Page 80 of Noah

“You scorned my help,” he snapped.

“I didn’t,” she replied in a small voice.

“No. Then I suppose you also didn’t throw yourself into danger without any regard for me or yourself.”

“You?” Her voice shook, and he hated himself for making her small.

“What? You thought I would be happy if you were hurt?” he shouted back.

“Why would I be hurt?”

“You got into the middle of a dangerous situation. You don’t know Mhane…”

“She’s my…” she tried.

“No,” he bit out, cutting her off. “She was your sister. You don’t know her anymore.” He raked his fingers through his hair, annoyed at her naivety. “Mhane had just proved she was dangerous and the first thing you do is throw yourself at her like she’s a goddamn puppy,” he exploded, his fear for Adrienne seeping into his words.

“But… she…I,” she paused and shook her head, her eyes welling. She sucked in a quick shaky breath and let it out slowly. He hadn’t meant to make her eyes well up.

Noah didn’t want her to full-out cry and hurt herself by crashing the Jeep.

Noah tried to calm his beast down and gently, very gently in case she refused him, he reached out and pulled back a lock of hair.

Their features were similar, but Ren’s lighter skin was like a milky galaxy compared to the cinnamon-flecked skin of her sister. Different and yet Adrienne was stars above Mhane.

He tentatively stroked his fingertip across the creamy curve of her cheekbone. Her eyes closed momentarily before snapping open to focus on the road.

“You were pissed off that I put myself in danger.”

“Yes. You put yourself in danger. You made my attempts at keeping you safe look poor, so my beast raged inside. You made me look inadequate in front of other males, proving they could get through my defences.”

Adrienne made a choking sound, the long slim line of her throat bobbing as she swallowed. “I didn’t mean for you to feel that way. I was worried about Mhane. You know how much it means to me that I get to see her?”

“The beast isn’t always logical, and it thinks you should have shown loyalty and stayed with us. Trust us to look after you and when it’s safe, we’ll let you know.”

“Would you have thought Mhane was safe?” she asked.

No. And he still didn’t. “That’s beside the point.”

“No, it’s not,” she said with a sigh. “That is the point. I want to build a relationship with her, and I understand you just want to protect me.” She glanced at him with those soft kitten eyes. “I do understand but the first thing she thinks of me after not seeing me in so long…it can’t be that I don’t trust her.” She shook her head, her hair wildly whipping around her face.

“It’s really her,” she said with soft wonder in her voice as if she was still struggling to believe it.

“It’s her,” he agreed.

Adrienne laughed. “I know that I was thinking and hoping it might be, but…”

“It’s a massive shook,” he finished.

“Yes, exactly. I-I…can’t believe it. After all these years.” Adrienne bit her lip, and her eyebrows drew together. He could smell the fear, and her soft wonder soured.

“What is it?”

“The drugs,” Adrienne said. “I don’t get it. What was my dad into?”

Noah didn’t answer.

Noah had no answer for her and the only person who could give Adrienne and Mhane answers ran away like a coward and left them with a mess to clear up.

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