You Never Knew Me (Never 1)

“Hey, are you okay? Do you need me to get someone for you?”

I look over to the owner of the soft voice and I have no idea who they are. Short, mousy brown hair with blue eyes. Stocky and standing at least six-one, he has the kindest eyes I’ve ever seen. I don’t recall seeing him before and I feel, safe. How is that possible?

“No, not really. I don’t know where they are,” I reply, my voice sounding hollow even to my ears.

If it’s possible, his eyes seem to become even kinder as he takes hold of my hand and smiles gently at me.

“If you’re looking for your friends, I know Noah is in his room. Do you want me to take you there or I can go and get him for you. Whichever you prefer,” he offers, and he is such a sweetie.

I don’t get any romantic vibes off of him and I like that; Amias and Elijah are more than enough to fuel my confusing hormones.

“The fact that you’d offer the latter is enough for me, you can take me there if you really don’t mind.”

“Right this way fair lady.” He sweeps his arm out and I’m almost on the verge of smiling, but it isn’t quite enough.

I’ve lost the only thing I had with me to remind me of Elliott and it’s almost like I’ve lost him all over again, that thought alone is causing more tears to fall down my face.

My unknown helper leads me to a door with a complicated maths equation written on it and the Fibonacci sequence below that. He raps his knuckles on it three times before stepping back and waving at an unopened door. Is he a little crazy? No judgements but why is he waving at it.

The door swings open and Noah is standing there, he smiles at my helper before his eyes fall on me and he’s pulling me into the room.

The guy follows us in, before glancing around and closing the door.

“What happened?” Noah asks and I don’t know where to begin, how can he understand the significance of what they did if I’m not ready to share Elliott with him?

“I saw her walking up and down the hall, I gathered she was looking for one of you guys so I offered to bring her here. Who knows what would have happened if the rulers found her.” He says it as though he knows exactly what would have happened and it doesn’t sound good.

“Oh no Mattias, they’re the Shepherds now, my Leighbear here renamed them.” Noah is looking at me as he says this, and it makes butterflies flutter round in my stomach.

“Your Leighbear?” He sounds bewildered and says it like a question and I’m wondering the same thing, not that I’m opposed to the idea. Someone help me, there are too many guys!

“Yeah, my Leighbear, I chose the name and only I get to use it. Henleigh to you,” he says authoritatively and I gotta say, commanding Noah is shocking and kinda sexy.

“Will you be okay now?” asks Mattias and I smile even though I’m sure it looks more like a grimace and nod my head at him.

“I’ll leave you to it, let me know if you need my help,” he says directing it at Noah who nods before showing him out.

“Leighbear, sweet girl, what happened?” he asks as he leads me over to his bed and sits me down.

He grabs himself a chair, sits down in front of me and takes my hand.

“They destroyed it, I need to know who I need to make pay,” I grit out. He starts to trace circles on the back of my hand.

“What did they destroy, I need you to tell me what happened and then I’ll see what I can do to find out who’s responsible.” He’s so calm, and maybe if I stay with him long enough I’ll start to feel calm by osmosis.

“My room was trashed when I went back, there’s paint all over my bed. The pillows and mattress are slashed, and the word ‘bitch’ is written across the walls. Even my laptop has been smashed,” I say, declining to mention the photo. That’s mine, and just the thought of not being able to look at Elliott makes me want to cry.

“What else?” he asks, not letting me break eye contact. He’s so intense and it’s getting my back up slightly.

“Isn’t that enough, what more do they need to do?” I know my voice is rising but he’s exasperating.

“That’s plenty Henleigh believe me, but I don’t think that’s why you’re so upset. They did something else and you don’t want to tell me what, it’s okay but you can trust me you know. I won’t repeat it, if that’s what’s worrying you.” He has a soft smile to match his kind eyes, he really is remarkable.

The tears are falling again, he is such a g

ood guy, and if I was into that whole forever kind of crap I could see myself picking someone like Noah. He’s just too good for me.

He leans forward and wraps me in his arms, not even caring that the front of his shirt is getting soaked by my unrelenting tears. He draws circles on my back and it feels good, it’s soothing me and I’m dreading when he pulls away. But he isn’t, even as I’m shuffling as far forward as I can and pushing further into him, he just holds me tighter. If I could, I’d climb onto his lap and just let him hold me, but I’ve never been a needy person and I don’t want to start now.