Page 110 of Inferno
I ignored her unfailing optimism, a part of me wishing I could believe it. ‘I think the whole point of being a good friend is not putting your friend or her family in danger when you don’t have to.’
‘I’ll be fine.’ She didn’t sound sure, but I didn’t need her to be, becauseIwas sure about two things now: Jack was incredibly angry, and he was also incredibly dangerous. That made him unpredictable. And if Millie sheltered me, she’d be in his firing line too, and I would never let that happen.
‘I’m not taking that chance,’ I said firmly. ‘And you know that.’
‘Where are you going to go? What are you going to do? Where are you now? Did Jack—?’
‘Mil,’ I interrupted. ‘I have a plan, don’t worry. I promise I’ll fill you in as soon as I can, OK?’
‘OK,’ she relented after a short silence, her voice turning sceptical. ‘But whatever happens, just don’t leave me behind.’
Even the thought of it made my chest seize up. ‘Never.’
‘Because Icannotdo senior year without you. It’ll break my spirit, Soph. It’ll suck the soul out of me.’
‘I know,’ I said, soothing her through a bubbling laugh. Her drama was the only kind I would freely welcome into my life. ‘Don’t worry,’ I teased. ‘I’ll go into the darkness with you.’
‘Good,’ she said, matching my tone. ‘Because you’re my light.’
‘You’re so sappy.’
‘You love it.’
‘I know.’
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVETHE BEGINNING
I waited on the doorstep atEvelina, counting the heartbeats it took for the door to open. Nineteen.
‘Sophie.’ Luca stepped out of the darkness.
‘I was hoping it would be you.’
He smirked. ‘What can I say? Iammost people’s favourite.’
I bit back the retort I would have offered him under normal circumstances –Can your entire ego really fit in this house?Instead, I offered him the apology I owed him. ‘Listen, I didn’t mean any of that stuff I said to you in my room. I was just so sad and panicked and angry about everything. And, well, you were there and I couldn’t stop everything from bursting out of—’
‘Sophie.’ Luca raised his hand, frowning. ‘Please don’t apologize for the way your grief chose to be felt that night.’
‘But I was so rude.’
‘Well, you usually are rude, so I’m used to it.’
I shot him a withering glance and he swallowed it up with a grin. I’d forgotten how disarming his smile could be. It was his greatest weapon.
‘Jack came back for me,’ I said.
His expression darkened. He ran his gaze along my frame appraisingly. ‘Did he hurt you?’
‘No, but I think I cut his eye out with your switchblade.’
His eyebrows disappeared under black unruly strands of hair. ‘Is that right?’
The reason for my visit rested between us. He knew what it was, but I knew I had to say it. I had to make it real in order to move forward. And he had to hear it.
‘I’m on my own now,’ I said quietly. The realization was a sting, and saying it aloud seemed to take all my energy with it. ‘For the first time, I’m really, truly on my own.’
Luca came a little closer, like he was trying to enclose us in a bubble where the badness couldn’t reach me. We could have been anywhere in the world just then, because I could only see him. ‘Do you want to stay here?’ he asked. ‘With us?’
