I had assumed at some point that the two of them would have ended up in the same place. I can't mask the surprise I feel knowing their lives became so utterly separate.
"I felt this searing pain in my cheek." His voice cracks slightly at the remembrance. "I asked out loud what had happened to me."
I scratch the edge of my nose. "Ben was the one who answered?"
His head tilts to the left with a slight nod of his chin. "I heard his voice before I saw him."
I close my eyes imagining the scene in Noah's hospital room that morning. The pain of the slashes would have been intense and the emotional burden of the events that led up to the scarring would have been overwhelming. Add to that, the appearance of a brother he hated and it was a perfect storm of rage and revenge.
"I called out his name and he walked to the side of the bed." He swallows so hard that it's audible." I remember turning slowly and seeing him there. His face was perfect. He was staring at me. He told me I'd been stabbed in the face and body."
"God," I whisper under my breath unable to contain everything I'm feeling.
He bows his head low. "I lunged out of the bed and onto him. I pushed him against the wall."
I feel tears racing to the surface. I can't stop them. The vision of Ben being assaulted is pulling my stomach into knots.
"I hit him over and over again," he sobs. "I broke his nose and knocked out a tooth."
I want to ask the obvious question but I can't pull it to my lips. "Did he…" that's all I can get out before I bury my face in my hands.
"He didn't fight back, Kayla." Tears stream down the scar and into his short beard. "He just let me punch him until my father and the doctor finally pulled me off."
Chapter 15
I stare at his handsome face. There's no way I ever would have known that his perfect nose was broken at one time.
"Do you think I'm good looking?" He turns sharply, catching my gaze with his. "You're staring at me."
"I think you may be the best looking man in this room."
He throws his head back in laughter. "I'm the only man in this room."
He is. He came to my place after he'd finished a very long shift. Now we're lying in my bed, after sharing a shower. I'm eager to feel him inside of me but I want to savor this moment for as long as I can. It's quiet, calm and I can tell he's relaxed.
"I need to go to Boston this weekend." His lips rest against my forehead. "I don't like the idea of leaving you here."
"I can come with you." It's an eager offer. I'm growing more and more attached to him as each day passes. I feel closer to him today than I ever have before and I know, logically, that a big part of that is tied into the conversation I had with Noah. I haven't brought it up with Ben because I don't know how to. I need to at some point. I can't keep everything I know about him a secret much longer.
"It's a boring medical conference." His hand moves from my shoulder to my back. "You're busy with wedding plans anyways."
A flash of disappointment races over me. He's right though. The wedding is fast approaching and I haven't been giving Alexa the time or attention she deserves. I need to get my mind back into that place where helping her is my priority. This wedding is her dream come true and I want to make it as special of a day as I can for not only her, but Noah too.
After Noah had told me about what happened after his stabbing, we'd said goodbye with an embrace. He'd held tight to me, burying his face in my hair asking me to wait until he could talk to Alexa about things before I told Ben. It was a repeat of the day he barged into Ben's apa
rtment and started throwing accusations out about his role in their mother's death. I can't help but feel I'm headed towards another cliff like that without any brakes to slow me down. I just want this all to be over. I want Noah and Ben to sit down and work out their differences.
"You're drifting somewhere again." His hand races down my back towards my ass. "I need to do something to get you to pay attention to me."
I lean back wanting to feel his lips on mine. "Kiss me," I whisper as I look into his eyes.
He shifts his body away from mine slightly, freeing his other hand. He brushes my chin, pulling my face to his before his lush lips glide over mine. His kiss is wet, deep and hungry. I open my mouth to let his tongue slide next to mine. My hands run over his smooth chest, stopping to soak in how hard every part of his body is.
He rolls me over with little effort until I'm on my back. His mouth leaves mine, traveling with slow, languid licks to my neck. I whimper from the brush of his lips against my flesh, knowing that he's on a path to my nipples.
I arch my back as he pulls one tight, hard bud into his mouth. His teeth clamp down on it; drawing every sensation my body has to offer to the surface. I feel my legs fall open, my sex is wet and needy and aching to have him inside of me.
"Your cunt is already so wet." His eyes travel down my body. "I love how greedy it is for me."