Chapter 71
LUCA
There’s a knock on my door. Cain reluctantly steps in. “Hey, I wanted to stop by and talk for a minute.”
“About what? How I killed Remy or how I’m going to lose Ivy?
Because I don’t want to discuss either.” It’s taken everything I have not to go back to her house.
Since I walked out of her bedroom yesterday, she’s the only thing I’ve thought of.
So, I’ve been working on a drawing to recall every detail of her.
“No, man,” Cain folds his arms over his chest. “I’m just as responsible for what happened to Remy as you are. It was just easier to blame you than hold myself accountable. He should’ve never played Mercy. No one should.”
“Agreed.”
Cain exhales, “I’m sorry, Luca. The game makes me crazy.”
Same. “No apology needed.”
“Oh, I didn’t know you had company,” Ivy says and can’t believe she’s here until I spot her standing in the doorway.
Cain tells her, “Come on in. I was just leaving.” He turns to me. “See you later, brother.”
He leaves as she makes her way over. She peeks at my drawing, surprise on her face as she examines it. She runs her finger on the bottom right corner. “Where are your initials?”
“I don’t add them until it’s finished and there’s nothing else I can add to improve it. When it’s as close to a masterpiece as I can manage to get it.”
She studies the drawing for a minute before she focuses to me. “I didn’t want to die.” Her eyes drop to the floor. “But I didn’t want to live either.”
I understand what it took for her to admit that. And now I can only be here and try to repair what I broke.
Gripping her hand, I reach over and grab a Sharpie and write along her skin next to her scar then hold it up for her to see the message You promised. L.M. as I plead with her, “You can’t give up. You can’t leave me.”
“But I’m nowhere near a masterpiece.” She lets out a soft laugh as a tear slips down her cheek. “I’m broken and I don’t know how to fix it.”
“You’re my masterpiece.” I wish she could see what I do, and I hope she feels my words somewhere inside her soul. “It wasn’t your fault, Ivy.”
She cries and I just hold her because I don’t know what else to do to fix her either. But I’ll die trying if that’s what it takes.