I don't know if I'm ever going to get used to this feeling.
\\\*
Noah hangs the towel over the back of the door, his hair still damp from our shower. "How are you?"
"Tingly. And I don't think I can really feel my legs." I offer him a smile and run a hand through my wet hair, working through the last of the tangles.
I bite the inside of my cheek as I study him in the light streaming through the massive window behind the soaker tub. "Is this really happening right now?"
"What do you mean?" He leans back against the counter, his arms crossing over his broad chest.
"You bought this house. You want me to transfer schools out here. You want to be with me, and there's not going to be any more drama with all of my family." I move to sit on the edge of the tub, gripping onto the edge so tight it hurts. "None of this seems real right now."
"It is real."
I sigh and glance down at the floor, looking at the slight variations in white on the tiles. "How do I know that? I mean, I want to believe you, but you just kidnapped me, and this shit with my family has been going on for years."
"Call Aiden."
My head shoots up, not thinking I heard him right. "Excuse me?"
"You said you were already thinking about following me wherever I went. You're here now, but you still don't believe that all this is possible." He crosses the room, coming closer to me, crouching down to look me in the eyes. "I get that everythingthat's happened between us is messed up, and given that Aiden didn't tell you I was alive, I can see how you'd still be worried about what's happening."
"I am worried."
Noah takes my hands, brushing his thumbs over my knuckles in a surprisingly tender gesture. "Then call him. If you're not sure about this, then call Aiden and see what he says about everything."
"Just like that?"
"You could call Téa too, if you want. She might be able to talk you down from the ledge." Noah kisses the corner of my mouth as he gets up.
"She knew you were alive too?" My eyebrows climb higher as I start wondering how many people in my life have been keeping secrets from me.
"Not until I took you. I talked with her for a little bit before I got you on the plane to come out here."
A little of the tension in my chest eases.
I might've been excited to see Noah initially, but now that the relief about him being alive is wearing off, every other potential problem is starting to cycle through my mind.
I get up and hold my hand out to Noah. "I think I am going to call Aiden. Do you have a phone?"
He pulls mine out of one of the drawers and hands it over. "I've got some things to take care of. I'll be outside if you need me."
As he leaves the room, I stare at the phone in my hand, trying to convince myself that I don't need to talk to my brother. That I can be happy without his approval.
But some things never change.
Even though I want to stay here with Noah, even though I know I love him and can see my forever with him, I need to know Aiden isn't going to come after him. I need to know that it's finally okay to love Noah with everything I have and know he's not going to be taken away from me.
After a few minutes, I dial the number, listening to the rings for what feels like an eternity.
I wipe my sweaty palm on my shorts.
Aiden chuckles as soon as the call connects. "I was wondering how long it was going to take you to call and chew me out."
"Fuck you." It's not what I wanted to say first, but those are the words that slip out, and they seem like the most appropriate. "You were supposed to tell me he was alive."
Aiden sighs, something shuffling around in the background. "And if I had done that, you wouldn't have been moping around the way you were. If this is going to work, people need to believe he's really dead. I'm already getting pushback from some of the other families in the surrounding states who want to see his body."