Page 28 of Love Unexpected

Trudging into my bedroom, I flop down onto the bed. I absentmindedly rub my belly, a reminder of the life growing inside me, innocent and unaware of the storm outside its little world.

I need to think, to process, but it's hard to find clarity when my emotions are in turmoil. With a sigh, I grab my phone, scrolling through contacts aimlessly. Part of me wants to reach out to Noah. But what would I even say? ‘I lied to you, your brother wants to be more than friends. Oh and by the way, he just made out with me?’

Do I tell Noah what happened and risk pushing him even further away? Or do I bury this secret and hope it goes away on its own?

With a shaky breath, I glance down at my phone again. My heart races as I hover over his name. I shouldn’t tell him what happened, his relationship with his brother is already strained enough as it is right now.

But before I can come to a decision, there's a loud banging at the front door. The sudden noise makes my heart nearly leap out of my chest. I glance nervously towards the hallway, hesitating before I roll out of bed and make my way to the kitchen. My heart is in my throat as I open the door.

Chapter 25

Emma

“Emma,” Noah breathes out. “Whats wrong? Why are you crying?” his voice is laced with worry as his eyes roam over my face, focusing on the fresh tears.

I can't speak. I rush towards him, his arms open up for me, and I bury my face in his chest. He holds me patiently while I softly cry, letting me have all the time I need to calm down. Walking me slowly back into the house, he shuts the door behind us, and takes me to the kitchen.

"You came back," I choke.

"Of course I came back. I told you I want to be with you. You thought I’d just give up that easily?" He pulls back, holding me at arms length. "Emma, baby,” he says sternly, "tell me what happened after I left.” He steers us to the kitchen table and forces me to sit down.

I stare into his eyes, trying to gather the courage to tell him. His eyes grow darker the longer I wait. “Marcus kissed me,” I finally manage to say.

Noah's body goes rigid at my confession. “He did what?” His voice hardens, a mix of disbelief and anger. I brace myself for the fallout.

“When he dropped me off a little bit ago... he said he wanted to be the one to take care of me and the baby. And then... he kissed me.”

Noah lets out a harsh breath and buries his face in his hands, elbows resting on the table. “Did you want him to?”

“Of course not—"

“Did you kiss him back?” He interjects, lifting his head to meet my gaze.

I shake my head frantically. “No! I slapped him and told him to leave.” Something in Noah's eyes tells me he doesn't quite believe me.

Noah stands up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. He begins to pace, his hands on his hips. “You told me there was nothing between you two. I believed you.” His voice is laced with so much hurt.

“There’s nothing going on between us! Tears stream down my face for what feels like the tenth time today. “He heard what you said in the hospital. He was just hurt and angry, and he kissed me in order to hurt you back!” I rise from my chair and take a tentative step towards him.

“I’m going to kill him,” Noah declares, his voice low and dangerous.

“Please, don’t say that,” I beg. “I can’t handle you going to jail on top of everything else going on!” I take another step closer and reach out to touch his arm. “It’s late, and you’re probably exhausted from traveling. Stay the night?” I bat my eyes and pray he will give in to me as he usually does. “We can talk about this in the morning.”

Chapter 26

Noah

The soft rhythm of Emma's breathing fills the room, a soothing melody that lulls me deeper into sleep. Wrapped in her warmth, I can forget the chaos of the world outside, if only for a moment. My mind drifts, teetering between dreams and reality, until an insistent ringing pierces the tranquility—the doorbell shattering the stillness like glass.

I blink awake, confusion clouding my thoughts as I instinctively tighten my hold around Emma. She stirs, her eyes fluttering open, and that’s when I realize the late hour. “What’s that?” she murmurs.

“I don’t know,” I mutter, the peace I was feeling is quickly being replaced by a creeping dread. My gut tightens at the thought of who might be at the door. I know this interruption isn't innocent, not with everything that’s happened. As I throw the covers aside, I can feel my anger from earlier rising back to the surface.

When I pull the door open, my eyes lock onto Marcus standing there. The sight of his face ignites a firestorm of anger in me. “What do you want?” I demand, my voice low and threatening, the earlier grogginess replaced with adrenaline.

“I'm here to talk to Emma,” he stammers. “What are you doing here? She told you to leave her alone.” Just hearing him say her name sends a rage surging through my veins.

Before I can stop myself, I step forward, fists clenched at my sides. “What am I doing here? I belong here, not you. I heard what you did!” I shout, shoving him away from the door. He stumbles back before falling on his ass.

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