Page 53 of Chasing Infinity

“Well, I mean it. I’m going to find someone else, and when he leaves you again, it will be too late.”

The bedroom door clicks open across the room, and I close my eyes, knowing Noah’s coming to investigate the loud voices. He swaggers out of my bedroom, hands stuck into his jean pockets, eyes critical of Eli and me. He doesn’t say anything, walking towards me and positioning himself protectively behind me. Eli gets out of his chair and stands with his arms crossed over his chest, watching Noah like he’s a predator.

“Everything okay out here?” Noah asks in a deep voice that causes goosebumps to rise on my arms.

Eli glares at him. “It’s none of your business. I’m here to talk to Addie, not you.”

“Anything that has to do with herismy business now,” he says firmly as his hands come to rest possessively on my shoulders. I close my eyes and sigh, equal parts comforted by his presence and irritated that he likely just made things worse.

“Addie, are you safe? Do you need me to get you out of here?” Eli asks. “If he’s hurting you—” Noah’s fingers tighten on my shoulders.

I snap my eyes open and look at him incredulously. “What? Why in the world would you ask me that? Noah would never hurt me.”

“You don’t know that. You barely even know the guy.”

“I think she knows me a lot better than you could possibly imagine,” Noah mutters under his breath, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Male pride.

Before I know what’s happening, Noah is pulled off of me and thrown up against the wall. I yelp in surprise as Eli presses his forearm against Noah’s throat. Noah grimaces only a little and glares at Eli, his face not giving away anything he’s thinking inside. Deep in his silver-blue eyes, I can see a fire starting to rage.

Eli growls at him. “Donottalk about Addie that way. She’s not just someone you can use and throw away. I won’t let you do that to her.”

Noah struggles to push him away. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Montgomery. Maybe take a step back and realize you’re the one hurting her right now, not me.”

Eli growls at him and brings his arm back before clocking Noah square across the jaw. Noah’s head snaps to the side with the force of the blow.

I shout at Eli, running towards him and jumping on his arm right before he throws the next punch. Noah grabs my waist and spins me around, so I’m standing behind him, his back pressing me into the wall. Only a moment later, Eli recoils his arm and thrusts it forward, catching Noah again in a direct hit. Noah staggers a few steps, grunting with the impact, his hand coming to cradle his cheekbone just below his eye.

“Stop it!” I shout at Eli, running towards him with my hands outstretched, blocking his next attack. “Get out, Eli!”

As if a switch is flipped, the anger clears off Eli’s face, and he darts his eyes between me and Noah, who’s straightening his body up behind me. Regret immediately takes hold of Eli, and his eyebrows raise.

“Addie, I’m sorry. He was just—”

“You need to leave,” I tell him sharply, my heart hammering in my ears. “Get out.”

Eli stares at me a moment longer before his shoulders drop, and he shuffles to the door. I watch as he leaves, not wanting to take my eyes off him just in case he loses his mind again. Right before he steps out, he turns back to me. Remorse is written all over his face.

“I’m sorry.”

I’m so wound up from what just happened that his apology means nothing to me at this moment. I know at some point I’ll be able to forgive him, but not yet. Not now. “Goodbye, Eli.”

He dips his chin at me and leaves.

I wait for a second or two to make sure he doesn’t come back, and then my muscles sag. I press my hand to my forehead, trying to catch my breath and reorient myself. I’m supposed to be down at the diner in less than half an hour, but my whole morning has been derailed. I turn to Noah, who’s observing me carefully.

“Are you okay?” he asks, his hand rising to cup my jaw.

“Why are you asking me that? I’m not the one who got clocked twice this morning. Areyouokay?”

He shrugs a shoulder nonchalantly and tries to smirk, but his swollen lip prevents him. “I’ve had worse.”

I scoff and roll my eyes. “I’m sure you have. Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

Taking his hand, I drag him into the bathroom. I position him on top of the toilet, giving him a once-over. His lower lip is split right open, blood pooling on the cut. He’s got a bruise forming underneath his eye from the second attack. Feeling sick to my stomach, I grab one of my darker washcloths and wet it with cool water, pressing it to his split lip. He winces as the cloth touches the wound, and I jerk back, worried I’ve hurt him.

“It’s fine, Parks,” Noah says, catching my concern. “Just stings a little bit.”

“I feel like I should apologize that this happened to you.”

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