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FIVE
Telling Noah
CHARLOTTE
Aheavy arm is slung over my belly and a warm, hard body is braced at my back. I’d happily stay like this all day, but unfortunately, nature calls and I need to move. I try to be as quiet as I can. Last night was intense for both Wildcard and me. I inch away slowly, sliding to the edge of the bed and then out.
I note that I’m still fully dressed except for my shoes. The small bathroom is one of the two doors in the room, the other being a small closet. The closet is as neat and tidy as can be, which tells me that Wildcard likes order in his life. I quickly do my business and wash up, running my fingers through my hair and tying it up in a messy bun. I need to go home, shower, and get to work. Thank goodness I have the later shift today and don’t start until eleven.
I tiptoe back into the room, hoping to leave Wildcard asleep, but find him sitting up in bed waiting for me. His sleepy eyes are even more beautiful, and I get a good look at his well-defined arms, chest, and abs. He’s not huge like Orion or War. Wildcard is leaner, very cut in all the right places, and you can tell he works at keeping it that way.
“Hi,” I say shyly.
“Come here, dollface.” He pats the spot on the bed beside his thigh. I drift over to him, and he guides me to sit. He trails his fingers over my cheek. His thumb gently touches my lips. “You doing okay this morning?”
My first instinct is to tell him I’m fine, but I’m not. So I go with the truth. “I’m rough. Last night wasn’t fun. Telling you what happened to me was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. It’s like Guard knew it was eating away at me inside and I had to get it out.”
“Guard?”
“He came to see me at Millie’s. He just knew.” I shake my head, wondering how he could see what I’ve been hiding from everyone else for so long.
“He has a way of seeing the unseeable,” Wildcard replies. “We both have a past, baby. I need to tell you mine. That way, you can understand my reaction last night. Before I do, I gotta ask, does Noah know about this?”
“No. No way. Dad left when he was two. He’s never shown his face here. The only other time he came to see me was when he needed money. He tracked me down at my college.”
“Paul came to your school?” His voice becomes darker, more menacing.
“He wanted money. First, I didn’t have any to give, and when he started getting upset, I was lucky to have my roommate show up. It was a few days after that that I had to go home and look after Mom and Noah. Never saw him again until the other night.”
“Hate to say this, but you need to have a sit-down with your brother. Your dad now knows that someone’s got your back. His next attempt could be your brother. Noah’s smart, but your father hasn’t survived this long without being a good con artist. Noah needs a heads-up.”
“I can’t do that. He’s just a kid.”
“He’s almost eighteen. He’s also very aware that bad shit happens. He was part of a gang that did horrible things, even to kids. What are you trying to protect him from? What are you scared of?”
My voice drops to a whisper. “What if he doesn’t believe me?”
“Your father is going to pay for all the tears you’ve shed. For the hurt he caused and for the doubt he’s planted in your mind. Rape is a crime. You were young and scared. He deserves to burn in hell, but before he goes there, I’m going to tear him apart.”
“Wildcard…” I don’t want him to get in trouble for me.
“It’s time for me to tell you why I can’t let this go. I’ll start by saying that no man has the right to take from a woman without her consent, but even more so, never, ever a kid.” Wildcard pulls me closer and settles me into his arms, then goes on to tell me his story.
I weep for him and for a lost little girl named Teresa. I cry for the other children who were tortured by that couple, demeaned and debased with no one to fight for them. And I understand why Wildcard reacted the way he did last night.
“You see, it’s about justice for those who can’t protect themselves. It’s also about giving you back your peace of mind. But more than that, I know what I feel for you. We’re new, really new, and I never thought I’d want a woman by my side. Didn’t think I had it in me. Then you came along, and you’re the first thing I think about when I get up in the morning and the last thing at night. I want to explore what we have,” he says, brushing his lips across the top of my head.
“What you feel for me?” I repeat, stuck on those words and hoping it’s what I feel for him.
A sly grin turns into a smile, lifting the corner of her mouth, “You fishin’, dollface?”
“No. Uh, no.” And I wasn’t. I furrow my brow.
“Teasing, babe,” he says. He places a hand on his bare chest, right over his heart. “I thought it was broken,” he says, referring to his heart. “Instead, you stoked the flames I thought were long lost, and now I feel again. Is it love? I won’t lie, I can’t say that it is, but I can say I’ve never wanted to be with someone more than you. I’ve been making excuses to come over to be with you and Noah, just to spend time with you. Noah’s great, but I could see him at the club, the garage, or anywhere else he’s at with a brother.”
“I like you too,” I say breathily, then add, “a lot.”
“That’s good, because I want more time with you.” He plants a soft kiss on my lips. “I hate to bring this up again after all this sweetness, but it has to be said. You need to tell Noah about his father. He needs to be prepared.”
