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Rocco: Just dropped the bastard off. I think he got the message.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
Maxwell: Good. He won’t be bothering Noelle again.
Rocco: You can’t protect her from the world, Max.
His words hit me hard. I knew he was right, but I couldn’t stop trying.
Maxwell: Maybe not. But I’ll die trying.
Rocco: You’re a damn fool. But you’re a good man, Max. I hope one day you’ll see that.
I didn’t respond, my eyes back on Noelle’s window. His words echoed in my mind, adding to the turmoil I felt. I knew I was walking a thin line, playing a dangerous game. But when it came to Noelle, I would risk everything.
Rocco: Anyway, I’m heading home. You sure you’re okay?
Maxwell: Yeah, I’m good. Thanks, man.
Rocco: Anytime. Just remember, this can’t go on forever.
I stared at the message, the truth in his words gnawing at me. I knew he was right. One day, I would have to face Noelle, tell her everything. The thought terrified me. But for now, I’d keep my secrets, keep protecting her.
For Noelle, I would face any danger, bear any burden. As I turned away from her window, I took one last glance at her sleeping form, whispering into the night, “I’ll always be there for you, Noelle. Always.”
And with that, I walked away, back to my lonely existence, praying for a day when I could share my life with Noelle. Until then, I would continue to love her from afar, bearing the pain that came with it. She was worth every bit of it.
Chapter Three
Noelle
Isleptlikethedead. After laying in bed and crying like an idiot, I spent the rest of the night flipping through my old letters. With the holiday right around the corner, my mother was working overtime to ensure we had the best holiday ever. She was obsessed with Christmas and my dad did everything he could to encourage her obsession. Today was a baking day. With one week left until the holiday, there was a list of cookies that needed to be baked, pies to be made, and because my mother was a literal saint, no one said no when she put out a call for help.
I walked in the front door to the smell of sweet honey and vanilla. The house was warmer than normal, which likely meant the oven had likely been running for hours.
“You’re here!” Mom’s voice was a symphony of excitement and relief that echoed through the house. Her giddiness was contagious, causing a lazy smile to stretch across my tired face.
“Yeah, sorry it’s late. I slept in,” I apologized, shedding my coat and scarf in the hallway. The familiar clamor of my family’s chatter filled the air as I moved deeper into the house.
As I drifted through the living room, I paused to say hello to my dad and three brothers. My baby niece Belle was bundled up in my brother Nick’s arms, and he handed her over to me with a sulky expression. I smiled at the giggling baby in my arms as I entered the kitchen where Kyra, my sister-in-law, was stationed in the corner, gently rubbing her heavily pregnant belly.
I leaned in to give Kyra a gentle kiss on the cheek, mindful not to jostle Belle too much. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I’m about to burst open like a stuffed pig,” Kyra replied.
“A beautiful stuffed pig!” my brother Jack chimed in from the living room, his voice brimming with humor and affection.
Kyra rolled her eyes in response, and I couldn’t help but smile at the sweet dynamic between them. They were childhood sweethearts and had rekindled their relationship last Christmas. The love they shared was tangible, akin to a heartwarming Hallmark movie.
I passed Belle over to her mother, Ansley, when she entered the kitchen and took a seat at the counter. Mom pushed a pile of dough toward me, her blue eyes sparkling with maternal love.
“Make one-inch balls with that, will you?”
I smiled up at her and no sooner than I got started, Eve started in on questions about how I was doing.
“I’m fine, really.”
“Are you sure, honey? I mean, we love to have you here, but if you need some time for yourself, we will understand.”
