The Ultimate Seduction

swing by the office and update Cole on the information he'd discovered, and get his brother's input on Natalie's predicament.

Sitting in one of the chairs directly in front of Cole's desk, Noah told him what he'd learned from Natalie's ex- landlady, an older woman named Vivian who'd seemed genuinely fond of Natalie and concerned about her welfare. Once he'd shown proof of his identity as a private investigator and explained that Natalie's life was possibly in jeopardy, the woman had offered him a wealth of valuable information that had been incredibly helpful.

Now Noah passed on the details of their meeting to Cole. 'While Natalie was attending college at the University of Nevada, Reno, she started dating a coed by the name of Chad Freeman,' he said, recanting what the older woman had shared with him, while at the same time trying not to let the rage he'd experienced during the conversation with Vivian resurface again. 'According to what the woman witnessed, the relationship started out well enough, but gradually she saw a change in Chad, who became more domineering and possessive of Natalie.'

Cole rubbed a hand along his jaw as he considered…that information for a moment. 'Did the landlady see any signs of abuse?'

Noah shook his head, though his stomach constricted at just how badly she'd been mistreated. 'No, not physically. Vivian felt as though the relationship was more mentally abusive. There were times when she heard Chad's raised voice coming from Natalie's apartment, criticizing her, putting her down.'

Despite Noah's best efforts, a spark of anger ignited deep inside of him. 'Apparently, things turned ugly when Natalie took on a job as a showgirl at a casino to make some extra money. Chad couldn't handle it. They had an explosive argument in the hallway of the complex. He called her a whore for using her body to make money, and she finally broke off the relationship.'

'Good for her,' Cole said, his tone laced with disgust.

Noah's lips flattened into a grim line. 'Unfortunately, Chad didn't appreciate being dumped and he stalked and threatened her for a few months, and finally attacked her one night after work.'

'Holy shit.' Cole sat up straighter in his seat. 'Why didn't she contact the police to slap Chad with a restraining order?'

'I'm betting she was afraid of infuriating Chad even more, and she feared what he'd do in retribution for her involving the police.' Noah also suspected it was a classic case of self-preservation that had prompted her to leave Reno. 'I suppose it was easier for her to pack up and start over somewhere new than to stay and risk Chad attacking her again-which brings her here to Oakland.'

Opening the case file he'd made for Natalie, Noah shuffled through a few pages of notes and came to a photo of a blond-haired man with his arm slung over Natalie's shoulder, his hold on her too tight and his smile too arrogant. A protective instinct flared hot and bright in Noah's veins. He hated that the creep had ever tainted Natalie with his touch.

Shaking off the animosity seeping into his blood, he passed the picture across the desk for Cole to take a look at. 'Vivian gave me this picture that was sent to her a few years ago as their Christmas card. Unfortunately I didn't get a good-enough look at the guy in the baseball cap who was following us last weekend to identify that man as the one in the picture. But at least this gives us an idea of who we might be looking for.'

Cole glanced from the photo to Noah. 'You think it's Chad Freeman who's after her again?'

'It's the only thing that makes sense after everything I learned today.' He rubbed a hand along the taut muscles in his neck and shoulder. 'I also went to Freeman's previous place of employment and found out from the manager that he quit and moved about three weeks ago.'

Cole's dark brows rose in interest as he handed back the photo. 'Do I dare ask to where?'

Noah tucked the picture into the file for safekeeping. 'Not surprisingly he talked about moving to San Francisco, though the manager wasn't sure if that's where he ended up. But I'm fairly positive that's exactly where Freeman is.'

Cole released a long, heavy breath. 'So am I.'

The certainty in his brother's tone caused Noah to frown. 'Do you know something I don't?'

'Yeah, I do,' he replied in his normal, straightforward manner. 'Melodie called me after she and Natalie got home from shopping today. It seems there was a guy at the restaurant where they had lunch who was watching Natalie from another table, and he eventually cornered her alone where the rest rooms were.'

The fiery heat of rage roiled through Noah's blood, and it took a good deal of effort for him to keep it under control. 'Did he hurt her?'

'No. She was just shaken up by the run-in. As soon as Mel arrived on the scene, the guy backed off, but Mel was pretty sure it wasn't a chance meeting. She said he was just too cocky and sure of himself with Natalie.'

Noah clenched and unclenched his fists, feeling helpless that he hadn't been there to keep Natalie safe and protected. 'Then Mel got a good-enough look at the guy to tell me if he was Chad?'

'Probably so,' Cole said confidently. 'According to her description, he had blond hair and hazel eyes, so I'm sure she'll be able to ID him with that photo.'

'Then I need to talk to her,' The sooner the better. He scooped up his folder and stood, anxious to be on his way and to see for himself that Natalie was okay and unharmed.

'Mel will tell you everything she knows.' Cole stood, too, and walked Noah to the reception area of the offices. 'What are you going to do from here?'

He glanced back at his brother, so very grateful that he had Cole's support. 'I'm going to keep Natalie in my sight at all times and keep a lookout for Chad Freeman, because the bastard's likely closer than we all think.'

And for all he knew, the deranged stalker knew exactly where Natalie was right now, and that she was staying with him. The thought twisted his stomach up in knots of fury and frustration.

'Are you going to show Natalie the picture of her and Chad?' Cole asked.

He'd considered that idea on the flight back to Oakland, but realized it didn't serve any real purpose to present her with something that might work her into a panic. Obviously, seeing Chad in person hadn't jogged her memory, so it was unlikely the photo would, either.

'No. She needs to remember her past on her own, and I'm not prepared or equipped to answer the questions that would undoubtedly crop up if I show her a photo of the man who confronted her today.'

Cole nodded in silent agreement. 'Watch yourself, Noah, and Natalie, too.'

'I plan to.'

'Did you get everything done today that you needed to?'

'Pretty much.' Noah glanced over at Natalie, who was sitting in the passenger seat of his car as he drove them both back to his place. 'Though I heard you had a rough afternoon.'

Her head rolled against the back of her seat to look at him, a wry smile pulling up the corners of her mouth. 'You've been talking to Melodie, I see.'

'Guilty as charged.'

When he'd arrived at Cole's to pick up Natalie, she'd been resting in the upstairs guest bedroom, which had given him a few moments alone with Melodie to find out what, exactly, had happened during their lunch. She'd identified the man in the photo as the guy who'd confronted Natalie, which had put up Noah's guard even more where his pretend fiancee was concerned.

He now said to Natalie, 'She was worried about you after that incident with the guy who was eyeing you.'

Her shoulders lifted in a shrug as if the incident were inconsequential, but she didn't completely pull off the show of bravado. 'It was all very strange, really-'

Her voice trailed off on a note of confusion, but that didn't stop him from prompting her for more details. 'Strange in what way?'

'The way he watched me while I was eating lunch, for one thing,' she said, and visibly shuddered at the unpleasant memory. 'His stare was just so- unnerving. And when I ran into him in the hallway leading to the rest rooms, the way he touched me gave me the creeps.'

Every muscle in Noah's body grew tense, and his grip tightened around the steering wheel. 'He touched you?'

'I dropped my purse and he picked it up and put the strap back on my shoulder,' she explained. 'His fingers kind of lingered against my neck.'

He exhaled a slow stream of breath to keep calm. No doubt about it, Noah was going to kill the bastard when