Page 77 of Heart Match

Josh’s sarcastic smile doesn’t work with Luc.

‘Get the hell out,’ Luc’s voice is calm, but firm. His eyes are focused on Josh’s every movement, as if he’s ready to act if it comes to it. Josh doesn’t feel intimidated, he takes one more step towards the two of us.

Luc’s reaction is to shift me behind him as he acts as a shield against my ex. His hands still clasped through mine.

‘GET OUT,’ this time Luc shouts and I flinch in surprise. I’m shaking all over and my heart rate is through the roof.

‘Do you think she will want anything to do with someone who exposes her life like you do?’ Josh is furious, his face all shades of red. It brings back even more memories. He takes a few steps towards us and for a moment I fear he will attack Luc.

‘You’ll die waiting for her to tell you she loves you,’ says Josh.

‘I’m not going to say it again. Get out or I’m calling the police,’ Luc’s voice lowers again, but the way he speaks has much more weight than when he shouts. He chooses to ignore Josh’s comment, but I know he will eventually wonder what he meant by that.

‘Fine,’ says Josh, holding his arms up in the air in defeat, but still with his smug smile.

He starts to walk toward the door, around the kitchen island, opposite to where I’m standing with Luc, who’s still keeping me behind him, protecting me from the threat across the room.

‘Nice match, by the way,’ says Josh to Luc. It sounds more mocking than praising.

‘Get out,’ says Luc once again.

‘You know, love bug, relationships with stars never last too long. Soon enough I’ll be reading the news about your breakup.’

I feel every strong and fast beat of my heart in my extremities. My entire body is alert and aware from the fear of having to face Josh again. Luc and I watch him leave the flat in silence.

Chapter Twenty-Three

It’s only after Luc pulls me into him and hugs me that I let my guard down, realisation of what just happened hitting hard. I let the tears stinging behind my eyes roll out. They come thick and fast, I can’t control them or what I’m feeling. I sob onto his chest, shaking. He tightens his arms around me. In silence, he feels and watches me fall apart. I can’t believe I’m having this breakdown now. My body is betraying me by letting my emotions show so easily when I fought so hard to keep them inside for the past years.

Luc holds me until I feel like letting go of him, which only happens several minutes later. His white T-shirt is wet, but he doesn’t seem to care.

‘Can I get you anything?’ he asks, his eyes searching for mine, but I’m feeling so ashamed of him seeing me this way I avoid his gaze.

He takes my chin and lifts it so I have no choice but to look at him. He wipes a tear from my cheek with his thumb and pulls me back onto his chest again, ‘Come here.’

I’m pretty sure he can feel my heart hammering inside of me.

Once the wave of emotions that took over me eases down, he lets go of me and hands me a tissue, then pours a glass of water for me. I must look like a mess, but right now I don’t care anymore. I realise, finally, that I’m just glad Josh isn’t here anymore, and that Luc is.

With his ass pressed against the kitchen island and arms crossed over his chest, he watches me as I blow my nose, then take a sip of water. His expression’s still of worry, forehead creased, his shoulders tense.

‘Congratulations on your win,’ I manage to say, my nose and eyes swollen from the unexpected crying. I must look like a mess, as I always do when I cry.

He looks at me surprised, his face now softening.

‘Oh Olivia. Of all the things you could say,’ he half-smiles. ‘Thanks,’ he says as if it weren’t that big of a deal, even though now I know how big of a deal it is.

‘I watched it,’ I say after taking a sip of the water once again. My hands finally stopped shaking, but there is still the electrifying current running through my veins.

‘You did?’

‘I did. All of it.’

‘Did you understand anything?’ he smiles shyly. How I missed his smile. It brings some normality back after the intense moment I just had with Josh.

‘Only that you beat him after four hours and twenty-two minutes,’ I say.

Luc laughs and stares down at me, amused, probably because despite the fact that I have no idea how a tennis match is played, I’m perfectly capable of memorising how long his lasted.

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