57. Luca
Chapter 57
Luca
L istening to Bellamy come his brains out from the privacy of Gideon’s bedroom was the final straw for me. I shoved my feet into a pair of sneakers, grabbed a hoodie that probably at some point had belonged to Daren, then I stormed out of the house, slamming the door hard enough for them to hear. I had no direction in that moment or at all, but it was no surprise to find myself across campus with Thorn Hill in sight. The lights were on, but I knew better than to take that as an invitation.
It was just shy of nine at night when I flung myself down onto the curb, bending my legs at the knee and resting my forearms stretched out above them. More than anything, I wanted to call Daren. I wanted to see him, kiss him again, but my anger over our last goodbye was still too visceral of a thing for me to manage. He’d chosen Fletcher over me, chosen the Thorns over me. I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I’d thought the love we shared surpassed his misplaced sense of familial loyalty.
Groaning, I stretched my legs out and leaned back, thinking of how hilarious my life had become. The one thing I’d been trying to do before I met Daren was get in the favor of the North family. It was the only way I could prove to my father I was worth anything, even though I only shared half his blood. And before I met Daren, that had mattered. It had meant everything. Now, with the sound of Bellamy’s release still ringing in my ears, the memory of Daren and Fletcher taking me at the same time, everything that had come since…the favor of the North family—and my father—seemed insignificant.
I suddenly didn’t want to tear anyone down. I didn’t care about wrecking any foundations. All I wanted was to walk away unscathed and live a life on my own terms. I hoped that life could include Daren, but…
My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out with a sigh.
It was a text.
Bellamy: Where are you??
Bellamy: Gideon is looking for you.
I wanted to tell him Gideon could fuck himself, but the actions borne from years of trying to earn a place at his side weren’t an easy habit to break.
Me: I went for a walk
Bellamy: U should come back.
Me: I will later.
Next was a text from Gideon that simply read now .
Jamming my phone into my pocket, I stalked back across campus toward Rose Hall, surprised to find a car I’d never seen before parked in the driveway. The lights were on and more than two figures milled about behind the sheer curtains. The door wasn’t closed all the way, so I heard Daren’s voice before I saw his face and, much to my dismay, all the anger I’d been building toward him evaporated as soon as he set his sights on me.
“Luca.” He breathed my name and pushed past Bellamy, past Fletcher, past a man who looked vaguely familiar but not enough to matter. Then his arms were around me, his face buried in my neck, and my back was against the wall.
“What are you doing here?” I managed to ask.
He kissed my neck, breathed me in. “I missed you.”
“That’s not why you’re here.”
He pulled back slightly, scanning my face to get a read on why I wasn’t returning his affection with the same level of fervor as he offered. I wanted to, but I was so far beyond tired. Instead, I gave him a small smile and reached for his hand, dusting a kiss across his knuckles.
“What’s going on?” I asked, taking time to scan the faces of the men in the room with me.
“It’s time to make a move,” Fletcher said.
There was no chance of stopping the amused sound that built in the back of my throat. It tumbled out like the scoff I’d meant for it to be, and I dropped Daren’s hand.
“Oh, has his majesty decided?” I sneered, narrowing my eyes.
“Luca,” Daren warned.
“Don’t defend him.” I stabbed my finger into the middle of his chest, pushing him back. “Don’t you dare come into this house and take his side.”
“Calm down, Luca,” Gideon warned, expression guarded. His hair was loose, a mess from the fucking he’d just given Bellamy no doubt. I wondered if he’d had a chance to finish before his boyfriend Fletcher showed up.
“I am calm.”
“Things have recently come to light that are changing the plan,” Fletcher said.
I mock bowed at him.
“Do I need to beat you senseless in the woods again to get you back on track?” he asked, a dark brow raised in my direction.
“I’d hardly call that being beaten senseless.” I took a step toward him, shoulders squared back and ready to go. “You choked me while I had another man’s cum in my asshole, Fletcher. That’s admittedly my idea of a good way to spend a Sunday night.”
Fletcher grinned, huffing out a quiet laugh.
“Are you done?” Gideon asked, the question directed at me.
“I’m beyond finished.”
“It’s honestly perfect that the lot of you are trying to ruin everything your fathers have built,” the sixth man said, his bright eyes colored like the sky. “But I’m pretty sure you don’t really need to try. You’re already halfway there.”
“And who the fuck are you?” I snapped.
“Luca,” Gideon warned again, tone far more serious than it had ever been.
“Luca,” Daren said, softer, like he meant to tame me. “Calm down.”
“I’m Vince Angelini,” the other man said, and a lightbulb flashed in my head. I recognized the name from information my father had shared with me years before. The Angelini family was far more open with their illegalities than any of our families were, and it was that brazen behavior that kept them a handful of rungs below the Sinclairs and the Norths.
“Good for you. I’m Luca Mandeville.”
“Of course you are.” He tilted his head to the side. “Bastard son of Ewan Mandeville who still hasn’t been able to make the name his own.”
“I’ll fucking—” I lunged for him, but Daren must have known it was coming. He had both his arms around my chest, my back pressed against his front as he hauled me toward the edge of the room.
“What’s gotten into you?” he whisper-yelled in my ear.
“Some common sense finally.”
“This is cute and all,” Fletcher said, rolling his eyes. “But it’s getting late and it’s time we laid all our cards on the table so we can finish this. Once and for all.”