Page 79 of Mine

“I told her to run,” he whispered, his eyes hardening. “She didn’t. They dragged her upstairs. I tried to stop them. But they were men, Gretchen. I was too young. I lied to you before—I didn’t run...But they weren’t about to let me stop them. They punched me hard enough to knock me out. When I came to, there were police everywhere.”

I realized tears were running down my face.

He was struggling now, his face creased with emotion. “She never told them we were seeing each other. The police guessed I had a part in it.”

I swallowed, barely able to breathe as I imagined a young Cal going through this.

“I had a good lawyer. Lucia survived, but only just. She can never have children and she doesn’t leave her house. She has no life, not really,” his voice was filled with remorse and agony. “I admitted to taking part in the robbery, but not what happened to her. Not that ever,” he said with disgust. “So yeah, Verno was Lucia’s old man. He wanted me dead. In his eyes, even if I didn’t touch her, I didn’t help her either.”

I reached out and held his hand, and he looked at me in surprise. “Go on,” I pleaded. My voice was broken, but I wanted him to tell me everything.

“I got a fine and a caution. I was the youngest. Four of the men went to prison for what they did. They got five fucking years. It was a mockery of the justice system. So Verno created his own justice system. They died in jail,” he said this without emotion.

“So, Andre?” I asked, “What did he do?”

Cal’s face changed to that of hatred. “He was vile, Raven, really fucking bad. To the core. He went on the run. I never heard from him or saw him until today. He was the worst of them all—what he did to her—" he shook his head as if it would erase the memory. “It was just me and him left, and Verno wanted us both dead.”

I stared at him, trying to process everything he had just told me. I reached forward and drank my milkshake in a few gulps.

I wish it was wine.

Cal observed me before he spoke. “He must’ve found out she was my...girlfriend.”

He looked like he was in physical pain.

I couldn’t even comprehend what he was telling me.

We sat in silence as I absorbed what he had said.

“So that’s why you killed him today,” I whispered, my voice lower than a whisper.

He didn’t confirm this, but he didn’t have to. His face said it all.

“He would have hurt you, Gretchen. I couldn’t let that happen again—no way. I just couldn’t. What he is capable of—"

He closed his eyes as his hand tightened around mine.

Cal had killed a man.

Forme.

For Lucia, too, I realized.

He had killed an awful man, who would have killed us both if given the chance.

“So, the body—” I started before Cal placed a finger to his lips to silence me.

“Will be removed. I have to go back to meet with Verno. I have to end this, baby.”

What? Is he insane? Verno will kill him!

“No, Cal.No. I’m going with you,” I stammered, wondering why I was saying this.

Love is blind and fucking stupid, too.

His eyes met mine, ice cold as I sat back in fear. “No, Gretchen, you’re not. This isnotup for debate. I need you to be safe. I also need you to know how much I love you, okay? No matter what,” his eyes burned into mine as he grabbed my hand and squeezed it. “I can’t believe what you had to see today. I amsosorry. Sofuckingsorry. I think you need time to process—”

This time I snapped. “No.No, I don’t. Because you don’t get to choose who you fall in love with. I fuckinglove you. Yousaved me.”