I clench instinctively, my body joining the chaos inside my head, and I feel him tense as the sudden pressure cuts him off.
“I can’t,” I whimper. “I can’t… I can’t… I can’t…”
The words fall out of me like a mantra, desperate and broken. I say them again and again, as if they might somehow undo what has already been done.
“I can’t, I can’t…”
I clutch my head with both hands, nails biting into my scalp like I’m trying to claw the conflict out by force. A violent tug-of-war between two lives—two voices—pulling me in opposite directions, each one screaming to be chosen, neither willing to let go. I can’t breathe. I can’t think. I just want it to stop.
But it won’t.
And here comes the rain.
Panic slams through my chest like a door blown open in a storm. Tears explode behind my eyes as soon as the rain hits—electric, familiar, and suddenly I’m not here anymore. I’m there. Behind the rain.
Gabriel pulls away, gripping my face, trying to anchor me—but I don’t see him. I don’t see anything.
Except rain.
I thrash my head from side to side, like a dog shaking rain from its fur.
“Noah!Noah!”he shouts, voice rising with fear.
There’s panic in it. Real panic.
I hear him. I don’t hear him.
Tears prick my eyes, but I know he can’t see them. Not while I’m in the rain.
He cups my face again, gentler this time, fingers sliding through my hair.
“Shh…” he whispers, voice soft but steady.
I feel the warm wash of his breath across my cheek.
“It’s okay, Noah. God, baby. You’re alright. You’realright. Look at me, sweetheart. I’m not going to hurt you. Shh…”
Those quietshushessweep past my ear, like a soft breeze through leaves, and I start to breathe again. Not fully—but enough.
I collapse… into his arms, letting him hold me, fold around me like a blanket.
I exhale into the curve of his neck, the sob stalling in my throat.
He rubs slow, steady circles into my back.
“You’re safe, sweetheart,” he whispers. “God, Noah… what happened to you?”
“Ah… Gabriel.” A voice enters the room. “So, you’re fucking my brother…”
What the?—
Gabriel jerks like he’s been shot, body going rigid beneath me. I’m almost certain his heart just bolted from his chest—and took my breath with it.
I pop my head up from his chest, pulse racing, skin still slick with sweat, and whip my head around toward the door.
“America!” I gasp. “What are you doing here?”
“Who thefuckis America?!” Gabriel snaps. He’s so rattled, he doesn’t even realize he’s completely naked and still has his boner pressed against the crease of my ass.
