Page 121 of Lunar Crest University

The solace that pools in my stomach is overwhelming, so much so that tears fill my eyes and spill over and down my cheeks in mere seconds. He positions himself on the edge of my bed, leaning toward me and pressing my head against his large chest. My feeble fingers grip his shirt as tightly as I can.

I’m so happy, I could scream, but that would be thoroughly impossible with the way my throat feels right now. I can’t even audibly cry because it’s so dry.

As he pulls back, I meekly place my hand on my throat, clearing it faintly as my eyebrows pull together in a silent plea. A muffled curse leaves his lips as he hurries off the bed, and his movements are panicked as he grabs the pink cup from the bedside table and brings it to me. He holds the straw as I take a few sips, easing the sting in my esophagus.

“You’re okay,” I rasp, reaching for him. “Your house… You… What happened?”

He grabs my hand as he leans to put the water back down before he sits next to me once more. I’m so desperate for touch, I’m practically trembling as I squeeze his hand in my fingers.

“It’s okay,mi amor. My house—ourhouse—well, it’s destroyed, but I’m okay.You’reokay. That’s all I care about.”

“Tell me everything,” I plead. “Tell me what happened.”

“I took care of everything,” he says, bringing our intertwined hands to his mouth as he kisses my knuckles. “We have nothing else to worry about, Finley. He’s gone. It’s all gone.”

“He’s gone,” I repeat, my voice cracking.

“He’s gone.”

Letting go of me, he shoves his hands underneath my body, lifting gingerly and scooting me over a few inches. He shimmies into the spot beside me, and I immediately curl deeper into his side as his arm wraps around my shoulders. I can’t move too much without soreness ripping through me, but I can do it enough to press myself against him and soak in the warmth that radiates off his body.

I freeze, craning my neck to look up at him.

“Levi?”

“He’s okay, too. Actually—” Luca stops to look at the watch on his wrist. “He and your parents should be getting here soon.”

My parents are here? He called them to make sure they knew I was in the hospital? Of course, he did. He’s always taking care of me, even when I’m unconscious. My eyes well up with more tears as I give him a tight-lipped smile, scared that if I make any sudden movements, I might burst into complete sobs, and that would not feel too great on my abdomen.

“They’re here?” I whisper. “God, do they know? Does everyone know?”

“No, they don’t know,” he tells me softly. “They think you and Levi were mugged in an alley.”

Right. A cover story.

Nodding, I swallow thickly. “How long was I…”

“Six days.”

“Oh myGod,” I sputter.

“You’re okay.” He presses a kiss to my temple. “Everything else is just background noise.Youareokay.”

Back at the compound, amongst the red lights and alarm blaring as smoke took over my lungs and stung my eyes, I really thought that was it. I thought I was fading for good as I bled out on that concrete floor with Levi trying to make me feel better. I thought I was going to scar my best friend for life by dying in front of him.

“You’re free?” I breathe.

He nods.

Reaching up to grip his shirt, I pull him further down until his lips press against mine. His kiss is soft,warm, and his scent invades my nostrils as I breathe him in. His arm around my shoulders tightens its grip as he brings his hand up to cup my cheek, and I can’t help but faintly whine at the contact. I’ve missed him so much.

“I’m so happy to see you,” I croak out, pulling back just a smidge as I look up at those dark eyes. “I didn’t think I was going to see you again, Luca.”

“I didn’t think I’d seeyouagain.”

There’s a shimmer to his eyes in the glow of the lamp, and I swear, it looks like he could cry, but I don’t point it out. Instead, I press my face against his chest, curling up to him and closing my eyes as he cradles my head. The thought of him crying while I’ve been asleep in this bed tugs at the strings of my heart.

“Scared the shit out of me,Princesa,” he murmurs in my ear.

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