As soon as I step through the doorway, I see the source. But it’s not Luca, it’s Micah who greets me with, “Ivy, glad you’re here to see me.”
“Where’s your brother?”
He looks a little shocked as he says, “You know even some of our family members still can’t tell us apart. And you do it so easily. Interesting”
“Yeah. Sure. Where is he?”
“His room.” Micah points behind him. “Up there. Hallway to the right, then third door on the left.”
I head upstairs, following the directions, and hope this isn’t part of some jackass scheme to get me here. But if it is, I’m livid enough to go with it. I don’t need to talk. Taking a swing would satisfy me.
When I open the door, Luca is standing at the window, his phone to his ear. He turns and sees me and says, “I’ll call you back.” Then clicks the phone off and tosses it on the bed. It’s then I realize he’s only got a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair still damp from the shower. And I want him to drop the towel so I can strangle him with it.
“Did you do it?” I ask as he studies me, looking over my shoulder.
I glance back and see Micah standing there, a grin on his face as he says, “Just enjoying the show.”
Luca walks over, pulling me farther into the bedroom so he can slam the door shut, then turns to me and casually asks, “Did I do what?”
“Don’t play games with me. I’ve had enough of that already with your Mercy minions.”
He steps closer, his patience wavering as he states, “Tell me what you’re talking about, and I’ll tell you the truth.”
“Did you leave the photograph in my room?”
“What photograph?” That’s it. That’s his frustrated response before he looks to my hands then goes to grab it as I pull away.
“You said you’d tell me the truth.”
“No, I didn’t leave a photograph in your room.” His voice returns to a cool tone, but his stance remains rigid as he asks, “What’s it of?”
I can’t tell if he’s lying to me or not. Why do I want to believe him? He’s been a cruel tyrant and thorn in my side since I met him.
“Tell me or I’ll take it from you and see it for myself,” he demands, making me think he’s telling the truth. But is that his way of throwing me off? Mercy is playing with my mind. I’m paranoid and questioning my own judgment. But it wouldn’t surprise me if Luca is the puppet master. And even if he’s not, he roped me into joining the madness.
“Us at the hospital,” I lie.
And he calls me on it. “What’s it really of?”
“You know that’s not it. How would youknowif it wasn’t you that left it?”
He just says, “Because I do.”
“The accident that killed my mother and destroyed everything I thought I knew.” I try to keep my emotions at bay and take a step closer to him. “I swear to God if you’re using her to fuck with me, I will kill you and not think twice about it.”
I expect him to engage in an argument or respond with animosity, but all he does is lift his hand to trail his fingertips along my collarbone as he murmurs, “I destroy everything I touch.”
“Is that a threat?” I ask, because I don’t want to think about how the tender stroke along my skin completely contradicts the harsh asshat I’ve pegged him to be. I step back, realizing he has the exit blocked. No problem. I’ll hurl myself out his window.At least it’d be better than staying in this room with him, and maybe he’ll get in trouble for it. Doubt it. He’d get away with murder and not have a single freaking consequence as usual.
“No,” he replies.
But all I can do is stare out the nearest window. Moving closer, I watch as my backyard comes into complete view. Everything. The patio, pool, nearly the entire backside of the house.
“You can see everything.” He didn’t have to gawk at me from the balcony, he could hide here in his own bedroom, unseen and discreet, instead of mean mugging Everett and me from the balcony. “Youwantedme to see you. You wanted me to know you were watching us.”
I turn back to him, waiting for confirmation, but he doesn’t respond. I know him better than I should. Standing in front of him, I ask, “Why?”
His head shifts to the side; his mouth moves down my neck as his breath floats over my skin. “Would you rather I stayed hidden?”
