Hush - Fighting Fate #2

by Maree Green

  Chapter 54

  Noah

  If I thought being undercover for over a year and a half was hell, I’d have to say rehab was right about on par.

  I’d gone from being some sort of neurotic insomniac and puking my guts up over the first couple of days - which I don’t recommend doing while recovering from a gunshot wound to your stomach, to a depressive pitiful mess with night sweats and vivid dreams that were more fucked up than anything I’d ever seen, to an emotional lunatic that could’ve seriously rivalled any girl with pre-menstrual tension.

  At some stage during my depressive phase I’d begged Adam to get me a picture of Kaeli so I’d have something to focus on and hopefully help me get through it. It was borderline pathetic, even I knew that, but like the good brother he was, he did it without complaint.

  Just like he’d replaced the frame her picture was in each time I’d broken it, either from the panicked shakes I’d gotten after dreaming of her lying there, bleeding, or from the impulsive anger I’d felt when Dad had told me Aaron was still at large.

  None of the month I’d been there had been fun, and none of it had been pretty.

  It wasn’t just the rehab side of things either. I’d been pretty much on lockdown. With ‘Mitch’ supposedly dead, and the whole case being in the media spotlight, I had to be in hiding until my appearance was altered enough I wouldn’t be recognized.

  Now, as I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I tried to see myself through Kaeli’s eyes. I knew I’d definitely succeeded in eliminating Mitch from my appearance. So much so I was worried she wouldn’t recognize me at all.

  My hair, now dark instead of the bleached white I used to keep it, had grown out a good inch or so. My eyes, now free of those god awful contacts, were a dark hazel, with tiny flecks of blue. The tattoo on my neck was gone, courtesy of the laser treatment the department paid for, as were the piercings I’d had in my eyebrow and lip.

  I actually looked quite normal. Well, from the chest up anyway. The new full sleeve cover up tatts I’d had inked on both arms were a bit of a statement that hardly screamed normal, but I liked them. As I did both the new piercings I’d gotten. Neither of those were visible until you got closer though. A lot closer.

  Taking a deep breath, I tried to gather up some courage. After weeks of feeling like a caged animal and wanting nothing more than to be out in the real world so I could find Kaeli, now I was here, I was feeling excessively anxious about it all.

  Maybe I was just overloaded. The psychologist had said my emotions would still continue to be up and down for a while, and it’d been an emotional day. It wasn’t just the relief of finally being free either. When Adam had come to pick me up just after lunch, he’d surprised me by taking me to my new apartment. My new apartment. As in mine.

  When I’d asked my parents to look after my finances for me while I was gone, I hadn’t anticipated them using it to buy me an apartment. I hadn’t even known I would earn enough to be able to afford one, but apparently the department had paid me a pretty hefty bonus and then everyone had chipped in to cover the difference as some kind of thing to make up for missed birthdays and Christmases or something. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed.

  It was a great apartment too. Not far from Adam and Kara’s place, and only a little bit further to Mom and Dad’s. It even had basement parking for my baby, the 1967 Chevy Impala Dad and I had done up while I’d been in high school. It was perfect.

  I glanced at the clock, and saw it was just after two. I’d already searched to find when Kaeli’s school got out. If I was going to do this, I needed to go.

  I knew Mom wasn’t going to be happy with me for being late. I was already supposed to be at their place for a celebratory family get-together, but I’d convinced Adam to hold them off for me. He wasn’t too happy about having to deal with Mom’s wrath, but he understood.

  Glancing at the clock again, I took a deep, reassuring breath, then picked up my keys. As Adam would say, I needed to grow some balls and just do it already.

  Taking the lift down to the basement, I followed the line of cars until I found my apartment number, and with it, my baby. I grinned. She was as perfect as I remembered her. All black and chrome.

  Sliding into the driver’s seat, I sighed, taking a moment to just breathe her in. Memories flashed through my head like a slide show on speed. Visions from a life that felt way too long ago. I knew it would feel good to get back to my real life. I’d been looking forward to it for so long. But I hadn’t been prepared for how much emotion would come with it. It caught me off guard.

  Guiding the key into the ignition, I inhaled deeply, this time trying to prepare myself for the onslaught of emotion, but I still couldn’t stop the shiver that ran through me when I heard the loud, thundering purr of her engine.

  Ah…the sound of sweet perfection…

  Putting her in drive, I pulled out into the sunshine and headed towards Kaeli’s school. I just hoped she was going to be happy to see me.

  Chapter 55

  Kaeli

  Standing beside Mia out in the parking lot, I listened to her chatter away non-stop, obviously a little more excited than I was. Granted, the reason for her excitement was exceptionally plausible. I’d be just as excited if I was about to go on tour with the love of my life too.

  As usual, the majority of our group was there too, standing around, laughing and celebrating the end of our high school life.

  “How are my favorite girls?” Matt asked, throwing his arms over both our shoulders. “Ready to go out into the big bad world?”

  I laughed. “I’ve already been out in the big bad world. I’d just be happy with the big, plain old ordinary world thank you.”

  I expected him to laugh, but he didn’t. He just gave me a look that made me wish I hadn’t spoken. He growled. “Yeah. No more bad for you.”

  The sound of a loud, thumping engine caught our attention, causing most of us to turn our heads to look. A shiny, black car turned into the lot, slowly moving towards us. It looked a lot like that car the guys from Supernatural drove. It was cool.

  The guys obviously thought so too.

  “Nice…” Jace said with appreciation.

  There were quite a few murmurs of agreeance before Amber hummed. “If Dean Winchester climbs out of that car, I call dibs,” she said.

  Mia laughed. “I’d like to see you get to him first.”

  The car pulled into a space further down the lot and the engine cut off. For some reason, I was intrigued. I wondered who it was.

  A few seconds later, the door opened and a dark head appeared. My heart rate quickened. The first thing I saw was the tattooed arms, then the SACPD shirt.

  The guy paused, his head slowly turning as he scanned the lot. He had the attention of almost the whole student population.

  My heart thundered.

  Before I knew it, my feet were carrying me forward, my eyes locked on only one thing. He continued to search the area, but when his gaze landed on me, he stopped.

  There was nothing about him that should’ve made me think it was Noah. He looked completely different. But for some strange reason, I just knew.

  I vaguely heard my name being called from somewhere behind me, but it was all just background noise. All that mattered was getting to Noah.

  He was walking towards me then, the same intense look on his face I was sure was on mine. When we were only a few feet away from each other, we stopped.

  “Noah…” I said, my voice coming out like a breath.

  He swallowed, a tiny grin catching the corner of his mouth. “I wasn’t sure you would recognize me.”

  I let my gaze move over his transformation, finishing last on the very eyes I’d been dying to see for so long. They were a beautiful hazel, with little flecks of blue in them. Way better than any contacts could ever be.

  “I don’t really. You look so different.” So many emotions swept through me as I gazed at him, I couldn’t help the tears that stung my ey
es. “I didn’t know what had happened to you. I was so worried.”

  His expression sobered. “I’m sorry. It was just so chaotic, but it had to be that way. It had to look like I’d been killed.”

  I swallowed against the lump that sprang to my throat then nodded. “Why did you take so long to come see me?”

  I braced myself for his reply, waiting for the words that told me I just wasn’t important enough. God, he probably already had a girlfriend somewhere who’d been waiting for him all this time. Why didn’t I think of that before? I wanted to take the words back.

  He looked at me sheepishly. Oh God! I was right. He looked down at his shoes as he scuffed them in the dirt.

  “I…uh…I’ve been in rehab.”

  It took a few seconds for his words to sink in. My confusion must have been etched across my face, because he pursed his lips together in an awkward kind of smile.

  “You can’t infiltrate a drug gang for close to two years and not do drugs. It would look a little suspicious.”

  Understanding finally dawned on me. He hadn’t been avoiding me. He’d been locked away in rehab. Relief made my heart so much lighter.

  “Believe me,” he said. “I thought of you every day. You helped me get through it. I wanted to call you so many times, to hear your voice, but I wasn’t allowed.”

  I smiled at his words. He’d wanted to talk to me! I felt so elated, I thought I would burst. “So, when did you get out?”

  He pursed his lips again and looked his watch. “About one hour and forty minutes ago. If you hadn’t have been in school, I would’ve been here an hour and a half ago.”

  I laughed and his eyes filled with that look that made my heart ache again. I didn’t understand what made him look so sad. “What’s wrong?” I asked softly.

  He swallowed. “You don’t know how badly I’ve wanted to know what your laugh sounded like. That’s the first time I’ve heard it, you know.”

  My heart contracted a little further, realizing it was the truth. It was sad to think he’d only known me during the worst time in my life. I wanted to show him the real me, the one who’d been repressed the last eight years. The one who was carefree and laughed every day of her life.

  “Kaeli, I know I’m probably way off base here, and I’m probably going to get my heart ripped out of my chest, but I have to ask.” He took a deep breath, his eyes searching mine. “Would you like to go out with me some time?”

  I wanted to break out into a smile and jump up and down like an idiot who’d just won the lottery, but I forced myself to remain calm. With my heart soaring, I pressed my lips into a contemplative pout. “On one condition,” I said.

  His eyes gleamed with hope, but his brow creased with confusion. “What’s that?”

  “Kiss me,” I said.

  I saw him suck in a ragged breath, relief, surprise and uncertainty written over his face. “Right now?” he asked.

  I wasn’t smiling anymore. Anticipation was running riot through my veins. The thought of him kissing me made me crazy. “Right now.”

  He stared at me, his eyes burning with desire. Slowly, he stepped closer and lifted his hand to touch my face, his thumb running softly over my cheekbone. Then he slid his other hand around my waist, slowly pulling me into him. My eyes fell closed as his lips came down on mine.

  The memory of the softness and the warmth of his lips flooded into me. I melted in his arms, my hands finding their way around his waist, over the tight muscles of his lower back, and holding him against me. God! He felt incredible.

  When I felt something smooth and hard run over my lip, I pulled back, searching.

  “You got a tongue piercing?”

  “Mmm hmm…”

  Shit. Why did that excite me so much? I looked up at him with glazed eyes and he groaned. “The memory of your kisses was the only thing that kept me going over the last month.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Just my kisses?”

  “Yeah, of course. What else would there be?” he said, a wicked glint in his eye.

  I threw my head back and laughed.

  He sighed. “You have no idea what the sound of your laugh does to me. I’m going to make it my mission to make you laugh as many times as I can, every day I’m with you.”

  The longing in his gaze instantly sobered me. I didn’t know if I could ever have enough of him. I gazed at him hungrily, my desire for him burning a trail through my body. “What if I looked at you like this? Would you still want to make me laugh?” My eyes ran over his lips longingly. I wanted to feel that piercing again.

  A low growl escaped his throat. “Hell no. Maybe there’re a few other sounds I might like to hear coming from you just yet,” he said, pulling me in for another kiss.

  A loud clearing of a throat had us pulling apart too soon, and I looked up to see Aiden watching me beside a very amused Mia and Jace.

  “Uh…Noah, these are my friends, Mia and Jace, and Aiden. Guys, this is Noah.”

  Noah pulled away from me a little, but made sure to keep one arm tightly around my waist. “Ah, yes. The best friend, the lead guitarist and the bass player, right?”

  Jace raised his eyebrow with surprise before stretching his hand out for Noah to shake. “That’s right. It’s good to meet you.”

  Mia put her hand out as well, her eyes shining with excitement. “Nice to finally meet you, Noah.”

  I watched Aiden carefully. If anyone was going to give Noah a hard time, it was him. He offered his hand, but his eyes were narrowed. “So, how do you and Kaeli know each other, Noah?”

  Noah glanced at me, his gaze hesitant.

  “They know almost everything,” I said quietly.

  Aiden raised his eyebrows at that. I guessed he didn’t like hearing there were things he still didn’t know.

  Nodding, he met Aiden’s piercing look. “I was working undercover in TJ’s gang. I met Kaeli when she came to the Den.”

  I watched Aiden put all the pieces of the puzzle together inside his head. When it all clicked, he sighed. “You were the one looking out for her.”

  It wasn’t a question. He just knew.

  Noah nodded, a sad kind of look coming over his face. “Yeah.”

  “Well, thanks, man. It still pisses me off that she didn’t tell anyone, but I can understand why she didn’t. I’m glad you were there for her.”

  Noah took the compliment like a man. Awkwardly. “Yeah. I was worried about her. It helped knowing she had all of you to look out for her when I couldn’t.” He paused, something dark flashing in his eyes. “Actually, I guess now’s a good time to bring up Aaron.”

  Jace’s lip curled up into a snarl. “That little fucker.”

  “Exactly,” Noah said. “I don’t know how, because he’s as stupid as fuck, but he’s still out there. Although I plan to be around a lot from now on, until he’s caught I want to know she’s safe when I’m not.”

  I sighed. “I’ll be fine. You all need to stop worrying.”

  Aiden rolled his eyes, but concern still etched his face. “Think you can catch him in two weeks? The band’s scheduled to go on tour on the eighteenth.”

  Noah scowled. “I damn well plan on it.”

  Chapter 56

  Noah

  After Kaeli’s friends all left to go home, I decided it was time to make my move. Pulling her into my arms, I gazed down into her beautiful, green eyes.

  “What are you doing now?” I asked.

  She shrugged, a hopeful glint creeping into her eyes. “I was just going home.”

  “Would you be interested in coming to a ‘Welcome Home Noah’ celebration?”

  Surprise flittered across her face and she bit her lip. “Who’s going to be there?”

  I shrugged. “Just Mom and Dad and my brothers.”

  She pulled back, making me frown. I didn’t want to let her go. “Noah, I can’t go to your family celebration.”

  “Why not?”

  “Well…it’s…it’s your family. I’m sure they ju
st want to spend the time with you. Alone…”

  I shrugged again. “It’s not like I haven’t seen them already. They came and hung out with me plenty of times while I was in rehab. And I’m pretty sure they’re expecting you. I’ve kind of been talking about you a bit over the last month.”

  She still looked freaked. “But it’s your family…”

  “And?”

  “What if they don’t like me? What if they hate me because they’ve only just got you back and they think I’m going to take up all your time?”

  “Are you?”

  She blushed and bit her lip. It was so adorable.

  “Because I wouldn’t mind that at all,” I said, pulling her back into me.

  She melted against me almost immediately, sending a thrill of victory through my veins.

  “So, you’ll come?” I asked again, sounding more confident than I actually was.

  “Do you really want me to?” she murmured.

  She really had no idea at all, did she? “Let me put it this way. If you decided not to come, I’m seriously considering ditching them to stay with you.”

  “Noah!” she said, pulling back so fast I didn’t have time to stop her. “You can’t do that.”

  I smirked. “Then come with me.”

  The worry instantly returned. “Only if you think they’ll be okay with it.”

  “They’ll be fine. They’re going to love you. Your car here?” I asked, striking while the iron was hot.

  She nodded and pointed to the other side of the lot where I could just see it hidden behind a tree.

  Taking her hand, I started walking her towards it. “Alright, I’ll follow you home and then we can ride together.”

  “Okay, but you’ll have to meet my mom,” she said, a tiny smirk touching her lips.

  Shit. I hadn’t thought about that.

  Kaeli giggled beside me. “Not so fun when it’s you, is it?”

  I guessed she was right. Giving her a confident smile, I pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. “Piece of cake.”