Page 23 of Haunted

I nod. “Yeah. I didn’t find out until a couple days ago.” I’m quiet for a moment, before admitting, “I’ve been dreaming about her for years, and I don’t know why. Tonight, I dreamed of them together, and I wanted to slaughter Theo for touching her.”

Abe’s low whistle sounds again, and I open my eyes. Both brows are now raised.

“Damn, boy. That is some fucked-up shit right there.”

Suppressing the growl wanting to slip free, I let my head fall back against the wall. “Yeah.”

Abe sighs. “Luca.” I lift my head again at his irritated use of my name. “Don’t beat yourself up over this shit. Feeling’ are something we have no control over. It’s obvious you don’t want to feel them, and as long as you don’t act on them, then you’ve got nothin’ to worry about.”

A harsh laugh escapes my lips. “Even if I wanted to act on them, which I would never do to Theo, I couldn’t. She’s been in a coma for seven years.”

“Say what now?” he says incredulously.

“Apparently, they met and were going to run off together, but someone attacked her. No one knew about her. I only found out because I saw her in a hospital room and recognized her from my dreams.”

“Wait. So how have you been dreamin’ about her if you’ve only recently met her?”

I blow out a tired breath. “Fuck if I know.”

“That’s some weird unnatural shit.”

“Tell me about it,” I agree.

It turns silent after that. The fan for the heating unit clickson and the air that hits me from above hasn’t had the chance to warm from the coils yet. It feels good against my sweaty chest.

I slip off my gloves and stand. I throw my shirt on and face Abe.

“I’m heading out. Thanks for letting me use the gym.”

“Anytime. That’s why you’ve got keys.”

I turn to leave, but him calling my name has me turning back.

“Get some sleep, Luca. You look like shit.”

“Fuck you, Abe,” I throw over my shoulder, then shoot him a bird the same way.

His deep laugh follows me all the way out the door.

8

LUCA

ILAST FOR A WEEK AND a half. Ten days I went without seeing Jules, because it wasn’t my right to want to. Ten fucking days that nearly drove me insane. Nine nights lying in bed, wishing for her to come to me in my dreams, although it made me a bastard of the worst kind to want that, but selfishly not caring. If I couldn’t see her in person, I at least wanted some form of her, even if she did always look scared or in pain and begged me for something I still didn’t understand.

Ten days I went to work and tried to keep my mind off her. Ten days I left work and had to force myself to turn right down Tenth Street toward home instead of left toward the hospital. Only two of the nine nights she visited my dreams, but the ones she didn’t, I still woke up feeling drained and exhausted. I slept restlessly and couldn’t help but feel disappointed for the rest of the day, which put me in a piss-poor mood. People noticed, especially Ella.

“What in the fuck is your problem?” she yelled at me on theeighth day, after stepping in my office and slamming the door closed.

“Leave me alone, Ella,” I rumbled, as I stood behind my desk and pushed shit around looking for a specific drawing pen.

She put her hands on the hardwood surface and leaned over it, her voice dropping, but no less abrasive. “You’ve been a dick for days, Luca. Either fix what’s bothering you or stay in your fucking office and let Jazz and me take your clients. I’m tired of seeing people walk on eggshells around you.”

I stand to my full height and glower at her. “I said, leave me alone.”

Baring her teeth, she gritted out, “Too fucking bad. You’re my brother and I work for you, so when something bothers you, it bothers me. Either get over it or tell me what in the hell is going on.”

Before I was given a chance to reply, she stormed from the room, the door banging against the wall behind her. She was right. I was being an asshole, and that shit needed to stop.

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