Page 44 of Noel Secrets

“No.” His denial was fierce, final. “She was never a sister. She was the girl who challenged me to think of someone else other than myself, and I failed her. But never again. And I won’t lie to myself…or you. I won’t lie about how I feel about her.”

His words fell into the cabin with the weight of revelation.

Silence stretched. Ginny’s lips parted, then closed again. Ed’s arms dropped from their folded stance, his brows furrowing deeper, conflicted.

“And how is that?” Ed asked.

“Simple. I love her.”

Jayda exhaled on a rush behind him, as if the very air had been knocked from her lungs. He turned, and she took a step back, shaking her head slowly.

“Michael…” Her voice trembled. “Don’t do this right now. It’s not a good time.”

“Do what? Fight for you? Like you just put your life at risk to fight for me?” he asked, desperation creeping in now because hecould feel her slipping away, retreating. “Let me tell the truth. To finally admit what I’ve denied for years.”

She backed toward the door. “Not like this. Not now. Simon’s dead. You need your family right now.”

But he followed, words tumbling too fast to stop. “Youare family. I want you in my life, Jayda. I want you to be part of the Blairs. Always. But by marriage.”

The last two words cracked the air.

Ginny gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. Ed muttered in disbelief under his breath.

Jayda froze at the door, her hand hovering on the knob. For a second, she met his gaze, her eyes full of panic. Then she shook her head. “I can’t—” Her voice broke. “I can’t do this.”

She pulled open the door and slipped out into the corridor.

“Jayda.” Michael lunged after her. His parents called his name, but he didn’t care. He chased her down the narrow hall, the train rocking beneath his feet. “Wait. Please just wait.”

But Jayda didn’t slow. She reached her cabin, nearly colliding with the conductor, who stepped out of her room at the same time.

“Miss,” the conductor said firmly, raising a hand, holding a phone in it—a phone that looked like Simon’s. “You need to return to your room immediately. Orders from the police. We’ll be arriving at Denver station shortly, and they’ve requested to speak with you first. You’re not to go anywhere.”

The train slowed. Jayda looked back at Michael, resolve written on her face. She was a suspect?

“Go back to your family,” Jayda said to him and entered her room, the latch of her door saying what she didn’t.

She would handle this like everything else in her life.

Alone.

Chapter Twelve

The train groaned as it pulled into Denver, metal wheels screeching against the rails like fingernails on glass. Jayda sat rigidly on the bench in her cabin, hands clasped in her lap so tightly her knuckles had gone white. She couldn’t look out the window, couldn’t bear the way the city seemed to rush past as if the world itself was moving faster than she could think. She would be questioned about Simon’s murder, and yet, all she could hear in her head was Michael’s confession of love.

Of marriage.

The conductor’s voice cut over the loudspeaker, steady but grim. “We are arriving at Denver Station. Passengers, remain in your assigned cabins until police escort you for questioning.”

Marriage?

She couldn’t process the idea. Michael Blairlovedher and wanted tomarryher. Was this one of his tricks? Maybe he hit his head when he nearly fell off the train. The man was infuriating. One moment he hated her, and the next he wanted her to be part of the Blair family bymarriage?Not by childhood circumstance, not by obligation, but by forever vows?

Her heart thudded against her ribs. She had denied his words and bolted. If she let herself believe them—believe in him—whatthen? What if she said yes to him only to be snatched by the mob next week? What if she ruined him just by existing in his life?

The train jolted to a stop, knocking her thoughts out of orbit.

And true to the conductor’s word, a knock came on her door. Her escort had arrived.