Twisted

*Joy*

I was staring up at the headliner of the ambulance, blatantly ignoring Noah's attempt at an apology. Because of his *interference*, I now had to make a *side trip* to the hospital when I should be in my office celebrating Pete's capture with a glass of champagne.

After I felt the ambulance drive off, I let out a huge sigh, relieved I could lower my guard... even for a short while. I propped myself up with my elbows and attempted to sit up. However, Emma quickly placed her hands on my shoulders and gently pushed me back onto the gurney.

"Sorry, JT," she murmured. "You need to lie down."

I opened my mouth to complain about how uncomfortable the gurney was, but I decided against it. These people were risking their very lives for me. The least I could do was endure a ten minute ambulance ride lying on a gurney that felt like it was carved from stone. Relunctantly, I did as I was told, muttering a curse under my breath.

"I have to hand it to you guys. Your timing was absolutely perfect... just in the nick of time," Kiki said loudly so Autumn could hear her. "Noah was hellbent in bringing Virtue to the hospital himself, but I fucking doubt if that were true." She rested her back against the inner wall of the ambulance, crossed her arms, and rolled her eyes. "Ugh! I really wanted to punch that asshole in the throat, but I had to restrain myself. Noah would have dropped Virtue, injuring her in the process, then I'd have to hear it from my pigheaded brother about not thinking about the consequences of my actions. Men!"

"Well, after dropping Chef off at the ER, we rushed back here thinking Domenico might need us. But, considering audio-visual feed resumed while Autumn and I were assessing JT's ankle, if there's anyone you should thank, it's the Undersheriff. He's the one who called for an ambulance. We just happened to be in the neighborhood at the right time. If it wasn't for his call, we'd probably be assisting someone else who was injured from the disturbance," Emma explained while she placed a blanket on top of me.

The added weight of the blanket made the gurney even more uncomfortable. I shook my head in protest and shoved the blanket aside, yet Emma picked it up, quickly covering me with the blanket all the way from my neck to my toes. I gazed up at her with puppy dog eyes, pleading with her to remove the blanket, but she stared down at me with a stern look upon her face. "JT, I need you to lie still and relax. I'm obligated to take care of you until Domenico, Beaufort, and Primo get to St. Elizabeth's... or there will be hell to pay."

I grimaced. *She wants me to relax*, *lying down on a stiff gurney in a speeding ambulance*. For that to happen, I needed a miracle.

"You guys did a good job drugging Pete, by the way," I said gruffly as I fidgeted. "For a moment there, I thought we were going to lose that bastard. At least, he's one less problem we don't have to deal with." Emma smiled, pleased to hear my praise.

"All in a day's work," she quickly replied, pausing for a moment to look through the front windshield of the ambulance. "Oh, thank God. Fire department has been dispatched. Ambulance 51 and 20 can take care of the injured folk back on Main St. while we tend to you. So no need to worry. Autumn and I are at your disposal until the underbosses arrive, okay, JT?" When I didn't respond, she glanced down at me and frowned, noticing my constant squirming. "JT, I need you to stop fidgeting and just breath. Can you do that for me? Inhale, then exhale. Inhale, then exhale. I promise you, breathing can help you relax."

*Fine*. I began to inhale and exhale slowly, breathing in through my nose and breathing out through my mouth. After several moments, I felt a calmness settle within me. Emma was right. Breathing helps.

While I continued to perform the breathing exercise Emma instructed me to do, my thoughts wandered back to what had happened earlier.

An image of Noah's wicked grin suddenly flashed through my mind. Angrily, my hands instantly balled up into fists.

Since Kiki and I were on our own earlier, I had planned to kick Noah in the balls, then knock him unconscious with the butt of my gun. Afterwards, Kiki and I would drag his sorry ass to the complex where he would be transported to Pete's *prison* in Bismarck. There, he would be stripped of all his clothing and tortured for information.

As much as I tried, I couldn't shake off this nagging feeling Noah was somehow working with or for Pete. It was a different Noah who accosted us on the street earlier. Even though we repeatedly rejected his offers to help, he wouldn't back off or take no for an answer.

But maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was just paranoid. Maybe he was genuinely concerned. Yet, given the circumstances.... of him popping up in front of us so unexpectedly as we made our way to my boutique... it was definitely suspicious.

"Why are we sto-" I began to ask Kiki, but I abruptly stopped as my eyes caught sight of a familiar pair of working boots. I slowly raised my eyes to find Noah standing in front of us. There was a lazy grin on his handsome face, however, I couldn't catch a glimpse of his eyes which were conveniently hidden by the visor of his black and yellow baseball cap.

He was wearing a body fit white T-shirt, showing off his muscular physique, paired with his usual tattered jeans and work boots. He looked like his usual casual self, but there was something different about Noah. He seemed to exude confidence, something I have never seen before.

Depsite the chaos happening around us, he appeared to be... oddly calm. It was as if he knew there was no real reason for us to panic.

"Noah! I didn't know you were back from your business trip," I exclaimed in a panic-strickened voice, acting afraid... just like the rest of the townsfolk. "What on earth are you doing out here? We need to find a safe place to-"

"I was hoping to catch the parade," he answered, cutting me off, "but I think I'm a bit late." He, then, pointed to my foot. "Are you okay?"

"This? It's nothing," I said in an effort to dismiss my fake injury, hoping he would follow suit. "Anyway, as I was about to say earlier, we need to get inside where it's safe." He pursed his lips and rolled his eyes at me like I was acting overly hysterical.

"The townsfolk are just overreacting. After the massacre, anything that resembles a gunshot makes everyone jump in hysterics," Noah retorted. "I told Liam not to go on with the fireworks show, but he just wouldn't listen." I opened my mouth to argue that whatever was happening had nothing to do with the fireworks, but he just rambled on. "Now everyone's running around like there's a shooter on the loose and you... you're hurt. Right before your wedding too." He bent down on one knee and placed his callused hand on my ankle. His touch was warm, but rough, making my skin itch. "There doesn't seem to be any swelling, but I think you should go see a doctor if it's bothering you. Where's Liam, by the way? Shouldn't he be the one taking care of you?" He asked dryly, his voice mocking me.

Before I could answer, he looked up at me and I saw a sinister glint in those chocolate brown eyes of his.

"I don't need to be taken care of, Noah. I am capable of taking care of myself," I replied hotly, annoyed at the tone of his voice.

"Oh, I can see that," he scoffed, mocking me once more.

"For your information, the heel of my shoe got caught in one of the cracks of the sidewalk. Luckily, Kiki saw me and cushioned my fall," I explained hurriedly. "It's nothing... really. Just a little ice on my ankle and I'll be good to go. So, as you can see, there is no need to worry about me. I'll be fine. Now, if you don't mind, Kiki and I need to head back to my shop where it's safe." I nudged Kiki in the ribs, gesturing for her to go around him. However, Noah quickly stood up and blocked our path.

I tugged on Kiki's arm, navigating her to go the other way, but Noah quickly made a side step, blocking us once again. We turned to move the other way, but once again, we were blocked. He was thwarting our every move.

"Noah, if you could so kindly step aside, Kiki and I will be on our way. Honestly, all I need is a little ice-"

"I think you shouldn't put any weight on that foot of yours, Virtue," he interjected, attempting to push Kiki's arm away from me, but Kiki kept a firm hold on my shoulders.

"Watch it, Noah," Kiki warned him. "What is your problem, anyway? Virtue just twisted her ankle. Nothing a bit of rest and ice can't heal."

"My problem? All I want to do is help her. She obviously needs a doctor," Noah argued.

"You said so yourself... there isn't any swelling, so back off," Kiki argued back. "Now, if you really want to help, you can help me walk Virtue to her store."

"Alright. If that's what you want," he grumbled, reluctantly moving to my side. He, then, placed an arm snugly around my waist, pulling my body against his.

I felt his body stiffen as soon as our bodies touched and heard a weird husky groan escape his throat. Kiki definitely heard it, too, because she shook her head in disgust.

The three of us quietly walked toward the complex while the fireworks display continued above us. Everything seemed okay until we reached the parking lot.

"This isn't working for me," Noah suddenly said, quickly shoving Kiki aside. Before I could react, he lifted me in his arms.

I stared at him, dumbfounded and bewildered, noticing the devilish smirk on his handsome face and that familiar glint in his eyes.

*Noah*.

Behind his chocolate brown eyes, something was going on in that twisted little mind of his.