Page 33 of The Billionaire's Secret Kiss

"Did he kill the deal with Vance?" I asked cautiously. Noah threw his tall body onto the couch beside his suitcase and shrugged.

"It's hard to say. Officially, no. But he's not impressed. He's not interested in getting dragged into a media feeding frenzy. I don't blame him."

I leaned against the desk and looked at my feet. Everything was a mess. Noah was fighting for his company, for the people who trusted him with their futures.

I wanted to ask him to stay, but I wouldn't. I wouldn't be selfish like that. He was right; he needed to be back home. He needed to show his face if they were going to have any success in overcoming Phillip’s smear campaign.

I was just in the way.

"He called me," I said, still studying my feet. I spotted a green splotch of peas on the toe of my sneaker. At least it wasn't on my shirt.

"Philip? He called you again? When?"

"Just a few minutes ago. He said he was going to make sure you had to leave Atlanta and never had a reason to come back. Noah, Phillip is completely irrational. He thinks you one-upped him all the way through college, and he's determined to make you pay for it now."

"The whole thing is bullshit," Noah said. "It all started our sophomore year, when he went all out to get a grant—a grant he didn't even need—and I ended up getting it. He claimed I stole from him by using a presentation I'd been developing for something else when the grant required original material. But the materialwasoriginal because I never submitted it for the other project. It was a technicality, but I was on the right side of it."

"Is that why he went after every grant you applied for?" I asked.

Noah nodded. "He was determined to beat me. It was so stupid because some of them took a lot of time, and he didn't need the money. It was all ego for him. I was just trying to cover tuition. It didn't help that you and I were together."

"I never even realized he had a thing for me," I said.

"He was quiet about it, but after you and I started dating your freshman year, he shot off his mouth about you, and we got into a fight."

"Which you won. Publicly," I remembered. "Still, he needs to just let it go."

"Yeah, well, he's not doing very well with that."

"I don't think he's going to back off, Noah."

"I don't like him calling you," Noah said.

"Noah, you don't need to worry about me. I made it clear that my loyalty was with you, and Philip didn't take it very well. I don't think he's going to call me again. But he didn't sound like he had any plans to forget about Endicott Tech and leave you alone."

"That's the problem. I need to get back home and talk to some people. This whole thing is unhinged, and part of the reason his accusations have any weight is because he's working for a major social media company. But I've heard some rumors, and so has Dave, that they're not very happy with his vendetta. Normally, I wouldn't go out of my way to get somebody fired but—"

"If that will help shut him down, I think you have to," I said. My stomach twisting and my chest tight, I went on, "I think you should go back to California. And I think we should table this thing with us until you get things settled with Endicott Tech."

Noah shot to his feet, his dark eyes blazing. "What? What does that mean? You're giving up already?"

"I'm not giving up. You're the one who's leaving. And I understand why. It's the right thing to do. But there's no room in your life right now for me. For us. And I can't do this. I can't watch you go, waiting and wondering when you're going to remember I'm here. You have no idea what that was like the first time. I can't do it again. I love you. I’ve always loved you. And I'm not saying never. I'm just saying not right now. You need to focus on your company. If I'm in the picture, you'll be distracted. I don't want to be a distraction."

The fight drained out of Noah's eyes, and his hands fell to his sides.

"You're not a distraction, Ella. I love you. I know it seems like I'm not focused on us but—"

"How can you be focused on us? Noah, I'm not blaming you. I'm not even mad at you. I just don't want you to string me along again."

"I'm not. I need you to trust me, not run away when things get hard."

"I'm not running away, Noah. I'm trying to protect myself."

"Same thing, Ella. You’re not willing to take a risk for us."

"And you are?" I asked. "Tell me you can put me first. Look me in the eyes and tell me that I'm your number one priority."

I waited an agonizing few seconds, but the guilt in his dark eyes was my answer. "You can't. I understand your reasons, but I need to look out for myself, and you need to look out for your company."