Simply Submissive (Secretly Submissive Sequel) (Finished)

19. Paths

I watch as his jaw flexes. His eyes begin to redden, but all he does is nod after a moment with a shaky sigh. "This is the last time I fight to keep you, Iris. I completely understand that you can't take anymore loss, but it goes both ways. I can't take losing you to someone else anymore either."

All I can manage is to nod. Tears threaten to escape the corners of my eyes, but I bite them back. If this really is goodbye, I don't want him to remember me crying. "I'm really sorry. Life just has a way of placing its pieces where it wants them, no matter how much the pieces want to be somewhere else."

He lets out a soft laugh, letting his eyes fall to the floor. "It does, doesn't it?" Another long pause follows, and then he speaks again. "I've always wanted to live in Cali. Maybe this is my chance to change the scene a little."

"Maybe," I reply, thoughtfully.

As I speak, Noah looks up to me. Tears stain his face, but he still smiles. "You saved me, you know? You woke me up. What I was doing before you was wrong. I was on a bad path. You saved all of us, Iris- Me, Kade, Cole, and Damian. Hell, you probably saved Sage and Easton, too. Who knows what would have happened to them if you hadn't been there the night that she came back?"

I nod, smiling sadly. "I'm happy that we all met, no matter how unconventional the circumstance."

He stands, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Sometimes you meet people in life that change you. They're not meant to be in your life forever. They're there just long enough to make you a better person, and even if the end of your road together feels like a drop off into nothingness without them, you still travel onto a better path as you part, thanks to them. Iris," Noah says, leaning down to me. I watch him with glassy eyes, feeling my heart pound. "You are that person for me, and the path ahead will be much better, thanks to you. Thank you," he says just before softly pressing his trembling lips to mine one last time.

The kiss is long, slow, and lingering. For barely a second, nearly the entire world freezes. When he pulls away, I am not ready, but I know it is time. Without another word or glance, Noah turns and quickly strides out of the room.

*Present*

I was told that Noah went home that night to pack, and the next morning, he left for California. We haven't talked since then. I feel like in the future we will see each other again- on a holiday or random visit. It will be different though, and for now, we both just need time.

Surprisingly, Kade has been very distant as well. When I visit Emma in the NICU, he leaves, waving goodbye to me, awkwardly. That's the only exchanges we ever have. No texts or calls. Nothing. We still haven't discussed visitations or living arrangements. Everyone but him has came over to visit me at my new place, and when they leave, it's lonely. It's as if the walls could fall in on me any moment from feeling so hollow. I'll just be glad when my baby is home.

I finish up the last wall and stand back, dropping the paint roller into the pan. I place my hands on my hips and glance around, smiling. "Only one more layer to go," I mumble to myself.

With a deep sigh, I make my way to the kitchen to grab a drink. Mama needs a glass of water.

The moment I sit down at the kitchen table to check my phone for a bit, the doorbell rings, and not even a second later, heavy knocking follows. Who is banging on my front door at 6 in the evening?

"Hello?" I answer swinging open the door, just before my eyes fall upon Kade.

"Hey," he says, awkwardly, smiling. He towers over me at his full height, though he has to lean and put some weight on the cane that helps steady him. He has had to use it since the removal of his leg cast. Several more physical therapy sessions, though, and he should be walking fine. "Is it OK that I dropped by? There's something really important that I need to tell you."