How I See You
1207 Words
[Nick’s POV]
I lift my gaze to the three bystanders and let a broad smile spread across my face as I take in their shocked expressions.
“Well,” I chuckle, satisfaction rushing through me. “You heard the lady. We’ll be getting married. I do hope that all of you can give us your blessings.”
Not waiting for a response, I turn and head toward my car, which is still running, and gently load Noel into it. After she is in place and buckled in, I close the door and turn just in time to find Hunter heading toward me. When he reaches, he grabs me by the shirt and leans so close that his breath mingles with mine.
“Can I help you with something?” I ask, keeping my expression blank.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He asks, voicing the single thought that is going through his head. “You know good and well that Noel is…”
“Was,” I correct him, grabbing his wrist and twisting until a hiss of pain escapes him and he releases me. “She was engaged to you,” I continue as he glares at me. “But the minute you decided to cheat, that all ended.”
Growing quiet, I wait as Hunter opens and closes his mouth, looking for the right thing to say to me, but continues to come up empty.
“Anyway,” I say now, straightening out my shirt. “We will be getting married, so I suggest that you no longer have any ideas about her. Otherwise,” I beam, clapping his shoulder. “I won’t hesitate to do what it takes to protect what is mine.”
“Are you threatening me?” Hunter asks, his gaze darkening with anger. “You of all people. How can you possibly…”
“I’m not the same man that you tried to kill off,” I murmur, my voice lowering so that only he can hear me. “And I won’t be tricked again like I was in the past. Not when my mate is suffering.”
At my words, Hunter’s eyes widen, and I can’t stop the satisfaction that I’m feeling.
“Did you just say…” he says, his voice trembling with the anger he is fighting to keep at bay so he can keep his ridiculous act of being innocent. “Did you just call her your mate?”
“I did,” I confirm, feeling the bond that I shared with Noel rush through me. “But I’m sure you already knew that since you tried so hard to get rid of me.”
Finished speaking, I give Hunter’s shoulder a squeeze and then head around to the other side of the car. And once I climb inside, Noel’s gaze comes to rest on me while a look of curiosity shows on her angelic face.
“What?” I ask, revving the car to life and then slamming the gas. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I…” she begins, peeking at the mirror beside her so I’m certain she can examine Hunter as he continues to stand stunned by the street. “I just…”
“Want to know what was said?” I offer, feeling a pang of annoyance as I realize that Noel won’t be able to accept so quickly, not when my bastard brother was still in her heart. “Are you sure you want to know?”
Personally, I didn’t mind telling her, but I knew that it would make her feel pressured, especially since she couldn’t feel the bond that was slowly radiating between us. Hell, even I was having a hard time accepting it was such a thing, but here we were, or at least, that was how it felt to me, but I had nothing to go off of to confirm or deny such a thing.
‘Fool.’
Zander’s voice echoes in my head, mocking me and pissing me off further while I was already trying to deal with the anger I was feeling because of Noel’s feelings toward Hunter and not me.
‘Shut up.’
Pushing him aside, I continue to drive until we reach the condo that I’m staying in. But when I park the car and turn to Noel, I find that she is looking a bit uneasy.
“What?” I ask, eyeing her, taking in the injuries that are visible in her body. “Should I take you to the hospital instead?”
“No,” she says quickly, her voice quaking. “I just…”
“You don’t have to worry,” I say gently, unbuckling and climbing out of the car. “Not when you’re with me,” I continue, opening her door. “And if you don’t want to marry me, I won’t pressure you. We can figure out how to take down Anita and Joelle another way.”
“No,” she repeats, this time more strongly. “No, I don’t want to stoop to despicable means.”
Smirking, I fight the urge I feel to kiss her because she is being so righteous and lovely. She was being exactly as I remembered her.
“Then we will do this right,” I chuckle, leaning in and unbuckling her while ignoring the warmth that is slowly beginning to seep into me. “We will get married and then kick them both to the curb. Once that’s done, you’re more than welcome to divorce me.”
“Divorce,” she repeats, her sparkling eyes widening. “But didn’t you say that you needed a baby in order to…”
“Don’t worry about me.”
Even if I did need to have an heir first in order to take over New Moon, I wasn’t about to pressure Noel into giving me one. Of course, it didn’t mean that I didn’t plan on eventually having a child with her, but I only wanted that to happen when she accepted me fully and I was certain it would happen given our bond and the feelings we had for each other when we were younger. I would simply have to wait patiently, and I was more than willing to wait an eternity for my angel.
“Come on,” I announce, pulling Noel into my arms once more as an adorable squeak escapes her. “I’ll treat your wounds once we get to my place, and once that is finished, we can hash out everything.”
“Does that include a wedding?” Noel asks quietly, uncertainty dripping from her words. “Are you sure you’re willing to marry someone like me?”
“Don’t say that.” I warn, heading toward the elevator. “Not when you’re with me.”
“Don’t say what?” She asks in confusion. “I don’t…”
“Someone like you,” I respond. “If you could see yourself the way I have always seen you, then you would know that you’re amazing, and until you come to believe that yourself, I’m going to do everything to make you see the woman I see.”
- Writer
