Faith, Evelyn, Declan, and I boarded the ferry to the resort. The ocean waves rocked the boat in a perfect rhythm. Wind gusted around us as I stared at Evelyn. The bruising was prominent upon her skin. Her hair was flowing free, frizzy, and uncontrollable in the wind.
“Stop it.” She glared in my direction. “I will befine.”
The tightness around my eyes softened. “I know you will be, but I’m allowed to worry, honey.”
She huffed and nodded her head before staring back out at the ocean. “As much as I love the idea of eating lunch, I think I’m going to take a nap when we get back. But I’m not missing scuba diving. That sounds way too cool.”
Faith’s head whipped toward her. “You’re staying?”
Eve reached up and gathered her hair to the side. “I’m not missing my best friend’s wedding because of that monster.”
Faith nodded and wrapped an arm around her. “I’m so glad we’re getting our Eve back.”
I joined in on the hug. “We’ve missed you, babe.”
She sniffled. “I’ve missed you guys too. I was just trying to force the impossible. I should’ve known nobody could measure up to Flynn.”
Faith and I shared a look of concern and tightened our hug.
“You are worth more than you know,” I said.
Once we reached the resort, Faith and I walked her to her new room. The staff had relocated Eve’s belongings to a different room so she didn’t have to stay in the room that reminded her of what had happened last night.
She was grateful but proceeded to kick us out so she could rest. Faith went back to Asher, and I hesitated outside my room. Declan had gone back to the room when we arrived, but I couldn’t help but want to see Luca.
My fingers curled around my key card, digging the plastic into my palm. How could I have been so dumb? I didn’t like feeling this way, wanting to see a man that didn’t care about me. Maybe the girls from high school were right. Maybe all I was good for was a good fuck. I’d never be the marrying type. So, why did my heart react to Luca like he was my lifeline? And why the fuck did I want him when he didn’t want me the same way?
As my thoughts tore me down, a door opened, revealing the man that had stolen all of my commonsense. Our eyes locked, and my breath caught in my throat. He was handsome from the depth of his eyes to his adonis-like body. Just one look at him caused rational thoughts to fly out the window.
He closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me flush against his chest. Despite the heaviness in my heart, my stomach fluttered at the feeling of my body pressed against his. I sunk into his warmth. Being in his arms made everything seem better.
“How are you?” he mumbled against my hair.
I shook my head as the tears soaked into his shirt. “I don’t know, Luca.”
He held me tighter and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. The gesture was simple, but it meant more to me than it was probably meant to. I was tired of fighting my feelings for him. I knew he feltsomethingfor me. But why wouldn’t he let me show him what we could be?
“Have you eaten anything?” he asked.
“Not yet.”
“Want to come eat with me? I have a pizza in my room.”
The thought of being in the hotel room alone with him sent hot tingles through me, but a cold jolt replaced it as I thought of the man I came here with. “I can’t. I need to go to Declan.”
His body tensed, and he let go of me, stepping back. “I’m sorry. I’ll see you guys at one for scuba diving, I guess.” He retreated back into his room and left me in the hallway reliving what had just happened.
I wrapped my arms around myself as I stared at the door. Luca was so much more than he let on. I had to talk to Declan. I was leading him on because there was no way I was ready to let go of the possibility of Luca.
I took a deep breath before unlocking our room. I found Declan grabbing clothes from the closet and packing them into his expensive suitcases. When he glanced up at me, he gave me a sad smile.
The guilt slithered through my veins like gasoline. “You’re leaving?”
He walked over, gripping my chin, and lifting my face to meet his gaze. “You’re in love with Luca. A blind man could see it. You don’t have room in your heart for me, little flower.”
Somehow, the nickname didn’t irritate me. Instead, it made me sad. “Did you see—”
He nodded. “Outside the door? Yes.”
