Chapter 13 Luca
LUCA
When I glance over to Ivy, I spot her murderous glare still on me. If Coach doesn’t get back to his office soon, I’m guessing she’ll try to hit me again. Her arms are folded across the Belgrave T-shirt she’s wearing, and the athletic shorts barely cover her ass, which only makes me itch to grab it.
“What the fuck is your problem?”
I shouldn’t answer. But I do. “You.”
Her palms slap against the armrests as she shifts in my direction. “Me? Really. What have I done to you that you felt the need to pull me into the pool fully clothed with my phone and my bag with all of my belongings inside? Everything in it is ruined.”
“Don’t worry. Daddy can replace it.”
“Fuck you.” She flops back; her arms folded over her chest again.
“Ah, Daddy is a sore subject. I can take care of it for you then.” I reach for my wallet, which I’d failed to take out of my pocket before jumping in the pool, and toss her the first card I grab.
She scowls at me with such hatred, I know I’m accomplishing exactly what I set out to do. This is just the beginning of how much she will hate me—I’m barely getting started.
“I don’t need your help.” She grabs the card long enough to throw it back at me. It hits my chest before falling to the floor.
“Are you sure? I heard you talking to Coach about your state title. And you’re quitting the team. Sounds like you need a lot of help to me.”
Her head turns slightly away from me, her mouth in a hard line.
“What’s the problem? Scared you can’t keep up?” When she doesn’t react, I keep on. “I doubt you could since you’re not used to elite competition.”
She slowly looks back to me. Distain and loathing on her face. “Then it’s a good thing your elite opinion means even less to me than you do.”
I stand, moving in front of her as I place a hand on each of the armrests and lean into her personal space. “Then why are you about to cry?”
She lets out an unsteady huff. Instead of backing down like I thought she would, she leans closer to me, her breath on my lips as she speaks.
“Is that what you want? To make me cry.” I almost think she’s going to remove the distance between us and press her mouth to mine.
But she falls back against the chair with a snicker instead.
“You’re going to have to try much harder than that.
This moment doesn’t register on my attempt-to-give-a-fuck radar, and you rank even lower.
” Her fuck-me eyes look up at me as she asks, “Does this usually work for you? The I’m-a-dick routine? Does it get you what you want?”
Reaching behind her, I methodically entwine my fist in her hair, gripping tightly as I slowly pull her head back, exposing her neck. I watch as it contracts with her too-composed swallow. I don’t register any fear in her unwavering eyes. “If I wanted you, I’d have you.”
“That makes sense. You don’t have to use your social skills to get someone’s attention. You just take what you want. Charming.” Her stare stays locked with mine. Maybe she will make it out of this place in one piece. There’s no hope for me.
“Or maybe you’re just not worth the effort.”
Her face twists for a second with pain but she quickly recovers with the same defiance as usual. “Good. Now get your hand off of me.”
We stay frozen together for a minute before I hear Principal Guidry behind me. “Mr. Montclair, take a seat.”
I wait a few seconds before I unhurriedly untangle my fingers from Ivy’s hair, then sit down. Coach drops in his chair as Guidry moves beside the desk. “Ms. Walker, we don’t tolerate violence on this campus.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Ivy gasps.
“Or vulgar language,” Guidry adds.
But Ivy ramps up as she says, “Of course. Little Rich Bitch won’t get in trouble. This place is a fucking joke.”
“She’s right. It was me.” Ivy watches me in shock as I add, “I pushed her and might’ve deserved her decking me in the mouth.”
She cocks her head to the side as she asks, “Might’ve?”
Coach tells us, “Either way, we can’t have the two of you getting aggressive with each other. You are responsible for controlling your own actions.”
Her head shakes as she utters, “Unbelievable.”
“Just don’t let it happen again,” Guidry states.
Ivy grumbles, “Fine. But in the meantime, can you stop filling people in on the details of my life?”
Guidry looks a little embarrassed, but she agrees before she hurries out.
Coach says casually, “It is a shame to waste all your talent, Ivy. But I won’t mention it to you again if you don’t want to give swimming here at Belgrave a shot. I’m not going to chase anyone to be on the team. You have to want it.”
“I don’t.” Ivy shoves off the chair, not giving me another look before she leaves the room.
“Luca, she’s had a rough summer. Give her some slack.”
He doesn’t need to tell me how to handle her. “Sure thing, Coach.”
As I head out of Coach’s office, I don’t spot her. But I have a guess where she is, so I make my way to the parking lot.
“Luca,” Cain shouts down the corridor as he jogs up behind me. “We’re training today, man, and already behind schedule.”
When I step outside, I see her reaching her car. The Corolla doesn’t look like it’s going make it out of the parking lot.
“Dude, what the hell? Did you hear me? The fight is tomorrow night.”
“I know.”
“So why are you ignoring me?” he whines.
“Just a little project.”
“Project.” He shakes his head. “I knew you were distracted. Fuck her and get her out of your system so we can get back in the ring. I have a lot riding on this and so do you.”
“Yeah, I realize that since I’m the one fighting.”
Cain glances around before he tells me, “You’re the last fight, then Mercy really begins. If you’re already having second thoughts, you can bail now. I wouldn’t blame you at all.”
“You know that’s not an option.” I accepted the invitation. I’m playing until I fail. Or die. Whichever comes first. But backing down isn’t on the table. “I’ll meet you at the gym. I have to make a few phone calls first.”
“Alrighty.” Cain leaves but doesn’t look happy with me. And I don’t blame him. I’m fighting the biggest matchup of my life tomorrow night. And I can’t think about anything but the vixen who just left me in her wake.