Until a simple knock on the door throws both our worlds into chaos, and Gwendoline lets herself in.
“Willow, honey, have you seen your?—”
“Mum!” she screams. “Get out!”
But my stepmother stands frozen in the doorway, her eyes wide as we scramble to cover ourselves. “What in the world…?”
“A bit of privacy,” I grunt out, waving at the door.
Gwendoline ignores me, her eyes narrowing on her daughter. “Are you trying to ruin our lives?” she spits. “What did you think? That Luca would give up his international football career for the likes ofyou?”
The venom in her tone causes me to clench my fists around the sheets now covering my nakedness. Willow’s body deflates behind me, which only makes me angrier.
“You need to leave, Gwendoline.”
She scoffs. “And you… Wait until your father hears about this. How dare you think you can defile your sister like that before you leave. It’s disgusting.”
“Mum—”
“I’ve given you everything, you ungrateful little bitch, and all you’ve ever done is embarrass me. What did I do to end up with a frumpy, good-for-nothing daughter like you? I thought having the Whitford name would open upyour dating prospects, but never in my wildest dreams did I think you’d sink your chubby little claws into your brother.”
“Get. Out.” My voice is calm but deadly. She doesn’t want to push me.
Willow is trembling now, and it suddenly hits me. No wonder my angel is dominant in the bedroom—it’s the only place in her life that she has any control.
“When your father hears about?—”
“Get. Out!” I roar. If I had clothes on, I would physically shove this toxic woman out the door on her arse.
With a huff, she clutches at the pearls around her neck and finally stalks out of the room, leaving the door wide open. I immediately turn to Willow who shrinks away from me.
“You should go,” she whispers. Her hands are wrapped protectively around her breasts, and she’s staring at the floor, refusing to meet my gaze.
“No.” I grip her chin between my thumb and forefinger and force her to look at me. “Fuck her, Angel. Don’t let her speak to you like that. We’re adults, and we’re not related. We can do whatever the fuck we want.”
“Luca, please.” Her lip trembles.
“Has she always been this toxic?” Willow’s eyes shine with unshed tears as she tries to jerk out of my grasp, but I don’t let her pull away from me. “Talk to me, Willow. Does she always treat you like that?”
She sniffs. “She’s not wrong.”
My brow narrows. “What?”
“She’s not wrong. I’m not girlfriend material. I’m the dirty little secret from the sex club.” She shoves me awayand climbs off the bed, grabbing a shirt off the floor and slipping it over her head.
“You’re writing yourself off based on some malicious comments from the woman who’s supposed to be your biggest cheerleader.”
“Why do you care?”
I stare at her. “Why wouldn’t I care?”
“You haven’t spoken to me in four years, and now that we’re having sex, you think you can tell me how to deal with my mother.”
“What is it going to take for you to realise this isn’t just sex for me?” I climb off the bed and pull my pants on.
“You’re leaving.”
“So?”
