Crossing lines (Noah and Aiden) novel Chapter 172

Chapter 172

Noah

That evening, when Aiden came to pick me up from the hospital, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. Emily’s desperate plea echoed in my ears: Please, Noah. Take me with you. I could still feel the ghost of her grip on my shirt, hear the fragile crack in her voice as she begged. I knew I had to speak with Aiden. If there was even the slightest chance to make something of myself—something big enough to truly matter, to save them—I had to grasp it. I needed it more than ever.

For a while, we drove in silence. The city lights blurred past the windows, but inside the car, all I could hear was the pounding of my heart and the weight of Emily’s words. Finally, Aiden broke the quiet. “So,” he asked casually, “where’s a good place around here to get a proper meal?”

My chest tightened painfully. The idea of sitting in a bustling diner, pretending everything was normal when I felt so shattered inside, made me want to turn away. “I don’t really want to be around people,” I admitted, my gaze fixed on the passing streetlights. “Maybe we could just grab some pre-cooked food? Take it back to the hotel. Just the two of us.”

He didn’t argue—just gave a knowing nod, like he’d expected my answer. “Hotel it is, then.”

We stopped at a small takeout place, picking up chicken, mashed potatoes, a slice of pie, and a bottle of cider. On the way up to the room, Aiden grabbed a handful of candles from the lobby shop. Once inside, the space transformed into our little sanctuary. The soft flicker of candlelight cast dancing shadows on the walls, and low music hummed quietly from Aiden’s phone. It felt safe. It felt ours.

We sat side by side on the bed, plates balanced on our knees, our legs brushing lightly. Aiden filled the silence with stories—tales of Christmas back in his hometown, how the Wolves had already started preparing for their next game right after Thanksgiving. I found myself laughing at the right moments, chewing and swallowing, but beneath it all, my mind was heavy with the things I hadn’t said.

Eventually, Aiden put down his fork and looked at me gently. “Noah,” he said softly, “we need to talk about the elephant in the room.”

My throat constricted. “I’m scared,” I admitted, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “I’m scared that when I leave here, I’ll forget. That I’ll go back to the comfort of my old life, and they’ll be stuck here with him. That I’ll… stop feeling it the way I should.”

His hand found mine, fingers curling around mine with warmth. “You won’t forget your sister or your mom. From the way you talk about them, it’s clear they’re your mission.” His eyes searched mine, steady and sincere. “Why didn’t you ever tell me any of this before?”

I dropped my gaze, shame washing over me like a cold wave. “Because I didn’t want to drag the past into this. Into us. I didn’t want it to taint what we had.”

“Baby boy,” he said, his voice low and steady, “it’s you I care about. If you care, then I care. I want to help you.”

“How?” My voice cracked. “How can you? I’m so broken…”

His thumb brushed gently over my cheek before his mouth found mine. It wasn’t urgent or demanding—just a tender, grounding kiss, the kind I always craved from him. I let myself melt into it, feeling his hands steady me as the world spun wildly outside.

“I believe in you,” he whispered against my lips. “And everything’s going to be okay.”

I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted to. But there was a small voice inside my head warning me that things would only be okay if I fought to make them so. Back in Texas, I was going to face some tough choices. But right now, I had him. And I wasn’t willing to waste this moment. I needed him.

“I know what we have is usually rough and wild, and I like it, but—” I swallowed hard, afraid to say what I was feeling.

His hands moved slowly down my sides, each caress deliberate and tender, making me arch into him without even thinking. Every touch felt like a rewrite of what this could be between us. He prepared me with a patience I hadn’t known he had, his fingers stretching me gently, his lips soothing every shiver and gasp, whispering soft praises against my ear.

By the time he finally entered me, his body trembled too. But he didn’t rush. He stayed close, forehead resting against mine, matching my breath. His movements were slow and steady, deep but never harsh.

I wrapped my arms around him, holding on tight, my eyes stinging with tears because this wasn’t about pain or punishment. This was about affection. About him showing me that I wasn’t just possessed—I was wanted.

“Baby boy,” he whispered, voice breaking. “I’ve got you. Always.”

And for once, I didn’t just want to believe it—I did.

The next day passed in a blur of emotions. The painful, guilt-laden daylight hours at the hospital, where every glance at Emily’s face tore open raw wounds inside me. Then the night—calm, desperate, needy—in the hotel, where Aiden took every jagged piece of my brokenness and smoothed it away with his hands, his kisses, his body. He was my anchor when I couldn’t hold myself together.

By Saturday, reality caught up with us. Emily’s condition was improving, and the doctors quietly mentioned she might be discharged soon. Which meant only one thing—she’d be going back home. Back to him.

We boarded the plane, my stomach knotted so tightly I felt like I might split in two. Aiden slid his hand over mine on the armrest, offering silent comfort even as my chest ached with the weight of what was to come.

I turned to him, my voice barely steady. “Please,” I whispered, raw and fragile. “If there’s anything you can do, help me help them. Whatever I have to do… I will.”