Page 101 of The Destruction You Desire

"It's time you pay for your inability to keep your trashy little mouth shut."

Brett grabs my chin, his fingers digging into my skin until it stings.

"I'm really going to enjoy this, darlin'. I'll enjoy it even more when he kicks your traitorous ass to the curb."

"He wouldn't. They wouldn't."

"Willing to bet on that, darlin'?"

22

Luca

"Hey," I say, poking my head into Libby's hospital room and only finding the patient herself inside. I'm already on edge after finding a message on my cell from my father a few hours ago telling me that he was in town and wanted to see me. "Peyton not here?"

"Not yet, no. Aunt Fee said she was on her way after popping into work or something."

"She's going to work?" I ask, my heart rate picking up at just the thought of her walking in there after the conversation I had with Julian yesterday. Add Brett into the mix and fear races through me faster than I can control.

"Yeah, why?"

"Fuck," I bark.

"Luca?" she shouts as I bolt for the door. "What's wrong?"

"Hopefully nothing. I'll be back."

I take off running, my body trembling as I move. I fly down the stairs, using the handrail to help me take the corners at breakneck speed and nearly colliding with more than one other person. I'm too lost in my own head to care or apologize as I race from the hospital and toward my car that I only just parked.

"Damn it, Lee. Answer your goddamn cell," I shout, slamming my palms down on the wheel, running my second stoplight as I speed my way across town toward The Locker Room.

I slam my foot on the brake with my car blocking the entrance to the club. The sight of my father's Porsche in the lot makes me want to puke.

"Luca. Twice in two days. I'm gonna start getting used to—"

"Where is she?" I bark, cutting off his greeting.

"Uh… out back with Julian."

"Fuck," I bark, running toward the back door.

"W-what’s wrong?"

I don't stand around long enough to answer his question, instead I storm through the door making it slam so hard against the wall behind me that I'm surprised it doesn't fly off its hinges.

The sight of Julian's closed office door doesn't make me feel any better about what's going on inside.

Grabbing the handle, I twist and slam my shoulder against it, expecting it to swing open. So when it doesn't budge, anger and fear like I've never experienced before surges through me and takes control of my body.

I slam my weight against the door over and over until the wood splinters and I fly into the room.Immediately my anger has reached its boiling point after seeing the position they have Peyton in.

"Get your motherfucking hands off her," I scream, launching myself at my father, twisting my fingers in his shirt and dragging him back from where he has Peyton pinned against Julian's desk.

"Oh, hey, Son. Come to join the party?" he asks with a smirk that I want to rip from his face.

"I'm not your son, you sick fuck."

The crunch of his nose beneath my fist feels better than any other punch I've landed in my life.