Chapter 50
HANNAH
“Red,” says Noah, his tone quiet. I wonder if he can sense how my emotions have fucked with my nervous system.
“Don’t,” I warn, trying to calm myself down.
“We need to talk,” he says, touching my arm lightly, completely ignoring my request not to say anything else.
Just breathe, Hannah, in and out.
“About what?” I hiss as rage fills every part of my body. I’m surprised steam isn’t coming out of my ears. So much for calming myself down. “Because the last time I checked, you told me to stay out of your business.”
“I know what I said was fucked up, and I’m—”
“Leave me alone, Noah,” I snap, trying to remove myself from his touch.
He ignores my demand, instead focusing on the one question that chips at my armor. “Who was that asshole, Red?”
His inquisition almost makes me want to slap him. “Wow, how fucking ironic.”
“Are you going to answer the question? Or do I have to beat the shit out of him for it?”
“What makes you think he’s the problem?” Now look who’s the observant one.
“Anyone with eyes can see how you locked up when he approached. What the fuck did he do?”
“You wouldn’t cause a scene.”
“Watch me.” Those brown eyes swirl a darker shade, his promise laced with malice.
“Don’t you dare. Do not ruin this for the Gomezes.” His touch never falters, but somehow we’re closer than before. “Why does it matter to you anyway?”
Noah’s eyes linger everywhere, almost like he’s taking mental pictures. His fingers start to slip, releasing me finally. “Nobody deserves to get hurt.”
The twins' voices come to mind, of Noah’s troubled past relationship.
How bad was the fall he experienced?
I shake my head, remembering the vow I made to myself. Swearing off men is the whole reason I avoid shit like this. I won’t let him rope me back in, already regretting the yes I gave him before.
I mean, sort of. I also sort of don’t regret his touch.
No, I don’t want to hear his excuses or watch those goddamn gorgeous eyes plead for me to listen. He doesn’t get to cast me aside and shut off, then ask about my personal bullshit. “I’m returning your favor from earlier. So, stay out of my business.”
I leave him alone and crestfallen in the corner as I search for Maya.
My breathing escalates while I weave through the guests, and my chest tightens with every excuse me to slide by strangers, people’s faces blurring as my panic starts to rise.
Every noise, down to the kids running and screaming in their suits and dresses, hurts my ears, making it harder to focus.
Where is she?!
I spot Henry, Noah’s stiff personal assistant, checking the watch on his wrist. He catches me staring and saunters over, clearly taking my wild eyes as an open invitation to bother me.
“Where’s your short friend?” he asks, adjusting his collar.
I backpedal, letting our conversation become a distraction from my mounting panic. “Maya?
He checks his surroundings, searching for her. “Yeah, she muttered something about incompetence, then stormed off, taking my drink with her.”
“What did you do?”
He looks offended. “Me? The woman complains that I'm an eyesore, and yet it’s my fault?”
Sounds like Maya. “Have you tried to apologize for something you didn’t do?”
Henry rolls his neck. “You don’t believe me either.”
“I didn’t say that, but I can’t help but wonder what stupid sentence came from your mouth. Maya doesn’t yell at just anyone.”
“Wasn’t yelling, per se, more like chastising me like a dog who shit on her carpet…” he pauses, catching my insult. “I bet Noah really enjoys your company.”
“He can go kick rocks, for all I care.”
A sea of guests starts to close in, gathering by the entrance of the dining hall as a bell chimes, signaling all of us to silence.
Anthony stands on a nearby chair, clapping his hands to gather any wandering conversations to a halt.
“Thank you so much for joining us tonight for a feast and a night that will surely be memorable for years to come. Please, make your way inside, and check the seating chart. We are excited to get this night rolling!”
Henry gestures to me to go ahead. “Ladies first.”
“At least you have manners. How did you end up working with Noah, anyway?” I ask, leading the way inside.
Anthony and Jill have transformed the dining hall into a luxurious space. They switched out the long, ornate tables for round ones with red tablecloths, candles flickering in the center. Crystal snowflakes hang above us, casting rainbow hues on the floor.
Henry follows me over to the easel, where our name and table numbers are displayed.
He plucks our cards, waving the table number in my face. “Looks like we’re together.”
Dread fills my body, because if he’s seated with me, that means…
By the foggy windows, I spot Maya looking just as annoyed as I when she catches us coming her way. And there’s Noah, bracing his elbows on the back of his seat, staring right into my soul. A face so stunning it can knock the wind out of anyone.
Heart? Why does it have to be him?
Henry is oblivious to the tension when we take our seats, finding an empty spot with my place card right next to Noah.
He pulls out my chair, while my heart hammers against my rib cage as I try to remind myself of our argument we had moments ago, and that his chivalrous gesture doesn’t give him a free pass.
Regardless, it makes my stomach flip one too many times.
I mumble a simple thanks, feeling his legs brush against mine when he takes his seat.
Henry takes his seat on the opposite side of Maya, her mouth in a hard line, arms crossed like she can’t be bothered.
I elbow her gently to get her attention and whisper, “Hey, everything okay?”
“I’m contemplating tying my hair to the ceiling fan in my cabin and going for a ride,” she deadpans. And she’s not quiet about her comment, either, because Henry is already rolling his eyes. “I don’t get why you’re the one who’s mad.”
“Want me to rewind the tape for you, Parker?” she snipes.
He takes a long look at her, his lips in a hard line. “I’m not the one who took my comment out of context.”
Before she can respond, Liam arrives with Gwen on his arm, and my hands clench under the table as I grind my teeth. Because it didn’t register until now that two empty seats remained.
Maya’s eyes bulge, then she turns to me and mouths, What the fuck.
A rough hand covers mine and squeezes. I look over to find it’s Noah’s, and my breath hitches in the back of my throat.
Gwen takes her seat, while Liam casually leans into his, a smirk on his face. “Well, this is interesting.”
“And you are?” asks Henry.
“A walking disease,” mutters Noah. His hand gives me one more squeeze and pulls away.
Maya looks to me, then Liam, and finally Noah. I catch her texting on her lap, my phone buzzing inside my clutch.
Dare I look? Knowing she’s asking what she’s missed.
I mouth the word later and try to take a sip of the water that’s already provided at the table.
Slightly chilled, enough to clear my dry throat.
I keep my eyes down, admiring the intricate snowflakes on the white china plates, hoping Noah’s remark is left behind.
But it's hard when the one person you never thought would come back to plague your world again is grinning at you across the table.
I look up, Liam leans forward and snags his water, swirling the glass around like it’s a wine testing session.
“Hannah, nice to know your company remains the same. Tell me, does Noah here beg like a dog? Does he sleep on the floor when you kick him down?” Liam’s laugh is a sound I was hoping to never hear again.
It’s like nails on a chalkboard, a constant loop, making me want to curl in on myself.
He’s doing it on purpose, making comments to have everyone else at the table think I was the abusive one.
I hate it. I hate him. I hate how he’s here, sitting across from me with his new fiancée, flashing that ring, how she has no idea what mental abuse he graciously bestowed upon me.
Where I second-guess every action, how I move my body, what I wear, hiding behind layers of self-doubt because he’s the one ashamed.
Ashamed of what I had to go through.
A year of therapy, and yet all the crap he put me through slips through the cracks in my defences.
No, I can’t sit idle anymore. I can’t cast my eyes down and watch him make comments or laugh and try to belittle me in front of everyone.
I look him dead in the eyes, a sly smile creeping up on my face, catching a snake in his trap. “Why? Because your current treats you like a pussy?”
It’s a low blow, I’ll admit, and knowing Gwen is stuck in the crossfire isn’t fair, but there’s a good chance he’s twisted the story around in his favor to ensnare her.
She sits in silence, avoiding all eye contact. Her silence is enough to know he’s most likely mentally abusing her, too.
Maya spits her drink out; Henry has a hard time controlling his laughter.
Noah, however, slings an arm behind my chair, smiling with pride. He tugs at my hair and winks. “Why, Red, you’re feisty when you’re hungry?”
I hear Maya choke even more, having to smack her back to get her to stop, knowing damn well his nickname for me caused the fit.
I keep eye contact with Liam, raising an eyebrow to the challenge. He’s already setting his lips in a hard line, eyes dangerous and threatening.
Finding comfort in Noah’s presence, I scoot closer, playing a game way out of my league right now. I won’t forget our fight from earlier, but that doesn’t mean I can’t use him to bend the rules and force Liam to show his hand.
“Red? Is that a pet name? Why, you know what they call female dogs?” He takes a sip, and eyes sharper than knives cut through my armor, now tarnished and broken at my feet.
Waiters arrive with fresh salads and depart. Nobody touches their food. Noah is fuming beside me, his chair creaking from clenching the seat too hard. He’s about to rip him to shreds when Henry holds him back, shaking his head.