Micah’s POV
"You disgust me."
The words had been looping in my mind like a broken record for hours. They echoed through my entire evening lecture, vibrated through the silent cab ride home, and continued to pierce my chest now as I stared blankly at the dark screen of my laptop.
My eyes stung with hot, heavy tears, but I forced myself to swallow the sob rising in my throat. I refused to let myself cry over Noah. Deep down, I knew he was entirely right. I was the disgusting one. I was the one who had willingly went between Damon Silver’s thighs in the front seat of a car, using my hands and my mouth to serve my brother’s worst enemy.
But hearing those exact words cut through me from Noah felt like a physical blade to my heart.
My phone suddenly vibrated violently against the desk, right next to where it was charging. I flinched, leaning forward to peek at the lock screen. It was a message from Raven.
Raven: Hey my sassy writer!
I took a deep breath, wiping my damp eyes before picking up the phone. I sent back a short, detached response.
Micah: Hey.
Her reply popped up almost instantly.
Raven: Just wanted to tell ya not to rush with the second article tomorrow. We decided to post the fight between Noah Miller and Damon Silver instead. Don’t you think it will be so incredibly engaging?
I let out a heavy, frustrated sigh. Why did she think I would ever agree to that when my own brother’s reputation was on the line? My thumbs hovered over the keyboard as I typed back.
Micah: Why would I want that? His name is going to be dragged through the mud.
Raven sent over a cartoon sticker of someone sighing before her final text arrived.
Raven: Anyway! We will deal with your actual column after tomorrow. If you end up writing Volume Two tonight, it will just get swallowed by the massive news about the rink fight. So good night!
She went offline immediately, not even waiting for me to reply.
I tossed the phone back onto the desk. A small wave of relief washed over me because I honestly didn’t have a single word written for the next article anyway. I was glad the deadline was pushed back. I reached out and slammed my laptop closed. The sharp sound echoed through the quiet bedroom, and right as the echo faded, a sudden, firm knock rattled against my door.
I flinched, my heart jumping into my throat. Slowly, I turned my head toward the wooden door, my feet moving reluctantly across the floor.
I turned the handle and pulled it open. My breath hitched when I saw Noah standing out in the dim hallway.
"Noah?" I breathed, a sudden spark of excitement lifting the heavy weight in my chest. But the memory of his cold words from earlier crashed back into my mind, and I quickly cleared my throat to mask my vulnerability. "Do you need something?"
"Can I come in?" Noah asked, his voice low and quiet.
My eyes widened in pure shock. Noah wanted to come into my private room? He never came in here.
I glanced nervously over my shoulder to check the space. It wasn’t messy since I made sure to arrange everything perfectly every morning. But my room was incredibly small. I only had one single wooden chair sitting by my desk, and the only other place to sit was my bed. If Noah entered, he would have to sit on my mattress.
In an instant, my mind flooded with a shameless, burning fantasy. I imagined Noah stepping inside and locking the door behind him. In my thoughts, he walked straight toward my bed, his large, athletic frame completely dominating the small room. He would look down at me with a dark, possessive hunger, pinning my wrists above my head against the pillows before I could even utter a word.
I imagined the rough, intoxicating heat of his hands ripping my shirt away, his heavy chest pressing down onto mine as his mouth claimed my lips in a deep, bruising kiss. He would strip me bare, his fingers marking my skin as he finally took what he wanted, rendering me completely helpless on the sheets.
"Micah?" Noah called out, his deep voice snapping me violently back to reality.
My face burned with a sudden, intense heat. I quickly blinked away the dirty thoughts, clearing my throat as I pushed the door wider to let him pass. "Yeah, come in."
Noah stepped inside, the familiar scent of his clean cologne instantly filling my senses. He walked over to the edge of my bed and sat down, his broad shoulders slouching slightly.
I closed the door quietly, turning around to walk closer to where he sat. "Uh..." I mumbled, my tongue feeling completely tied. I didn’t even know what I was supposed to say to him. Should I apologize? But I hadn’t actually done anything to him directly that deserved a confession.
"Micah," Noah said again, reaching out toward me.
I stepped within his reach, and he wrapped his fingers securely around my hand. I flinched slightly at the sudden contact, surprised by how incredibly cold his palm felt against my skin.
"I absolutely despise Damon Silver," Noah murmured, his eyes looking straight ahead at the wall.
"I know you do," I whispered softly.
"If you already know that, then why are you always hanging around him?" Noah asked, his gaze snapping up to lock onto mine, a sudden sharpness in his blue eyes. "Did that bastard ask you out or something?"
"Huh?" I gasped, completely stunned by the ridiculous question.
Before I could even open my mouth to form a proper denial, Noah’s features twisted into a dark, furious scowl.
"That pathetic bastard. I should have broken every single one of his teeth and cut his tongue out right there on the ice," Noah swore violently, his jaw clenching tightly.
"Noah?" I called his name, a shiver running down my spine. I had never heard him speak with such raw, venomous malice before. It felt like I was looking at a completely different person.
Before I could process the shock, Noah’s grip on my hand tightened significantly, and he suddenly jerked his arm back, pulling me down toward his chest.
Before I knew it, his large arms wrapped securely around my torso, pulling me into a tight, desperate hug. My face burned a violent shade of red as my chest collided with his firm chest. I could feel the hard contours of his muscles pressing against me, and his hand settled firmly against the small of my back, holding me flush against him.
I loved it. I absolutely, desperately loved it. This was the first time we had ever held each other like this. A wild thrill shot straight to my core, and my mind instantly raced back to the gutter. If he kept holding me this tightly, he might just push me flat onto the mattress, rip our clothes off, and completely consume me right here in the dark.
"Micah!!! Noah!!!"
A booming voice suddenly shattered the silence, echoing loudly from the living room down the hall.
We both flinched violently, pulling away from the embrace in an instant. The raw panic was immediate, chilling the heated air between us.
"Father?" we chorused together, our voices trembling as we stared toward the closed bedroom door.