39. Chapter 39
Chapter 39
Anastasia
" W atch it," Noah hisses beside me, glaring daggers at the EMT every time I flinch. His fists clench, barely restrained fury simmering beneath the surface.
Perched in the back of the ambulance, Roman speaks in hushed tones to the responding officers as they haul away the bodies. He slides one of them his card, just a brief flash of black and silver, and, like clockwork, both officers immediately shut their mouths and tuck away their notepads. Business as usual.
"He's just doing his job," I whisper, patting Noah’s chest in an attempt to soothe him. The wound in my leg is finally being mended, the sharp sting of antiseptic fading into a dull ache.
"You’ll still need to go to the hospital," the EMT warns, his voice matter-of-fact. "You're lucky a major artery wasn’t nicked."
I nod, exhaling slowly. Lucky. Sure.
"Just let us clear this mess and give you a clear path," the EMT continues, barely sparing us a glance. "Then you and your husband will be on your way."
Noah doesn’t correct him. Instead, he just grins like a drunken fool, his lips twitching with amusement but offering no objection.
Across the road, Noah’s men haul Jake out of the woods, his limp legs dragging through dirt and gravel, leaving a faint trail of blood in his wake. Roman strolls over with his usual easy confidence, sparing Jake only a cursory glance before his men shove him into one of their waiting cars. The cops turn a blind eye, too preoccupied with securing the area, handling the bodies of Walker and Cole like discarded trash.
Roman crouches slightly, voice dipping low as he studies me. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I was just beaten and tortured," I mutter, shaking my head.
His lips twitch. "Fair."
Noah, however, is far less amused. "What are you doing with him?" he growls, his narrowed gaze locked onto the car his brother is now in.
Roman straightens, his expression unreadable. "We need more intel," he says simply. "I told you, shooting him wouldn’t be torture enough. Lucky for you, with your new promotion, you’ll get to have all the fun with him."
I blink, turning to Noah, brows raised.
"Promotion?" I laugh, the word foreign on my tongue.
Noah rubs the back of his neck, a slow smile tugging at his lips.
"I put in my resignation at Spokehaven this morning," he admits, watching my reaction. "Roman offered me a job at Catalyst, and I couldn’t refuse."
I blink, glancing between the two men, trying to process what he just said.
"So… you won’t be my teacher anymore?" I tease, a grin playing at my lips.
"No," Noah murmurs, his smile deepening as he leans in. His lips graze mine, the warmth of his breath sending a shiver down my spine. "Have any problems with that-"
"Where is my daughter?" my dad’s voice booms, raw with desperation.
"Sir, this is an active crime scene-" one of the officers attempts to interject, but he barely gets the words out.
"Tough," Megan snaps.
My head whips toward the yellow tape just as my family spills out of my dad’s rental. Megan, Elijah, my mother, and my father push past the officers with unwavering determination. Roman lifts a hand, signaling his men to stand down, letting them through without resistance.
"I need to see my daughter-" my dad’s voice falters as his gaze locks onto mine.
Then his face crumbles.
"Oh, my God," he bellows.
His feet barely touch the ground as he runs toward me, nearly slipping on the ice. Noah keeps his grip on me, steadying me just as my father reaches us. His arms wrap around me with desperate force, pulling me close. Pain lances through me, but I bite it down, letting him hold me.
"Jesus fucking Christ, Ana," he groans, his voice breaking. "What the hell happened? We saw it on the news, Cole and Walker, they-" His breath shudders. "They killed some kid and kidnapped you to drag you into it-"
I flick a glance at Roman. He meets my eyes and offers a knowing smile.
Of course. He’s already leaked the story.
Roman fucking Briar, handling one disaster after another like a master puppeteer.
"Dad, I’m fine," I whisper, though the words feel flimsy even to me. "I’m okay-"
"Oh, honey," my mom sobs, crashing into the hug. "We were so damn worried."
Megan and Elijah aren’t far behind. "Let us in!" they cry, throwing their arms around me with enough force to knock the wind from my lungs.
"Guys-" I gasp, wincing. "Still injured-"
They ease up instantly, but my dad refuses to let go.
Noah, ever the tactician, clears his throat. "Why don’t you three give Roman’s men a few statements?" he suggests, his voice calm but firm. "You all knew Cole or Walker."
Roman nods, smoothly stepping in. "This way, folks," he says with an easy smile, guiding Megan, Elijah, and my mom toward his men. In seconds, it’s just Noah, my father, and me.
"What happened?" my father asks, his voice rough with concern. He barely spares a glance at how close Noah and I are, his focus locked entirely on me.
Does he know?
I inhale deeply, bracing myself. "Cole… he did some messed-up things in high school," I admit, the words heavy on my tongue. "And Walker, he knew. He used it against him, exploited it."
Noah nods in quiet agreement, staying silent, keeping Jake’s name out of it.
My father’s jaw tightens. "Why didn’t you tell me? That they were blackmailing you-"
"You were sick, Dad," I whisper, my throat tightening. "I could barely process it myself, and the last thing I wanted to do was make you worry."
My father sucks in a sharp breath, his face crumpling. "Worry about you?" he gasps, his voice raw. "That’s all a father does." His breath shudders, his eyes glistening. "But…" He swallows hard, then shifts his gaze to Noah. "It seems like you had someone in your corner this whole time."
A small, knowing smile tugs at my lips. I glance at Noah just as my dad squeezes my hand.
"Noah!" Roman’s voice cuts through the moment. "Get over here, I need something."
Noah gives my back a gentle rub before stepping away. "I’ll be right back," he murmurs before turning to my dad. "Mr. Burns." He offers his hand.
My father accepts the handshake, his grip firm. They exchange a silent nod before Noah excuses himself, disappearing toward Roman.
I wait until he’s out of earshot, my pulse steady but my mind racing.
"You know?" I whisper, searching my father’s face.
His lips twitch into a small smile as he lifts his shoulders in an easy shrug.
"I have eyes," he says simply.
"How long?" I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper.
My father exhales, running a hand over his face. "Pretty much since the first time I saw you two interact," he admits.
"Are you angry with me?" I prod, searching his face for any trace of resentment.
He hesitates, then looks me dead in the eyes. "Ana, can I tell you something? Something you cannot repeat to anyone...not even Noah?"
I press my lips together and nod, waiting.
His gaze flickers, his expression unreadable. "There’s a reason I’m standing here right now. Alive."
A chill runs down my spine. "Okay…" I trail off, glancing toward Roman and Noah, who are deep in conversation as law enforcement starts to clear out.
My father swallows hard. "I told your mother the money for my treatment came from an inheritance my father left behind."
"But?" I press, my pulse quickening.
He exhales sharply. "That wasn’t true," he confesses. "A man came to me in the hospital. Said all my affairs would be handled. Anonymously, all my debts were paid. The doctors were fired and replaced with some of the best cancer specialists in the country." He pauses, his hands trembling at his sides. "At the time I was too sick to question it. Chemo had wrecked me, I could barely think straight. But tonight… when I saw Noah, I finally put it together. The reason his voice sounded so familiar."
I freeze.
My father grips my hand. "Noah was the man who came to my hospital room," he whispers. "He was the man who saved my life."
A stunned breath catches in my throat as I turn to look at Noah.
"W-when did this happen?" I ask, my voice unsteady.
"About two months ago-" my father starts, but his voice fades into the background.
Even after everything. The words he threw at me. The act he played.
He was in my corner.
Helping my father survive.
Helping him live.
"That’s when I knew," my father’s voice filters back in, steady and sure, "that something deeper was happening."
I turn to him, my breath catching as he continues.
"That’s when I realized, and one glance was all it took to see what was between you and Noah. So, no, Ana," he whispers, his voice thick with meaning. "I’m not mad. If a love that strong is real, I won’t be the one to squander it."
"Noah is resigning-"
"I know," my dad says before I can finish. A small, knowing smile tugs at his lips. "I did the same when I knew I wanted your mother."
Stunned, I stare at him, searching his face for any trace of hesitation. There’s none.
"We’re ready to transport her, sir," an EMT says quietly, interrupting the moment.
My dad nods, already stepping back. "I’ll meet you at the hospital with your friends," he says, offering no clarity on his last statement.
Then he turns, waving Noah over. "They’re ready to take her."
Noah excuses himself from his conversation with Roman and strides over without hesitation.
"Sir?" he asks, glancing between me and my father. "Are you sure you don’t want to ride with her?"
My father exhales, his eyes settling on Noah with something softer than approval, something closer to trust.
"No," he says simply. "You’ve got her now."
And with that, he steps away, slipping into the car with the others, leaving me in Noah’s hands.
Noah helps me into the ambulance, settling beside me as the EMTs shut the doors.
"You have a lot of explaining to do," I murmur, eyeing him suspiciously. "Did you know my dad was my mom’s professor?"
Looking suddenly guilty, Noah tugs at his collar.
"Can you blame the man?" he smirks. "Burns women."
A breathless laugh slips from my lips despite myself. I shake my head, then curl my fingers into his shirt, pulling him closer.
"Come here, Ackerman," I whisper, grinning as I kiss him, straining against the rails of the gurney.
He meets me halfway, his lips slow, careful, like he’s memorizing the shape of me. My breath ghosts his skin, the warmth of him sinking into me.
"I love you," I whisper against his lips.
Noah smiles, his forehead pressing to mine. "I love you, Anastasia."
"Ma’am, you really shouldn’t-"
The EMT stops mid-sentence. One look at Noah’s sharp, unwavering gaze, and he wisely shuts his mouth.
I don’t let go.
I don’t let the moment slip away.
Instead, I hold on, kissing him like it’s the only thing keeping me tethered to this world.