“All the roads you took came back to me, so I’m following the map that leads to you.”
Maps by ~Maroon 5

Avril POV
Four days later

“Morning to you.” Noah greets me from the corner of the room where he’d been seated before his laptop on the desk.

I yawn and rub my eyes to further open them. “What time is it?” I ask as I pull myself up.

“Long enough for any normal person.”

“I’m abnormal?”

“No,” he replies with an evil smirk playing at the corner of his lips, “you’re a freak. Last night certified that.”

I roll my eyes, but can’t help the blush that takes over my cheeks. “Last night happened because you cooked the family dinner.”

It was part of the Castillo reunion. Each member of the Castillo family, from their father Miguel down to Japhia, takes turns in the kitchen to cook food on their day, and yesterday was Noah’s turn to cook. At first, I didn’t think he was going to do it. That wasn’t the man I knew Noah to be, and it shook me to my core. Of course, as his girlfriend, I had to help him out as well, which was less cause I wasn’t that good.

I have to admit that I felt a wave of attraction towards him more than I’d ever felt before as I watched him. I had no control over my urges and desires and when I got the least time alone with him; I kiss him and I let my hormone take over and the rest was history.

The noises we.... mostly I made while we were at it were loud, but no one in the family came to check it out. So my conclusion was, either they ignored us or the kitchen walls were very thin.

When we finished, I kissed Noah and let him go finish up his cooking. Luke was not present at the dinner yesterday and Margaret informed all of us he was a little unwell and wouldn’t be joining us.

When we later came back into our rooms, Noah suggested we finish what we had started in the kitchen.

“Did it or because you are having a change of mind towards me?”

I groan, “You know what I think about you”

“You’re going to say you hate me, but we both know that’s not it.”

“Don’t do that Noah. Don’t read into something so simple. Last night happened because I saw you cook and I don’t know why, but I wanted a good fuck.” I causally state, but it does more harm than good because his expression changes.

His jaw clenches, and he looks back at his laptop. “Does that mean you’re going to want to fuck Dad? Cause he’s cooking today.”

“Fuck you, Noah.” My cheeks flare up in anger.

“You already did and you will continue to.” He slams in a cruel tone.

“Yeah, for the next four days.” I hiss under my breath.

He heard me though, and he gets up and closes his laptop, “Yeah and by then this reunion will be over, so I pretty much won’t have to care.” He picks up his laptop from the desk and walks out of the room.

I sigh and get down from the bed and walk into the bathroom and close the door. I pick my toothbrush from the small iron hanger close to the basin and put the toothpaste on it before putting it into my mouth, while I stare at myself in the mirror. I look pale and it’s not just about the weather. Noah doesn’t know this, but I feel irritated by the slightest of things and I don’t know why.

I’m a few weeks later in my period and I know I should freak out, but I’m not. The last time it happened, I freaked out and ran to my doctor and he told me a minor delay isn’t an issue and so is this one.

Noah is already annoying enough with his forced show of affection, and I do not want to make him add to it. By telling him I’m a little unwell.

My hormones are rushing through me like they are at war and I can’t keep them in check cause it feels like I’m not the same person I used to be. I blame Noah. He should have told me we were flying here. That way I would have prepared and I wouldn’t still be sick.

I spit out the last foam in my mouth and bent to rinse my mouth when I felt the urge to throw up and I run yet again. I pull up the toilet seat and buried my head in it. I rinse my mouth over and over and over until I felt it was clean, then I walked into the shower and turn it on and wait until it was warm enough before stepping into it.

This is certainly not a way to start the day for me, but so long as Noah doesn’t find out I’m still throwing up, I’m good.

After the bath, I dry up before walking out of the toilet. My legs almost gave out on me as I walked in to see Luke closing the door and locking it.

“What are you doing?!” I exclaim as fear takes over my senses.

He turns around to look at me with those amazing brown eyes of his and I want to reach for him, but I hold myself together. I’m still not sure if it’s me or my hormones acting out.

“We need to talk.” He says pulling off the beanie on his head to reveal his beautiful blonde locks.

I shake the needy feeling away because I’d have to talk to the “I told you before Luke, we don’t need to do anything until this contract between me and Noah is over.”

“I know, but here’s what I want to know, though. Do you want the contract to be over?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I heard you two in the kitchen yesterday,” I spot the flash of pain in his eyes before they briefly closed and my heart constricts within its cage. “I didn’t come down for dinner because I couldn’t. I didn’t want to see you and him together. It would have been unbearable knowing what happened and knowing you loved every bit.”

“Luke....”

“All this while, I thought you had no say in the contract, but I’m not entirely sure anymore. Noah, in his own sick and twisted way, is falling for you and it hurts me to admit it, but he is and you seem to want him too.”

“Luke, it’s not what you think.”

“Tell me then, ‘cause I’m confused.”

I open my mouth to speak, but no word comes out of my mouth and he speaks, feeling even more frustrated.

He rakes his hand through his hair and paces around the room. “I kept away all these months because you gave me your word, that’s all I have, your word, but I don’t think that’s enough anymore A.G.”

“What do you want me to say, Luke? Things have changed with Noah, but it doesn’t change how I feel about you and as for yesterday, it happened because I wasn’t in control of myself? I can’t say it will not happen again, but it means nothing to me.”

“Noah will not let you go. Not now that he seems in love with you.”

“We can’t always get what we want. If we could, I would already be free.” What I wanted to say is, I would already be with him, but I’m not sure that will ever happen.

I wasn’t kidding when I said my hormones were out-of-control yesterday and I would have been ready for sex with Noah if he wanted it, but here is Luke the man that I love in the same room with me and looking all good and I have to hold myself together and suppress the urge to kiss him and let him touch me which is a nightmare, but I know it’s necessary.

“Free to make your choices and choose who you want to be with. If I’m honest, I’d have to admit that the wait is killing me, but I guess it is worth it every single minute.”

I look up at him, my heart fluttering, a smile appearing at the corner of my lips. “You’ve been so understanding, Luke, thank you. I’ve been a little sick ever since we got here.”

“You should see the doctor then. I’ll tell mom to check you out. She’s a doctor.”

“No,” I say, more of protest. This is exactly what Noah suggested. Oh, why do they have to be so alike?! “but it’s nice to know you care.”

“I do, always.” He takes a step closer and my heartbeat increases. I back away immediately, giving him a stern look in protest. He pauses and we both stay silent for a while before he says, “I love you. Do you still love me?”

I am no longer sure of a lot of things and yes, three months is indeed a long time, and a lot has changed since then, but not how I feel about Luke that hasn’t changed. “Of course Luke I do, but you have to leave Noah might come back and if he sees you with me, he will not take it easy. You know how he can be.”

He grins happily and nods. “Yeah, sure.” He says before leaving the room.

I take the next few minutes to dress myself up in one of the red skinny jeans Noah bought for me for the trip and a long black sweater because of the season and weather.

Noah didn’t show up for breakfast, but called and informed me ahead, so I didn’t have to worry. At breakfast, I was invited to join the other ladies of the Castillo house later in the afternoon. I honestly do not know what it is about, but I am no lady because Noah and I aren’t a thing, but that’s between Noah and me and no one else.

The get-together of the Castillo women was long and much more fun than it was expected and I stayed there all day getting to know every one of them. It was evening, and I was exhausted when I came back. There was still no sign of Noah and even at dinner where everyone was present, he wasn’t.

I felt worried and I tried to call his number, but it was not reachable and after staying up till late at night, I had to go to sleep.

I was barely dressed the next morning when the door to the room opens and Noah walks in. I notice he’s not holding his laptop, which I saw him leave with yesterday, and now he’s holding bottles of alcohol.

“Hey,” I say in relief and concern as I watch him stagger through the room. “Your laptop is not with you.” I pointed out.

He looks at his hand and then shrugs clumsily. “Smashed it.” He responds casually, with a haughty tone.

I ask with squinted eyes, “Why?” suddenly feeling concerned.

He doesn’t answer my question. Instead, he asks, “What was Luke doing here yesterday?”

I played the question down as though no such thing had happened yesterday. “Luke? What do you mean?”

He gets his teeth and waves his pointy finger at me, and just like the other, I know he’s fighting to keep himself from exploding. “You’re fucking smarter than lying to me, Avril. I saw him coming out of our room yesterday.”

I refuse to panic; I refuse to let him see me panic, especially in his state of mind. “He was looking for you.”

“Liar! You bloody lying bitch!” He snaps surging towards me and grabbing me by my hand. His eyes are flaring and his face is so red I fear it might burst any moment. He looked like an animal ready to attack me.

“Let me go, Noah, let me go!” I yell, half terrified and half annoyed that yet again he’s hurting me and I tried taking my hand away from him.

“You lying piece of shit. Why was Luke in my fucking room and what did you do with him?!”

“Nothing!” I spit out at him. “But in your head, we already fucked, so why would I try to say otherwise?”

He swings the back is his hand, and it hits me on my face in a hard slap and I instantly can taste blood in my mouth. He grabs me by my neck and slams me against the wall. “Stupid slut. You stupid whore. You know I can kill you .”

My eyes a blurry and are barely opened from the impact of both the slap and the choking, “Let go, Noah!” I struggle to breathe and to stand and my knee flies up. It hit him between his legs where his vulnerable before junks are and he lets go his hands go between his legs as he groans out in pain.

I run over to the bed and pick up my black winter coat with a hoodie before running out of the room. I hear him roar my name, but I don’t look back. I couldn’t bring myself to look back, not after what he’s done to me today.

As I ran down the stairs, I see Japhia flirting who one maid, but stops when he sees me. I hide my face a little so he wouldn’t see the marks and bruises on them and that way there would be no need for questions I don’t want to answer.

I wipe at my blood-stained mouth. I am pretty roughened and shaken by everything and I still don’t know why I haven’t broken down into tears yet, because my emotions are literally raging.

“Avril, wait up!” Japhia calls to me, but I quicken my pace. “Common, I just wanna talk.” He said, running up to me and grabbing me by my hand.

I wince, and that is where I broke. “Let go, please let me go!” I plead, trying to peel his hand off mine.

He immediately let go and take my face between his hands. “Noah did this.” It wasn’t a question he knew he did. Probably knows what his brother is capable of. “We are going back in there. Someone has to teach that fucking dickhead a lesson.” He says, taking my hand in his.

“Please, Japhia, it’s already bad as it is. Don’t make it worse,” I beg him.

He turns to me, “What can I do?”

“Take me away from here,” I answer.