Noah's Lifeline

The way it's going to be

Author's Spiel : I'm back ! Mental health is a motherfucccker but life is for the living and my  creativity has clocked back innn !!!

• Edited •
MATURE CONTENT AHEAD

Noah's POV

The crowd was all but stunned into silence as they immediately formed a direct path between me and Zahra that extended past all the tables, chairs, and tall floral arrangements we'd ordered. The tension was palpable as everyone held their breath, with the exception of Lauren and Naveen that giggled and whooped respectively from the front and center.

While I appreciated the support, I didn't even look their way as I wasted no time in exiting the stage and keeping her in my line of sight before she disappeared .

Again

I strode determinedly past each gawker and whisperer that was probably selling my confession to the press at that very moment with each small click I caught in the wind. But every fuck I'd had was left on the stage right along with the microphone I'd poured my heart into.

They sure as hell didn't matter.

Nothing else mattered but the tiny goddess with the tousled hair that stood some paces away from myself. Both the sweetest dream and waking nightmare I'd ever known which irked the shit out of me, even now that I finally had her within reach. I hated how she'd left so abruptly and cut me completely out of her life without so much as a text. Even now I could see the fear and disbelief swimming in her eyes, from this distance no less, but the third emotion there powered my resolve to have her once and for all.

Love

I hadn't had it or felt it for someone in so long that I'd almost missed it upon first glance but there was no stopping now, not when I was so close to getting the answers I craved. I nodded dismissively to the security guards that I'd hired on both sides of her to return to the event as I'd make sure she was safe myself from here.

Where they departed I closed in - Zahra stumbling back anxiously as I approached. The parallel of prey and predator roaring between us as I stalked closer, staring her down.

I could almost feel the chills surely coming off her skin in tiny bumps, just as I knew they covered each curve of her spine and supple hips.

Just as I arrived, her hands blocked my chest into creating a halt between us - this time a physical one that both pained and soothed me after so long without it.

I knew it would take just a fraction of my strength to move out of reach and crash her right into my arms, yet I didn't. Instead I restrained every fiber of my taut muscles that itched to stretch accordingly as to not spoil this moment.

I'd been patient.

I'd called. Texted. Sent flowers to her apartment and then tutoring center when Legacy dumped them out in the days that followed. My guess was that she had either not gone to her grandmother's house or was too pissed to respond to the poignant note I'd left at the bottom of it.

I'd done all but go call her phone company and get them to hack her phone just to hear from her again, and my patience had finally run thin. Thinner than I was willing to tolerate anymore.

"No. Noah-."

"Shut up." I interrupted, my voice and hands rough as I closed the distance between us until I had her pressed into the wall of the impossibly small room.

"Unless you want me to stop, shut the fuck up, baby." I said with an edge in my voice.

At her silence, I held her a short distance away as I kicked the door shut behind us and closed the drapes with practiced efficiency. Then I turned on my heel and took in my prize greedily - all too excited to have the booty all to myself.