Her face frowned as she pulled away from me. Breaking our connection. Shaking her head. “I wasn’t lying when I told you before. I am falling for Noah. He’s inside waiting for me. He’s the only one who has been there for me this entire time. I can’t do this to him. I won’t. I owe it to our daughter to see where our relationship goes. I’m sorry, Creed, but I’m not yours anymore. I’m his.”
Her words gutted me, leaving me there bleeding as she turned around and started to walk back toward the double doors.
“Pippin,” I called out, stopping her dead in her tracks. I was over to her in three strides, turning her to face me. “I know you’ll remember me, and when ya do, you’ll need this.” I handed her the key to our house, kissing her forehead one last time. Hating the fact that I didn’t know when I would see her again. “Come back to me. I’ll be there waitin’.”
I walked away from her that night, leaving her with my brother. Praying that it wouldn’t be...
Forever.
It was the annual Oak Island Fourth of July Fair weekend. Where anyone and everyone came to our small town from all over just to experience the biggest festival around. I remembered it was my favorite time of the year, having fond memories of being at the events with my family. Always kicking Uncle Jacob’s ass at all the carnival games. I was very competitive when it came to winning another huge stuffed animal I didn’t need.
“Jesus Christ, Mia! Can you let me win a game?” Noah chuckled, bringing my attention to him.
“Nope. It’s not in my nature,” I giggled as he came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist to kiss the side of my neck.
“How am I supposed to impress you if you keep kickin’ my ass?”
I turned around to face him, draping my arms around his neck. “I can think of tons of ways.”
“Is that right?”
“Oh yes. I am almost positive there’s one way you can impress me, and it involves your lips.”
His eyes widened, smiling. “Why, Mia Ryder, are you gettin’ ballsy with me?”
“One of us has to.”
Two months had gone by since my prom. School had officially let out, and I was on summer vacation. Ready to let loose before my senior year started in August. Nothing had really changed as far as my memory was concerned, I still attended therapy twice a week like clockwork, no closer to the truth. Noah and mine’s relationship was growing with each passing day, but we had yet to do anything but flirt or cuddle, with some small kisses to the forehead and cheek. That was it. I made it my mission to stop thinking about Creed and focus on Noah. At least he was there, I hadn’t seen or heard from Creed since that night.
Which made it easier to give Noah my undivided attention.
For me at least.
“Pretty girl, I already told ya... ain’t kissin’ you, touchin’ you, doin’ anythin’ wit’ you until I know you’re only mine. But trust me, Mia... it don’t mean I don’t wanna feel you under me again more than anythin’.”
My lips parted. “Noah, I am—”
“You stupid motherfucker!” I heard someone roar from behind me, making me immediately turn around.
Noah instantly placed me behind him. Viciously peering at the man in front of us. I’d never seen that look on his face before, and it actually scared me a little.
“Don’t fuckin’ start, old man. Get on your bike and get the fuck out of our faces!”
The man took a huge gulp of the whiskey bottle firmly in his grasp, pointing it at Noah when he was done. “Come on, Rebel. I know it’s your favorite drink. Where’s my boy, huh? The man I fuckin’ raised. Not this pussy-whipped bitch standin’ in front of me,” he slurred, stumbling all around.
“Who is that?” I asked Noah, looking up at him. His menacing stare never left the man swaying in front of us.
“I’m his father! The man who gave him fuckin’ life. He don’t talk about me? That’s a shame. Spent all my life raisin’ my boys fuckin’ right. And look what happens... they both fall for a two-bit whore who’s spread her legs and has gotten on her fuckin’ knees for both of ‘em.”
I gasped when Noah abruptly pushed me back, getting right up in his father’s face. “You miserable fuck!” He punched him, knocking him sideways into the brick wall. “You don’t ever! EVER! Fuckin’ talk about her like that again! Or I swear I’ll fuckin’ put you to ground!”
“Who the fuck you think you are?!” He went at Noah, but a few other men wearing the same cuts he was sporting grabbed ahold of him, tugging him back as he went crazy in their grasps. “You’re nothin’ without me! Nothin’ without this club! I gave you everythin’! Fuckin’ everythin’, you piece of fuckin’ shit! You’ll be back! I’ll make you get on your knees like your fuckin’ bitch and beg me to let you in again! Do you understand me?!”
Noah shook his head, disgusted with the scene unfolding in front of us. He grabbed my hand, pulling me toward him.
“I ain’t your son. You ain’t my father. You never fuckin’ were! Go drink somewhere and crash your fuckin’ bike. Do everyone some good if you just fuckin’ died.”
“Noah,” I breathed out, glaring at him.
We locked eyes.
“Come on.” He tugged me toward him, and we left.
Neither one of us said a word as we made our way down to the beach. I could tell he was lost in his own thoughts, trying to calm himself from the altercation. I never wanted to know what he was thinking more than I did at that moment. Wanting him to confide in me, open up, and let out all the pent-up anger I knew he was holding in. Though I didn’t want to pry, it was obvious he was upset and hurting.
He sat down in the sand, pulling me beside him. Sitting with his knees up and his arms placed over them, looking out at the ocean. Reluctant to look at me.
I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I didn’t have to wait long until he was the one to break the silence between us.
“Never wanted you to see me like that again,” he said out of nowhere. “Promised myself I’d never let you witness what you saw the day of our baby girl’s funeral. I was fuckin’ ashamed of what I did. Not about fighin’ with Creed, about doin’ it near her gravesite. I was no better than my father, and I fuckin’ hated myself for that.”
I placed my hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. “It’s alright.”
“No it ain’t, Mia. I keep fuckin’ up with you. And it’s the last thing I wanna do. I want you to like me. Fuck...” He bowed his head. “I want you to love me,” he murmured, looking over in my direction with his head still bowed. “Cuz, I do. I love you, Mia. I’ve loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. I may not have known it then, but I know it now. I know you don’t remember me or us, but I think you feel it. In here.” He placed his hand over my heart, and just like that it brought back memories of Creed when he did and said the same thing to me at prom. Erupting a flood of emotions back. Each brothers feelings intertwining, intermixing with each other, causing a whole new level of confusion to wash over me, but I quickly pushed it away.
Wanting to stay in the here and now with Noah.