Puck Me Harder: A Stepbrother Romance [BL]

Micah’s POV

A few hours before I found myself tied to a broken wooden chair in an incomplete building on Jenson University’s campus, the day had actually started off better than almost any morning I could remember.

After the terrifying ordeal with Father at dinner last night, I had barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I kept hearing Father’s icy voice threatening to shave my head and force me into the army or a monastery.

Noah had made us a simple breakfast of toasted bread and scrambled eggs. We ate quietly at the kitchen counter.

"Get dressed after you finish eating," Noah had said, setting his plate in the sink. "We’re going to the mall to get you a new phone."

Hearing those words made a quiet spark of excitement bloom in my chest.

It wasn’t even about getting a new phone. It was the fact that I was going somewhere with Noah. Just the two of us. I hated to admit it, even to myself, but as I got ready in my room, it almost felt like a date. Noah and I had never gone anywhere together just to hang out or shop. The only places we ever went together were school and church.

"Let’s go," Noah’s deep voice snapped me out of my thoughts as he grabbed his car keys off the kitchen counter.

I nodded quickly, grabbing my jacket and following him out the front door to his car. He unlocked the doors, and we both got in. He started the engine, shifted into drive, and pulled out of the driveway into the quiet morning street.

Noah was focused entirely on the road, resting his left elbow on the open window frame while leaning his jaw casually against his fist. He looked so cool and composed, like nothing in the world could ever shake him.

"Is there a specific brand or model that you want?" Noah asked, glancing over at me briefly before returning his eyes to the road. "Or do you just want the same type you had before?"

"Uh," I muttered, quickly pulling my gaze away from him. My face felt warm when I realized I had been staring at him way too hard. "I... I don’t really care about the brand. Anything that can send texts and make calls is fine with me."

Noah let out a soft, amused huff. "Don’t be ridiculous, Micah. You’re getting a proper smartphone. You need something fast for your schoolwork and your media department projects."

"You don’t have to spend too much money on me, Noah," I whispered, pulling my seatbelt a little tighter across my chest. "A basic one is really okay."

"I decide how much I spend, not you," Noah replied flatly, though his tone wasn’t mean. "Besides, you lost your old phone because of that fire I caused. So, I’m replacing it."

"Thank you, Noah," I said softly, looking out the passenger window with a small smile hiding on my lips.

"Don’t thank me yet," Noah said, turning the steering wheel sharply as we merged onto the main avenue. "Once we get the phone, we’re setting up full tracking and location sharing between our devices. If you ever ignore my calls, I’m coming straight to wherever you are and dragging you home myself."

My heart did a tiny flutter, a mix of mild embarrassment and comfort. "I won’t ignore your calls. I promise."

"You better not," Noah muttered. "Father is watching you like a hawk now. One wrong move, one single scandal, and he’ll use it as an excuse to ship you out of the city. I won’t let that happen, but you have to be smart."

"I will," I promised, looking over at his sharp profile. "I’m really trying, Noah."

"I know you are," Noah said quietly.

Suddenly, a loud, sharp DING echoed through the car from Noah’s phone, which was sitting in the center console cup holder.

Noah glanced down at the flashing screen for a second before flicking his eyes back to the heavy morning traffic ahead.

"Micah, pick that up and check who messaged me," he commanded smoothly. "I can’t look at the screen right now."

"Oh, okay," I said, reaching over to pick up his heavy black phone. I swiped the screen open, reading the notification banner at the top. "It’s a message from Coach."

Noah’s forehead instantly creased into a heavy, irritated frown. "The coach? What does he want on a Wednesday morning?"

"It says... ’Noah, get to the campus arena immediately. We have an urgent emergency with the athletic department board regarding the upcoming tournament matches. It can’t wait.’" I read the message out loud, my voice dropping slightly as I looked up at Noah.

"Ignore it," Noah spat coldly, his grip tightening on the leather steering wheel. "I’m busy today."

"Noah, it says it’s an emergency," I reminded him gently. "Maybe you should call him back?"

Noah gritted his teeth, letting out a sharp sigh of frustration. "Press the call button."

I tapped the screen and held the phone up to Noah’s ear as he drove.

The line rang twice before the coach’s loud, frantic voice blasted through the speaker. "Noah! Where the hell are you?! I sent you a message five minutes ago!"

"I’m driving, Coach," Noah said coldly, his voice laced with pure annoyance. "And I’m currently busy with personal family matters. Whatever it is, handle it without me today."

"I can’t handle this without you, Noah!" Coach barked over the phone. "The athletic board from Jenson University is here at our arena right now! They’re threatening to disqualify our entire team from the regional championship over some absurd paperwork violation! If you don’t get your ass over here right now as team captain to sign these appeals, we’re stripped of our title!"

Noah’s jaw clenched tightly. "I told you, I’m with my brother right now. I’m taking him to handle something."

"Noah, listen to me!" Coach insisted, sounding completely desperate. "If it wasn’t an absolute crisis, I would never have called you on your day off! You know how much work the team put into this! I need you here for thirty minutes! Just thirty minutes!"

Noah didn’t answer right away. His sharp eyes flickered over to me, full of visible hesitation and anger. He hated changing his plans, especially when it involved leaving me.

"Noah," I spoke up softly, putting my hand over the phone’s microphone for a second. "It’s okay. You should go to the school arena."

Noah glared at me. "No. I said I was taking you to the mall."

"The mall is right down the street," I argued gently, pointing out the windshield toward the massive shopping complex visible just two blocks away. "I can go inside by myself, pick out the phone, and come straight home or meet you at school. I’m not a kid, Noah. I can buy a phone on my own."

Noah pulled the car over to the side of the curb, bringing the vehicle to a sudden stop right near a busy taxi stand. He slammed the gear shift into park and took his phone from my hand, speaking coldly into the mic.

"I’ll be there in ten minutes, Coach. Don’t sign anything or make any deal until I arrive." Noah ended the call abruptly and tossed the phone back into the cup holder.

He turned his full, intense gaze onto me, his dark eyes searching my face with deep reluctance. He clearly hated this decision, but he knew how important the championship was for his record.

"You go straight into the mall, buy the phone, and take a cab straight back to the house or the school," Noah instructed, his tone stern and unyielding. "Do not wander around. Do not talk to strangers. Do not stop anywhere else."

"I won’t," I said, nodding obediently. "I promise."

Noah pulled his leather wallet from his jacket, pulled out a sleek black credit card, and pressed it directly into my palm.

"Buy whatever phone you want," Noah said, his fingers lingering over mine for a second. "Use this card. Don’t worry about the price. And call me the exact second you step out of the mobile store."

"Okay," I smiled, looking down at the credit card in my hand.

Even though Noah wasn’t coming with me in the end, holding his card made a sweet, warm feeling swell in my chest. He trusted me with this. He was looking out for me.

Noah reached over, opened a passing yellow taxi’s door for me, and waited until I stepped out of his car and slid into the backseat of the cab.

"Take him straight to the central mall entrance," Noah commanded the taxi driver in a sharp, dangerous tone that made the driver nod.

Noah stood on the curb, watching the cab pull away until we turned the corner.

I wonder what exactly Jenson University was after. I was sure Noah wouldn’t fall for whatever cheap tricks they had.