Page 71 of Worship

“Already handled,” Dante replies.

Dom shakes his head again and says to Dante, “Will you please tell him to stop being such a pussy and just talk to the woman.” I look between them, seeing where this is headed.

“Luca, he’s right. Plus, that guy’s such a dick. You got dumped for a dick.” He chuckles, and I throw my drink back, unamused.

I put the empty glass on the table that’s been decorated for a feast.

“She didn’t dump me for that jackass. She left me because she thinks my wife blew me in a sex club.”

A grin grows on his face at how fucking ridiculous it all is. Jesus, I’ve gotten myself into a monumental mess.

Dante doesn’t hold back his laughter and reaches out to pat my face.

“You really are an asshole.”

I smack his hand away, and Dom pats my shoulder, nodding in agreement.

“I hate you both,” I say flatly.

Dom waggles his eyebrows. “You love us, ya dick.”

“Yeah, I do.” I let out a breath. “And I love her.”

I watch Gretchen laugh at something with Drew. “More than my fucking life. And I don’t know how long I can sit here and watch her next to Mikey.” I crack my neck, hoping to relieve the frustration. “I can’t watch him put his fucking paws all over her. This is torture.”

Dante takes me by the shoulder and turns us so we are looking right at Gretchen and Mikey.

“No, è karma. Dovrai vederlo come quando Gretchen ha visto quello che hai fatto. Ma ora, sai che la scopera ‘alla fine della ote. Mikey sta per sostituirti.”Nah, it’s karma. You gotta watch like she did. But now you know he’s gonna fuck her at the end of the night. He’s gonna fucking replace you.

Dante’s words are dark and feed my worry that it’s all true. They travel to the piece of me that I’m so good at keeping quiet until needed.

“Do youwanthim dead?” I ask coldly, my anger gathering.

Dom speaks in his place.

“No. But Luca, you need to be reminded of who you are and that you feel. Get your fucking head in the game—losing her means losing yourself.”

He’s never been more on the money. I feel like I’ve lost myself, because I rolled over and accepted the idea that I’d lost her.

My brothers are twisted, but it was exactly the reminder I needed. I’ve been wallowing, blaming her for mistrusting me, hating her for her unwillingness to love me blindly. But seeing her like this, with him, I’m stewing in my assumptions just like she did. I never gave her a reason to trust me because I withheld the truth. I need to bring her in—all fucking in.

I cross my arms over my chest and look over at my brothers smugly.

“Okay. I got it. Enough now.”

Drew peeks her head outside.

“Boys, dinner.”

She smiles as she opens the door and the rest of the party begins to file outside, remarking at how beautifully decorated the room is.

But I go in the opposite direction, swiping my glass from the table and locking eyes with Gretchen. I tilt my head toward the bar inside, and she shakes hers at me. My jaw tenses, and I change direction, heading directly to where she’s standing with Mikey.

“We need to talk,” I huff, stopping right in front of them.

“Excuse me, what’s going on?” Mikey says to me, but I’m speaking to Gretchen, so I don’t look at him.

Her eyes are full of worry, but she looks up at Mikey calmly.