Chapter 26
Noah
The soft rhythm of Emma's breathing fills the room, a soothing melody that lulls me deeper into sleep. Wrapped in her warmth, I can forget the chaos of the world outside, if only for a moment. My mind drifts, teetering between dreams and reality, until an insistent ringing pierces the tranquility—the doorbell shattering the stillness like glass.
I blink awake, confusion clouding my thoughts as I instinctively tighten my hold around Emma. She stirs, her eyes fluttering open, and that’s when I realize the late hour. “What’s that?” she murmurs.
“I don’t know,” I mutter, the peace I was feeling is quickly being replaced by a creeping dread. My gut tightens at the thought of who might be at the door. I know this interruption isn't innocent, not with everything that’s happened. As I throw the covers aside, I can feel my anger from earlier rising back to the surface.
When I pull the door open, my eyes lock onto Marcus standing there. The sight of his face ignites a firestorm of anger in me. “What do you want?” I demand, my voice low and threatening, the earlier grogginess replaced with adrenaline.
“I'm here to talk to Emma,” he stammers. “What are you doing here? She told you to leave her alone.” Just hearing him say her name sends a rage surging through my veins.
Before I can stop myself, I step forward, fists clenched at my sides. “What am I doing here? I belong here, not you. I heard what you did!” I shout, shoving him away from the door. He stumbles back before falling on his ass.
Marcus stands and regains his composure, a defiant glare in his eyes. “Wait. I can explain—“
The sound of my fist meeting his jaw echoes in the quiet of the night, a satisfying explosion of pent-up frustration. For a fleeting instant, it feels good to release everything that’s been building up inside me, but that feeling quickly dissipates as he hits the ground, shock rippling through him. He stays down, and my breath catches in my throat. Did I hit him too hard?
Emma rushes to my side, her voice frantic. “Noah! What did you do?” But I barely register her words as the weight of what just happened crashes over me. All I can focus on is the fact that caring about her has led me here—into a fight with my own brother. The tension in the air is thick, and guilt mingles with my anger, twisting my stomach into knots.
I look down at Marcus, still reeling from the blow. “What were you thinking, showing up here like this?” I bark. “You think an apology will make it right after what you did?” The words are flung at him like daggers, but deep down, I know this isn’t just about him. It’s about me and Emma, and our fragile relationship. If I didn’t keep pushing her away, we wouldn’t be in this situation at all.
Emma reaches for my arm, her touch grounding me, forcing me to breathe. “Noah, please…step back,” she whispers, her voice a mix of concern and reassurance.
I swallow hard, torn between the instinct to protect what’s mine and the guilt of hurting my own blood. The only family I have left. I look at her, and for a moment, the anger fades as I see the worry etched on her face.
Marcus finally gathers himself, pushing off the floor with a grimace. “I didn’t mean to—” he starts, but Emma cuts him off, stepping between us.
“Stop it!” She screams. “I forgive you, Marcus. But don’t ever do something like that again.” She turns to me. “Now you need to forgive each other. You’ve both done and said things you don’t mean. Y’all were hurt and that’s all it was. Violence isn’t going to solve anything. Just forgive each other. If y’all care about me, do it for me.”
I know she’s right, but knowing doesn’t make the anger any easier to contain. The weight of her plea presses into my chest. I stand there, caught between the intensity of my feelings for her and the raw, jagged edges of betrayal I feel toward my brother.
Marcus casts an uneasy glance at Emma, then at me. “I didn’t mean to hurt either of you. I messed up, and I’m sorry,” he says finally, the sincerity in his voice breaking through some of the walls I’ve built up.
I want to respond with my fists again, but Emma’s unwavering gaze urges me to reconsider that thought. I take a deep breath, my fists slowly unclenching at my sides. “I know you are, but it’s hard to just forget about it, Marcus,” I reply, my voice steadier. “You crossed a line with Emma, and I don’t know if I’ll ever trust you around her again.”
Emma rests her hand on my arm. “Thank you,” she whispers, looking in my eyes with adoration. “We will talk to you tomorrow, Marcus. I desperately need to get some sleep.” She tugs on my arm, gently pulling me back towards the house.
Emma leads me back to her room, and we settle under the covers. The soft glow of the lamp casts a warm light around us. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, cupping her cheek in my hand. “All I’ve done since we’ve met is stress you and the baby out.”
“Well, you’re not wrong,” she laughs, snuggling in deeper to my side. “It’s all in the past now. All that matters to me right now is that you’re here.”
“Go to sleep, baby,” I murmur, kissing her forehead. I tighten my arms around her as we drift off to sleep.