Chapter 405
“Noah p>
His name leaves my lips in a shaky whisper, somewhere between disbelief and relief, and before I can even think about it, I throw myself into him.
He catches me instantly, his arms wrapping around me tightly, almost desperately, like he’s afraid I might slip through his fingers if he doesn’t hold on hard enough. I press my face against his chest, my entire body trembling as the reality of what just happened crashes into me all over again.
His heart is racing. I can hear it, feel it pounding beneath my ear, matching the way his chest rises and falls in quick, uneven breaths. He’s just as shaken as I am, even if he’s trying to hold it together.
“I’ve got you,” he murmurs, his voice low but unsteady. “You’re okay… you’re okay p>
I don’t know how long we stay like that, but eventually he pulls back just enough to look at me, his hands moving over me quickly, checking, searching.
“Are you hurt?” he asks, his voice sharper now, urgent.
“I p>
He goes still before I can answer as his eyes go to my shoulder before dropping to my leg, and only then do I realize that I have a piece of glass stuck to my thigh, and my leg is bleeding.
“Fuck, you’re bleeding,” he says, panic creeping into his voice. “We need to get you to the hospital p>
Before I can even react, before I can explain, he’s already moving.
“Noah p>
He doesn’t listen. One second, I’m standing, and the next, I’m in his arms as he scoops me up like I weigh nothing, his grip firm as he rushes out of the house.
The world blurs around me. The broken glass, the shattered furniture, the open door—it all fades into the background as he carries me outside, his movements fast and frantic, rushing to his car as if the very hellhounds of hell are after him.
He gets to the car, opens the passenger door, and carefully places me gently inside, being careful of my wounds.
“Stay with me,” he says, his hands moving quickly as he buckles me in.
“I’m really p>
He shuts the door before I can finish and rounds the car, sliding into the driver’s seat.
I glance back at what is remaining of my house, my stomach twisting. “What about, my house p>
Damn, it looks like a hurricane tore through it, and all I can think about is how much it would cost to repair and replace everything.
“I called the cops,” he says quickly, pulling me back from my thoughts and already starting the engine. “They’re on their way p>
Before I can say anything else, the car lurches forward. We speed past a couple of neighbors who are standing outside, their faces filled with shock and confusion, before he pulls onto the road and then onto the highway.
Noah drives fast, almost like he is trying to outrun an apocalypse or something, because that’s the only reason that could explain why he’s driving like a maniac.
The car weaves through traffic, the engine roaring as he pushes it harder than necessary, and I instinctively grip the seatbelt, my heart racing for an entirely different reason now.
“Noah, slow down,” I say, tightening my hold. “You’re going to kill us before we even get to the hospital p>
“You’re injured; how can you even ask me to slow down?” he shoots back, his eyes locked on the road. “I need to get you to the hospital before you bleed out p>
“Still, I’d like to arrive in one piece, thank you very much,” I insist.
He doesn’t respond immediately, his jaw tightening as he grips the steering wheel, almost like he’s fighting the instinct to drive fast, but eventually the speed drops. It’s not by much, but it’s enough.
The rest of the drive is tense, filled with the sound of the engine and my uneven breathing, until we finally pull into the hospital.
Before I can even unbuckle myself, he’s already out of the car. The door opens, and once again, he’s lifting me into his arms.
“Noah, I can manage p>
He ignores me completely. It’s as if I haven’t even said a word.
“Help! She’s injured!” he calls out as he strides inside.
Nurses, patients, and doctors all turn to look at us, and heat floods my face as I instinctively bury it against his shoulder, completely mortified.
A nurse finally rushes over, quickly assessing the situation before leading us into a room. Noah finally sets me down on the bed, and the moment my feet touch the ground, I glare at him.
“What?” he asks, breath still uneven.
“I cannot believe you just did that,” I say. “That was so embarrassing p>
“You were bleeding; what was I supposed to do p>