Chapter 468 Chapter 468
When the other woman gasped, Emersyn turned quickly to see why. She was looking out the window with her hand over her mouth. Almost afraid to see why she looked anyway. Noah was walking back in now, with just his jeans on and boots were undone. He ruffled Everett’s hair and smiled down at him. His shirt was in his hand. She turned to look at his mother, knowing the scars on his body are what had her reacting. Had he done it on purpose? “His back is worse.” She said softly and then stood up. Just the fact that Noah was standing there with the others without his shirt on was a big deal for him. “Excuse me.” She went over and picked up the shoes she’d left by the back door and slipped them on.
Going out the door, she headed straight for him, not even feeling the hesitation she normally did. Everett and Julian were still laughing at something he said. Noah was smiling back at them, a real smile. In the time since he’d stepped into that basement, she couldn’t remember that she’d seen him smile that way.
He snapped his head around when she was almost to them and looked at her. In the few steps before she reached them, he had checked her from shoes to her hair and was now giving her a cautious look, as if to ask if everything was all right. She smiled at him, hoping it reassured him that everything was fine.
Kelsey and Harrison came through the gate. She pointed at him. “You cheated.”
Noah smirked at her then shrugged, “you should check the terrain before attempting to win a race.”
Kelsey scowled at him and then smiled slowly, “next time you’re at the shop we’re having a rematch.”
Noah pulled his shirt over his head. “Okay.” He told her as he put his arms into it. He glanced down at her. “You should have your jacket on.” His tone was soft and not void like it normally was.
She shrugged, “I saw you with the girls and,” she glanced toward the house, “needed some air.”
He nodded but didn’t look at the house.
“Is your cat as fast too?” Harrison asked her. “I feel like I’m a hundred next to these ones.” He motioned to Noah and then the boys.
Emersyn gave him a wide-eyed look, “I’m not sure how fast I am.”
Noah stiffened and then spun to face the house.
“Noah?” She looked in the direction he was.
“Stay here.” He started to run down the side of the house.
“Oh,” Kelsey looked at Julian, “go get Blair out to the front.” She started to jog after Noah.
Emersyn didn’t know what was happening, but she ran after her. She tried to take in the scents around them into her system, but her adrenalin had kicked up several notches and she couldn’t pick out anything. So much for being in tune with her cat. She thought as she rounded the corner and almost slid into Kelsey. Moving around her, she froze. Noah had a man pinned against the doorframe—by the throat. Kelsey put out her hand to stop her, but she shook it off and went toward him.
The door opened and Blair swore. “Noah. He’s supposed to be here, he’s hooking up the internet.” Blair pointed to the truck that clearly stated what he was doing.
Noah released him and stepped back.
Emersyn rushed over and stood in front of him. She put her hand on his chest, making him look down at her. His eyes were close to his cats again. She could tell just by how hard his chest was that he was really fighting his cat right now. “Noah.” She took a deep breath as he looked down at her, “breathe.”
He inhaled a slow breath and then released it and looked nowhere but into her eyes. Her own cat was close, not on the verge of coming out, but she knew that their mate was distressed and wasn’t doing a very good job of helping her right now. She rubbed her hand against his chest again. Lifting his hand, he put it over hers, holding it there. She felt his chest rise and fall again.
“That’s my fucking brother right there.”
Emersyn turned to see Tia and Akira standing by the corner of the house.
“Tia,” Elona said with a stern mother tone.
Tia lifted her hands in the air, “what? Seriously? That was some impressive rage right there.” She smiled at him, “now I know we’re related.”
Noah squeezed her hand, keeping it against his chest. He gave her what could have been a smile, but it was hard to be sure what it looked like. He blew out a breath and then turned to look at the man he’d attacked. “Sorry.”
The guy shook his head, “hey,” he held his hands up, “it was my bad for not calling Blair like I was supposed to. He told me not to barge in here unannounced.” He rubbed his throat, “now I know why.”
Noah looked at Blair.
Blair shook his head, “it’s a good thing he’s an ally or we’d be in some deep shit right now.” He grinned at him, then pointed to the little house, “go walk it off or something.” He shook his head and then held the door open, “it’s safer in here.” He told the man with a grin.
Noah looked down at her, “seems like this is becoming a full-time job for you.”
Emersyn smiled up at him, “I have a lot of free time.” She looked over at the little house, “think you could show me how to do that taping thing now?”
Noah nodded and lowered their hands. He glanced at the window of the house, and she didn’t need to look to see his mother was still standing there. When he released her hand, he looked over at Tia, “know anything about painting?” She shook her head, “Me either, come help us make a mess.”
She grinned and grabbed Akira’s hand and ran toward the small house.
Emersyn knew his bad moments far outweighed his good ones but seeing him without the dark shadows in the recess of his eyes made her feel better than she had in a long time.
“I’ll watch Aspyn for you while we do the lessons,” Kelsey told her, a smile on her face. She jerked her chin telling her to follow Noah.
Inclining her head to her, she turned around and started after them.