Saving Noah

by Shandi Boyes

  I balk when she nudges her head to the clock in my dashboard. It’s 4 AM. “Then I guess we better get you home before she activates the GPS tracker in your phone.”

  Although Emily laughs, she still eyes me with suspicion.

  During our drive home, we continue our game of twenty questions. I discover Emily is the youngest of four siblings. She has two brothers and one sister. Aiden is twenty-three; Dominic is twenty-two, and her sister Lola is twenty-one. Her mom is a nurse at the local hospital and is often fatigued from working double shifts to cover their mortgage. She never mentions her dad, and not wanting to bring up another sore subject, I don’t probe her about him.

  Her “very best friends in the whole world” are Jenni and Nicole, and she’s in her final months of high school, where she’s doing everything in her power to get a scholarship to college so she can become a teacher. From the way her face lights up when she talks about her friends, I can easily see how close they are. They have a bond similar to mine with Jacob and my bandmates. They're my brothers, even if it isn’t by blood.

  Emily asks similar questions: where I went to school, do I have any pets, and how many siblings do I have.

  Her question about my family coincides with pulling into the driveway of her home, so I leave my answer short. I tell her I had two brothers named Chris and Michael; my dad isn’t around, and my living situation is a little rocky. I could elaborate, but just like Emily, I have secrets I’m not willing to share just yet.

  Losing my brothers four years apart turned my life upside down. Although I live with my loss every day, I’ve yet to come to terms with it.

  Emily takes my hand, her eyes seeking mine. I can see a million questions beaming there, but she keeps things simple. “Are you okay?”

  I muster up my best fake smile. “Never better.” Hating that I’ve made things awkward, I give it my best shot to get our night back on track. “Can I take you out tomorrow?”

  Nerves bungee jump off my vocal cords, making me sound more skittish than I am. I’m not nervous she’ll say no; I’ve just never asked a girl out before. I’ve had plenty of hookups and some regular flings, but I haven’t had a serious girlfriend since middle school.

  “I’d love that.” Emily places a peck onto my lips before scooting back to her side of the cab. A grin tugs on my mouth when she yanks on the door handle, forgetting she broke it. Her smile competes with the moon when I run around my truck to help her down.

  “Such a gentleman,” she teases while jumping down the last step.

  She keeps our fingers interlocked for as long as possible before distance forces them apart. Call me a fucking soft cock, but I swear the electricity firing through my body dulls the instant her hand leaves mine.

  When she reaches the front door, she pivots to face me. I give myself a mental pat on the back when shock registers on her features. I don’t know why she’s surprised. I’m not going anywhere—well, not until she’s safely entered her home.

  Smiling a grin that proves she’ll be my biggest challenge, Emily stabs her key into the lock then swings open her front door; her steps are carefree and extra bouncy as she enters.

  I wait for her door to close before jumping into my truck and heading home.

  The living daylights are scared out of me when I stroll into the living room of Jacob’s house. “Where have you been all night?”

  With the late hour, I wasn’t expecting anyone to be awake. Since the room is shrouded in blackness, I flick on the lamp in the corner of the vast space. My fists clench when the first thing my vision zooms in on is Jacob's bruised and bloody face. His right eye is purple and almost sealed shut. His left brow has a deep gash above it, and he’s holding a wad of tissues to a split lip.

  “What the fuck, Jake?” I lift his chin so I can inspect his badly bruised face with more diligence. My blood turns black when I take in his extensive injuries. Whoever did this to him will pay. “Who did this?”

  He stares up at me with his blue eye that isn’t sealed shut. “No one important. It’s not as bad as it looks.”

  He doesn’t need to scratch his brow for me to know he's lying. I heard it in his tone. “Not as bad as it looks? Fuck Jacob! You look like you’ve had the living shit beaten out of you.”

  Jacob stands from his chair, pissed at my reaction. “You think I look bad. You should see the other guy.” His uncomfortable walk reveals the bruises on his face aren’t the only ones he was trying to conceal by sitting in a pitch-black room. "I'm going to take a shower.”

  He makes it two paces into the hallway before he freezes and turns back around. “Please don’t tell Lola you saw me like this.”

  I should say no. I should force him to tell me who did this to him, but he’s as stubborn as a mule. No matter how many times I ask, he won’t tell me what happened until he's ready.

  “Alright, I won’t tell Lola.”

  Relief flashes across his features. It doesn’t linger for long.

  “On one condition.” I hold my index finger into the air. “If this happens again, I’ll not only tell Lola, but I’ll hunt down the fucker who did this to you and break his fucking neck.”

  Jacob stares at me for several long minutes, his determination growing with each one that ticks by. I expect him to say something profound, so you can imagine my shock when he simply nods before entering the hallway, not once glancing back at me paralyzed with blackened rage.

  Chapter 13

  Emily

  Jenni glances at me with amused eyes. “Wear whatever you feel comfortable in.”

  She snags a chip out of a half-empty bag sitting on my bed while I work through my limited wardrobe acting as if I’ve been invited to a ritzy gala instead of a rock concert. The skinny jeans and midriff top I’m wearing is the fifth outfit I’ve tried on since school ended two hours ago.

  Noah is on his way to pick me up so I can watch his band perform at Mavericks Bar. If I don’t hurry, I’ll make a first impression with his bandmates I can’t take back. I’m unsure what to wear because the only time I’ve stepped foot in a bar was to go dancing with Jenni and Nicole. I tried on a range of dresses and skirt and shirt combinations I purchased during my mini makeover, but they were too skimpy, more suitable for dance clubs.

  Switching things up, I slid on my trusty boyfriend jeans and a vintage rock t-shirt. It was so underwhelming, when I peered in the mirror, I felt like I hadn’t put in any effort. I looked how I did every day: plain and boring.

  That’s when I dug out the outfit I hide in the back of my closet so Lola is none the wiser to its existence. Although it has the vibe I’m going for, I still feel dowdy. I flop onto the bed next to Jenni. “I give up.”

  She ruffles my hair before darting for my closet with a gusto that matches her tiny frame. She scans a range of shirts huddled in the middle, her head shaking multiple times. Her fashion sense outshines mine tenfold, but even she’s struggling to find a suitable outfit for me to wear. It wouldn’t be so hard if I knew what genre of music Noah’s band plays. For the past month, I’ve never seen Noah in anything but dark jeans and a black leather jacket. Pairing those with his inky hair and eyes, you automatically assume he helms a hard-core rock group, but something is warning me not to jump to conclusions.

  I’ve seen a different side to Noah the past four weeks. He’s dark and mysterious, but also down to earth and loving. His heart isn’t as big as the floral arrangement he sent for my birthday, but it’s pretty darn close. I’m a little concerned about how quickly I’m developing feelings for him. If he had taken advantage of my eagerness last month when we went on a date to Stony Creek Falls, things would be starkly different.

  Our first date was near perfect. I had no idea such breathtaking scenery was a mere hour from my doorstep. Noah took me to Stony Creek Falls for an early morning adventure the day following our back and forth routine at the Dungeon. Stony Creek is a beautiful inland watering hole that has a massive waterfall hidden behind dense rainforest.

 
After Noah convinced me to jump off a sheer rockface, we spent the remainder of our day making out in his truck. I stupidly thought the only way I’d keep him around was by acting on the inane chemistry brewing between us. That’s how things worked with Zander. If I didn’t jump to his every whim, he belittled me.

  Noah is clearly cut from a different cloth.

  The respect he’s bestowed upon me the past month has done wonders for my confidence. I feel like the girl I was before I kissed a frog concealed as a prince. Our dates have been squeezed in between Noah’s band’s hectic schedule and my schooling and shifts at Dan’s, but a lack of time hasn’t made them any less wondrous. We know our time together is precious, so we make the most of every second we have.

  The ginormous grin stretching across my face fades when Jenni throws a sparkly top my way. “Try this with the jeans you have on.”

  Although I’m not convinced by her selection, I swap shirts before pacing to the mirror in the corner of my room. My pupils dilate when I take in how well the one-shoulder cami matches my jeans. The shimmery black material sits just below my belly button, exposing a sexy yet modest portion of my skin, and the stretchy material hugs my small boobs, making them more voluptuous than they are. It’s not a shirt I’d usually pair with jeans, but it brings my outfit together with an oomph of sexiness.

  Now I just need to wrap up my ensemble with the perfect pair of shoes. Should I go with my regular boots? Or some leg-lengthening pumps?

  Like she can read my thoughts, Jenni hands me my black leather knee-high boots. Once I slip them on, my heart beats double-time. They’re the perfect accessory for my risky, rock star approved outfit.

  “You’re a genius.”

  I sling my arms around her shoulders and hug her tight. I was hoping she could come with us tonight, but Noah faced an uphill battle getting permission for me to attend since I’m under twenty-one. He’s been begging Ollie relentlessly the past month. It was only after he threatened to pull Rise Up from their Friday night slot did Ollie finally relent. Even then, his agreement had conditions attached. The most stringent: I'm not allowed a drop of alcohol. I’m not bothered. I’m a lightweight; it only takes me two glasses of wine to feel tipsy, and I’m not a fan of drinking in public, so I’m happy to follow his rules.

  “Now makeup!” Jenni claps her hands together two times, her excitement uncontained.

  By the time I’m glammed up but still me, forty-five minutes have ticked by, and a car horn is honking at the front of my house. With my heart beating a million miles an hour, I squeeze Jenni in glee before darting for my front door. Upon exiting my home, I spot Noah climbing out of the back seat of Jacob's car. He’s wearing black jeans, a black V-neck shirt, and his infamous leather jacket. He screams bad-boy rocker, and it complements my outfit to perfection.

  “Hey, Beautiful.” He adds a playful wink to his greeting. “I’m sorry Jacob is an ass.” He flips the bird to Jacob, who’s gawking at us along with another two men. "I was planning to come to your door, but Jacob has no fucking manners.”

  Blood pumps through my heart faster when he seals his lips over mine. It’s been five long torturous days since we last kissed, so I’m more than ready for our mouths to be reacquainted.

  Noah’s lips get within an inch of mine when Jacob’s thunderous voice booms through my ears. “Come on!” He toots his horn, his laughter picking up. “There’s no time for kissing. We’re already late.”

  I immaturely pout when Noah pulls back a mere nanosecond after his lips brush against mine. Smiling at my sullen expression, he guides me to the hanging-open back passenger door. My sagging lips curl upward when he gestures for me to enter before him. For a man whose allure screams bad-boy, he has no trouble bringing out the charm.

  A curious pair of green eyes watch me slip into the backseat. Realizing his inconspicuous gawp has been busted, he adds a few words to his silent greeting. “You must be Emily; I’m Marcus.”

  “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Marcus’s gorgeous African American skin gives his eyes a unique color. His afro is clipped close to his scalp, and when he smiles, dimples indent his cheeks. He’s deliriously gorgeous, but lacks the bad-boy edge Noah has.

  When Noah slips in next to me, he rests his hand on my thigh. “You’ve already had the displeasure of meeting Jacob...” Jacob gives him the finger before pulling his vehicle away from the curb. “...and Marcus has already introduced himself.” A smile curls on my lips, loving his carefree attitude around his friends. “So that only leaves the douchebag in the front: Nick, our lead guitarist.” He points to Nick, who’s sitting in the front passenger seat. “Nick, this is Emily.”

  My pulse flutters from the way he says my name. I’m not a fan of my given name—that's why my friends call me Em—but the way it rolls off Noah’s tongue makes it seem like it belongs to a woman instead of the little girl I imagine when hearing it. He gives it a mature edge.

  When Nick spins around to greet me with a smirk, I eye him in silence. He’s the polar opposite of Marcus. He has pasty white skin, shaggy blond hair, a rugged face, and piercing blue eyes. I’m confident I’ve seen him before, but I can’t pinpoint where.

  My eyes flicker as my brain struggles to determine if we’ve met before or if I’m mistaking him for one of the many blond surfer boys from a beachside community not too far from here. If forced, I could swear on my grandmother's grave that his icy blue eyes belong to the guy I saw dancing with Jenni at the Dungeon last month, but it would be risky. The club was dark, so I could be mistaken.

  Anxious about my prolonged gawk, Nick smiles a weary grin before swiveling back around to face the front. I’m still racking my brain for proof of a previous meeting when Noah squeezes my thigh.

  “No, he's not a Hemsworth brother—unfortunately.”

  His chuckle adds to the flighty feeling in my gut. Nick does have similarities to the drool-worthy Hemsworth genes, but I’m more interested in our possible connection. What are the odds of him being who I think he is? Jenni hasn’t stopped gushing about the guy she met last month. If he’s a friend of Noah’s, the possibilities are endless. I now wish more than ever she could have come with us tonight. Nick made quite an impression on her.

  Beaming with excitement, I adjust my position to face Noah, eager to update him on the possible connection between our friends. My heart fissures when my wide eyes meet with Noah’s narrowed gaze. His jaw is taut, and his hand not resting on my thigh is balled.

  “What’s wrong?” I keep my question on the down-low, not wanting our conversation overheard. We've communicated more over the phone than in person the past month, but it's never had this level of intensity before.

  Noah shoots daggers at the back of Nick’s head, his gaze furious. “How do you know Nick?”

  “I don’t really know him per se...” My reply gets stuck in my throat when Noah’s narrowed gaze rockets to me. His eyes are the darkest I’ve seen them, and they set my pulse racing. Don’t ask if it’s a good or bad rhythm as I wouldn’t be able to tell you.

  “So you’ve never...” He licks his lips, hoping it’ll ease out his question. “...slept with him?”

  Bile scorches my throat. Nick is cute, but he isn’t my type. Nothing against him, but he reminds me a lot of Zander, meaning if he wasn’t Noah’s bandmate, I’d steer clear of him. I want to articulate that to Noah, but I can’t get any words past my stone-dry lips since I’m so shocked.

  Maybe Noah heard the rumors that circulated about me two years ago. For months, I was known as the slut who broke up Becky and Zander's perfect relationship, a relationship I didn't know existed until the morning Becky confronted me. The gossip was that I had helped Zander see what he was missing being stuck in a long-term relationship. After convincing me he was worthy of my virginity, Zander broke up with Becky, citing me in his decision.

  Becky was reportedly heartbroken, but instead of handling her heartache as most teen girls do—with the support of her friends and bucket lo
ads of ice cream—she spent the remaining three months of the school year making my life miserable. My locker was vandalized; I was pushed and shoved by her friends when they walked past, and all the senior girls hated me.

  The senior guys were on the other end of the spectrum. My newly achieved “slutty” reputation meant I was continuously propositioned. I lost count of the number of times I was asked to be a friend with benefits or invited for a night of entertainment with no strings attached.

  No matter how many times I refused their invitations, rumors continued circulating. Supposedly, I had a new guy every weekend. I haven’t so much as kissed a man since Zander, but no one was interested in my side of the story.

  Although rumors are just that: rumors, the thought of Noah thinking of me in the same manner my peers did fills my eyes with tears. I’ve matured a lot the past two years, but some burns take more than a lifetime to soothe.

  When Noah peers at me through lidded eyes, I shake my head to his highly insensitive question. He sighs—heavily. “Thank fuck.”

  He kisses my temple before dragging his lips down my cheek and along my jaw. It takes all my restraint not to react to his heart-stuttering embrace, but I give it everything I have. I'm hurt by his accusation, so a little bit of schmoozing won’t fix it. After I was burned by Zander, I pledged I’d never let another guy treat me the same way. Although this is different, it does tread close to the line I drew in the sand a very long time ago.

  Realizing I’m not returning his embrace, Noah pulls back. Remorse clouds his eyes when he spots the tears in mine. Some of my anger evaporates when his thumbs skate across my cheeks to wipe away tears that have yet to fall.

  “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have asked you that—”