Page 26 of Deadly Secrets

“I don’t care about my shirt. I care about you. Ander obviously resents you for something from your past, but that doesn’t excuse his behavior.”

“I’m sorry I ruined your birthday,” I sobbed.

He held my face with both hands and planted a sweet kiss on my lips.

“Sorry? You’re the highlight of my birthday, and Ander doesn’t have that much power over me to ruin my evening.

“Let’s grab your stuff and go to my apartment. You can text Maggie from the Uber; she’s fine. I left her shouting at Ander.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay? It’s your birthday, and people have come to see you.”

“I don’t know, Sienna…between waking up next to you in the morning and hearing you scream my name for the next twenty-four hours or going back to the party…I don’t think anyone in their right mind would choose option B.”

I cracked a smile.

Once we grabbed my purse, Noah’s wallet, and our mobile phones from the lockers, we exited the club and called an Uber. I pulled out my phone from my bag and texted Maggie as we entered the car.

Me

Hey, I’m okay. I’m leaving with Noah. I’m sorry for ditching you like this because of Ander. Again. I’ll make it up to you. I promise.

“So you’re the Tribeca girl…”

“I wondered when you would bring that up,” I replied. “How is it even possible? Sometimes I think the universe saw that I had an easy life and said, ‘Hold my beer,’” I finished with a chuckle.

“Can I be honest with you?” Noah asked.

“Always.”

“I was already a little worried about you sharing a past with Ander, but now...knowing what happened between you and Zayn…I don’t know, Sienna. I’m not good at this.”

“At what?” I asked.

“At complications,” he responded cryptically.

“Am I a complication?”

Noah shifted in his seat, turning to face me. He reached out and cupped my cheek, gently stroking it with his thumb.

“You are the most stunning, smartest, and sexiest complication I’ve ever met in my life. Maybe I should stay away from you…” he whispered. “But I can’t.”

Noah’s hard but slow kiss was something out of a romance book. It was both sweet and passionate, causing my heart to skip a beat every time he slid his tongue into my mouth and moaned.

After a ten-minute drive, during which we spent most of the time making out, we arrived at his place. He lived off campus, and the beautiful high-rise exuded money. The property had a brick facade with limestone trim and a doorman who kindly opened the door as we walked into the lobby. Noah lived on the highest floor, of course, and although the decoration was relatively modern and sexy, it still felt cozy and warm. Just like him.

Noah didn’t release my hand until we reached his bedroom. His room was dark and masculine, with gray concrete walls and a bed so large it could have quickly passed for a regulation-size basketball court. To the right was an en suite bathroom with a modern bathtub, a stunning all-glass walk-in shower, and floor-to-ceiling marble walls.

“Go ahead and take a shower while I search for some clothes for you. I’ll have the staff clean your dress and underwear, so they’ll be ready by the time you’re allowed to leave my bed.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and tilted my head back to look into his eyes. “Is that so? Do I need your permission now?” I cracked a half smile.

Noah grazed my cheek with his thumb. I was positive I looked like shit, but the way he looked at me made me feel like I was the most beautiful girl in the world.

“By the time I’m done with you, you won’t have the strength to leave my bed.” He kissed my forehead and left in search of something comfortable for me to wear.

Before I took my clothes off, I checked myself in the mirror. My eyes and cheeks were smeared with black eye shadow, my hair fashioning a different concept of a messy bun, and my lips were swollen, probably from all the kissing and crying. I took my heels off, then my silk dress and underwear, and placed them on an olive-green velvet Carnaby footstool.

I entered the shower and let the hot water run all over my body, hair, and face. Five minutes later, every muscle in my body finally relaxed. I had become a ball of tension since we returned from the alcove and saw Ander. Fucking Ander. He wasn’t worth another moment of my time wondering what went wrong and when.

---