Crossing lines (Noah and Aiden) novel Chapter 177

Chapter 177

Noah

“I never wanted to hurt you, Lexie.” This time, my words carried the weight of truth. She had been one of the very first strangers to show me kindness when I arrived in Texas, and I had genuinely liked her—more than I expected. “I care about you,” I confessed quietly.

Her gaze locked onto mine, filled with a gentleness I felt I didn’t deserve. “I care about you too… and I can wait,” she said softly. Then her eyes dropped to the twisting strap of her purse, her fingers nervously fidgeting. “Do you know what it’s like, always being his daughter? Here at school, on this team… even with my friends. I’m always ‘Mr. Hart’s kid.’ People watch me because of who my dad is, not who I am. It’s so damn lonely.”

Her voice wavered, cracking just slightly, and the ache it sent through me was sharp, right in the gut.

“I do know what that feels like, Lexie,” I admitted, my voice dropping lower than I intended. “My whole life, I’ve had to prove myself to my father. Never good enough, never meeting his standards. Always trying to keep everything together while my family leaned on me.” I stopped myself before I said too much, swallowing the rest of the pain. “I understand what it means to live under the weight of everyone’s expectations.”

Her hand found mine, warm and steady, as she continued in a quieter tone. “You never made me feel like that. You actually saw me. You teased me, made me laugh. You never wanted anything from me.”

A sharp pang of guilt hit me hard because that hadn’t been true—not at the start.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I should’ve been better. You didn’t deserve any of this mess.”

Tears shimmered in her eyes as she looked up again, and suddenly the space between us felt too small, too intimate. She rested her forehead against my chest, and I couldn’t pull away—not without shattering the fragile trust she’d placed in me.

Then, like a blade slicing through the moment, William Hart’s voice cut in.

“Oh, sorry to interrupt.” His tone was smooth, but there was a mocking edge to the small grin tugging at his lips—like he was saying, ‘I see you made your choice.’

I nearly jumped back. “Oh, no, you didn’t at all…”

William’s smile was polished and practiced. “My good friend here—the director of Sports Central Network—was just asking me about you.”

Relieved, I thought, as Lexie nodded and drifted back toward her friends.

I shook William’s hand, my pulse still racing. He was warm and friendly, saying all the things I’d dreamed of hearing. “I’ve heard a lot about you. Loved your performance tonight. Do you have any recent footage? Something I could showcase on the channel?”

The idea of being on television ignited a spark inside me. “That would be amazing. Actually, Coach Mercer put together a reel for me—highlights from recent games. Want to see?”

I unlocked my phone and scrolled to the folder Aiden had organized for me, then held it out. The clips were clean and professional, game footage that spoke for itself. I pressed play and moved closer so the director could watch, the crowd noise and commentary spilling softly from the speakers.

“He’ll send me today’s footage soon, but these are from earlier games this season,” I explained, trying to keep my voice steady despite my pounding heart.

The director leaned in, eyes narrowing in focus, and let out a low whistle. “That throw—hell of an arm, kid. And the way you read that defense? Perfect textbook execution.”

A flush crept up my neck. “Thank you, sir. Coach said these were some of my best plays.”

He nodded, clearly impressed, replaying a few seconds with the tip of his finger. “I’d be thrilled to see today’s footage too. Some of those plays were electric—exactly the kind of moments our viewers love.”

“Yeah, I’ll definitely send it as soon as I get it,” I said quickly, nerves buzzing beneath my skin. My mouth was dry, but I forced a grin like it was all perfectly normal.

Fuck, fuck, fuck…

By the time I reached for my phone, it was too late. The video was already playing. The sound was mercifully low beneath the party noise—but clear enough: my lips wrapped around Aiden’s cock, Aiden’s voice rough and commanding. “That’s it, Noah…”

My entire world collapsed in a single, devastating second.

William’s face drained of color, his eyes locked on the screen, wide with shock that twisted swiftly into fury. My lungs forgot how to breathe.

“Fuck… fuck, fuck…” The word tore through my mind as I struggled to force something out. “Mr. Hart—I… please, listen—” My voice cracked, useless, every defense evaporating before the undeniable truth.

William snapped his gaze up, rage peeling away the polished mask on his face. “Are you—Jesus. Does Lexie know?”

“No, sir, no one knows. Please—” I was shaking, words spilling out too fast and too broken. “Please don’t—”

His jaw clenched, the look he gave me sharp enough to cut bone. “So you were leading my daughter on while you fucked your coach. Securing both fronts, were you?”

“I wasn’t—I never—” My voice broke again. Terror crawled through my veins like wildfire. I could barely stand.

Before I could say another word, Lexie came bounding over, all brightness and innocence. “Everything okay?”

William’s expression smoothed instantly. He slipped the phone back into my hand, but the murderous edge still burned behind his eyes as his voice softened. “Yeah, sweetheart. Everything’s fine. I believe Noah and I have some business to take care of.”