Back to Us

Chapter 28

POV Noah

I sat in the armchair, Eden snug in my arms, her little fingers gripping the fabric of my shirt as if to anchor herself even in her sleep.

My heart felt heavy, caught between the relief of seeing Estella safe and the worry that lingered like a storm cloud over my thoughts. I glanced at her sleeping on the couch, her face pale and drawn even in rest.

Whatever had happened yesterday had left a mark, and I couldn't shake the frustration of not knowing how to help her.

Eden stirred softly against my chest, her tiny weight grounding me. I brushed a hand over her curls, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She smelled like baby lotion, familiar and calming. But my mind was far from calm.

Felis's voice broke through my thoughts. "You want some coffee?" he asked, standing by the kitchen doorway. His expression was guarded, but there was a kindness in his tone I wasn't expecting.

I shook my head. "No, thanks. I'm good."

He nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me alone with my thoughts. My eyes drifted back to Estella. Even in sleep, she looked troubled, her brow furrowed as if she were fighting some unseen battle.

I thought back to when I'd first met her-how guarded she'd been, how she'd built walls so high it had taken me months to even chip away at them. But when those walls came down, she'd let me see the parts of her no one else did. The strength she didn't know she had. The love she was afraid to give.

And now, seeing her like this, so fragile and hurt, made me want to tear apart whatever had caused her pain.

A soft sound pulled me from my thoughts, and I looked down to see Eden's big eyes blinking up at me. She yawned, her little hand reaching out to touch my face.

"Hey, baby girl" I murmured, smiling softly. "You waking up, huh?"

Eden gave a tiny, sleepy smile before nuzzling back into my chest. My heart squeezed. She was the best part of us-of me and Estella. And I'd do anything to protect her, just like I'd do anything to protect her mom.

The sound of footsteps made me glance up. Felis had returned, standing in the doorway with a mug of coffee in his hand. He looked at Eden, then at me, his expression unreadable.

"She's cute" he said after a moment, nodding toward Eden.

"Thanks" I replied, my voice quiet.

He hesitated, then crossed the room to sit in the chair across from me. He set his coffee down on the table and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You care about her, don't you? Estella, I mean."

I met his gaze, unflinching. "More than anything."

He studied me for a moment, then nodded slowly, as if coming to some internal decision. "Good" he said simply. "She needs someone like that. Someone who's going to stick by her, no matter what."

"I will" I said firmly. "I always will."

The silence between us wasn't uncomfortable. If anything, it felt like an understanding. Felis didn't need to say much to get his point across. He cared about Estella, just like I did. And that was enough for now.

A soft groan from the couch made me look over. Estella was stirring, her hand coming up to rub at her eyes as she blinked herself awake. For a moment, she looked disoriented, her gaze darting around the room before it landed on me.

"Noah?" she murmured, her voice rough with sleep.

I stood, adjusting Eden in my arms as I moved closer. "Hey" I said softly. "You fell asleep."

Her eyes flicked to Eden, and her face softened, though the exhaustion still lingered. "You brought her?"

"She missed you" I said, crouching down so she could see Eden better. "We both did."

Estella reached out, her hand trembling slightly as she brushed Eden's cheek. "Hi, baby" she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Eden cooed softly, her little hands reaching for her mom. I carefully passed her over, watching as Estella cradled her close, her eyes glistening with tears.

"I'm sorry" she said, her voice breaking. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"Hey" I said, sitting on the edge of the couch beside her. "You don't have to apologize."

She looked at me, her eyes filled with so much emotion it made my chest ache. "I didn't know where else to go" she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You're here now" I said, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "And that's what matters."

Felis cleared his throat, reminding us both that we weren't alone. Estella looked at him, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"Sorry" she said, shifting Eden in her arms. "I should've told you about her."

Felis held up a hand, his expression soft. "It's okay. We'll have plenty of time to catch up."

Estella nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly. She looked back at me, a small, grateful smile playing on her lips.