I step away from him, making my way out of the tropical zone and leading him down the path toward the red pandas. "Then what's the plan going forward? If you don't think you're going to get the life you want, what comes next?"
"To be honest, I have no clue." His hands slip back into his pockets like he's closing himself off from me again.
The wind ruffles the leaves on the trees. Children's laughter rings out, some of them darting around with binoculars, taking part in the zoo's scavenger hunt.
I turn my face to the sun, soaking up some of the rays, then glance at him as we stop in front of the red pandas. "Come on, you have to have some idea of what comes next."
His fingers drift up and down my spine. "I want to hand over more of the business to someone else, but I don't know who I can trust right now. Most of my family is starting to turn against me."
"I thought the only one you were having problems with was Robert." I lean against the railing, wanting to get a closer look at some of the red pandas.
"Because he wants you. He wants to take over the family, too. He's not getting either, though. Even if he does keep trying to turn more and more of them against me."
That's news to me.
I don't know if I should tell Aiden or not. It could be something he'd be able to use in the war, but I don't think I can give Aiden any information that's going to get Noah killed.
Fuck. The sex is good, but this has become more than that.
Noah turns to me, cupping my face in his hands. "I'm not going to let him take you from me."
I pull back, putting a bit of distance between us. "First of all, Robert sucks. Second, I'm not something you can determine is just either kept locked up or handed around from person to person. If this is something you want, then you need to start treating me like a human and not a prize to be won."
"I'm not going to let him get to you, and if that means I have to keep you locked up, then that's what I'm going to do."
"Like fuck." I cross my arms over my chest, taking a couple of steps backward.
"It's only until this is over and I've dealt with Robert."
I scoff. "Please, you said it yourself. You didn't take care of the others, so what should make me think you're going to take care of him? This sounds like I'm going to spend the rest of my life locked in your house."
Without another word, he grabs me by the hand, hauling me to a small stone building hiding beneath vines creeping up the walls.He opens a door and pushes me inside, following me in and flicking on the light.
The room smells like chemicals, and there are several mops and brooms shoved to one side. There's a sink in the corner and some gardening tools on a shelf.
I could use one of those as a weapon if I need to.
Noah advances on me, forcing me to take several steps back, cold stone brushing against my shoulders.
"You're going to do what I tell you. You don't have a choice in this. I'm not going to let anyone get to you."
"You can't just keep me locked up and away from my life!"
I was wrong. Whatever the hell this is between us is never going to work.
It can't work.
I refuse to be a bird trapped in a cage...even if he does have me trapped right now.
Chapter Twenty-Two
NOAH
I don't knowhow I fucked up the date with Summer already, but she's looking at me like she's going to crack a wooden broom handle in half and ram the pointy part through my eye.
She doesn't understand, though. I have to keep her safe. She's the only thing in my life that makes sense right now, and if something were to happen to her, I don't know what I'd do.
Summer doesn't see that yet. She's going to, one of these days, but if I have to be the one to show her that, then I'll do it.