Page 85 of Forgive Me Father
His question hangs in the air, and I bite my lip before whispering, “Yes.”
“Then stay put, and I’ll be there soon. Thirty minutes. Don’t you dare leave. For the love of God, Eden, listen to me.”
“Fine,” I lie, trying to sound convincing. “I won’t leave this truck.”
He breathes a sigh of relief before clearing his throat. “Why are you even at that party?”
“Zoey made me. She bought this ridiculous costume, and half the party is puking on the lawn—”
A loud knock on his end cuts me off. “I have to go,” Roman says abruptly, and the line goes dead.
My phone’s screen darkens, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Before I can gather myself, Aiden’s voice shouts my name, his hand banging on the window.
Opening the door,I meet Aiden’s confused gaze. “What the hell are you still doing in here? Luca is pounding some drinks—”
His words trail off as his eyes take in my smudged makeup and tear-streaked face. “What... What’s going on, Eden?” He asks again, but this time, a sob escapes my throat.
“Luca… he—”
Aiden doesn’t wait for me to finish. His expression hardens as he turns on his heel, moving faster than he arrived.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I leap out of the truck, tucking my phone away as I sprint after Aiden. My heels slow me down, but I push through the crowd of drunken people, my heart pounding in my chest. I burst through the front door, shoving past people to try and get to my brother but it’s too late.
“Get the fuck up!” Aiden’s shout echoes through the living room.
Luca is slumped on the couch, a woman sitting next to him, her arm draped over his shoulder. My lipstick is still smeared across his face, a glaring reminder of what just happened. Zoey, who had been mid-throw in a game of beer pong, stops and looks at me with confusion.
“What’s this about, Aiden—”
“I said get up,” Aiden shouts, grabbing Luca by the front of his shirt and hauling him to his feet. “And apologize to my sister for fucking groping her in the car because you aren’t man enough to try that shit in front of me.”
Luca stumbles, his eyes widening in surprise as he looks between Aiden and me. “Grope her?” He scoffs, pushingAiden’s hands off him. “She came onto me. I was just trying to talk to her, and she started dry-humping my lap seconds later—”
“Bullshit,” Aiden snaps, getting in Luca’s face. “I wanted to believe all those rumors about you being a jackass were fake, but clearly,” Aiden sneers, wiping my smeared lipstick off Luca’s face with the back of his hand, “given you’re coated in my sister’s makeup and she’s been crying, you’re a fucking liar.”
“Is that true, Luca?” One of the boys in the crowd of people asks, giving me a sideways glance. “Did he pull some shit with you—”
“Oh, don’t fucking ask her,” Luca snaps, his words slurring. “She’s a fucking sneaky whore,” he slurs, waving his finger up and down at me. “And clearly loves the attention.”
The room goes silent, all eyes snapping to me. Aiden and Zoey look bewildered, and anger burns in my chest.
Ignoring the whispers, I take a step toward Luca, pushing Aiden gently to the side. Luca meets my gaze, his eyebrows raised in a taunt.
“Maybe I am a fucking whore,” I hiss, my voice low and venomous. “Maybe I’m not. Either way—”
I drive my hand across his face. The slap echoes through the room, and Luca staggers back, crashing into the couch behind him.
Both Aiden and Zoey stare at me, wide-eyed, as the room erupts in shouts and whistles. Some of the men at the party pull out their phones to record, but Zoey is quick to make them put them down.
I take a step back, my heart racing, anger still coursing through my veins. I let the noise of the party fade into the background asI turn on my heel and walk out of the house, my feet moving on autopilot.
As I step outside, the cold night air hits me, and I spot the tall, pointed roof of the cathedral in the distance. My mind is a whirlwind, but one thing is clear—I need to get away.
I drag a small, sharp rock across the side of Luca’s truck as I pass by, the screech of metal on metal a small, satisfying revenge. I don’t stop to look back as I make my way into the night, my mind already miles away from this place.
Chapter 23
