Chapter Nine
Noah
Juliet is an angel.
Making love to her is magic.
Every night.
She’s insatiable.
But it’s more than that.
She didn’t just invite me to stay, she made a home for me. She helped me sort out my apartment, cleaned up the wreckage, handled my lease, took time off work just to make sure I had everything I needed.
And God, her cooking.
It’s not just meals.
She bakes. She sends me to work with treats, little love notes tucked into my lunch, scented with her perfume.
Perfect.
I love her.
I don’t think I’ve ever really loved anyone like this.
There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make her happy.
I bring her flowers, just because.
Candy.
I leave her poems on her pillow when I wake up first.
I send her texts throughout the day so she knows I’m thinking about her.
I sing to her.
And she loves it.
She looks at me like I hung the moon. Like I’m everything she’s ever wanted.
And then, tonight…
She tells me about him.
We’re at the table, our empty plates pushed to the side, candlelight flickering between us.
Juliet is calm.
Like this is a completely normal conversation.
And I?
I am stunned.
Hurt.
I meet her eyes, my stomach twisting, my fingers flexing against the table. “Who is he?”
She tilts her head slightly, brushing her fingers through her hair. “Well… that’s complicated,” she says.
My throat feels tight. I don’t understand. “But… you love him?” I ask.
She smiles. Soft, patient. Like I just don’t get it yet, but I will.
“Of course I do,” she says. “Not like you. But yes. He’s different than you. Wouldn’t come between us. Doesn’t love like you do.”
My stomach twists.
When? How?
She’s so devoted.
When the hell did she have time to fall in love with someone else?
I shake my head, struggling to piece this together. “How long has this been going on?”
“It’s not exactly going on,” she says smoothly. “I’m talking to you first, to let you know, before I really do what’s needed to bring him in.”
Bring him in.
I blink, my pulse pounding. “Bring… bring him in?” I repeat, voice hollow. “Who is he, Juliet?”
She exhales, like I’m frustrating her now. Like this should be obvious. “I haven’t exactly gotten that far,” she says, rolling her eyes slightly. “In case you haven’t noticed, all of my time has been spent on you and us.” She says it like it’s a fact.
Like it’s so natural, so logical.
And fuck, my head is spinning.
She reaches for my hand, threading her fingers through mine, soft and sweet. “I thought you’d understand,” she says, voice gentle, coaxing. She tilts her head, squeezing my fingers. “Don’t you want me happy, Noah?”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.
She leans closer. “I do everything to make you happy,” she murmurs.
And that’s when it happens.
The moment I realize she means it.
She’s not cheating.
She’s not pulling away.
She’s expanding.
She’s inviting me into something bigger.
She loves me.
And now?
She wants me to love him, too.
I rake a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly, trying to piece this together.
Juliet watches me, eyes sharp, expectant, like she’s waiting for me to catch up.
Like this should be so easy to understand.
She leans forward, placing her hands flat on the table, her voice soft but sure.
“It’s not so hard to understand. They have TV shows about it. A bunch of wives who help each other so the man they love, the man who works so hard to make their life perfect, has all the love he needs.”
Her fingers trace small circles against the tablecloth, measured, precise.
She tilts her head, watching me carefully, her lips curving just slightly. “They’re friends. You would have a buddy. Someone with the same goal, loving me like I deserve.”
A buddy?
A buddy who fucks my girl?
My chest tightens. I drag my palm over my face, blow out a breath, try to process.
I mean, yeah, Juliet is more woman than I ever thought I deserved. But this?
Sharing?
I open my mouth, hesitate. “Juliet.”
Her expression flashes, quick frustration, then something sharper. “Fuck, Noah.” She sits back, arms crossing over her chest, her eyes burning into me now.
I think that’s the first time she’s ever cussed.
“Do you even realize the lengths I have gone to, to make shit perfect for you? Are you really going to sit here and tell me I don’t deserve that kind of devotion from you?” Her voice is sharp, but not pleading.
She’s not asking me.
She’s telling me.
Because in her mind, this is already decided.
I swallow hard, my throat dry. “You never said who he was,” I manage.
She exhales, rolling her eyes like I’m missing the bigger picture. “Because I haven’t gotten that far yet.” She picks up her napkin, folds it slowly. “I can tell you he goes to my gym.” She tilts her head, almost smiling. “And he’s built like a beast. No one would dare mess with any of us when he’s part of this family.”
Family.
That word sticks, lingers.
She’s not talking about some random guy.
She’s talking about building something.
Something bigger than just us.
Something she expects me to be part of.
I shake my head slightly, still not fully grasping it. “Different approach?”
She closes her eyes, exhales slowly.
Like I’m exhausting her now.
Like she’s trying so damn hard to be patient with me.
“Just leave most of it to me.” She reaches across the table, takes my hand in both of hers, rubbing slow, soothing circles over my knuckles.
Like she knows I need grounding.
Like she knows I’m still spinning, trying to make sense of this, trying not to lose her.
“I just need to know that you understand what’s going on.” Her voice softens. “And that nothing changes between us.” She leans forward, gaze locked onto mine, and fuck, she’s mesmerizing. “I am yours and you are mine.” Her fingers tighten just slightly. “And when, whatever the hell his name is, realizes he loves me too, I’ll be his and he’ll be mine.” She strokes her thumb against my wrist, lulling me, soothing me. “But it won’t change us, Noah.” Her voice lowers. “Nothing changes us.”
I stare at her, my heart pounding, my mind racing.
She’s so steady.
So sure.
So completely in control.
And fuck me, I love her.
I love her so much it’s terrifying.
I can feel it twisting inside me, tightening, pulling, demanding that I trust her.
I would do anything to keep her.
Anything to see that look of certainty, of satisfaction, on her face.
If she says nothing changes?
Then I believe her.
Because Juliet wouldn’t lie to me.
Because Juliet loves me.
I swallow hard, grip her hand tighter.
And I nod.