Page 65 of The Destruction You Desire

"Maybe not, but he proved his loyalty the second I told him what had happened between us, something you failed to do for five years."

"For a reason. Leon, he's…" I raise a brow, waiting for him to continue. "I don't know. He's hiding stuff. I don't know where his head is at with all this."

"Well, I can tell you for a fact that he's dealt with it better than you have."

"Touché. Just… don't take what you see on the outside with Leon as gospel. He's good at putting on a mask and hiding everything."

"Noted."

Luca finished his breakfast while I mostly pushed mine around my plate, my stomach still too knotted to even think about eating it.

15

Luca

Things are still tense between us as we make our way to the hospital after paying for our breakfast.

Her words about not trusting me with Kayden are on repeat in my head as we stand in the elevator to get to the fifth floor.

Dr. Willis didn't say how long Libby was going to be with her doing tests and scans this morning but I know I don't stand a chance of keeping Peyton away from her sister any longer, even if we spend the rest of the day sitting in an empty room.

She needs to be here, which I understand, but I also agree with Dr. Willis that this is only the beginning. She needs to look after herself, and if she's not going to, then she can bet her ass that I'm going to do it for her.

Her scent surrounds me as we ascend through the building, and my arms twitch to reach out and pull her into me but after the things she said to me this morning, I'm reluctant.

I knew what last night was. But still, I can't help hoping that somewhere along the way she's going to start forgiving me. It's probably naïve of me, but holding her last night, waking up to her in my arms this morning. That's what I need.

If I thought watching her at work, finding stolen moments with her, calmed the chaos in my head then it was nothing compared to just being us again.

We didn't have sex again last night, although both of us were more than ready for it, instead, we just made out like old times until she finally gave in to her exhaustion.

Everything was so much easier to deal with and process everything happening between and around us when she was pressed up against me.

Now, in the stark light of day, everything comes flooding back and I'm smacked in the face with our reality again.

Libby. My father. My little brother.

There's so much that I don't even know where to start processing it.

"Ah, Peyton. Perfect timing," Dr. Willis says, as we walk into the ICU a few minutes later. "Liberty is back in her room and I'm just about to go and find out the results. I'll come and find you as soon as I have some new information."

"Thank you," Peyton whispers before racing forward.

"Hey, Sis," she says, forcing as much lightness into her tone as possible. It seems like a wasted effort to me seeing as Liberty is still unconscious but whatever makes any of this easier.

Peyton pulls one of the chairs closer to her sister's bedside and once again clutching her hand in hers.

"Would you like another coffee?" I ask, knowing that this is going to be another long day.

"Sure, if you want," Peyton says without even looking at me.

"Okay. I'll be back in a bit."

I leave with a heavy heart, stopping beside the little window to watch her before I go in search of the nearest coffee machine.

"How's she doing?" one of the nurses who's been looking after Libby asks.

"She's…" Lifting my hand to my hair, I push the strands back, glancing through the window once more. "I don't know. She's strong but… I'm worried about her."