Bound to my Enemy Chapter 63

By the ti I pull up outside Lucas’s place, my stomach is already tight. Not because I’m nervous to see them or anything like that but because Noah texted earlier that he was cooking.

I sit in the car for a mont, keys still in my hand, staring at the front door. It’s wide open, which is normal for Lucas. What is not normal is the faint sll drifting out.... Did sothing burn? With Sothing oily underneath it. Just incase you were wondering ........ yes I slipped out from my new body guards hold. Now I know I knwo I know, I shouldn’t have but I don’t plan on taking too much ti outside here, I’m just here for lunch then I’ll leave, I’ll leave before anyone even notices that I’m gone. I missed my family so when I got that text ssaged I hurried up to Lucas’s house, despite Noah being shut at cooking.

I sigh and get out of the car.

Inside, the house is loud. Not chaotic loud, just lived-in unlike Zane’s house. Music playing from soone’s phone. A cupboard slamming shut with voices overlapping from the kitchen.

"I told you to turn it down!." Caleb practically shouts from his position in the kitchen.

"I did turn it down," Noah replies. "That’s dium."

"That is not dium Noah."

I drop my bag on the chair by the door and walk toward the kitchen.

Lucas is leaning against the counter with a glass of water in his hand, watching Noah work at the stove like he’s witnessing a cri and waiting for the right mont to intervene. Caleb is at the sink, rinsing sothing aggressively.

Noah is at the stove, wooden spoon in hand, jaw tight, looking fully committed.

"Hey," I say.

All three of them look up.

Lucas smiles. "Oh there she is, sunshine."

Caleb’s face softens upon seeing . "Hey, El."

Noah barely glances at . "You’re late."

"I’m ten minutes late," I say. "And based on the sll, that might have saved my life, what got burnt in here."

Lucas snorts into his water.

Noah shoots him a look. "Don’t encourage her."

I lean against the counter, arms crossed, watching the pan. "What is it."

"Cacio e pepe," Noah says. "Simple."

Caleb mutters, " that’s what It was supposed to be."

Noah glares at him. "It still is."

Lucas tilts his head. "How many tis did you add pepper."

Noah ignores him and turns back to . "Sit El, food is almo almost ready."

"I’m scared, " I say honestly.

"You always say that."

"And I’m usually right."

I sit anyway. Lucas pulls out a chair for with his foot and I drop into it, listening to the pan sizzle behind .

Noah plates the food with so much confidence, he sets a plate in front of first

"Go on," he says. "Try it."

I look at it. It’s pasta, sure, but it’s dark and speckled in a way pasta shouldn’t be.

Closing my eyes take a bite..... then chew.

And oh my living lord It’s bad.

It’s not totally unedible, but it’s bad in a very Noah way. Overly seasoned, way too much pepper so much that my throat burns a little.

I swallow.

"Well?" Noah says. "Thoughts."

Lucas doesn’t even try to hide it. He coughs and reaches for his water.

Caleb winces mid-chew.

I choose my words carefully. "It’s uhmmmm... it’s a lot."

"A lot how, what do you an " Noah presses.

"It’s very pepper-forward."

Lucas chokes on a laugh. "That’s a polite way of putting it."

Noah turns on him. "Eat it."

"I am eating it."

"You took only one bite."

"Hey I’m pacing myself, don’t rush ."

Caleb finally swallows. "Really good Noah, really."

Noah relaxes slightly. "Thank you."

"But," Caleb adds, "I think you out did yourself with the pepper."

Noah stiffens. "I did not, it’s called Cassio e Pepe for a reason dude."

"Yea put you put wayyyy too much pepper " Lucas says. "You always do."

"I did not."

"You added lemon."

"That’s normal."

"You added more cheese."

"That’s encouraged."

"Then added more pepper."

"That’s literally the na of the dish."

Lucas leans back in his chair. "You added death, death by pepper."

I laugh before I can stop myself.

Noah looks at . "Don’t laugh."

"I’m sorry, I’m sorry" I say. "It just tastes like you were arguing with the recipe then decided to do sothing else entirely different from it."

The room goes quiet for a second.

Then Lucas laughs, full belly laugh. Caleb smiles. Even Noah lets out a breath and rubs his face.

"I just wanted to do sothing special for my family ," Noah says

I reach for my water. "This is nice Noah, thank you."

Caleb nods. "Yeah. This is exactly what we grew up with."

Lucas adds, "Minus Mom yelling from the hallway."

Noah exhales, shoulders dropping. "You okay, El?."

I et his eyes. "I’m fine."

Lucas watches over the rim of his glass. "You don’t have to lie to us sunshine."

"I know."

Caleb sits down beside . "You staying a bit?."

"Yeah," I say. "If that’s okay."

Noah nods imdiately. " Of course it is."

"Where’s Ivy?. It feels like I haven’t seen her in a decade."

" Yeah she’s at school, she’s almost always there these days."

"Mhmm" I’ll have to get hold of her later, see what she’s up.

We eat slowly, even though Lucas and Caleb discreetly abandon parts of their plates and Noah pretends not to notice.

Conversation drifts, Caleb talks about a project at work, Lucas complains about traffic today, Noah argues about opening up another branch sowhere in the south.

At so point, I realize my shoulders have dropped and my breathing has evened out.

This feels safe.

After lunch, I stand to help clear plates.

"No," Noah says. "Sit."

"I want to help."

"You don’t have to."

"I know."

Lucas takes plates from both of us. "Let her help."

We move around each other easily with familiarity.

When I rinse a plate, Noah stands beside . "You can stay the night if you want."

I shake my head. "Not tonight."

"Anyti," he says.

I nod.

When I leave later, Lucas walks to the door.

"You good?." he asks again.

I look at him. "I will be."

He nods. "Call if you need us for anything."

"I know."

And I an it.