NOAH.
As the last reporter shuffled out, I exhaled, the knot in my chest loosening just enough to breathe. I let loose two top buttons on my shirt to let my tie hang loose, the knot half-undone after hours of fielding questions from a ravenous press corps. Beside me, Audrey stood poised, her navy blazer crisp despite the marathon of deflecting accusations. Harper's exposé could have burned us to the ground. But Ava's plan, that brilliant, ruthless gambit to pin it all on Marcus Hale and his freelancer Echo, had turned the tide. The feds had swallowed it and the media pivoted. Even our stocks were climbing back up already. We had just delivered our final bow, a rehearsed performance of confidence and veiled threats about lawsuits against defamers.
Audrey gathered her notes, "You held it together out there," she said, "That glare you shot the Post guy? Kept them on their heels."
I managed a tight smile, rubbing the back of my neck. "Had to. Ava's idea saved our asses. Didn't think Zane's little sister had that kind of cunning in her." My mind flickered to Ava, Zane's half-sister, whom we had always kept at arm's length from our darker dealings. She'd read Echo like a book, predicted his ego-driven moves, and handed us the playbook to flip Harper's story into someone else's funeral. I was impressed, maybe even awed.
Yet Harper's name still stung. It was a raw wound I couldn't shake.
We stepped into the executives' parking lot. Audrey paused by her car, keys glinting in her hand, and turned to me. Her eyes held something heavy, a weight I hadn't noticed inside. "Before I go," she said, "I saw Harper earlier at the coffee shop on Elm. She's... not okay, Noah."
My stomach twisted hearing her name, "Not okay?" I asked, "She should be. She got her big scoop."
Audrey shook her head, leaning against her car door. "Not like that. She's a wreck-bags under her eyes. she lost her contract and is facing eviction. I doubt it was personal, Noah. Just her job. It was not a vendetta against Atlas. Or you."
I crossed my arms, the asphalt cold under my shoes. Her job. The words burned within me, stoking the fire I had kept banked. "Her job you say? She used me, Audrey. Pumped us both for secrets, then lit the fuse. You buying that 'just journalism' excuse?"
She met my gaze, unflinching. "Yeah, I am. We talked and fought, really. She's not vengeful. She's broken. Harper is ambitious, sure, like you with your code. She chased the truth, got too close, and now she's paying for it. You know that drive in her, Noah. You felt it."
Her words hit harder than I wanted, stirring the guilt I'd buried under anger. Harper's ambition. I knew it well. I had being a part of a team that built Atlas's digital walls on the same fuel, hacking through nights to bury rivals.
"Maybe," I muttered, "But Zane's not buying it. He's already given the order to take her out. Quietly."
Audrey's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Then change his mind. She's no threat now. Give her a pass, Noah. You still care, don't you? Despite everything."
I stopped, I wanted to hate her, to see her as the enemy who had nearly toppled us. But the memory of her lingered. "I don't know," I admitted. "But I need to see her."
Audrey nodded, sliding into her car. "Don't do anything stupid. And drive safe."
Her taillights vanished, leaving me alone in the lot.
֍֍֍
I drove to the park, the one with the winding paths and benches overlooking LA's glittering sprawl. The lot was empty, I killed the engine and stepped out, my boots thudding on the pavement. Under the stars, I pulled out my phone, pondering on dialing Harper's number.
Could I believe Audrey's words that it was not personal, just her job? I needed her to say it, to see her eyes when she did.
My thumb hit call before I could overthink it. It rang twice. "Noah?" Her voice was sounded a bit different. I could hear the exhaustion in it.
"Yeah." I leaned against the car, the metal cool through my shirt. "Where are you?"
She paused, "Why?"
My tone softened, surprising even me. "I want to talk. Face-to-face. I... need to see you."
"Ben's cabin. Hills outside LA."
"I'm coming." I hung up, adrenaline spiking. But first, I had to face her, see if the woman I had known was still there. Convincing my brothers would be like defusing a bomb. Now, I had to decide if she was worth saving.
They arrived at the cabin an hour later and parked. The gravel was crunching as I approached the door. From the open window, I saw her silhouette pacing inside. I knocked and stepped aside, waiting for her to answer it.
The door creaked open, and there she was. My Lila.
But different,
Her hair was a mess, her eyes were swollen, yet she had that familiar defiance flickering despite the weariness. I extended a hand, "Hi. I'm Noah Bennett."
She blinked, then a faint smile curved her lips. She took my hand, her grip firm, warm. "Harper West. Nice to meet you."
She stepped back, gesturing inside. "Dinner? I've got... well, canned soup and crackers. Gourmet, I know."
I followed her in, the musty air wrapping around us. "Sounds perfect."
She moved to the kitchen, rummaging through cabinets, in quick movements. I sank onto the sagging couch, watching her. As she heated soup, the clatter of a pot grounding the silence, my mind spun. A fresh start. Could we rebuild from ashes? Her betrayal had cut deep.
Maybe we could be something new, but Zane's order loomed, it was a guillotine waiting to drop. Convincing him, Damian, and the others would be a fight. One I had to win.
She set bowls on the coffee table, steam rising, and sat across from me, cross-legged on the floor. "So, Noah Bennett," she said, her eyes searching. "What brings you to my hideout?"
I spooned soup, the warmth grounding me. "Heard you make a mean chicken noodle. Had to see for myself."
She laughed, a sound I hadn't realized I had missed. "Top chef, clearly." Her gaze softened, but I could tell questions lingered in it.
Her hand brushed mine while passing a cracker, and I didn't pull away. The spark was still there. As our bowls emptied, she leaned back, studying me. "Why are you really here, Noah?"
I set my spoon down, "To see if we can start over. Forget the past. You, me, no Atlas, no stories."
Her brows lifted in skepticism. "Start over? After everything?"
"Yeah." I held her gaze, "I'm tired of fighting you, Harper. Let's try something else."
She didn't answer right away, her fingers tracing the rim of her bowl. Finally, she nodded. "Okay. Let's try."
"Great," I stood, grabbing my jacket. "I have to go. But stay here, stay safe. I'll handle things."
Her eyes narrowed. "What things?"
"Nothing you need to worry about." I kissed her forehead, "Trust me."
֍֍֍
FAMILIAR SKIN
AVA
I was allowed a very quick shower before a home nurse tended to my wounds. I sat on the side of the bed and clenched my jaw while I watched as Damian talked with the doctor. I just want to be alone with you.
Somehow, I managed to keep my expression neutral as I struggled to keep all my emotions from spiraling out of control while being kept hostage by Echo.
Finally, the nurse left, and I slipped off the bed. Even though my feet were raw and aching from being dragged barefoot through the damn woods, I walked to the window and pulled the blinds shut.
"I'll take her home first thing tomorrow morning," I heard Damian tell the doctor while I gingerly moved back to bed.
I braced my right hand on the white sheets and sucked in a desperate breath of air.
I heard the door shut, and I glanced at Damian to make sure we were alone. I sucked in another breath of air, then all the trauma I had been forced to endure shuddered through my body.
Damian moved closer to me, and when his fingers wrapped around the back of my neck, I couldn't keep the sobs back any longer. The floodgates open, and every degrading moment, the pain, and the fear all create a chaotic mess in my chest, forcing a broken cry over my lips.
Damian gently pulled me into his arms, and he tried to avoid the burns on my back as he held me to his chest.
I smelled his familiar fragrance, feeling the heat from his body. And finally able to let go of being strong, I broke in his arms.
"I've got you, my love," the words rumbled from him.
I brought my hand up and clutched his shirt in a fist as I struggled to breathe through the sobs. He just held me, giving me a safe place to cry over what was done to me.
They didn't break me. After everything I was forced to endure, I am stronger.
Damian pressed a kiss to my temple, then murmured, "I'm here, you're safe."
Once I managed to calm down, I whispered, "I was so scared I'd never see you again."
He pulled a little back and tilted his head so he could meet my eyes. Using his thumbs to brush the tears off my cheeks, he said, "I'll always come for you."
Seeing the blood splatters on his face and neck, I took his hand and pulled him toward the bathroom. I found a washcloth and wet it beneath the spray. When I brought it to his neck and started to clean the blood off him, he muttered, "Don't worry about it. I'll shower while you're resting."
"Let me do this," I whispered, my voice hoarse from crying.
Once every last drop of blood had been wiped from his skin, I tossed the cloth into the sink. Damian gently picked me up and carried me back into the room. He sat down on an armchair. His arm brushes over the burns on my back, making me flinch. Pressing my face to his chest, I was feeling feverish when the tears stopped, and I just lay still against his chest. Somehow, I managed to doze on and off for a while.
The door opened, and I heard Rico say, "I brought you some clothes from the house."
"Thanks," Damian murmured. "Have the other guys come here so you can get some rest."
I glanced over my shoulder and saw Rico shake his head. "I'm not leaving. I'll be right outside the room."
"Rico," I said as he started to turn around. When he looked at me, I continued, "I'm so grateful." He nodded before pulling the door shut behind him as he left
"Want to move to the bed so you can sleep while I shower?" Damian asked.
I nodded and climbed off his lap. He picked up the bag Rico brought, and when I followed him to the bathroom, he gave me a questioning look.
"I just want to brush my teeth."
Damian set the bag down on the closed toilet lid and dug out a toothbrush and toothpaste for me. I took it from him, and while I cleaned my teeth, he switched on the faucets in the shower.
I watched as he stripped out of his clothes before I rinsed my mouth. Checking the bag, I was surprised to see Rico had packed a satin robe for me. I quickly took off the messy gown before putting on my robe.
Feeling a little better with a clean robe on, my eyes scoured Damian's body, and when I was sure he hadn't been hurt in any way, I walked back to the bed and sat down on the side of the mattress.
I listened to Damian moving in the bathroom while I stared at the red abrasions around my wrists. I am so lucky they got to me in time. It was the closest I had come to dying.
They could have done so much worse to me.
Once Damian had finished in the bathroom, he came back into the room, his eyes instantly locking on me.
"You're not going to sleep?"
"I can't lie on my back or right side," I said. "Can I sleep on your lap?"
"Of course, love."
I waited for him to sit down on the armchair before I climbed on top of him again. Straddling him, I pulled my arms up between us and rested my cheek against his chest.
I lay still for a little while before lifting my head and asking, "Can you remove your shirt?"
Damian tugged the fabric over his head, and when I opened my robe, he muttered with concern, "You're in no condition to have sex."
"I just want to be as close to you as possible." I leaned against him again, and when the heat from his skin soaks into my chest, I let out a sigh.
Much better.
I pressed a kiss to his chest and took a deep breath of his clean, woodsy scent.
I felt Damian's cock harden beneath me, then his hands settled on my hips, and he let out a sigh.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
"I can feel the heat of your pussy through the sweatpants," he grumbled.
I moved a little back, and reaching down, I pushed down the fabric of his pants to free his cock.
"What are you doing?" The words rumbled from him.
I positioned him at my entrance and slowly sank down on his cock. When he was buried to the hilt inside me, I said, "I just want to feel you everywhere."
"You're warming my cock, Ava?"
"Hmm..." I relaxed against his chest. "Warming my pussy. It was so cold without you."
Damian placed a hand behind my head and pressed a kiss to my hair.
He did not try to fuck me, but instead, let out a satisfied groan as he relaxed beneath me. "I can get used to sleeping like this."
The corner of my mouth lifted slightly. "Me too."
The heat from Damian's body chased the chill from mine, and I closed my eyes.
He deserved a fucking gold medal for the sweet torture I was forcing him to endure.
Then I fucking stirred against his chest, and my taut nipples brushed over his skin.
When my inner muscles clamped around his cock, he let out a harsh breath, sweat beading at the back of his neck. I slowly started to swivel my hips.
He let out a groan, his fingers digging into my ass cheeks. "You're killing me."
"Hmm..."
I rubbed my clit against him, the movements quickly pushing me toward an orgasm.
"Oh, Damian," I moaned, "You're going to make me come."
"Isn't that the plan?" I grunted.
I moaned before starting to press kisses to his penis. "You feel so good." Her teeth tug at my nipple. "You taste even better."
He didn't stand a chance with my sensual torture, and I thrust up once before shooting his release into my wet clit.
His body shuddered from the extreme fucking pleasure after being tortured for hours.
"Christ," he gasped through ragged breaths, his cock jerking inside me while my body loses all strength.
I curled against his chest, my muscles tensing before I felt my orgasm hit. My quivering breaths exploded over my skin, and I buried my hands in his hair to pull his head back so he could claim my lips.
The moment he kissed me, a peaceful feeling filled my heart.
His mouth worshiped mine for long minutes before he finally ended the kiss so I could stare into his beautiful eyes.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes." I nodded, then my pussy frees his cock as I climbed off his lap.
Getting up, he followed me to the bathroom, where we cleaned ourselves.
