Page 23 of Shattered Oaths

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My stomach growls as I pull up in front of Bella’s Café and park my truck in one of the parking bays.

I’ve been thinking about the club sandwich they make here all day so as soon as I finally levelled out all of the fence posts, I hopped straight in my truck and drove over here. I’m also hoping that Bella is working today and I might finally get a chance to speak to her. As much as I don’t want to give her the news of Justin’s infidelity while she’s at work, she can’t ignore me in person.

Two birds, one stone.

Grabbing my wallet and phone from the centre console, I hop out and lock the truck before trudging to the front door. The bell chimes above me as I push through it and my stomach sinks in disappointment when I’m greeted by a smiling face that does not belong to Bella behind the counter.

Since Liv is out on maternity leave, this must be her replacement.

“Hi. Welcome to Bella’s. What can I get for you?” The young girl, who is no older than college age, asks me as I approach.

“Can I get the chicken club to go, please,” I respond, trying my hardest to smile despite my disappointment.

“Sure thing. It’ll just be a few minutes.” She passes the order through to the kitchen and I say a quick thank you before paying and stepping to the side to let the person behind me place their order.

Leaning against the wall next to the front entrance, I pull my phone out of my pocket and scroll mindlessly through emails, deleting all the spam and responding to a few more important ones.

I’m hallway through typing yet another message to Bella when a flash of blonde grabs my attention and I lift my head, my eyes locking on a pair of grey ones.

My spine snaps straight and my stomach dips, my feet already carrying me across the seating area of the café.

Bella is wide-eyed, pale and looks downright terrified as I approach, ignoring the slight shake of the head she gives me. With a furrowed brow, I look at the person she’s sitting opposite and my blood boils in my veins, much like it has been since the last time I saw the prick.

I come to a stop beside their table and stare down at Justin. His face pales slightly as he looks up at me, but it’s quickly replaced with a red tint as he looks between Bella and me.

“It was him, wasn’t it? Of fucking course, it was.” He snarls her way, and just the tone in which he speaks to her infuriates me.

I look around the café, ensuring that no one’s attention is on us before I lean over, resting my hands on the table between them. I speak through gritting teeth, my voice low. “Watch your fucking tone when you speak to her.”

“Noah,” Bella says quietly, her soft voice breaking through thewhooshof blood rushing in my ears. It’s taking everything in me to not grab this prick by the lapels of his pathetic suit jacket and drag his ass out of here.

“Noah,” she says again, this time gripping my wrist and her touch makes me physically flinch, the warmth of her hand on my skin calming me.

I turn to look at her and swallow my anger when I see her eyes glistening with tears I know she won’t allow to fall. Everything inside me softens and breaks for her all at once.

“Are you okay?” I ask on a quiet breath so only she can hear and she dips her chin ever so slightly in a nod.

“I need to tell you something,” I tell her, praying that she can see the desperation in my eyes.

She shakes her head once. “Not now.”

“It’s important, Bells.” I plead.

“I know,” Bella says, her tone empty and devoid of emotion. It causes me to pause.

My eyes flit back and forth between hers before scanning the rest of her face and that’s when I see it.

The hollowness to her cheeks. The dark circles under her puffy eyes. The deep set to her shoulders.

I stand up straight, my eyes never leaving hers and in that one look, we have a silentconversation.

She knows.

CHAPTER 10

BELLA