Maria's words swam in my head. Most men said they would do anything for you but how many of them really would?
"This is my life.” Luc looked me directly in the eye as he spoke. "I can't change any of that. I'll do things you don't agree with. My hands aren't the cleanest. I'm late for things and I have a temper..."
I took both of his hands in mine and laced our fingers together. "I already know these things. You need to stop cutting me out of your life, Luc. Let me in. Please."
Because despite everything he was telling me, everything that should have made me walk away, I wanted Luc. I was ready to accept that this would be a life with him. My life.
After a moment he said, "I can try."
"That's all I'm asking." I felt a little light headed and took a deep breath before I continued, "You left me." That was what had hurt me the most. "After everything that happened with Marco, you left me. You didn't even say goodbye when you were leaving."
"Mia?!" Stefan's voice drifted upstairs as he arrived home from his lab.
"I'll be there now!" I called back, realising I hadn't messaged him after the hospital.
"I came to see you, but Stefan said you didn't want to see me," Luc explained. He looked exhausted for the day’s events. "When I told Lydia, she said maybe you needed some time to calm down."
"What?" I asked him.
"I left because I didn't want to make you any angrier. If you weren't ready to see me and talk to me then I wanted to respect that and give you space."
"No, wait," I said, my eyebrows knitting together as I realized what he had told me. “I told Stefan to find you. I wanted to speak to you."
"What?" It was Luc's turn to be confused.
"I was desperate to see you when I woke up after surgery, but it was only Stefan there. I asked if he could find you and bring you to my room. He came back in and said you didn't want to see me. I thought you were mad at me for leaving."
Luc didn't stop to hear any more. He wrenched his hands from mine and moved out of the room with such speed that I found myself running after him.
"Luc! Wait!"
I raced out of the room after him, but Luc’s stride was longer, his purpose more focused and I was at the top of the stairs, looking down at the entrance hall. Stefan stood in the hallway, sifting through the mail. "You didn't message me after the hospital." When he looked up he paled, realizing that it wasn’t me but Luc.
"Lucas!" I called his name, moving down the stairs. I hadn’t quite reached them when Luc swung for Stef, all his weight behind the punch. "Luc! Stop!"
He either didn’t hear or more likely didn’t care because Luc did not stop. He was livid that Stefan had lied to us both. I watched in horror as Stefan turned back towards him and threw a punch in return.
"Stop!" I grabbed Luc’s arm and pulled him so that he took a few steps back. I knew how bad Luc’s temper could get, he had just admitted it to me, and I didn’t want to put it to the test against his own flesh and blood.
"She wanted to see me!" Luc spat at Stefan.
"She had no clue what you're like," Stefan yelled back.
"She is standing right here!" I reminded them both.
Stefan looked at me for a moment and I could feel Luc tense, ready for another round with his sibling. "You lied to us both! What was the point, Stefan?" Luc demanded an answer to his actions. My relief that he had chosen to talk instead of hitting Stef was only momentary as Luc ripped his arm out of my hold. I took a step back and pulled out my phone, knowing I couldn’t contain this alone.
"I didn't want her to end up like Isa," Stefan told him, eyes narrowed.
"None of us wanted that to happen to Isa."
"I loved her!" Stefan yelled. "And she died trying to save you. Only look at you—what a waste. She saved a murderer and a liar and if you had your way, Mia would do the same. You're not going to get a chance, Luc," Stefan told him. "Whether it was because of me or not, you left her. We've spent more time together."
Stefan had made himself an opportunity. It had been a ruthless move on Stefan's part, and I hadn't realized what he was capable of.
"Mia, tell him," Stefan said, turning to me as I put away my phone. "You would have kissed me Friday night if we hadn't been interrupted."
I shook my head slowly, "It wasn’t like that."
