Page 91 of Cruel Proposal
Aiden dashes by, shooting me a sharp look. "Leave him and get the fuck out of here. I'll deal with him."
And by deal with him, I'm sure Aiden means that he's going to kill Noah if he has half a chance.
Aiden disappears around the corner, Royce close behind him, the gunshots now coming in rapid succession, pained screams ripping through the last of the fog hovering over the water.
Noah's weight shifts to the side, his thumb slipping along the safety to make sure it's off, a hard look in his eyes as his gaze meets mine. "I really don't want to do this."
For a moment, I think he's going to raise the gun at me. His hand tightens around the gun, holding it until his knuckles turn white. It looks like it's taking everything he has to stay upright.
Somehow, I need to convince him to get in the car. I need him to come with me so I can get him help before he dies.
I don't know what I'll do if he dies.
He wasn't supposed to mean this much to me.
Noah and Aiden have put me in a difficult position—one that I have no clue how to navigate.
I suck a sharp breath, letting it out and running my hand through my hair.
People flood past us out onto the pier, nobody paying any mind to what we're doing.
"Noah, please. You have to stop this."
"That's what I'm going to do." He jerks his head in the direction of the pier. "Your brothers are down there, and this is where it ends. After this, there's not going to be any more of this shit. It's finally going to be over. My father is finally going to be at peace.I'mfinally going to be at peace."
"This isn't going to bring you peace." I step forward, tone pleading, hoping he's just willing to listen.
Just a little. I don't need him to think I'm right. I don't even need him to change his mind right now. I just need Noah to get his ass in the car.
"You don't know what this is like. You don't?—"
"Fuck that." I flinch as the gunshots get louder, sounding like the fight is getting closer to us. "Sean killed my father. Do you know what it was like for everyone to learn to deal with him when Ellie decided she loved the bastard?"
Noah's face softens for a second, but it's a fleeting look, one that disappears within the blink of an eye. "You don't understand."
"Please." I step forward, hands dropping to my side. My stomach is tossing and turning, rolling over and over itself.
Am I going to be sick again?
No. I have to keep it together. I have to get him out of here.
He reaches up, wiping some of the sweat and dried blood from his face, the gun angling toward me just a little. "Go, Summer. I'm not going to keep arguing with you."
Noah takes a couple of steps back, putting some distance between us.
I keep following him, not letting him get away from me, following him like I'm a lioness stalking her prey.
Hell, if I have to knock him out and wrestle him into the car, I will.
But what if he fights me?
There's enough sway to his stance that I should be able to get the best of him.
He can't run; otherwise, he would've done it already. If I force this, though, it's going to ruin us. I know that.
Whatever it takes to keep him alive.
That cold gaze focuses on me again, like he's just waiting for the moment I lunge for him.
