Page 61 of The Retaliation You Deliver

Then, both Luca and Mom glance up at me from their seats on the counter with matching apprehensive expressions on their faces.

“Don’t stop on my behalf.”

“We weren’t talking about you,” Mom argues.

“Sure.”

As I close the distance between us, Luca stands from his stool and walks toward me.

“I’m sorry, but I had to—”

“It’s okay,” I say, opening my arms and pulling him in for a hug. “I’m glad you did.” He hesitates for a second before his hand lands on my back.

“Where’s Peyton?” I ask, noting her absence.

“She’s helping get Libby set up at the rehab facility.”

“She’s finally been discharged?” I ask, a genuine smile pulling at my lips.

“Yep. Fingers crossed this next stage of her recovery is as easy.”

I nod at him. “You coming with us?”

“To the arcade? Hell yeah.” He slaps me on the shoulder. “Come on, bro. Let’s go be normal for a change.”

I walk out of the house with Luc and Mom and for the first time in a long time, a little bit of hope flutters in my belly.

Maybe there is a future for me in spite of my dark past.

11

Macie

Ifelt guilty as hell calling Letty in the middle of the night, but there was no way I was getting into a taxi wearing only Leon’s blood-stained shirt, and I also knew that I couldn’t stay.

I might have drifted off to sleep quite easily but that was only because of the alcohol and the fact I was exhausted. The second I woke with a start, realization slamming into me, I knew I couldn’t be there when he woke up.

By some miracle I managed to slip out of the tight hold he had on me and silently padded across the room without waking him.

I ignored my ruined dress and opted for his shirt instead. I regretted it the second I pulled it over my head and found myself surrounded by his intoxicating scent. But I knew I had no other choice.

I dialled Letty’s number and prayed that she’d answer. My other option was Nate or Charlie and I really didn’t want to get them involved and stuck in the middle of all of this. Nate has already had to deal with Leon’s anger, that’s more than enough. Letty knows though. She understands. And I knew she knew she’d pick me up looking like the car crash that I was, not judging me for a second.

There’s something so refreshing about just being in her presence and I was so freaking relieved when she answered her cell on the third ring and told me that she’d be here in less than thirty minutes. I was even more relieved when she turned up alone. I trust Letty, which means I trust Kane, but equally, I didn’t need him seeing me like this.

The second she pulled up in front of the hotel, I ran from the dark corner I’d hidden myself in and jumped into her car.

And as if she knew just how desperately I needed to get away, she floored the accelerator and got the hell out of there.

I had no idea if she should have been driving. She was drinking at the party and I don’t know how much she actually had.

She didn’t speak for the longest time, she just allowed me to drown in my own regrets after the events of the night. All she did was reach her hand over and squeeze mine tightly as she drove us across town.

When she did speak, she didn’t ask what had happened, how I ended up in his bloody shirt or why I was running, she just simply asked if I wanted to go back to theirs instead of going to the dorms.

But as tempting as hiding in her apartment was, I knew it was wrong.

I told her to bring me back here, and she did. And it wasn’t until we were safely inside my room after she insisted on walking me up that I broke down and told her everything.