Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Unexpected Touch

Noah’s

I stared at the guy, Stan, sitting close to me on the school steps, his smile easy and friendly but still sharp, like he was studying me intently. He didn’t say anything more, just leaned back casually, his hands tucked into his pockets, watching me finish the sandwich he had generously given me. My stomach was full for the first time all day, but I still felt intensely uneasy, as if his kindness came with a hidden price I didn’t fully understand yet. Enzo’s rules echoed loudly in my head: Don’t get comfortable with anyone. Was I already breaking the one rule I was supposed to keep?

Stan stood up slowly, brushing a few stray crumbs off his jeans. “I’ve gotta go now,” he said, his voice light and carefree. “I have another class to get to. I hope we run into each other again soon, Noah.”

I looked up at him, my hands still holding the empty sandwich wrapper tightly. “Wait, please,” I said, my voice soft and grateful. “Thanks so much for the sandwich. Really. I… I genuinely didn’t have anything else to eat.”

He grinned broadly, his eyes glinting in the sunlight. “No problem at all, man,” he said. “You looked like you seriously needed it. Take good care of yourself, alright?”

“Yeah,” I mumbled, nodding my head slightly. “You too, Stan.”

He walked away, his steps easy and confident, like he didn’t have a single care in the entire world. I watched him go, my chest feeling tight with anxiety. Why was everyone suddenly being so nice to me today? First James, now this guy. It didn’t make any sense, especially since my life was currently falling apart completely. I crumpled the wrapper into a ball, tossing it into a nearby trash can, and leaned back against the cold steps, desperately wishing I could just disappear entirely.

School dragged on endlessly, and when the final bell rang loudly, I felt heavier and more tired than ever before. Ren was waiting outside for me in the large black limo, his scarred face completely blank as I climbed inside. The long ride back to Enzo’s house was quiet, the low hum of the engine easily filling the silence between us. I stared out the window, my mind completely stuck on one painful question: Why me? Why did my dad sell me so easily? Why did Enzo truly want me here now? None of it made any logical sense.

“Are you okay?” Ren asked, his voice abruptly breaking the long silence. I glanced at him in the rearview mirror, utterly confused. Did he just seriously ask me that personal question? His face was still mostly cold, but his eyes were surprisingly softer, like he actually meant the question.

“Uh, yeah,” I said, my voice shaky and uncertain. “I’m perfectly fine, I think.”

He chuckled softly, a low sound that completely surprised me. “You certainly don’t look fine to me,” he said honestly. “I know I always come off as cold, Noah. Everyone around me thinks that is my personality. But I am not truly heartless. I can clearly see you’re struggling badly.”

I blinked several times, my hands clenching tightly in my lap. “Then please tell me why I’m here,” I said, my voice much louder than I had intended. “Why is Enzo still keeping me here? What exactly does he want from me? Why am I stuck permanently in this house like some kind of prisoner?”

Ren’s eyes met mine in the mirror, steady and completely unreadable. “It is not what it clearly seems to be on the surface,” he said, his voice calm but firm in his refusal to elaborate. “You will get used to this life eventually. You will understand the truth, but I am not the one authorized to tell you anything you want to know.”

I opened my mouth to loudly argue back, but his firm look instantly shut me up. I nodded silently, turning back to stare out the window, pretending like I hadn’t heard his frustrating answer at all. What was the point in asking anymore? No one would tell me anything true. Not Enzo, and certainly not Ren. I was just a meaningless pawn, stuck in a deadly game I didn’t understand at all.

We pulled up to the huge house, and I got out, my legs feeling heavy and leaden. Enzo was standing right at the front door, his eyes immediately locked on me, dark and intensely focused. My blood ran cold with fear, and I froze, my heart instantly racing. I wanted desperately to run away, but where could I possibly go? There was nowhere safe to run to. I forced myself to move closer to him, my sneakers scuffing on the gravel path. Enzo nodded once at Ren, who quickly walked inside without a single word, leaving me completely alone with Enzo standing there.

Enzo stepped toward me, slow and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. I backed up a single step immediately, my heart pounding loudly, but he just kept coming closer. His hand lifted slowly, and I instantly flinched hard, squeezing my eyes shut tight, bracing myself for an expected hit. But instead of violence, his fingers brushed softly against my hair, gentle and surprisingly warm. “Are you okay?” he asked sincerely, his voice low and unexpectedly gentle.

I opened my eyes, completely confused by his touch, and nodded weakly. “Yeah,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “I’m… I’m fine now.”

He smiled slightly, a small, strange smile that didn’t match his usual cold, hard stare. “Good,” he said, his hand lingering briefly for a second before he dropped it down. “Come on inside now.” He turned and led me inside the house, and I followed him, my head completely spinning from the unexpected interaction. What was wrong with him today?

He sat me down immediately at the huge dining table, not my room—this was a first. The table was massive, dark wood, with plates of food already set out perfectly: chicken, rice, and various vegetables, all steaming and smelling better than anything I had eaten in weeks. Enzo sat across from me, his eyes focused intently on me as a maid set a plate of the hot food right in front of me. “Eat it all,” he said, his voice soft but completely firm. “You desperately need the food.”

I picked up my fork slowly, my hands still shaking slightly, and took a tentative bite. The chicken was tender and warm in my mouth. I ate slowly, carefully watching him from the corner of my eye. Why was he suddenly being so nice to me? Only yesterday, he had been yelling angrily, and aggressively grabbing my neck. Now he was calmly feeding me as if I mattered to him. “Why are you doing all of this?” I asked, my voice quiet with confusion. “Why am I still here with you, Enzo?”

He looked at me, his small smile fading quickly. “Just eat your food, Noah,” he said, his voice low and warning. “Don’t ask me any more questions now.”

I swallowed my food, my throat tight with frustration. “But I genuinely don’t get it,” I said, setting my fork down onto the plate. “You keep me locked up here, make me constantly clean the house, send me to school, but you won’t tell me anything at all. Why is that? What exactly do you truly want from me in return?”

He leaned back slightly in his chair, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “I specifically told you to eat your food,” he said, his voice much sharper now and impatient. “You don’t need to know the reasons yet. Not today.”

I wanted to argue and shout back at him, but his intense look immediately stopped me from speaking. I nodded silently, picking up my fork again, and ate the rest of the meal in complete silence. Then, completely out of nowhere, he spoke again. “I’m truly sorry for my actions,” he said, his voice so quiet and low I almost didn’t hear it in the large room.

I froze instantly, my fork halfway to my mouth in surprise. “What?” I asked, utterly confused by his words. “Sorry for what exactly?”

He looked quickly away from my gaze, his jaw tight and clenched. “I am truly sorry,” he said again, much louder and clearer this time. “For yelling at you earlier. About Dean being around you. I… I really shouldn’t have acted that way.”

I stared at him in disbelief, my heart racing wildly in my chest. Was this actually real? Enzo, sincerely apologizing to me? I opened my mouth to say something, but he quickly stood up, moving around the table directly toward me. His hand cupped my face gently, tilting it up toward his, and before I could react or even think, his lips brushed lightly against mine, soft and quick. I gasped loudly, my eyes wide with shock, as he immediately pulled back, his face instantly becoming unreadable again. Then he turned and quickly walked away from the table, leaving me completely alone in the massive dining room.

I sat there stunned, my fingers slowly touching my lips, my head absolutely spinning with shock and confusion. Was that a bizarre dream I had imagined? It had to be a dream. Enzo didn’t do things like that at all. But my lips tingled slightly, and my heart wouldn’t stop racing wildly inside my chest. I stared blankly at the empty doorway, silentl

y wondering if I would ever truly understand this man.