The Cherished Wife

After hashing things out, the group split up and headed home. Charles patted his pocket before turning to Steven with a grateful look. "I owe you big time!"

Steven chuckled. "Here I was, thinking you'd be mad at me for giving her a scare." He remembered how Noelle's eyes widened when she witnessed him in action. "Luckily for us, it was me she saw, not you." He paused, then added, "She's got guts, though. She didn't Most people would have lost it in that kind of situation, but not Noelle. She looked a little out of it, but she kept it together otherwise. Steven squinted, his mind drifting to the first time he saw Eloise's face.

budge an inch!"

Charles's brow creased, but he managed to say, "Anyway, I really appreciate what you did today."

"It's late. You'd better sleep," Steven said.

Once Charles was upstairs, Steven fished a pack of cigarettes from his pants pocket. He deftly plucked one out and held it between his fingers, his gaze drifting aimlessly out the window.

care of the ambushers lurking around Phoenix Tree Residence. There were not many of them, but they were all pretty tough cookies. If Charles had returned that night, he would have been hard-pressed to take on a whole gang, even with his slick

Hoffman, we've dealt with everyone on that end. What do you think we

of the day off!" Charles ended the call, glanced back, and saw Noelle still out like a light. He smiled, tiptoed over, and gently

edge of the bed. He kept one hand on the newspaper

hours. The recent brush with danger, followed by Charles's presence, must have given her

blinked open her eyes to find Charles propped up by the bed, newspaper in hand, with the morning sun casting a cozy glow across the

stirred, and Charles instantly tuned in, setting aside

sheepish grin, Noelle nodded. Realizing she was still holding onto Charles's hand, she quickly let go, a little embarrassed. "Uh...

so peaceful sleeping," Charles said as he gently pushed a few strands of Noelle's hair behind her ear.