I shake my head. Then nod. My eyes are burning, but I refuse to cry, and especially not in front of him. Bile crawls up the back of my throat as I lose the battle, and the tears building in my eyes finally spill over. “I don’t know what to think. I don’t know what to believe.”
He takes a step toward me, but I’m already as far away as I can be, so I hold my hand up, hoping and fucking praying that he doesn’t come closer.
“I’m sorry,” he repeats. “I thought if I told you that I already knew, you’d feel exposed. Like I’d taken something from you.”
A sob rips its way out of my throat. “But youdid, Hunter. Youdidtake something from me. Don’t you see that? How can you notseethat?”
He stills, his eyes losing all their light.
Somehow, even that hurts, and when he whispers a choked-off, “I’m so sorry, Theo. I was trying to protect you,” it goes from hurt to full-blown agony.
“I have to leave. I have to go home.”
He shakes his head, his eyes welling with tears. “No. Please don’t leave. You’re upset right now. You shouldn’t be driving like this.”
Rage fills all the spots inside me that my agony isn’t already taking up. “Don’t you think you’ve already decided enough fucking things for me?”
I don’t even give him a chance to answer. I dart past him, my heart in my throat. Making a wide path so he can’t grab me, I rush from the barn. I stumble through the grass, everything in front of me dancing and waving as the unrelenting tears pouring from my eyes threaten my vision.
When I push open the door, Millie calls out our names, but I ignore her and sprint up the stairs. In my rented bedroom, I throw all my belongings into my suitcase, zipping it up quickly with shaking fingers.
My teeth are chattering now, clacking together in my mouth so hard the force could almost break them.
I can barely breathe as I rush down the stairs and out the front door. Looking around quickly, I scan the yard for Hunter, and when I don’t see him, I shove the suitcase into my passenger seat and nearly run to the other side to climb in.
It takes me three tries to turn the key, and when I finally get it started, I peel out of the driveway without even looking back.
Ihavenoideawhy, but I don’t go home. Instead, I find myself beating on Luca’s front door hours before I was actually supposed to be here.
Austin opens it. “Theo? Are you okay?”
My face is wet and my eyes hurt, so I probably look like a walking disaster, and I’m not okay at all. Not even a little. “Is Luca here?”
Luca shoves Austin out of the way. “I’m here. What’s wrong? Come in.”
He steps back, gesturing for me to enter.
“Hunter knows.”
“Knows what?” Luca asks, eyebrows shooting up.
Austin clears his throat. “I’m going to give you two some privacy.”
Luca waves him on, and Austin disappears into the bedroom, pulling the door shut behind him.
When he’s gone, Luca holds a hand out to me, and I take it, letting him lead me to the couch. “Sit down,” he murmurs. Grabbing a throw off the back of the couch, he wraps it around me, and until I’m covered, I don’t even realize I’m shaking almost violently.
For a long moment, he doesn’t talk, and I don’t either, but finally, he breaks the silence. “What does Hunter know?”
“About me. He saw those files.” My throat convulses as I swallow hard. “He saw my scar. I didn’t even get to tell him myself.” My voice goes garbled as I nearly choke on the words. “Damien’s still taking everything from me.”
Luca’s face screws up. “Can I hug you?”
I lean forward without thought, and Luca wraps me in his arms as I rest my forehead against his shoulder. Some part of me knows that I shouldn’t be seeking comfort from my ex-husband’s latest victim, and an even bigger part of me knowsthat he deserves better than me falling apart. I’ve failed him in so many ways.
Luca makes small circles on my back with his warm hand, and I sink deeper into his hold. It’s nice in some ways, knowing that I’m not alone. Knowing that I had someone to run to. Knowing that Luca let me in without a thought.
“I’m so sorry, Theo,” he murmurs. “Did Hunter… did he hurt you?”
