Royal Prick (A Stepbrother Romance #2)(74)
“I want to ask her to stay, but I feel like it might be too soon. I can’t have her thinking I want her here just to get back at her mom. I despise her mother, but I know that Noelle doesn’t. Not truly. I love Noelle, and I’ll respect whatever decision she makes, even if it feels like a dagger is splintering through my chest as I watch her leave.” I didn’t mean to let the last part slip out. I was just under so much pressure, after just having found about Viviana, my mother and father, and then taking Noelle and claiming her as my own; everything seemed to be taking a toll on me. Still I wanted to take things as slowly as possible for Noelle and I. I wanted what I never had with anyone else with her.
“I’m proud of you.” My mother shattered the silence with her words. I looked up at her with a puzzled expression.
“Proud of me? I went from punching walls to punching walls just a little less; that’s really nothing to be proud of.” The comment reminded me of the fact that I never had the chance to pound that Gabriel kid’s face into the concrete.
“I’m proud of you because you’re placing your feelings and wants to the back of your mind and allowing Noelle to make a decision all on her own, even though that decision could hurt you.” The awestruck look needed to go away, and go away fast. I wasn’t perfect. I didn’t claim to be, but I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted to try and be a better man for Noelle.
We had a lifetime ahead of us, and starting off shitty wasn’t where I wanted to be when I was with her.
“It’s about being a good person for the ones you love,” I quoted my mother. It was something she said to me all the time growing up. When I was being naughty in the grocery store, or punching holes in the walls. I never understood it until Noelle weaseled her way into my life and into my heart. She shined the sun into the darkest places of my mind, making it easier to see things for what they were.
“I see you listened to at least one thing I said to you while I struggled to raise your stubborn butt.” She rolled her eyes at me, laughter spilling from her mouth. Life was hard on her; the stress of dealing with me put a toll on both of us. I wasn’t a good person most days, but I was trying to be better, trying to do the right thing.
“I listened to what I wanted to hear.” I turned back around ready to go and tell Noelle that Mark called but stopped as my eyes landed on a pair of beautiful hazel-colored ones.
My mother slipped from the kitchen scurrying past me and into her bedroom, closing the door quietly behind her. What the hell was that about? I shook my head, forcing my attention back on the beauty in front of me.
“How long have you been standing there?” Suddenly I felt as if I was hiding something, when in reality I wasn’t. Noelle’s expression gave nothing away. I swallowed around the knot that formed in my throat.
“If you told me six months ago that I would be in love with my stepbrother I would’ve told you to get bent. Not only that, but I would have said that it was disgusting as f*ck…”
Yeah, I wasn’t liking where this conversation was going.
“We aren’t related so it’s not really…” She cut me off with one single look. Every fiber of my body clamped up, and my stomach rolled with uneasiness.
“What I’m saying is, I didn’t come out here without the intention of staying. I came out here knowing that I couldn’t bear to be away from you, not for one more sunset. You make me the person I am today, and the person I want to be for the rest of my life. You’ve taught me to love myself for who I am on the inside, and not what other people like my mother want me to be.” Everything she said sliced through me. All the walls I built up around myself crumbled to the ground when it came to Noelle.
There was nothing separating us, and there never would be. Not ever again. What I had with Noelle, I wanted to be better than what my mother and father had before they had me.
“Then that means you’re staying; that you want to live with me?” I had to ask her, because if I didn’t I would question it anyway. She smiled at me, and I kid you not it felt like the sun was shining for the first time in a very long time.
“Of course, I’m staying. I love my mother; she is the woman who gave birth to me, but she is toxic. Her choices are her own, and whatever she decides to do while I’m gone is on her. I’ll just be happy that I’m not under her judgmental thumb anymore.” I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face as I glided across the floor and wrapped her up in my solid arms. The warmth of her body against mine calmed me. How could someone so imperfect be the most perfect thing for me?
“Then we need to call Mark and let him know.” I spoke into her hair, taking in her scent as air filled my lungs. It was frightening to me how much I truly needed Noelle.
“Okay, call him then.” Noelle put me on the spot forcing me to get my cell out and dial his number. The phone rang once then went straight to voicemail.
“What the f*ck?” I hung the phone up and dialed it again, the same thing occurring. He never shut his phone off.
It was like the lifeline he had with his business. Something happened. I could feel it deep in my bones. I tensed underneath Noelle’s touch.
“What’s the matter?” I didn’t want to react with anger. Hell I didn’t want to react at all, but I couldn’t help but feel like something was about to go down.