Royal Prick (A Stepbrother Romance #2)(39)

“Is… is this true Noelle?” Mark questioned Noelle. He looked at her with compassion and a gentleness that I had never seen before. She looked between all of us and then spoke the truest words I had ever heard her speak.

“Does it matter what’s true? No matter what you do someone will twist what happened. In the end it will always be my word against her. I guess the question you should really be asking yourself is do you really even believe me? Or would you if I told you what actually happened?”

The truth behind what she said made me want her that much more. I was rock hard, and certain there was no way I could get up and walk out of this office with the hard on I had. Noelle was a rock f*cking star, a kick-ass chick that had put everyone in their f*cking place, and that was including me. There was no doubt about it. I didn’t just need her. I wanted her more than I had anything else in my life.

“Noelle, sweetheart, I have known you since you were born. I know what kind of person you are, so if you tell me that it was Miss Master’s that started all of this then I will believe you,” Mark said to Noelle in the kindest voice I had ever heard him speak.

“It’s over and done with, Mark. I don’t want to have to prove anything to anyone anymore.” Sadness overcame Noelle.

It was then that I let the anger I held inside for years go. Mark and I would always have one common interest in this world and that would be Noelle, and as long as she was happy, then I would be too.





Chapter Sixteen


-Noelle


I wonder if Mark really believed that Royal and I didn’t do anything wrong, or was he just saying that to get it over with and to get us to go home without anymore argument. Mark tended to be oblivious to everything that went on around him, like what a bitch my mom was, how poorly she treated me, and the fact that Royal wasn’t that bad, just misunderstood and looking for love.

Mark tried to force me to drive home alone, making Royal go with him for some reason. The visible anger between the two of them rippled through me. I didn’t want to go home until they came home. Until I knew I wouldn’t be forced to be alone with my mother’s wrath. I simply couldn’t deal with her alone.

“I’m not leaving here alone,” I spoke to Mark from across the parking lot. Royal could see the worry in my eyes, so I blinked it away trying to hide it a little better. I didn’t need him trying to step in and protect me again. He wouldn’t be there for me my entire life. I couldn’t cling to him just to get through this time in my life.

“What do you mean, Noelle? You’re going home and that’s that. Royal and I will be there shortly,” he ordered me, slamming his car door and coming over to me. I was still reeling from the fight. Anticipation and fear were coursing throughout my body. My emotions were on high alert. I was satisfied with what happened. Maybe Sasha would be wiser than to say shit about me. Or at least it would stop her from doing it to someone else.

“I’m not going home just to be attacked by my mother again,” I confessed, my eyes swinging to Royal’s. Mark seemed to be losing his patience with both of us, and he ran a hand down his face in frustration. I wasn’t going home alone. There was no way.

“You both are going to give me a heart attack. What has gotten into you guys?” Mark questioned both of us, his brow furrowed in despair. I could feel tiny rain drops starting to fall from the dark clouds above us. There was nothing I could say to help him understand. The fact that I had to tell him I wouldn’t go home without them proved that telling him anything wouldn’t help. He truly was oblivious to the person my mother was.

“She’s scared of her own mother, Mark. Use your brain and then maybe you won’t have to ask so many f*cking questions next time.” I didn’t even notice that Royal had closed the distance between us, coming to a stop in front of me. I could feel his breath against my skin as he wrapped his arms around me. I was shivering, my lips trembling.

Hearing him say the words out loud seemed to make them more real. I never admitted to being afraid of my mom, but Royal understood things others didn’t. Sometimes I didn’t have to say a word for him to get what I was trying to say. Sometimes there were no words to be said. Instead there was merely emotions and feelings to be shown.

Mark peered up into the sky, his head tilting back. I totally understood the stress he was under. Royal being here, my mom constantly nagging him, and now everything that we did today. I’m sure he needed a stiff drink or two.

“I’m trying to understand what’s going on here, but I can’t. I know your mother is hard to deal with, but why would you be scared of her? I just don’t get it.” We were still standing in the school parking lot with a slight drizzle coming down, and I didn’t feel like discussing the entire issue here.

Royal’s arms tightened around me, bringing me back to the present. “I’m not going home unless you guys are there too.” It was the last comment I would make about it.

I pulled myself out of Royal’s warm embrace and backpedaled toward my car. I would sit in the driveway for hours, hell I would sit here in this parking lot in my car instead of going home.

“Just because you don’t believe it doesn’t mean it isn’t true, then again look at how you perceive me. Just this morning your bitch wife slapped her across the face,” Royal sounded disgusted. All I wanted to do was scream into the cold air. I felt strong and secure inside, but now that I was out here, facing the soon to be punishment of what I did, I was crumbling. There was nothing that I could do to save myself from the wrath called my mother.