Page 54 of Lunar Crest University

For fuck’s sake.

A string of curses leaves my lips as she stalks off, disappearing between a crowd of people who enter the restaurant, her ponytail swishing sassily behind her. My boiling blood feels like it might burst from my skin as I search for the waiter, eager to flag him down and pay so I can chase after her. She’s three wine glasses deep and wandering the streets ofLondon by herself—fuck that. I use two fingers to quickly wave the waiter over once I catch sight of him, but that view is blocked as Genevieve plops back down in her seat.

“What’s the rush?” she chirps.

I crack my neck to avoid snapping someone else’s. “Finley went back to the hotel. She’s not feeling well. I’m not comfortable with her finding her way back alone, so I’m getting the check.”

“She’ll befine.”

Ignoring her, I twist my head toward the waiter, who places the bill down in front of me. Digging through my wallet, I throw some twenties on the table. I know I probably look like a maniac with the way I’m rushing around, but the thought of something happening to Finley on the way back to the hotel has me on the brink of losing my shit.

“Just more time for us,” Genevieve adds, putting her hand on my arm to stop me.

“No, Ms. Pierce,” I growl lowly. The rumble of my chest has her eyes widening partially. “Enough.”

She doesn’t say anything else as she stands from the chair and follows behind me as I maneuver through the dinner crowd toward the entrance. My palms are clammy, and my forehead pricks with sweat as the anger inside me simmers. The cool air outside feels good against my skin as we push through the front door of the restaurant, my eyes searching for any sign of Finley in the dark streets illuminated only by dim street lamps.

I’m going to find her, and when I do, I’m going to spank her ass so hard, it’ll be the same red color her cheeks were when she left. And I’m not going to stop until she’s a sobbing, begging mess over my knee.

Chapter Twenty-Two

FINLEY

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23RD, 2023

Okay, maybe I had too much wine.

But in the moment, when I could hardly stand to watch Genevieve laugh and talk to Luca as she batted her thick lashes in his direction, three glasses of wine didn’t feel likeenough. Thinking back on the way I’d left the restaurant, emotional and angry and turned on, I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed now. It wasn’t the smartest decision to go fleeting off into the night in search of the hotel, considering my track record with alleyways, but I made it back, nonetheless.

A glass of water and two ibuprofen later, I lay sprawled out on the silk sheets of my hotel bed in a black nightie, the buzz from my wine fading faster than I like. The dull ache behind my tired eyes sets in despite the medicine I took.

My phone buzzes with a message, and I groan as I lift my head to glance at the screen.

Levi

I’ve decided to go to my dad’s for the summer

Me

I’m proud of you. I think it’s the right thing. Need a wedding date?

Levi

Would you really wanna be?

My fingers freeze mid-air to text him back when loud knocking resonates from the door. Another groan escapes me as I roll from the bed, my feet planting on the cold floor before I pad over toward the door to peek through the peephole. My heart practically seizes in my chest as I see Luca on the other side, his hand propped up on the doorframe, his nostrils flaring as his jaw flexes with an angry clench of his teeth. He looks pissed.

If I wasn’t sobered up before, I definitely am now.

I’m mad at him.

With a quiet, steadying inhale, I open the door. His dark eyes peer down at me now that we’re face to face, and I swear, they look even darker when he’s mad. He straightens his stance, pulling his hands from the doorframe and towering over me like a predator with its prey. I have to tilt my chin up just to hold his intimidating gaze.

“What?” I ask, but my voice is softer than I had hoped it would be.

He pushes forward, walking me backward until he’s inside my hotel room and flinging the door shut behind him without a second glance. His eyebrows furrow as he flexes his fingers, sucking in a deep breath as he whisks his glasses from his nose.

“I looked for you.” His voice is taut. “You can’t just run off like that. Not by yourself. Not in anothercountry. Mierda. What if something had happened to you?”

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