Page 42 of The Stepbrother 2: Noah

"Alright, I fucking hear you." I woke up to Noah yelling and pacing the room, completely naked.

He hung up the phone and looked as if he was ready to throw it against the wall.

“What is it?”

He stared at me with that perturbed look he sometimes had when he was angry. “Maine claims Devon had her sign custody papers under false pretenses. Then yesterday morning he went to your parents' house with the police to pick up DJ. Troy busted his jaw. Now he’s been arrested, and they won’t give him bond because of his two other assault charges.”

Devon had lost his fucking mind. I pulled myself up from the bed, feeling my stomach twist. I ran to the bathroom. After throwing up and brushing my teeth, I went back into the room. Noah had dressed by then.

“I have to go see what I can do for your father.”

I hurried to throw on some clothes, silently thanking the heavens that I was getting out of that basement. Noah had been making me FaceTime with an actual therapist. I was Black; we didn’t do the whole head-shrinker thing. It felt awkward, spilling my feelings to a stranger.

After getting dressed, I waited for Noah to stop typing on his phone and let us out. I knew he had a way out besides the one he claimed.

He looked up at me, his eyes scanning me from head to toe.

“I said I was going. The only way you get out of here today is if we’re married.”

My mouth fell open. Instinctively, I took a step back. “There’s no way I’m marrying you,” I yelled.

Creed-

"How in the hell do you have my momma's wedding dress?"

When I was thirteen, Momma and Daddy got remarried for some reality show money. Momma wore a black, gothic-style mermaid dress with a silk train attached. I talked about that dress for weeks. I said I would get married in it, but the show took it back, so I knew it wasn’t really hers, but it was still her dress.

“I had it made for you.”

My heart skipped a beat. He remembered.

“When?”

“Five years ago.”

I frowned. “Why five years ago?”

He gave me this cheesy smile that annoyed me and endeared me to him at the same time. “I knew when you took my innocence in the back of Maine's van that I was going to marry you.”

This man was truly crazy, but I couldn’t let him know how much he affected me in a good way.

Before I could say something slick or sassy, there was a knock at the door. We were in the house of the judge who was going to marry us. Everybody knew if you needed something to look legal and had the money, Scarpetta was the judge to call. I wouldn’t say I was getting married by force, but I was under slight duress. It was better to go along with the things Noah made up in his head than to fight. I’d get an annulment, but at least I’d get to wear the wedding dress I’d dreamed of.

Of course, Noah couldn’t just take us to the courthouse. He had to be extra.

But I guess getting fake-married at a beautiful Victorian-style house was better than waiting in line at the courthouse, surrounded by strangers, while also waiting for the lawyers Noah had hired to get Daddy out. Daddy’s own lawyers were too busy and had sent a junior associate to handle things for him. I was all for supporting Black women, but this lady, Simone, just didn’t look like she could dominate a courtroom like we needed her to. Daddy had assaulted one too many people in his career. This might be the one that actually got him put in prison if Devon wanted to be an asshole.

Noah let in a makeup artist to get me ready.

“Noah,” I called after him before he closed the door to get himself ready, “your mother’s best friend took your innocence. Don’t put that lie on me.” I sniggered.

He shook his head. “We have a lifetime to teach you to express your feelings for me without snark. Love you too, Creed,” he said before closing the door.

Two middle-aged Black women, who looked like sisters with relaxed hair and natural faces, cooed and hooted.

“White boys were never my thing, but they didn’t look like him back in the day,” one lady said.

“Or we didn’t notice,” the other chimed in.

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