Page 100 of Lunar Crest University

Her shoulders sag. I can visibly see her deflate. “I’m so sorry?—”

“Save it.”

He waves her off. Pulling her back to me, I look down to see her hand clamped over her mouth and tears brimming her green eyes as she watches him climb into his car. The second his carstarts, he’s gunning it off the curb and down the street, causing a spectacle with tires squealing like a fucking crybaby.

He could be nicer to her, I’ve always thought that.

“I’m sorry,” I say in her ear, rubbing her shoulders. “I should’ve been more careful. I wasn’t thinking.”

“He hates me,” she whispers.

“Do you want to go find him?” I offer. “Check on him?”

Not that he deserves it.

“It’ll just turn into some big, explosive argument.” Her face falls into her palms, and I pull her into my chest. “He needs to blow off some steam. I’ll check on him later.”

I bite back the thoughts swirling in my mind. Of course, I’m worried about who he’ll go running his mouth to in his angry state, but I don’t question her about it. Not now. She has been through enough today. For the last few days. She needs to rest, emotionally and physically. I have a weird gut feeling that there’s no point in worrying about my job when there are people like Javier and his men, who are determined to make my life a living hell anyway.

“I’m a terrible friend,” Finley mumbles into my chest.

“Come stay with me,” I say. “You can stay at my house, and I can keep an eye on you. You can just…get away.”

“Again?”

“It’ll be different this time, I promise.”

She pulls back, wiping her pink nose with her sleeve. Her green eyes are bloodshot as they observe me, and I can’t help but cup her face in my hands. I’m just so relieved she’s letting me touch her, letting me comfort her in any way I can.

“You promise?” Her hands come up to grab mine.

“I do.”

I know we’re talking about her getting away on another trip away from home, but I mean it.Everythingwill be different this time, if she allows me to show her.

Finley sighs.

“Then take me home, Luca.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

FINLEY

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH, 2023

I’m a horrible,horriblefriend.

With everything that has been going on over the last few days, the last fewweeks, I completely forgot to respond to Levi. He’d texted a few times since coming back from England, and I kept telling myself I would respond…but I never did. He has been going through so much with his family stuff, and I never texted him back like a complete jerk.

I’ve never done this to him.God, I’m such an ass.

He has been my best friend for four years, and the last thing I want is to lose him on top of everything else. My heart can’t take much more.

On the way to Luca’s place, I send him a panicked text, hoping he’ll respond once he calms down a bit.

Me

Please don’t hate me, Levi. I am so sorry. I never meant to ghost you like that or hurt your feelings. It was never my intention. None of this was. Just…please talk to me.

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