AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Confused or enraged? Maybe both? I was not sure just yet. After all we had been through, anything was possible at this point. Surely two people did not get past Joseph’s radar! First Lindsay, now Noah? Was he even a good guy? Who was I to judge? I had murdered people.
Internally, I was a volcano ready to unleash my wrath. Externally, I was remaining calm for the sake of Isabelle. It was evident she knew him and he was her first cousin. But how did they not know?!
Noah sighed, glancing toward the ceiling before bringing his gaze to mine. “What Isab...I mean Miss Ayala said is true.” He lifted his hand to his chin, stroking his jaw. “Our mothers were sisters, hence my different last name. It’sFinenow but was shortened from Finelli when my family left.”
I circled the pad of my thumb on my fingertips, fidgeting. Isabelle, sensing I was tense, placed her palm on my thigh.
Noah continued. “We were separated as kids because of a family disagreement. My parents took my brother and me and left the state.” He cleared his throat. “Since we were so young, I never knew much about Isabelle because my parents didn’t speak of her family nor know what happened to her as all communication had been cut. I didn’t actually know any of the family on either side of hers after we left.”
I carefully repeated everything in my head as he spoke so I would be able to catch him in any lie he told me. It was also much to process and sink in. He held eye contact with both Isabelle and me as he spoke. If he was lying, he was damn good at it.
“My parents were killed in a car crash ten years ago, but I know it was not an accident.” He averted his gaze to his lap. “So, brother and I took different paths. At first, I wanted to be a police officer but eventually found that it didn’t seem extreme enough for my liking.” He winked at Isabelle.
Clenching my fists, I pursed my lips, narrowing my gaze on his. Not a single other voice could be heard in the plane. I peered around to see everyone’s focus was fixated on him, until I turned to Joseph who was lying back with his eyes closed, resting peacefully. I assumed he had passed out from pain medication. Isabelle rested her head on my shoulder as she laid her arm across my lap. I returned my attention to Noah.
“Anyway, fast forward to becoming a cop and I accidentally stumbled upon some huge secretive project. The CIA contacted me to come work for them.” He shrugged it off as it were no big deal to him. “By then I was only twenty-three but with all the training that goes into working for them, I was uninterested. In the end, I made an arrangement with them that I cannot disclose to anyone.”
“Are we even supposed to know you worked for them?” Isabelle leaned forward, excited about the new discovery.
He bobbed his head back and forth weighing his answer. “I mean, it’s a need-to-know basis or close family and it’s not illegal but yeah, it’s highly frowned upon. That’s why you’re not getting any more details than that.”
Unfazed by his former job, I suddenly thought back to the conversation I had with him in my kitchen. “Did your brother really die?”
Isabelle nudged me, groaning “Baby—”
“It’s okay.” Noah lifted his hand. “Yes. When our parents died, he turned to drugs as a coping mechanism and well, you know the rest.”
I nibbled the inside of my bottom lip, piecing together everything he had told me and understanding now, he just might be telling the truth. I glanced over at my sister, who looked as if she was ready to plan her own wedding to him. Rolling my eyes, I relaxed a bit, waiting for more shocking revelations.
“Isab...Miss—”
“For fucks sake Noah,” I spat, “if you’re really cousins just call her by her name.”
She nudged me in the side with her elbow causing me to wince. I had not been completely honest about what happened earlier when we rescued Joseph. It was not the time to discuss it so I made sure she did not see my reaction.
Noah lifted his chin at Isabelle with a smile. “Isabelle, I started to remember you when I was a teenager but didn’t recall us being related.”
I curled my lip in disgust.
“Not like that.” Noah chuckled. “But it wasn’t until five months ago that I started to piece everything together.”
“Which is about the time he applied for the job.” Joseph announced from the middle of the plane.
“Yes, it was.” I leaned my head into the aisle. “What the hell Joseph?! You’re supposed to check for these things.”
“Oh, he told me immediately.” Joseph grinned.
Isabelle’s mouth fell agape.
“Yeah,” Noah sighed, “I actually had never met Felipe, so I wasn’t aware of any of this and didn’t understand his relation.”
“Wait wait wait.” I pinched the bridge of my nose in anguish as I looked back and forth at Noah and Joseph. “Joseph, you knew about this and their relation all along?”
Joseph closed his eyes again and leaned his head back with a smirk painted on his face.
Isabelle leaned closer. “This is insane.”
I jumped when she accidentally bumped my wound.
