The Princess And The Criminal

17

SAWYER

We giggled as we stumbled through the apartment.

Forrest was at home with dad, Morgan was still in the hospital and the rabbit was with her original owner. The apartment was dark. But when we opened Noah's bedroom door I could immediately tell someone else was in the room.

Noah felt me stiffen and hugged me tighter.

Her bedside lamp flicked on and there in the middle of her bed without his suit and a few buttons of his shirt open was Marley.

He genuinely looked surprised to see Noah and I in the position we were in while we both shot him death glares.

"Oh my... I guess your father was right. You are into the bad types."

I clenched my jaw and flexed my hands around Noah. She slowly let go of me and gave Marley the dirtiest look I have ever seen.

"I'm going to say this once and only to you so if you feel like it you can carry the message to my father."

Marley tilted his head but remained quiet.

"I'm with Sawyer. And I love her, more than I love anything. So no today was most definitely not a date, Marley. I have no interest in you or any man for that matter. I do not want to see you again. Especially not in my fucking bed room."

Marley blinked and hummed a bit. He stood and stretched. "I surprisingly don't care." He whispered. Then picked up a gun from her bedside table and pocketed it.

"Tell you what. I'll give your father your message. In fact I think I'd like to get to know you– of course as an acquaintance at the very least... going to war with Mr Jonathan Reed will be fun–I've been kinda bored."

"War?" Noah frowned.

Marley nodded and smiled again. "Yes. War, Your father is a bit of a nuisance in my circles but a nuisance still." He started to walk out, buttoning his shirt and picking up his suit jacket. "There may be a bunch of big people in suits following all of you soon. Inform your families."

As he came to pass me by the door I grabbed his upper arm. He froze and we locked eyes. We were the same height and looked into each other's eyes with the intensity of protectiveness.

"Why are you changing your mind all of a sudden?"

Marley's head tilted. "I'm kinda bored. Maybe forming alliances with people that don't have ties to the world I grew up in can help cure that boredom... I recently found joy in bowling."

I scrunched up my face and let go of Marley. He laughed loudly at my expression and for a second he didn't look dark and mysterious. He looked like a happy man.

"I truly hope we can become friends, Sawyer." He smiled and walked away.

When the sound of the door shutting filled the room Noah sighed and sat heavily on her bed. Exhaustion plagued her expression.

"I'll run you a bath."

She smiled tiredly up at me as I walked to the bathroom.

When I was done filling the tub with water and pouring some stuff I couldn't really name into it and I walked out into the bedroom. Noah was not there.

"Noah?"

"Kitchen!"

I walked to the kitchen to see Noah in a faded large t-shirt laying ingredients on the counter.

"Uh.." I chuckled a bit. "Is that my band t-shirt?"

Noah smiled and opened up a bag of flour.

"What are you doing?"

"Chocolate cake."

I swallowed already salivating for the cake.

"I love you." Noah smiled

"I love you more." I kissed her head.

When the cake was finally in the oven the bath water had gone cold so Noah opted for a shower while It baked. I scrolled through my phone looking at a few emails from some neighbors to fix some stuff. I had a busy week ahead of me.

I had finished most of the work I was doing at Viper's and had decided to pick up some other carpentry jobs. I still had my shift at the repair shop and I had slotted in some time to pick up my guitar again.

Noah came out towel drying her hair in another one of my old t-shirts. She had her phone sandwiched between her ear and shoulder as she walked up to the oven.

"Of course. I'll mail it all first thing Monday... There's only so much Viper can accommodate Andrew. I'll do my best to slot it in... of course your contribution is important... exactly Andrew, as soon as possible... yes same to you good night."

I smiled at her as she sighed and put her phone down.

"You're amazing."

Noah smiled and walked over to me. Standing between my legs she lowered her head and kissed me softly.

"Do you have any work tomorrow?"

I hummed into her mouth. "No, Caesar wants to spend the day with me. We'll be done by twelve."

"Stay over?"

"Was already planning on it." I whispered and gripped her hips.

I attempted to deepen the kiss but the oven pinged.

Noah giggled while and grumbled and took out the cake.

I went into the living room and turned on the tv flipping through the channels.

Noah joined mw while the cake cooled.

"Sawyer?"

"Hmm?"

Noah stayed silent though.

"Noah?"

"Emilia..."

I smiled. "Are you jealous, Noah?"

Noah grumbled. "Yes."

I laughed and lifted her into my lap. "Emilia likes looking for unnecessary trouble. We dated for barely two months but we were hooking up. We weren't serious."

"But Forresst greeted her like he knew her."

I smiled and kissed her head. "That's because he does know her. They met after she got out. I asked her to give him some stuff. He's the only one of my brothers who knows her by name."

Noah physically relaxed at that and I laughed again.

"You have absolutely nothing to worry about Noah, but if you have doubts don't forget to ask me about anything."

"Okay." She mumbled and hugged me tighter