Page 28 of Cross My Heart

She’s always in charge.

Here, I’m safe.

Here, it’s predictable.

“Come for me, Ty.” She groans as she throws her head back and screams, “Oh, fuck!”

“Oh, shit,” I groan.

“Fill me up,” she pleads, and I do.

My orgasm hits me, making my entire body shake, and I yell out as my cum fills her pussy. She milks every last drop, clenching against me and bouncing up and down on it.

And for just a moment, I’m right there with her. No Noah in sight.

Just us.

Until it’s not.

Chapter 15

NOAH

22 YEARS OLD

The plane is packed to the brim, a sold-out flight, and my hands shake with the need to get out of here. I need to hurry the hell up, and no one seems to have a sense of urgency as they exit. It doesn’t help that my seat was all the way in the back because of course it was. I bought a last-minute ticket. It was to be expected. I just didn’t think it would take this damn long to get here. I decided to fly from Columbus to Atlanta, hoping it would save me the two-hour drive with the traffic, but no such thing. I guess I’m stuck.

When I’m finally off the plane, I speed walk to arrivals, watching as Tyler pulls up right in front of me. I get in the car hastily, throwing my duffel bag into the back seat of his truck. Right as I straighten and begin to lean back, Ty grabs my face and pulls me into him. My eyes water and tears stream down my face as he kisses my cheek softly, but it’s over before I have a chance to process what’s happening. He does grab my hand though, holding it all the way to the hospital.

We get out of the car and walk quickly to the entrance, and right now I’m glad he’s keeping up with me. He doesn’t even complain when I start to jog, dodging nurses and doctors left and right through the hallways. It looks like death here, smells like it too. Or maybe it’s all in my head. White walls, white tiled floors. It’s too much for me right now, and I feel my chest heave as I press the button on the elevator. We rush in, the doors closing much slower than usual, and Tyler presses his body against mine. It grounds me, and for the first time since I got in the car, it feels like I can breathe.

“I’m not going to say it’s going to be okay, Noah,” Ty whispers, as if raising his voice would startle me. And maybe it would. I’m all the way in my head right now. “But I’m here. I’ll always be here.”

A lump forms in my throat, and just as I’m about to reply, the doors open. So I nod, hoping he understands the words are stuck on the tip of my tongue, but I just have no energy to give them life right now.

The nurse’s station is empty save for one nurse, and I go directly to her. My legs carry me over to her on autopilot and thank God for that. I don’t even know how I can still stand.

“I’m here for Mae Milner,” I say softly, and she gives me a look of sympathy. I don’t fucking want her pity, but as she tells me the room number and points me in the right direction, I realize I also don’t care about what anyone thinks right now. All I want is to see my mama.

The room is at the very end of the hallway on the right side, and I pull open the glass door. I’m startled by the sight in front of me, but Tyler is immediately by my side, reaching for my hand, grounding me once more.

The steady beeping of the machines is not soothing, instead, it’s driving me insane. I don’t want to be here. But I have to. Mom and Dad were in a car accident. Dad died on impact, and Mom is brain-dead. When they called me to let me know, I had to take emergency leave from work and come here to take care of this. I still wish I wasn’t Mom’s only next of kin. I wish she had set up an advanced directive to let me know what the hell her wishes are because as it stands, I don’t know what they are. I don’t know how long she’d want me to wait before pulling the plug. I don’t know if she wants to be buried or cremated. And I sure as hell don’t know what to do with their assets. What do they even have?

My shoulders shake as I try to hold back my sobs, but one still breaks free. I try to speak but my voice breaks, and maybe it’s for the best that I can’t use my voice right now. I feel like screaming and running away. But I can’t do that. I have to face this head-on, and I don’t know how to do that.

My breath comes out in pants as the anxiety kicks in, and Tyler clears his throat from beside me, his hand squeezing mine tightly. The tears fall hot and quick down my cheeks, hanging off my chin and trailing down my neck, sometimes dripping onto my shirt. I can’t seem to stop crying, and Ty can’t seem to stop comforting me. The beeping slows down as minutes pass since the doctor turned off the ventilator, and suddenly, there’s a long sound that alerts me that her heart has stopped.

“No.” I shake my head. “No, please, Mom!”

“Noah,” Tyler lets go of my hand, hugging me to him instead. I bury my face into the crook of his neck, my tears coming even faster now. “You’re gonna be okay.”

“No, I’m not,” I croak out.

“You are,” he affirms. “I’ll help you with everything.”

There’s a long moment of silence, and I don’t know if it’s been minutes or an hour, but it’s suffocating. I can’t be here anymore. I need to?—

“I have to get out of here,” I say hoarsely. “I can’t be here.”

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