My mother slipped from the kitchen scurrying past me and into her bedroom, closing the door quietly behind her. What the hell was that about? I shook my head, forcing my attention back on the beauty in front of me.
“How long have you been standing there?” Suddenly I felt as if I was hiding something, when in reality I wasn’t. Noelle’s expression gave nothing away. I swallowed around the knot that formed in my throat.
“If you told me six months ago that I would be in love with my stepbrother I would’ve told you to get bent. Not only that, but I would have said that it was disgusting as fuck…”
Yeah, I wasn’t liking where this conversation was going.
“We aren’t related so it’s not really…” She cut me off with one single look. Every fiber of my body clamped up, and my stomach rolled with uneasiness.
“What I’m saying is, I didn’t come out here without the intention of staying. I came out here knowing that I couldn’t bear to be away from you, not for one more sunset. You make me the person I am today, and the person I want to be for the rest of my life. You’ve taught me to love myself for who I am on the inside, and not what other people like my mother want me to be.” Everything she said sliced through me. All the walls I built up around myself crumbled to the ground when it came to Noelle.
There was nothing separating us, and there never would be. Not ever again. What I had with Noelle, I wanted to be better than what my mother and father had before they had me.
“Then that means you’re staying; that you want to live with me?” I had to ask her, because if I didn’t I would question it anyway. She smiled at me, and I kid you not it felt like the sun was shining for the first time in a very long time.
“Of course, I’m staying. I love my mother; she is the woman who gave birth to me, but she is toxic. Her choices are her own, and whatever she decides to do while I’m gone is on her. I’ll just be happy that I’m not under her judgmental thumb anymore.” I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face as I glided across the floor and wrapped her up in my solid arms. The warmth of her body against mine calmed me. How could someone so imperfect be the most perfect thing for me?
“Then we need to call Mark and let him know.” I spoke into her hair, taking in her scent as air filled my lungs. It was frightening to me how much I truly needed Noelle.
“Okay, call him then.” Noelle put me on the spot forcing me to get my cell out and dial his number. The phone rang once then went straight to voicemail.
“What the fuck?” I hung the phone up and dialed it again, the same thing occurring. He never shut his phone off.
It was like the lifeline he had with his business. Something happened. I could feel it deep in my bones. I tensed underneath Noelle’s touch.
“What’s the matter?” I didn’t want to react with anger. Hell I didn’t want to react at all, but I couldn’t help but feel like something was about to go down.
“His phone is going straight to voicemail, and he never shuts the thing off.” I was suspicious of a lot of things, and Viviana was right at the fucking top of that list.
“Hold on, let me call my mom.” Noelle ran to the bedroom to get her phone leaving me to stand in the kitchen, drowning in my own emotions. I had the girl, and I had my feelings in check. I just needed to calm the hell down. I could hear Noelle’s sing song voice down the hall. She was already on the phone with her mother and from the sound of it, things weren’t going good.
“As a mother it’s your duty, hell it should be engraved in your heart to care for your child,” Noelle argued. I wanted to tell her there was no point, but I stopped myself. I needed to let Noelle do this. After all, it wasn’t my mother, and it wasn’t my wasted words. Noelle would always have a choice when she was with me.
Noelle took in a deep breath blowing it out her nose. I could see whatever her mother was saying was just dousing the already hot flames that poured from her with more fuel.
“You lied about everything. Now you claim you wish you aborted me. Come on, come up with something a little bit more believable… And you wonder why I believe them when they say you were just after Mark’s money.” There was more arguing on the other end of the line, a constant ringing of a scream that pierced my ears. I couldn’t make out what she was saying through it though.
“I’m done. Done with all of it. I love you, but you’re toxic. Living with you is like having your head constantly held under water. I feel like I drowning when I’m around you. It’s a struggle I no longer want to face every day anymore. I’m almost an adult, and I’m capable of making my own choices. I’ve made the decision to stay out here with Royal and Olivia.” I cringed as Noelle’s eyes snapped to mine.