LUCAS'S POV.The moment I got into my bedroom and turned on the lights, I crashed onto the bed, heaving a loud sigh. God, I was tired. Tired and confused.What had happened back there with Scarlett? I'd been so very close to kissing her, and if I hadn't thought about the fact that she still in fact entertaining her boyfriend, and it was just only a physical attraction, I was sure I was going to ravage her right there. I was such a fool. That was such a big mistake. I shouldn't have allowed my lust for her to overpower me so much. I should've controlled myself, should've resisted the temptation of touching her. But of course my body never listened, in fact it had made it so very obvious how much it wanted her. First the hug and then the almost kiss? God, I was so embarassed of myself. As I lay there under the light of the chandelier, my mind transported me back to that road and I felt my whole body heating up. Scarlett's dress had been so damn gorgeous under the faint moonlight and
LUCA'S POV. Scarlett was looking at me with a mix of surprise and confusion and I just stood, unmoving, not knowing what to say to her. We both stared for hours in my head, eyes fixed on each other with intensity. I knew what I was feeling as I stared at her, but I wasn't quite sure what the intense look in her eyes meant."What are you doing here?" She asked, voice sharp and void of any friendliness. Hmm. I guess she was choosing to return back to our usual ways. That was a good choice. I needed her to put in the effort to stop the attraction between us because I wasn't very sure my efforts were going to be enough going forward. "This is my house and my gym," I said, walking further into the room. "I can be here whenever I want." She rolled her eyes and wiped the sweat that had formed on her forehead and neck with a towel and an image of me and her tangled together under the sheets all sweaty and exhausted flashed in my head, and my throat went dry. Stop it now, brain. Please ju
SCARLETT'S POV.ONE WEEK LATER. Time had flown by so fast, and before I knew it I was back to school. Asides the fact that, the end of the break meant that I had to sit up and start studying extra hard, so I could keep up with my good grades, it also meant that I was rarely or not going to be seeing Luca at all. I wasn't excited about all the studying that I had to do, but I was satisfied with the fact that I was going to be at school again, breathing fresh air and chatting with Abby and the rest. "Girl, this is crazy," Abby shook her head, face going between confused and amused as she processed everything I'd just related to her about my two weeks with Luca. "Yeah, it is. I can't even lie," I concurred. "And you know the worst part is that I have a strong feeling that this is all a part of Luca's revenge plan. He just wants to mess with my head and humiliate me. Confuse the hell out of me for the fun of it."Abby pursed her lips. "I can understand with you, girl. Even I am hella c
LUCA'S POV. I felt adrenaline in my veins as I walked out of the elevator and towards my office, shooting a salute to Maya on the way. I was feeling pumped because I'd just received the money I'd lent to a businessman I'd met some time last year, and he'd added the required interest—it was a freaking huge sum of money— and coupled with that, Mr Richardson's partnership with me had attracted the attention I was expecting, I couldn't even count with two hands, how many famous billionaire's had reached out to me for an association. It was amazing, really. Business was looking so fucking good now, and I was here for it. Nothing could ruin my mood when business was going well, not even the thoughts of Scarlett and what had happened in the gym. Shit. I'd promised myself that I wasn't even going to remember it. It shouldn't even have mattered to me that she said she was over what had happened, that she was going to tell her boyfriend and apologize to him, but somehow it did. It mattered s
SCARLETT'S POV. My legs were shaking as I made my way towards the Jeep that was waiting for me at the usual spot, all the while knowing that Abby was looking at me with worry in her eyes, but I didn't turn back to look at her, I just kept going, walking with my head a jumbled mess.I couldn't even tell what I was feeling. Everything was all over the place. All my thoughts were making my heart ache, and I actually felt like I was going to choke, or explode or just straight up puke all over the floor, creating a show for everyone to see. To say I was shattered after what I'd heard was an understatement. I was completely broken, so deeply hurt that I wondered how I was ever going to deal with the information I'd just absorbed. How was I going to get used to it?"Scarlett?" Abby called, voice holding so much concern and fright over my horrible state. I didn't want to turn back because a part of me was angry at her for ruining my day, for ruining the fantasy I'd created in my head about
LUCA'S POV. I couldn't believe it, I'd been right about that asshole, Kevin all along. I'd just always had the feeling that he was up to no good, and even though Raph had said that he wasn't quite sure if he was one of the guys who had been sitting in their apartment back, I just knew that it was him. It had to be him. I never liked the guy. And now I felt bad for Scarlett. She literally almost killed herself because of the guy. Heck, she loved him so much, even I who knew nothing about love could tell. I wondered how she was going to feel when she got to know about his true colours. I was going to make sure that I got to the bottom of everything with that guy. If he and his roommates were tying young girls up and gagging them then that meant he had to be punished by the law. I had developed a soft spot for girls in those kind of situations ever since what had happened to Isabella. I could understand how it felt to know that a man was ruining your sister, and I didn't want anyone
LUCA'S POV. My heart was racing at an alarming speed, and the collar of my shirt was sticking to my neck and back because of the heat I was feeling. God. I had to calm myself down. I wanted to calm down, but I just couldn't, Scarlett was shaking in my arms and before we'd broken in, she had been about to swallow so many fucking pills. Shit. I felt a rush of all the feelings from the day I'd heard about Isabella's death, and my heart pounded faster.What if we hadn't broken down that door fast enough? Would Scarlett have really ended her life just like Isabella? What could have driven her to having such thoughts in the first places?Was I seriously asking that question? Of course she had been frustrated! Everything I'd put her through was bad enough to make her contemplate ending her life. Oh Hell. I felt like such an asshole. Could I have possibly been the reason why she wanted to end her life? Gosh, I hoped not. "I think we might need to take her to the hospital... Umm... maybe ...
SCARLETT'S POV.I had no idea when I'd fallen asleep but I woke up with a pounding headache and a dry mouth. I winced when I turned my head towards the couch where Luca was sitting, and felt a sharp pain in my neck. Shit. I was messed up. And it was all because of Kevin. After what I'd heard yesterday, I couldn't quite explain what had come over me. But I knew that immediately I'd gotten into my room and shut the door, all I'd wanted to do was just break things, vent my anger somehow. A fraudster? Kevin was a damn fraudster! My chest had hurt as I thought about the fact that he probably had started dating me for the same reason as he did with Abby's friend's sister. But I wondered though, why was he still putting up the act even after knowing that my father's company had gone bankrupt? From what Dad had said before we separated, he was completely broke and owing so many people including Luca, and I wasn't the kind of child who frequently requested money from my father, so frankly,
SCARLETT'S POV.The moment Luca's lips touched mine, I melted into a puddle. My knees had gone weak and I feared they were going to buckle soon if I wasn't careful. Damn. The man knew how to kiss. He made sure that he ravaged my mouth with intensity, showing me with the kiss just how much he really wanted me. From my face, his hands travelled to my spine and then all the way back up to my hair and then he pulled. Shit, the force of the action caused a sting, but it was sweet. The pain was delicious. I loved it. He continued to kiss my mouth like his life depended on it until he decided that he'd had enough of it and wanted to taste my neck. Once his mouth touched there, I straight up melted into him, to the point he had to hold me up. "Woah," he laughed, amsued. "I haven't even touched you. You don't even know all the things I have planned for you.""Stop being cocky and kiss me," I demanded, pulling him back to my mouth and he let out a satisfactory growl."You're so damn sexy,
SCARLETT'S POV. THREE HOURS LATER. The party had started to get heated. People were popping in from every corner now. And the place started to get a bit crowded and tight. Many had decided to go out to the garden but it still felt like we were at a concert or something. It had been a bad choice Matt had made to organise the party at the house. The set-up was beautiful no doubt but it was becoming too suffocating. Or maybe it was just my body's reaction to Luca sitting beside me on our table.The rest of the guest looked like they didn't mind at all. Maybe it was just me actually. "So, how has therapy been?" Luca's voice sounded so close to my ear and I practically jumped in my seat, embarassing myself further. "It's been really good," I smiled tightly. "Uhh... The therapist has been really good and understanding. I-I feel like a totally different person now."I could remember giving him the same response some time ago when he'd asked. Shit. Why was I acting that way?And where t
SCARLETT'S POV. Abby arrived not long after and after we were both done getting ready and checking each other out, we said goodbye to mum and headed for the venue in an Uber. Matt's two storey house was flooded with people when we got in, it was crazy that the guy knew that much people. "Shit, this is way more than I expected," Abby said, looking around the garden that was filled with several cooperate looking people. "Yeah thank god that you convinced me to wear this dress," I said, looking at the dresses of the other women aroun. It was like we'd come for some sort of fashion show or something. "Exactly why you should always trust my opinions," she smiled, smoothing down the skirt of her royal blue dress. She looked amazing actually in that dress and her hair slicked back. We both looked amazing actually. "Come on let's go inside," I pulled her hand and we both walked with our heads held high into the house where soft music was playing from the speakers. "Sheesh, nice design,
SCARLETT'S POV.FIVE MONTHS LATER. This was the fifth time I'd checked my appearance out in the mirror and I was still nervous. God, why did the thought of him still make me so nervous? I finally made up my mind that I looked really good in the dress. It was a red dress that Abby had picked out for me two weeks after I'd been discharged from the hospital. It had been crazy expensive and I'd wanted to abandon it because I couldn't pay, but then Abby had offered to pay, saying that it was a gift to me, celebrating my release from the hospital and the fact that I could finally walk on my own two feet. I'd been discharged from the hospital way earlier than the doctor had expected. The doctor had told us that my case was very special and unusual, and he'd never seen anything quite like it before. He'd made sure that I'd spent another two weeks extra in the hospital just to make sure that there were no further complications. And finally after a whole month and a half of being in the hosp
LUCA'S POV.After Belle left I stayed for a while outside, watching the sky as it got darker and darker. I kept thinking about Isabella and dad, and everything that had happened, but this time I found that the more I thought about it, the more I started to see Belle's point clearly. That was the problem, I was holding onto the pain and bitterness for too long, I didn't even know how to stop doing it. I'd thought I was ready let it all go for Scarlett, but today had made me realise that there was still a part of me that wanted to be mad at her, at somebody for everything. It wasn't fair at all to Scarlett. She didn't deserve to get hate for something that she knew nothing about. After a little more time reflecting, I slapped my palms and decided that I had to go talk to her. About everything. Just let it all out. And see where we can go from there. I made my way back to the room where I saw Marilyn and Scarlett hugging from the glass doors. Abby just stood watching them with tears i
LUCA'S POV. On getting outside, I bumped into a nurse that was carrying a tray and we both let out string of curses. "Shit I'm sorry," I said, getting down to help her pick up her tray. "I'm so sorry."She picked up the last piece of equipment and looked up at me. "It's fine. Why are you in such a hurry anyways? Is the hospital on fire?"I turned down my lips. "No of course not.""Then why did you almost knock me all the way to hell?" She asked, smirking. "And why do you look like a wounded puppy?""I'm just in a really shitty mood, I don't even know how to feel," I said, wondering after I'd said it, why. Why did I just tell her that? The nurse balanced her tray and gave me a look of sympathy. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" I thought about it for a long while and decided, "no, not everything at least."The nurse smiled. She had such kind eyes and an equally kind smile, funny enough, she kind of reminded me of Isabella so much. They had so much similarities in their facial
LUCA'S POV. I wasn't sure if I'd heard properly. Had Marilyn just talked about Isabella? Isabella, my sister. How the heck did she get to know."How did you?" I started but then trailed off, stunned. "You know about Isabella?""Yes I do," Marilyn offered me a sad smile. "Wait... Isabella?"Scarlett questioned, she and her friend looking completely lost. "That's... What did he to her?"I couldn't respond. I couldn't say anything more actually. It was like my throat had gone completely tight and no sound could come out. What the heck was with that reaction?"What he did to all the other girls," Marilyn answered. "She used to work as an intern at the company, and your dad he... h-he was abusing her for the longest time.""Fuck," Scarlett gasped, voice shaking. "How? W-why was she? Oh my God... Dad is such an asshole."Abby looked horrified by the news too, she went over to offer Scarlett some comfort when she saw the was her friend was reacting. This was not good for Scarlett. She didn
LUCA'S POV. "Thanks so much for your time, officer," I reached out to shake hands with Raymond and he reciprocated. "It was my pleasure," he smiled. "I'm kinda pissed though, that that turned out so easy."I smirked at him, thinking the same. "Yeah, that was a waste of so much planning. I thought I was going to get my movie scene moment, but I guess not ..."Raymond chuckled. "Go back to your wife now. You don't want to miss anything, do you?""Yeah, sure I don't," I threw him a salute. "I'll see you when I see you then."I was about to leave but then he stopped me by saying,"Hey hold up."I turned around and rose an eyebrow. "What's up?"He gave me a weird look. "Aren't you a little bothered about what happened though, I mean you guys are related because of Scarlett.""What do you mean?""Ramson Damien?" He questioned. "You haven't heard yet? He's been arrested after several charges that have been pressed against him.""What?" I gasped. "How the fuck did I not hear of that yet?""
LUCA'S POV. "Why are you not scared?" Penelope asked, eyeing me from head to toe. I just shrugged. "You're not really very scary now that I know you're the one.""But you saw what I did to Scarlett," she sounded really pissed. "Wasn't that scary enough for you? I'm pointing a fucking gun to your head actually.""Yeah, I know," I stuffed my hands into my pocket and bounced on my toes. "I'm still not scared of you or that guy. Who is he anyways? Your lapdog?"The guy behind her growled at that and came towards me so fast to throw a punch. He landed the blow, but immediately he did, I got mad and decided that I could actually beat the shit out of him.He landed another blow to my cheek and then he tried again, but I dodged and realised that if I wanted to have the upper hand, I had to find a way to take him down. "You stop that now, tiger," Penelope warned, pointing the gun at the two of us, confused. I used the opportunity I got once the guy turned to look at her to my advantage. Ti