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“No, I don’t have a crush,” I say firmly.
“Don’t lie, your nose always twitches when you lie, and it's twitched at least five times in the last minute,” he scolds. Fucker. I forgot about the nose twitch.
“Look, stop worrying. It's fine. He’s hot, but nothing has happened, nor will it. He’s just nice to look at and interesting. I’m not stupid enough to risk my career, Tyler,” I say, and I’m proud of how I almost believe that lie.
“So you say, but I know you. Be careful. You may help these people, but you never really know them. Just take care of yourself first, okay?” he says, and his sincerity and concern make me question how stupid I am.
Tyler’s right. I need to distance myself the next time I see Noah.
But seeing Noah happens sooner than I could’ve predicted. Because he’s stepping through the bar entrance.Shit. His eyes are honed in on me, and when he moves his stare to Tyler I swear there is smoke coming out of his nose. What the hell is he doing here? And why the fuck is he walking towards us?
CHAPTER 18
NOAH
Iwas looking forward to my nightly watch of Chase. Today has been fucking annoying. My dad has been calling constantly leaving his standard messages of insults and threats over this stupid contract. Then there is my mother, who I never speak to, sending me texts demanding I call her. I can’t lie and say my interest hasn’t piqued at their scrambling for my attention. This is not in the normal realm of their behavior.
After my dads last message, I went to their house this morning to do some digging to see what the hell is going on and what has him scrambling.
Looking at my phone I smile at what a successful digging session it was. Father has managed to lose eighty percent of his fortune. He's got legal cases hitting him from every side. I scroll through the goods I collected on my recon mission, blooming with satisfaction and fucking glee. Dad's not the only one who can gain access anywhere. I have keys to every room, cupboard, and lockable item in that house. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Dad. It was too easy to break into my childhood home—the one I know like the back of my hand, while they were at the golf club with their gaggle of high society cunts.
I enlarge the image I took with my phone to double check that I had read it correctly. Yeah. He needs this contract or he sinks. Looks like he’s been dealing with some shady people to whom he’s owed money to for quite a while. This contract would help, but it wouldn’t clear them totally. It makes sense now why he wanted my grandfather to stipulate the trust. I knew he was after my money, but I thought that was just his greedy nature. Seems like he really needs the cash. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
Anyway, after all of that, I needed to see Chase. I need to get my fill. But that feeling of calm is replaced with a cold feeling when I see him leave his house with another man. I don’t recognize him, but it's of no consequence. Nobody touches Chase except me.
Following them to a small bar in town, they disappear to the back of the bar, where I can’t get a visual from the street. It's time to come out of the shadows and make my intentions clear. To Chase and any other fucker that surrounds him.
Walking into the bar, I stop as I see Chase in a booth seat in the corner, facing the door. I can only see the profile of the guy he’s with, but it only takes seconds for Chase to look up and see me, eyes wide, mouth frozen on the last words he was about to say.
I walk towards him, and he swallows hard, gulping like he’s thirsty. As I approach the table, I stare down at him, waiting for some kind of introduction or acknowledgment.
“Noah…h-hi. I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” he says, and his words sound hesitant and jumbled, like he can’t talk properly.
“Who’s this?” I ask, looking over at the man across from him, who’s watching us both with interest as his eyes switch back and forth between us. He looks familiar.
“Oh, this is my brother, Tyler. Tyler, this is Noah. He’s my…” He lets the final part linger.Brother. I remember now. He was in one of the photos back at the house.
“I’m just a friend,” I say, looking back at Tyler, who then smiles and puts his hand out to me. I study it for a moment remembering how Chase did the same thing. I take the social cue offered, and shake his hand, maybe a little harder than I should. But I don’t like that Chase is here with him, brother or not.
“Nice to meet you, Noah. Did you want to join us?” he asks, and I’m slightly bewildered by his offer, considering I know my face doesn’t scream friendly and approachable.
I look over to Chase, who is flushed in the cheeks, picking at his fork on the table. I love it when he’s meek like this. Makes me want to corrupt him, eat him all up, consume him.Fuck, I want him.
“No, thank you,” I reply, and take one last look at Chase before I go to leave. “Have a good night, Chase.”
“Wait!” Chase yells and runs over to stop me from leaving. We stand by the entrance, his hand gripping my forearm to stop me opening the door.
“What are you doing here, Noah?”
“I saw you from the street. I wanted to know who you were with,” I say.
“But, why?”
“Because I don’t want you with anyone else.”
“That’s not your choice, Noah.”
I smile as I stop myself from resisting and hold his face in my hands. At first he goes deathly still, before closing his eyes and relaxing as I gently caress his jaw. Chase’s reaction to my touch has me wondering how long it’s been since someone touched him in this way.
