Chapter 18—Caught Between Two Promises

Noah's POV

My pulse was still racing.

My back was still warm from where Ava had pushed into me. My lips still tingled from the kiss I couldn't believe actually happened. Her breath, her hands, her voice whispering "We don't have to stop"—it replayed in my head on a loop.

Then Jacob pounded on the door like he was ready to break it down.

Perfect timing, as always.

I barely had time to run a hand through my hair before I opened it.

Jacob stood there, eyes wild, chest rising and falling like he'd sprinted.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

My heart thudded. "Not here."

He shoved past me, looking around like she might be hiding behind a lamp. "Don't lie to me."

"I'm not," I said, forcing my breathing to slow. "She left."

His gaze sharpened. "Why?"

Because we were too close. Because I almost kissed her again. Because I almost crossed every line I said I'd never cross. Because if she stayed one more second, I would. have kissed her until we both forgot how to breathe.

I didn't say any of that.

"I told her to go," I said.

Jacob froze, thrown off by that answer.

"You... told her to?" he asked.

I nodded. "Before things got worse."

He studied my face, looking for something to blame, something to hate, something to cling to.

"Did you touch her?" he demanded suddenly.

My jaw flexed. "Jacob—"

"Did. You. Touch. My. Sister?"

I looked away for one second too long.

Jacob swore under his breath. "Noah... no. No. Tell me you didn't."

"I didn't do anything she didn't want," I said quietly.

His breathing changed—a shocked, wounded sound.

"You kissed her," he whispered.

I stayed silent.

Because silence was the closest thing to honesty I could give him without blowing everything up in the middle of the living room.

Jacob ran both hands through his har, pacing fast. "Unbelievable. You swore to me. You SWORE."

"I know," I said softly.

"And then you do THIS?"

"I'm trying—"

"No," he snapped, voice breaking. "You're not trying. You're giving in. And you're dragging her into this mess with you."

His words hit hard.

Because the worst part was... he wasn't wrong about the mess. But he was wrong about the reason.

"I'm not dragging her anywhere," I said. "Ava knows exactly what she feels."

"That's the problem!" Jacob yelled. "She doesn't know what she's doing. She's never—she's—"

He stopped, realizing he was realizing more than he meant to.

I stepped forward. "Jacob. Look at me."

He didn't.

"I care about her," I said. "More than I've cared about anyone."

Finally, Jacob looked up—eyes glassy, angry, scared.

"You're going to break her," he whispered.

"I won't."

"You will," he insisted. "Because you always leave. You always walk away. And she's the one person who won't survive that."

His voice cracked on the last word.

Not anger. Fear.

Real fear.

My chest tightened. "I'm not going anywhere."

Jacob shook his head. "You will. You always do."

I took a slow breath. "Not this time."

He stepped back like my words physically hurt him. "I don't believe you."

"You don't have to," I said quietly. "Ava will."

Jacob stared at me for a long, painful moment. Then he whispered:

"Stay away from her."

"I can't."

"Noah—"

"I can't, Jacob."

He exhaled sharply, backing away like he needed space or he might explode.

"This is going to ruin everything," he said.

I nodded once. "Maybe. But some things... are worth the risk."

His jaw tightened.

Then he turned and walked out the door without another word.

The silence he left behind was heavy. But beneath it—beneath the guilt, the fear, the tension--

There was something else.

A truth I finally let myself feel:

I wasn't losing Ava. I was choosing her.

Even if the world fell apart because of it.