[This chapter is dedicated to mary_Cooper. Much love and gratitude for your support of our story.]

---

She pulled her hand away from Noah's grasp. She cocked her head at Ellise, curled her lips in disgust, and waited for her response. Nevertheless, Ellise has always been adept at infuriating her by doing nothing. She showed no reaction as if she never said anything that upset her!

"Baby—"

"Shut it!" she snapped at Noah. Her temper took over her rationale and Noah became the receiving end since Ellise was still not saying anything at all!

She turned her head to Noah, and said, "Don't act like you need to protect me. I'm not a fucking damsel in distress that needed your protection. I know how to take care of myself!" She pushed the chair so forcefully that its legs scraped the Moroccan tiles of the library.

Noah was stunned by her sudden outburst. He didn't expect Jess to react negatively with his way of questioning. Before he could grab her, she already stepped away from the table.

"Listen, Jess. It wasn't like that. I am worried—"

"And you think I'm not?" she stopped Noah in the middle of his sentence. She took another step away from the table when he stood up from his chair. "It's my life that is on the line. I am the one that was being threatened by whoever the fuckers they are. You think I'm okay with what they are doing with me? And you think I'm not doing things to ensure my safety?"

"I just—" he opened his hand for Jess, but she just stepped away from him. "I am only concerned about your safety. "If you find that hard to believe...I—I," he took a deep breath to keep his temper in check. "Jess, I never thought that you were weak. But I'm not going to deny that I would do anything in my power, even if you won't agree with my method, just to make sure that you are safe from any harm."

"Don't try to give Tiefenbacher some shit, Jess. You know to yourself that this threat was something that you didn't take too seriously."

"Oh, really?" she snapped at Ellise. "Not agreeing to how you handle things, was me not taking the threat in my life seriously? Did it ever occur to you that I don't want the way you handle things because they were fucking suffocating!"

"And you think I am happy to put you in that situation?" Ellise stood up from her chair. Her temper was also flaring.

Noah glanced at Markus who was the only one left sitting on the round table. He was checking his phone. Not minding the three of them, raising their voices for none of them want to let the other person be right.

Jess crossed her arms over her chest. Ellise shouting back at her made her shut up. She knew that she was just trying to help her, and she can't deny the fact that what Ellise has been doing for her was above and beyond.

She exhaled a deep breath and put down her arms to her side. "I'm sorry. Everything was just so frustrating. I mean…" she opened her hands on her side and slumped her shoulders.

"Imagine my frustration that despite spending so much time, money, and resources to find the fuckers behind the death threat that you received, I haven't been able to find them."

"I'm sorry," she lowered her head and her tone. She knew she was acting like an ungrateful bitch but her temper took the best of her. She glanced at Noah who had his hands shoved deep inside his jeans pocket, standing two steps behind Ellise. His face showed no emotion but the aura around him was as cold as the Arctic.

She took slow steps towards Noah and stopped in front of Ellise. "I'm sorry for acting like a brat in this kind of situation."

Noah pulled his hands out of his pocket and opened his arms for Jess.

She took a long stride and let herself be enveloped inside his strong arms. He then softly embraced her and rested his chin on top of her head.

"I'm sorry for not keeping you safe. I'm sorry that your relationship with me puts your life in danger. I'm sorry that despite all the money and power I have, your safety was still compromised."

Jess wiggled inside Noah's arms when he heard his apology. She has a feeling that his words weren't meant just for her.

And she was right. Because Noah has his eyes glued on Ellise as he utters those words.

He tightened his hold of her and rubbed her back to stop her from squirming inside his arms.

"It wasn't your fault," she said, craning her neck to look at Noah.

He answered by pressing a kiss on her right temple. "Doesn't matter if it was my fault or not. The fact remains that those people after you have some issues with me and not you. You were just caught in the crossfire because they knew you were my weakness."

Hearing Noah, telling her that he is his weakness warmed her heart despite the danger of the situation.

"Tiefenbacher, Jess needs added security. They were able to get to her because she dropped her defense when she stepped out of the country."

"Do you have an idea of how they get to her?"

"The coffee shop," she said, gritting her teeth in silent anger.

"Guys, I am here," she tried to get away from Noah's arms but he just embraced her tighter. "I know you are worried about my safety but can you please stop acting like I don't have a say with my own life!" She already raised her voice because Noah and Ellise were talking, making decisions for her as though her opinion doesn't matter even though she was right there with them.

These two were really trying her patience!

"Baby stopped squirming, I beg of you. I haven't had a decent sleep since I heard what happened to you, and I miss you damn much that having you in my arms, despite the danger you are in, making me go crazy in such a way that you don't want Ellise and Markus to know."

The throaty, low voice of Noah and the meaning behind his words made Jess stop moving inside his arms and she finally noticed the hard and hot thing that was pressed on her lower abdomen. Her face flushed in embarrassment that Ellise and Markus heard what Noah said.