Page 58 of The Vengeance You Crave

"Peyton?" he breathes in total disbelief.

"Hey, how's it going? You need to put that asshole on a leash."

"Shit," he breathes, lifting his hand to the back of his neck. "Fuck. How are you?" he asks, showing more concern in that one question than Luca has since the moment he found me in The Locker Room before the holidays.

"I… I'm leaving." I sidestep him and am almost free when his hand shoots out, wrapping around my wrist and stopping me.

"Has he hurt you?" Leon whispers, his brows drawing together in concern.

"It's probably best you stay out of it. It's over now, anyway. Bye, Lee."

"Peyton, wait." Luca’s voice sends a violent shudder racing through me.

I hate myself for it, but for some reason, my body still reacts to him quicker than my head.

"I'm sorry about your mom."

I wait for another second as a ball of emotion climbs up my throat once more before I take off.

It might be early January but it's already late enough in the day that I don't immediately freeze, only being in Luca's hoodie.

I'm at my car and safely inside in only minutes. I hit the lock button and open my purse, needing to know what Aunt Fee's response was to me not coming back this weekend before I rock up at home looking like this.

Aunt Fee: You deserve to let your hair down, Peyton. Enjoy yourself. Don't worry about a thing.

"Easier said than done, Aunt Fee," I mutter to myself as I quickly scan the messages I've received from Letty after not responding to her first one that Luca read out to me.

I don't reply. I can't. What the hell would I even say? I can hardly tell her the truth.Or maybe you should, a little voice shouts. Maybe she'll be able to fill in some of the gaps I have with how my sweet caring Luca turned into the monster who's locked me up this weekend.

16

Luca

"You need to start fucking talking," Leon demands after watching Peyton flee from the pool house like her ass was on fire.

"Fuck you, Lee. I don't owe you an explanation for anything."

"You did just see Peyton, your old girlfriend, run from this place wearing nothing but your hoodie and looking like hell, right? Or am I fucking imagining things?"

"It's none of your business," I say, finally pulling my shirt on.

"Like hell, it's not. What the fuck is going on?"

"Nothing." Stuffing my wallet and cell into my pocket, I barge past him.

"You're not just running away from this, Luca."

"Fucking watch me."

I'm out of the pool house before he catches up to me, his palms landing on my shoulder blades and forcing me forward. I stumble but manage to catch myself before I face-plant on the ground.

"What the hell?" I boom, somehow managing to dodge his first punch. Sadly, I'm not as on the ball for the second one and his fist connects with my jaw.

"Fucking asshole." Surging forward, I plant my first hit into his stomach, causing him to double over so I can get the upper hand.

The two of us go at it like we haven't in a very long time and it's not until one of the Kappas notice and emerge from the house that we're finally dragged apart.

"You're fucking everything up, Luc," Leon hisses at me through his heaving breaths.