He leans forward to brush his lips against my cheek. "It's not the end of the world. You know he'll try and poison your mind with thoughts about how bad I am, don't you?"
I feel the rope pulling me closer to Ben. "He said you weren't good for me. He said you'd ruin me."
"Ruin you?" He smirks as he says the words. "How can I possibly ruin someone so completely perfect?"
They're words. They are simple words that melt hearts. "He said you tried to ruin his life."
His brow cocks. "Did he tell you how I did that?"
He's so calm. If anything Noah said was based in truth, wouldn't Ben be trying to convince me that Noah is a liar? I stare at his face. There's nothing there that speaks of panic or frustration. He's as collected now as when I arrived a few minutes ago.
I place my phone into my lap. "You'd tell me if there was more to your feud than what happened the day your mother died, right?"
"I told you, Kayla." He brushes his lips over my cheek. "Noah hates me because I let her die."
I turn my head slightly, catching his lips with mine. My hand floats to the back of his head, deepening the kiss. There's no possible way this beautiful, tender man would hurt me. It's not part of what he is. I've watched him in the moments when he thinks I'm not paying attention. I've seen the way he smiles at the people who pass us by on the street. He has dedicated himself to helping others regain their health. Noah is wrong. He can't possibly be right.
"I want to believe you so much," I say into the kiss. "I know you're a good person."
He nods as his lips race up my cheek to my forehead. "I've tried very hard to be someone my mother would be proud of."
I move my other arm to embrace him, pulling his tall frame into me. "Noah doesn’t want me to be with you, Ben."
"I know." He pulls his arms tighter around me. "We'll figure it out. We're going to do that together."
A loud thump on the door stuns us both. He jumps from my embrace, his head jutting around the room. "I'm not expecting anyone."
I lean back waiting for him to get up. He doesn’t move as another loud thud fills the space.
"You should get that." I push myself up. "Do you want me to get it?"
He reaches for my hand, pulling it to his mouth. "I'll get it. You wait here, okay?"
I stand in silence as I hear his shoes tap footsteps to the foyer. I can't see who it is but I hear the voice. It's loud. It's angry. It's Noah.
He rounds the corner with Alexa behind him. "Kayla, for Christ sake, what the fuck are you doing here?"
I'm stunned by the words. The strength of his anger pushes me back and onto the couch. I feel faint. Alexa is yelling at Ben. The words are all too quick and cluttered for me to make sense of them.
"Get the fuck out of here," Ben is in front of me now, shielding my body from them both. "I'll call the police. Get out."
"Kayla." Noah tries to dart around Ben but he holds him back. Their large frames are chest-to-chest now. "You have to come with us."
"No," I shake my head slightly. "Noah, please."
"Kayla," Alexa's voice calls from behind them both. I can hear her sobbing. "Oh God, Kayla."
I push myself up again. I need to stop this. They can't dictate my life like this.
"Ben." I tap him on his shoulder and he spins around instantly. "Let me talk to them. I'll tell them it's okay."
His eyes are filled with panic. His head twisting back to look at Noah. "Kayla, no." He grabs my hands, holding tightly to them. "Please, no."
"Leave." I look past him to where Noah is standing next to Alexa. "I'll come over right away so we can talk. Please leave."
"They arrested him, Kayla," Alexa screams through the air. "They arrested him after she died."
"Who?" My eyes sprint over Ben's face looking for an answer from him.