Page 72 of Haunted

Tearing clothes.

Being held down.

Unbearable pain.

Terrifying fear.

And utter despair.

My eyes move back to Luca, whose chest is rising and falling as he inhales and exhales heavily. His body is taut and his hands clench and unclench at his sides, and I know the internal struggle he must be fighting.

“Come on, Jules, we’re going home,” Theo barks.

I open my mouth to speak, but Luca beats me to it.

“No,” he snarls. His eyes pin Theo in place when he makes a move toward me. “She’s not going anywhere with you. I’ll call Mom and Dad to come get her and she can stay with them.”

“The fuck you say. She’s coming—”

“Leave, Theo.” Gathering my courage, I walk further intothe room until I’m only a few feet away from both men. “I’m not going home with you.”

His scowl transforms his face from handsome into something scary. Hatred. Pure and absolute. The look sends shivers racing down my spine. I have to force my legs to stay in place instead of moving back to get away from him.

He doesn’t say anything. Just gives Luca a look of contempt before turning and slamming through the door. His departure is resounding, leaving behind a sorrowful quietness.

Luca’s still facing forward, looking at the closed door, the muscle in his jaw working hard. All I can do is stand there and stare at him. I’m left not knowing what to say or do or feel.

He clears his throat, but when he talks, it comes out gravelly. “I’m gonna go call Mom and have her pick you up.”

Before he takes two steps, I reach out and grab his arm. He flinches then looks down at my hand, so I release him.

“Don’t,” I plead quietly.

His eyes snap to mine, brow furrowing. “Why?”

“Because I want to stay here.”

His lips tighten as his frown deepens. “Why?” he repeats.

That’s the million-dollar question. I don’t know why I want to stay. I should be petrified to be around him, especially alone, and a small part of me is. My brain tells me to get as far away from him as possible, but my instincts tell me I’m safer here than anywhere else. It perplexes me because the fear I should feel toward Luca isn’t there. I still feel like he’s my safe haven. It’s stupid and crazy, I realize, but it feels like this is where I’m supposed to be.

“I don’t know,” I tell him honestly. “I just… I just feel safe here.”

My answer shocks him. It’s in the widening of his eyes and the stiffness of his body.

“Are you sure?”

I don’t need to think about my answer. “Yes.”

After a moment, he gives a jerky nod.

“Thank you.”

He gives another nod before he turns away from me. Both hands run through his hair agitatedly. Something on the back of his arm catches my eye, and I take a closer look. It’s certainly not the first time I’ve noticed Luca’s tattoos, his arms are covered in them so there’s no way I couldn’t, but I’ve never seen this one before. It’s a dandelion in the shape of a heart. The seeds were blowing away in the wind, each one a different color. The wordsl'amour est gratuit, love is free, are written along the stem. It’s a beautiful piece of art, and I wonder what the meaning behind it is.

When he faces me again, my stomach flips at the stark pain in his eyes. My own pain aside, I can’t imagine what Luca is going through. To be accused of attacking, raping, and causing someone to be in a seven-year coma and not remember a minute of it is something most people wouldn’t be able to handle.

“I’m going outside for a while. There’s chili on the stove. You should eat.”

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