Page 34 of Return To You

“Noah…” she tries, but I hang up, throw my phone on the floor of the passenger side of my car, and climb out, slamming the door and leaving the device behind.

Why are Mom and Nick hell-bent on standing by her when her own family disowned her?

I storm into the house I haven’t spent more than twenty minutes in since buying it, my mind going fucking crazy, but halt in the living area as I take in my fucking sister grinding on some poor clueless idiot on my dark gray corner couch, while Piper glares at the photos of me and Rose on the mantelpiece above the black marble fireplace with a lighter in her hand.

“I don’t get what he still sees in her; it’s been nearly two years since we showed him the picture!” Piper sneers, and I narrow my eyes.

“I don’t know, but don’t worry, he’ll give in sooner or later. Just get naked and lie in his bed upstairs until he gets back,” Gina slurs as the guy sucks her nipple through her top.

The bile rises in my throat.

Gritting my teeth that this is how my sister is treating my fucking hospitality, even after she got herself kicked out ofschool—and to think, I was going to pay for her to go to fucking Kingston University.

Shaking my head, I go to the intercom and press the button.

“Mr. Scott?” a voice echoes into the room, causing the three idiots to look my way.

Gina’s eyes widen while the guy looks ready to faint.

“Y-you’re, oh wow, you’re Noah Scott,theNoah Scott,” he fan-rants, and I roll my eyes.

“Dylan, I have three people who need to be removed from the property immediately," I say firmly, and Piper steps forward.

“Noah, sweetheart,” she rasps, twirling her finger in her hair.

“And please inform my manager that if Piper is not removed from our band, I will be going on strike.”

Piper’s eyes widen as Dylan states, “Two guards will be with you within the minute. I’ll contact Joel now.”

I thank him and shake my head at my frozen sister, before leaving them. I go upstairs to my studio, and Piper shouts for me, but I ignore her. I need to let off steam, and hitting a fucking girl is not something I can bring myself to do.

I don’t know how long I play around with the different strings for a tune stuck in my head all day, but my fingers are hurting when my boys walk in.

Cameron looks hung over while Barnett…he looks strange, really fucking strange, head partially down, hands in his jean pockets, chewing his bottom lip.

“Fuck, Noah, can’t you have time off?” Cameron asks, throwing himself down on the black couch, and throwing his arm over his eyes.

I shrug and say, “I came home to find Gina grinding on some poor fucker while Piper was looking to burn the place down.”

He looks at me and nods. “Well, that explains why they were screaming and shouting while being escorted off the property.” He scrunches his brows for a minute, then nods again and states,“Yeah, okay, continue playing; you write good shit when you’re in love, hurt, or pissed.”

I snort and look at Barnett, who hasn’t moved from near the door, and raise a brow.

“What’s up with you?”

He clears his throat and swings his arms back and forth, clapping his hands each time they meet in the front.

I roll my eyes. “Just spit it out, Barnett.”

He clears his throat again, looking fucking uncomfortable, and even Cameron furrows his brows.

“Dude, your acting weird.”

“I spoke to your mom,” he says quickly, and I narrow my eyes. He lifts his hands up. “I know, I know. What she did was really shitty. She never allowed you to get come to grips with seeing Rose again, but Noah, I’ve been saying this for years…you need to speak to her.”

Cameron sighs, and I grit my teeth. “Not you, too. Mom, Nick—why can’t you let things be? Fuck, her family disowned her, Barnett, so there must be some truth to the accusations.”

He nods. “They did but only because of the photo, but it was a lie, Noah, and deep down you know that as well. You got scared and ran, and we,” he points to himself and then toward Cameron, “allowed you to run, and we shouldn’t have. Yes, we’ve got a career out of your heartbreak, but you’re making the biggest mistake of your fucking life….”

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