NOELLE MULLED over his parting words the rest of the day. Even as she finished her schedule at the facility and headed back home, she still debated whether he’d meant what she thought he meant.
Had he… Had that been a declaration of love?
She was so lost in her head, that she didn’t even realize Lucero was next to her, talking.
“What?” Noelle asked, startled.
“There’s someone here to see you. He’s waiting in the foyer.”
“Who?” She frowned. “No one comes to see me,” she added, perplexed.
“He says he’s your brother.”
Noelle’s eyes widened, her mouth opening and closing. Without replying to Lucero, she dashed out of her apartment, heading to the foyer.
He was with his back to her, wearing a black suit and perfectly polished shoes. Noelle stopped short of the entrance, taking a deep breath.
“Cisco?” she called out her brother’s name, her stance full of confidence as she stepped forward.
He turned, his brows scrunching together in a frown before his expression suddenly cleared.
Her brother was a handsome man with his black hair and golden skin which were complemented by his mismatched eyes.
“Noelle.” He nodded at her, eyeing her up and down.
He was surprised by what he was seeing, she could tell. She was no longer the little girl he’d left behind. In the time since they’d last seen each other, she’d been forced to grow. And he was seeing the consequence of that.
She was wearing a pair of her custom shoes with knives for heels, a pair of dark jeans and a black blouse. It was her usual attire at the hacienda—the one thing she’d reverted back to after she’d gotten Sergio to stop attacking her. Maybe it had been her self-defense mechanism kicking in—a way to hide herself so that no one would see what dwelled in her heart.
“You can go pack your bags. I’m here to take you home,” he told her when he was finished with his perusal.
Noelle tilted her head to the side, narrowing her eyes at him.
She was ashamed to admit she’d been excited to see him. For one moment, she’d actually forgotten about why she was at the hacienda in the first place and her heart had leapt in her chest at the mention of her brother.
Not anymore.
As she watched him, her lip curled in distaste.
“No,” she simply stated. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Don’t be a child, Noelle. I’m here to take you home. You don’t have to be stubborn to prove a point. I know I made a mistake, but I did my damn best to remedy it.”
“And how did you… remedy it?” she asked, doing her best to keep the venom from her voice.
Cisco didn’t seem to notice though. It wouldn’t be the first time he overlooked her feelings altogether.
“I’ve already had a chat with Sergio and he is ready to sign the divorce papers and let you leave.”
“You still didn’t tell me how,” Noelle interjected.
Cisco shrugged.
“Let’s say I cost him one of his businesses. So much so that he will need a long time before he’s back on his feet without my help.”
Noelle studied him for a second as it dawned on her what might have happened.
“The drugs.” She took a step forward, fire building in her eyes. “You stopped his drugs from getting to the streets didn’t you?”
“I did.” Cisco nodded.
Noelle’s hands clenched into fists as she barely stopped from jumping on him.
“You…” she gritted out.
Because of him, Sergio had switched the drug, causing Raf to be in a perpetual state of confusion. Because of him…
“No one asked you to do a damn thing, Cisco,” she told him pointedly. “I think you should go.”
He frowned.
“I’m not leaving without you.”
“And I’m not going anywhere with you,” she answered glibly.
“Come on, Noelle. It’s really not the time to go against me just for our previous differences. I’m doing this for you.”
“Sure. Just like you did when you left me here. Alone. Do you even know what I’ve been through?”
A flash of guilt passed over his face. Ah, so the DeVille prince wasn’t as emotionless as she’d believed.
“We’re leaving,” he added again.
“I said,” she emphasized. “That I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“You can’t tell me you’d rather stay here,” he scoffed.
“So what if I do?”
“Noelle…” he groaned.
“I’ve found my place here, Cisco. I’ve found it in a way that I’ve never found it back home. That means I’m not coming with you. But thanks for the offer,” she added flippantly.
“Noelle!” His firm voice resounded in the room.
“I’m surprised to see you without your wife.” She raised a brow. “Unusual that you two aren’t together.”
“Yuyu is waiting for me in the car,” he replied smoothly.
Of course he’d never go anywhere without her, what did she imagine.
“Then you shouldn’t keep her waiting.”
With that, she turned, ready to go back to her room and maybe destroy a table or two.
“Noelle,” he called after her. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he demanded angrily. “I’m here to…”
“Save me?” She pivoted, looking him right in the eye. “That’s what you’re going to say, no? That you’re here to save me. Well, I’m sorry to break it to you, Cisco. But you can’t save me anymore. I saved myself a long time ago.”
Confusion flashed across his face.
“You see, you fed me to the wolves. I had to learn how to behave like them, didn’t I?” She smirked. Coming closer to him, she whispered. “Woof.”
“Who are you?” His eyes widened as he uttered the words.
“Who am I? You ask as if you don’t know. I am what you and everyone else made me. Now if you’ll excuse me.” She turned once more.
Excitement flooded her body at finally standing up to her brother.
“Why? Why won’t you leave? Don’t tell me you like it here?” he asked with disgust.
“No. I hate it here actually.” She stopped, merely lifting her gaze to eye the intricate design hanging on top of the foyer’s entrance. “But my home is here.”
He wouldn’t realize that home for her wasn’t a place. It was a person. And where he went, she went. She would never willingly abandon Raf, even if it might be to her advantage.
They would both escape or not at all. And she doubted that Sergio would allow him to go too. Then, he would find out just how precious Raf was to Noelle and she had no doubt he would do everything in his power to hurt him.
Despite living on seemingly civilized terms, Noelle didn’t kid herself that Sergio didn’t hate her from the bottom of his heart. That meant he would one day strike. She just had to be ready so the fallout didn’t involve Raf.
“You can see yourself out,” she said before she left, going straight for her apartment.
Cisco was rooted to the spot as he stared at his sister, half in awe, half in confusion.
Who was she? She was unlike the Noelle he remembered—the sullen child who preferred her own company to that of people. She’d always been outspoken, but she’d never oozed that type of confidence.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
“Did you get her?” Yuyu asked breathlessly.
It had taken her everything to stay behind, but she’d suggested it was for the best since Noelle had decided Yuyu was the start of all of her problems. She hadn’t wanted to intervene between brother and sister, even though she loved Noelle as if she was her own sister—daughter, even, considering their age difference.
Since young, Cisco and Yuyu had been the only constant presence in Noelle’s life, and he supposed to an extent they had been more like parents to her than his own parents had. Unfortunately, they’d also betrayed her. He knew that, and it cost him everything in him to admit it.
He’d always thought himself indomitable. With his affinity for cold, rational decisions, he’d always been ten steps ahead of the game. Until his son had been kidnapped. Until his sister had been threatened. Slowly, the veil that had shielded his emotions all his life had shattered, and he’d simply lost it.
He’d made blunder after blunder out of fear, and in the end, he’d ruined everything.
Although he’d tried to protect everyone around him, he’d ended up disappointing everyone. But then there was disappointment and there was… his sister.
It was hard, but he was willing to admit that he’d done more than just disappoint her. He’d… ruined her life. And there hadn’tt been one day since he’d handed her to Sergio that he hadn’t been haunted by that decision, regret eating at him, slowly festering into self-loathing.
Only with Yuyu by his side he’d managed to cope, and he felt sorry for his wife and what she’d had to put up with from him—from his constant mood changes to his periods of pure madness. Yuyu was one of a kind for sticking by his side when even he, himself, hadn’t wished to do so.
“No,” he said, breathing out that heavy word. “She won’t come.”
“What do you mean she won’t come?” Yuyu asked, scandalized.
“She told me she’s right at home where she is.”
“And you’re going to let her? Cisco… You know the things we’ve heard…”
“I know,” he sighed. “I promise you I would have forced her to come with me if…” he trailed off.
“If?”
“If I hadn’t seen her expression. She wants this, Yuyu. No one is forcing her. And by God… For once, I’ll respect her choice.”
Even if it pains me, the words remained unspoken.
“I’ll be there in a minute.”
Releasing a tired sigh, Cisco ended the call and pocketed his phone, about to leave. Yet just as he headed for the exit, he came face to face with Sergio.
He was watching him with undisguised hate in his gaze.
“Leaving alone?” He raised a brow.
“For the moment,” Cisco answered noncommittally.
“You promised you’d leave my business alone if I let your bitch of a sister go. So take her and leave me the fuck alone,” Sergio spat with undisguised disdain.
Cisco moved swiftly, and in a few steps he was in front of Sergio.
Leaning in, he whispered, “Your businesses are safe as long as my sister is. Anything happens to her and I promise you, you will rue the day you were born. You know I’m not someone to cross, Villanueva. You may have won one battle when I allowed Noelle to marry you. But you won’t win the war. You know exactly what I’m capable of, and the next time, no business of yours will be left standing. You have my word on that.”
He didn’t wait for a reply as he breezed past Sergio, walking to his vehicle where Yuyu was waiting for him.
Opening the door to the car, he came face to face with a sad Yuyu.
“Please don’t,” he whispered, getting in and gathering her into his arms.
“We’ve lost her, haven’t we?”
“No. You’re wrong,” he denied, knowing that to admit it would be akin to breaking her heart. “We’ll figure out what to do next. But most of all, we’ll figure out why she stayed behind. I find it hard to believe she would have suddenly become enamored of this place.”
“I find that strange, too,” Yuyu whispered. “There must be something more…”
“We’ll find out. I’m not giving up on her, Yuyu. I promise you.”
“We are not giving up on her, my handsome husband. We’re in this together,” she added lovingly, her palm cupping his cheek and caressing him gently.
Although he knew she was suffering, there she was, soothing him. Leaning in, he brushed his lips across hers, holding tightly onto her as they both dealt with the consequences of their actions.
“Always together,” she whispered, returning his kiss.
