Chapter 219
Noah
Lexie didn’t make it two steps before she crumpled. I wrapped my arms around her, and then she broke. No theatrics, no gasping, just wet tears soaking into my shirt while she whispered over and over, “He doesn’t care—he doesn’t care about anyone but himself.”
I held her tighter. “I know.”
She lifted her head, eyes swollen. “I’d walk away from all of it, Noah. The money, the status, the protection. I’d give it all up if it meant you’d be free from him.”
I swallowed the sharp pain that hit because I knew she meant it. “If you leave, I lose everything too. He’ll burn my contract and my family with it.”
She closed her eyes, defeated. “Then what’s left?”
I brushed her tears with my thumbs. “We get married.”
Her breath caught.
“At least together we’re safe. And once we’re out of this town, out of his jurisdiction, we’ll figure out the rest. Lex, I know you deserve… so much more than me.” I held her shoulders, needing her to feel it. “But I’m not a bad man. I can’t give you all of my heart, but I will take care of you. I will never let anything happen to you. I’ll stay by your side and make sure you are happy. You’re not alone in this.”
She nodded slowly, eyes shining. “I know, Noah. You’re still my best friend, and I trust you.”
“I’ll never lie to you again, Lex. That was wrong.”
“You were trapped, trying to protect my feelings,” she murmured.
“Still… never again.”
She breathed out, steadying herself. “Okay. Then we go through with it. But we do it on our terms. And that starts with going to see Micah together. Agree?”
I nodded once. “Yeah. Together.”
We grabbed our things fast and headed toward the door, determined and exhausted, knowing the only thing we had left was each other.
William stood in the doorway like he’d been waiting. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Lexie flinched, but I stepped in front of her. “We’re going to see Micah.”
William’s face didn’t change, not one flicker. “You seem to be forgetting the responsibilities of the next few days. Noah, you need to meet with the scouts I’ve flown in so your contract can be finalized right after the wedding. Lexie, your bridal shower itinerary needs approval, and your mother is expecting you for your honeymoon shopping and final arrangements. And tonight we have dinner with the Brodericks.”
Lexie looked like she’d swallow nails before doing one more thing for him.
I didn’t let her answer. “We’re still going. And we’ll be back in time for your little schedule.”
His eyes sharpened. “Don’t make me remind you what’s at stake, Noah. I hate to repeat myself.”
I was tired. Too tired. Yet, I opened my mouth, ready to snap, and just about to punch the man.
“We will do as you wish, Father,” Lexie cut in. “But first, we’re going to see our friend.”
He stared at me for a long moment. Then, “Fine. You’ll take my driver and my vehicle. You will return by seven. And you will not deviate from your itinerary.”
I wanted to slam the door in his face. Instead, I nodded once. “Seven. Understood.”
Lexie grabbed my sleeve like her lifeline. We walked past him, down the hall, toward the stairway. The main doors finally closed behind us as she whispered, “We need to be firm but careful.”
I leaned against the wall, exhausted. “I’m done bowing to him. If he kills me, he kills me. But I won’t live like I’m already dead.”
She let out a shaky laugh, wiping her face. “I get it... because I almost lost it too. I guess we are good at taming each other.”
I looked at her directly. “Riding the roller coaster, babe."
“Done it all my life!” She agreed.
And that was something we both had in common.
They loaded William’s black SUV with us, and the moment we passed through the gates of the Blake property, Lexie let out this shaky breath she’d probably been holding for a while. We didn’t talk much at first—running on borrowed courage—but halfway through town she asked the driver to stop and pointed at this tiny convenience store with a magazine rack in the window.
“We should get him the latest stuff,” she murmured. “The fashion ones. He’s gonna love those.”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “And the gossip trash. The more outrageous, the better.”
We went inside, and the cashier gave Lexie this double-take, like he expected paparazzi to burst out of the cereal aisle, but we couldn’t give less of a shit. We grabbed the glossy Vogue, Rolling Stone, and three celebrity gossip mags—one had “The Top Ten Disaster Wedding Gowns,” which would make Micah snort. Lexie spotted a “Red Carpet Fails” edition and tossed it in.
At the boutique next door, Lexie picked a shiny burgundy robe—silky and, according to her, 'soooo Micah'—something that would feel like being at a runway to me but like comfort to him.
“Micah will love the glitter,” she said.
“He might wear it at the club next time over the thong,” I muttered.
It got the first real smile out of her all day.
Our last stop, of course, was the famous coffee shop Micah had mentioned more than once. We grabbed hot cocoa mix with extra marshmallows and headed back out.
Once in the car, I finally texted Aiden:
On our way. We need to talk.
He called immediately.
His voice was steady, but I could hear the emotion under it, like a bruise being pressed.
He wasn’t surprised when I told him William had exploded.
“What did you expect?” Aiden breathed. “He’s tightening control because he’s afraid to lose it.”
“And the wedding is still happening on Saturday,” I forced out.
Silence. Then him, steady again because one of us had to be.
“I know. I… I understand.”
“I don’t want to do this to you,” I whispered. “Any of this.”
“You’re not doing anything,” he cut in, sharp but soft. “It’s him. And I’ll be gone before you get here. I don’t want to make anything harder for Lexie.”
“Aiden…”
“I know. I miss you too,” he whispered—broken, just a crack, just enough to wreck me.
My chest tightened. “Promise me we’ll talk soon.”
“We will.”
Before we hung up, he added, “Warn Lexie. Micah’s had memory lapses today. They’re running tests. He’s confused. Don’t panic.”
Lexie listened with her lips pressed tight. She nodded. “We’ll handle it.”
We rode the rest of the way quietly. Just breathing. Just surviving. Just holding on without shattering.
At the hospital, Micah was awake but pale, exhausted, propped up with pillows. He still managed to smirk when he saw us.
“Yay! The other two musketeers.”
Lexie rushed to him and hugged gently. “You already look better.”
“I know… I’m pretty adorable in my sky blue gown…”
She laughed softly and lifted the robe. “We brought you something.”
He let her slip it over his shoulders. “Oh, yes… finally. Not only do I get to look fabulous again, but I’m being dressed—in bed—by the prettiest girl. Next thing you know, she’ll be asking for cuddles.”
Lexie rolled her eyes. “The day you make me cuddle you, the world ends.”
We showed him the magazines, and his eyes lit up. “Bless you two. I thought I’d be stuck staring at football games with Aiden again.”
Lexie grinned. “We know what you like.”
Micah flipped to a spread of Oscars gowns, smiling—until a picture of a red carpet model in chains made him blink.
“Oh, no… The last thing you need is more crazy ideas to wear at the club!” I teased him.
“The club?” he murmured, confused. “Wait. Which club?”
Lexie and I exchanged a look.
“Dominion,” she said carefully. “Your ‘church,’ remember?”
He stared for a beat. Then slowly, he gave the smallest smirk. “Of course. Yes. Dominion. My kingdom. I’m the star there, right?”
We didn’t push it.
We stayed for hours.
Micah made jokes, teased Lexie, flipped through magazines with us.
Sometimes he’d drift off mid-sentence.
Sometimes he’d lose the thread of a conversation.
Sometimes he tried to pretend he remembered everything, and maybe he did. Maybe he didn’t.
It was hard to tell.
I stepped out a few times to grab water or text Hale, giving Lexie space with him. They talked quietly, laughed over stupid celebrity scandals, gossiped like normal teens, even though nothing in their lives was normal.
Watching them, I knew Lexie cared deeply—and Micah cared back—but they were doomed before they ever had a chance.
Still, for now, it felt like they could breathe.
It felt real.
And Micah needed that.
We all did.