Page 139 of Pretty Poisoned

A month later, the idea of going back to being lonely crushes me. But if Eli is right and my only other option is the woods, maybe I should go while I'm still breathing.

"You said that already, Riv," Luca says. "I can take care of her; she'll be fine. She looks so much better than she did earlier."

"I do feel better," I tell her, taking a drink of my soda. After the concert, Riv finally told me I could eat since I wasn't throwing up, and Luca sent the driver through the line at Del Taco.

I fucking love Del Taco, but it's never tasted so good. Even the diet soda is like a delicacy.

"Are you going to finish that red burrito?"

"It's all yours," Luca says, passing it to me. "See? She's fine. Take a key if it makes you feel better."

"Fine," she says. "But take it easy…Luca."

"We'll cuddle," he tells her. "And watch one of those docuseries Teag likes where people murder each other. I'll rub her feet."

"Really?" I ask. "You'll rub my feet?"

He shrugs. "Of course I will, baby."

"Fine," she says. "Good night."

"Good night, Riv," I say. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She pauses in the doorway before adding, "You two have a problem. You realize that, right?"

I am fully aware, but I don't tell her that. I look to Luca, waiting for him to answer instead.

"Yeah," he says. "I do."

"What are you going to do about it?" she asks.

"Um…"

He pauses, running his hands through his hair. I know Luca is used to Declan being the one in charge—the one who makes the rules. I can tell he's uncomfortable now just as I could see he was remorseful earlier, even though he'd said on the bus that he couldn't get involved with whatever was happening between Declan and me.

"I'll talk to him…when we get to Dallas. I'll keep them separate until then; it'll be fine. And then, after a couple more stops, Teagan and I are going to take a long vacation. Right, Teag?"

I smile and nod.

Sure. As long as I don't decide to run for it with Eli.

"He'll move on; it'll blow over," he adds.

That's not what he said. He said he'd never let me go. Still…

He'll move on.The words shouldn't feel like a knife to the chest—I've had enough of that lately—but they do. But maybe he's right. Maybe if we spent some time apart, he'd forget about me. He'll find someone new to hunt, and I wouldn't have to leave them.

But even if I weren't hunted, I'd still be haunted. He'd still be there—under my skin, just like he has been for a while now. After all, I have a permanent reminder just in case I ever try to forget.

River looks apprehensive. "I hope you're right," she says before closing the door.

"Hey, baby." He leans toward me on the bed and kisses me on the lips. "Mmm, I missed you."

"I missed you, too," I tell him.

He pulls away, cleans up the fast food mess on the bed, turns off the lights, and then hands me the remote.

"All right. Give me your feet," he says.

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