Crossing lines (Noah and Aiden) novel Chapter 207

Chapter 207

Noah

After receiving that message from Aiden, I found myself frozen, eyes locked on the glowing screen. For a solid two minutes—just two—I seriously contemplated walking away from everything.

The contracts, the headlines splashed across every sports page, the lucrative sponsorship deals. All the carefully constructed illusions William Hart had spun around me, the false future he’d envisioned.

But maybe, just maybe, losing it all would be less painful than losing Aiden.

That afternoon at his house replayed in my mind—the haunted look on his face, the wreckage beneath the surface. In that moment, I finally understood. Aiden’s name, his reputation, his entire career—they were all he had left from a past that had already taken so much. Yes, he had loved me. I knew that deep down. But I also knew that Aiden Mercer was more than just a man; he was a former star whose name still carried weight. And I didn’t have the right to shatter the fragile life he’d managed to piece back together.

Still, a part of me wanted to ask. I wanted to know if Micah was truly back in the picture, if there was any chance for us to find happiness beyond football. I didn’t care about the fame, the money, or the flashing cameras. I would have chosen nothing with him over everything without him.

Honestly, I’d rather be broke and on my knees for Aiden than sitting in some mansion filled with expensive cars, pretending to be someone I’m not.

But then reality hit me hard—my sister, my mom, the danger and pain that don’t care who you love. And the harsh truth that if that video ever leaked, every scout in the country—not just William’s—would drop me faster than a bad snap. I could burn myself for Aiden, but I didn’t have the right to drag my family down with me.

I leaned back against the bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling, the ring box still resting on the nightstand beside me. Somewhere downstairs, Lexie’s laughter floated up, light and carefree. My chest ached with that dull, stupid pain that makes you want to punch a wall.

I took a deep breath, wiped the sweat from my brow, and made a decision. I would be what everyone expected me to be.

Lexie wasn’t the villain in this story. She had simply fallen for the version of me everyone else saw—the clean-cut quarterback, the golden boy. She was kind-hearted, sweet, easy to love—if you didn’t already belong to someone else.

Just as we were about to make our escape, William appeared like a final boss at the end of a video game—smiling politely, but with eyes sharp and calculating.

“Going somewhere, kids?”

Before I could answer, Lexie jumped in. “Daddy, we just want to take the car out for a drive. The weather’s perfect, and Noah’s been dying to try it.”

William studied me for a long moment. “You planning to bring my daughter back in one piece, son?”

I forced a grin. “Yes, sir. No fast turns, no police chases. I promise.”

He didn’t laugh, just nodded once. “Good. She’s the most valuable thing you’ll ever carry.”