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At hoed into a pair of jeans and a hoodie in my room, then walked downstairs On the last step, I sat and waited Shaw still had ht I didn’t need to continue to tear ain

I was exhausted after little to no sleep the night before, and I leaned ainst the wall as I waited for the doorbell to ring When it did, I clenchedmyself to stand and walk to the door

When I opened it, Luca stood on the other side His eyes were bloodshot and bleak, the brown having turned to a hazel color that was alreen I hated when they were that color because I kne e so drastically I wanted to wrapto be okay, but for once, I couldn’t do it

He was in pain because of what he’d done Not just to himself, because I could smell the booze on hiover But to me He had effortlessly evisceratedas trivial as not telling him “happy birthday”

I knew he could be vindictive, and I’d overlooked it hout the years But he’d never once been spiteful to me

If soht Luca and I could survive anything, I would have told them without hesitation that of course we could We loved each other We were soul mates And ere so daot to spend our entire lives together

Now, after seeing just what he was capable of where my heart was concerned, I couldn’t answer that question We obviously couldn’t survive anything, because Luca’s love wasn’t nearly as strong as I’d once thought it was

When his eyes met mine, they filled with tears I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen Luca cry He dropped to his knees in front ofaround my waist as he pressed his face into my middle “I’m so sorry,” he rasped out

After all the crying I’d done the night before and earlier that , my eyes felt oddly dry as I looked down at hi to touch hiive hi so badly I couldn’t breathe

“Did you fuck her?” My voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, but I felt him flinch as if I’d screamed the question at him

His head snapped back so he could see my face “No! I swear to you, I didn’t touch her”

“Liar I’ve seen the pictures of you two asleep on that couch, Luca”

His arhtened around ht I woke up to her beside me I didn’t touch her I didn’t kiss her I didn’t—”

“Lucy heard her begging you to lick her pussy when she was on the phone with Lyric” Nausea began to an’s voice in my head “Luca baby Luca baby Luca baby” I clenchedevery nerve ending in my body

With a strangled cry, I pushed him away and took several steps back, but Luca had a look of confusion on his face “When was this?”