Chap 55: Trapped in Love or Obsession - Part2

" What's the meaning of this?" Noah asked Aiden, feeling choked up.

" W-What are you talking about?"

" Don't pretend you didn't hear it," Noah said a bit louder than he intended.

Aiden panicked. How would he explain the situation to Noah?

Noah shook Aiden's arms hard and asked, "What's going on, Aiden? Didn't you say he's your brother? Why did he address you as l...?" Noah couldn't bring himself to complete the sentence.

" Y-You must have heard it wrong."

" Stop lying, Aiden," Noah screamed. " You have been lying to me all along. "

" I-I..."

" Don't you love me anymore?" Noah said dejectedly.

" How can you say that?" Aiden was offended.

" Why can't I when you lie to me and hide things from me?"

" I didn't want you to get hurt," Aiden cried out. " Dylan beat you up last time."

" So, do you think I am a weak guy who gets beaten up?"

" No, Noah, it's not like that. I was trying to protect you."

" So, that's it? That's all you think about me? A cowardly, weak guy who needs protection from your so-called brother," Noah said sarcastically.

" You are taking it all wrong."

" I should be the one protecting you," Noah yelled. " Do you think I am worthless compared to that brother of yours?"

Aiden felt offended. " Why can't I protect you? Are we not in a relationship?"

" But I am supposed to take care of you."

" Are we not equal in this relationship? Why can't we protect and care for each other? Why are you so hurt when I am just trying to keep you safe?"

" I am not hurt that you are helping me. I am hurt because you think I cannot fight your brother."

" I am being practical, Noah. We can't fight against Dylan."

Noah snorted in disappointment. " I will fight anyone for you. So stop all this and come home with me."

" I can't come with you now."

" Your brother has feelings for you, and still you want to stay with him? Why are you leading him on?"

" I am not leading him on," Aiden said, offended. " I never gave any indication that would show that I like him in a romantic way."

" Then why is he so possessive towards you?"

" Wish I knew," Aiden muttered.

" Forget it; let's go," Noah said impatiently.

" No...Noah."

Noah looked at Aiden in confusion and said, " It seems like you don't want to leave him. You are not even trying."

" How can you even say that?" Aiden said, pushing Noah's hands away from him.

" Last time, you told me you would handle the situation. So what have you done till now?"

" Dylan is getting engaged. In fact, right now, he is having lunch with his fiance and her family."

Noah seemed relieved at that piece of information, but his relief soon turned to disgust. " If he is getting engaged, what are his intentions with you?"

Aiden was embarrassed to respond and looked anywhere but at Noah.

" Pathetic!!" Noah felt a chill run through his spine at Dylan's dark intentions. " It's bad enough that your homophobic brother likes you, and cheating on his girlfriend is even worse. I can guess what he wants to do. He will get married to his fiance while keeping you beside him to use as he pleases. I can't let you stay with him a minute longer. He's dangerous."

" It's not as worse as you think."

" I don't trust him. What if he gets physical with you?" Noah asked, feeling disgusted and scared too.

Aiden's heart skipped a beat, thinking Noah was quite close to the truth. Dylan was not only physically abusive but also molested him several times. Though he had changed to a great extent, his behavior was still too unpredictable. Dylan said he would not hurt Aiden but had hit him again the previous night. Even after Aiden refused a number of times, Dylan would not leave a chance to touch him intimately. At one point, Aiden thought of going ahead with Noah's idea and running away from everything, but what would be the consequence of that? Would Dylan leave them alone? Definitely not.

" No," Aiden lied through his teeth. He hated lying to him but also shuddered at the thought of what Dylan would do to Noah.

Noah stared at Aiden, trying to decide whether he was being truthful. Though Noah trusted him, he was skeptical after learning that Aiden had lied to him.

Seeing Noah's hesitation, Aiden tried to coax him. " Dylan has a weakness. He has a reputation to maintain, so he wouldn't want anyone to think he is in a relationship with a man. Once he is married, he will be forced to stay away from me. Even now, he is finding it hard to accept his sexuality."

Being a homosexual himself, Noah could understand Dylan's predicament, but why did it have to be Aiden? Out of all the people Dylan could like, why should it be his boyfriend? During this phase of realization, people could tend to do some foolish things, especially those who are homophobic. What if Dylan harms Aiden? " What if he wants to be with you while hiding you from his fiance? He is doing it right now."

" You know relationships don't work like that. How long will Dylan be able to hide from his girlfriend?"

" What is the point of being with this person? He is toxic, Aiden."

" I know..." Aiden whispered without thinking.

Noah's eyes were wide with shock and worry. " Did he hurt you?"

Aiden realized his mistake and tried to assure Noah. " No, No. He didn't hurt me. Not physically."

" Whatever the case, I can't let you stay at Dylan's house after knowing what he is capable of."

" I will be fine..."

" I don't care!!!" Noah almost screamed. " I listened to you for the past week and let you stay at his place, but now I am scared for you, Aiden."

Aiden's phone rang again, and he saw the call was from Dylan. " I have to leave now..." Aiden said in a tense tone.

" You are leaving with me," Noah insisted, holding Aiden's arm tightly.

" I can't, Noah. You need to understand the situation."

" I only know that I can't see you hurt."

" I will be safe; You don't have to worry about me. Dylan will be getting married soon, so until then, it's best we avoid causing unnecessary trouble."

Noah knew he couldn't fight Dylan alone, but he was still hesitant to let Aiden go. "What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let my lover stay in hell knowing he could be harmed any time?"

" Dylan has changed now. He doesn't hurt me anymore."

" Does that mean he used to hurt you before?" Noah asked, appalled.

Aiden wanted to slap himself for his foolishness. Right now, he was too tensed and blabbering out his feelings without thinking. Dylan was continuously calling on his phone, which meant he must have reached the office and found out that Aiden was missing. If Dylan sees Aiden with Noah, Lord knows what he would do to him. Images of the previous incident when Dylan attacked Noah flashed in front of Aiden's eyes. " No!!! I can't let you see him. Please leave before Dylan comes here."

Noah should have been grateful that his boyfriend loved and wanted to protect him, but instead, he felt like a complete loser. He couldn't fight Dylan physically as he had already experienced Dylan's fists. Above all, Dylan was from a wealthy and influential family and could destroy Noah and his family within seconds. " I hate myself right now, " Noah said in tears. " I promised to protect you at any cost, and right now, I can only suggest you run away with me. "

" Fine!! Let's run away," Aiden sneered. " Let's keep running all our lives. Let's forget about your parents, who cared for you as their son, and your sister, who idealizes you."

" Then what do you want me to do? If you want, I will fight Dylan. I don't care even if I die."

" What good will it do? Will it solve the problem?"

Noah wanted to pull out his hair in frustration. He felt so helpless and pathetic he wanted to dig a hole and hide.

Aiden was hurt seeing Noah's tears and wiped them off and said in a pleading tone, " I understand how you feel, Noah, but please don't complicate the situation. Give me a month. Let me stay with Dylan and try to get out of this mess."

" And what if you can't do anything in a month?"

" Then I will do as you say."

" But..."

" I will contact you daily so that you know I am safe."

"..."

" We will even try to meet sometimes, just like today."

" I am still not sure..."

" Please, Noah. Dylan might be here any minute."

" Fine," Noah finally agreed reluctantly. " But if I don't hear from you for 24 hours, I will land up in front of Dylan's penthouse. F**k the consequences."

" Okay," Aiden said, relieved, and then kissed Noah on his lips.