Page 92 of Drown in You

Violet pats my hand. “I’m sure he’s okay.”

“I don’t know,” Juliet says. “That fall probably rattled his brain.”

Judging by the staff’s demeanor, it’s not too serious. Hopefully nothing more than dehydration or hyperthermia or low blood pressure. As soon as they seem satisfied that he’s okay and leave him to recover, I stand and rush down the bleachers.

Even though I know he’s still lying to me about being Ten, I can’t stop caring about him. Worrying about him. I wish I could close my heart off to him, have some standards and stop loving the man who keeps lying to me. If he’s willing to lie about something as major as this, who knows what else he’s willing to lie about. How will I ever be able to trust him when he refuses to tell me the truth?

At this point, I don’t even care about him putting on a mask and lying about his name and location. We were fifteen—he made a dumb, impulsive decision to get me to talk to him. If he’d talked to me as Luke, I could’ve easily traced his social media back to his mother and then found out about her relationship with my father. If I’d known that, I might not have been willing to open up to Luke at all. We might’ve never become friends.

I could forgive that. I could probably even forgive him for keeping up the lie for years. But not coming clean when we met at the hotel? Leading me to believe we were strangers and fucking me when he knew exactly who I was? Lying to my face when I finally had the guts to confront him about it, even after I’ve divulged all my secrets to him?

I’m not sure how I’ll be able to forgive him for that. For now, I’ll let him think I’m still in the dark. Let him think I bought the lie until I find solid proof that Luke and Ten really are the same person. He won’t be able to lie to me again when I have evidence he can’t deny. Then I’ll finally, finally get the truth.

After that...I’ll have to decide whether his reason for lying to me for so long is forgivable.

When I finally reach the bench, Luke’s gray eyes light up. “Hey, sweetheart.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m okay. A lot better with you here.” His radiant smile turns my knees to jelly, and I’m not sure whether I love it or hate it now. He casts his gaze at the audience behind me. “Not worried what people will think about you running to check on your stepbrother?”

“I don’t care.” The honesty surprises even me. For the first time, I really don’t give a shit what anyone thinks. Not about me and Luke. Not about me loving him.

“Hey!” Juliet runs up to us, white gold jewelry jangling with every frantic step. It isn’t fear written across her face—it’s horror. She holds out her phone. “Someone posted a video of you two on the Devils’ social media page.”

My heart leaps into my throat. “What video?”

“Everyone’s seeing it. You need to get it taken down. Now.”

Luke grabs the phone from Juliet’s outstretched hand before muttering, “Shit.”

I peer over his shoulder to watch the video. My stomach plummets to my feet.

The video was filmed in the small space of a partially open door. In the bathroom, Luke kneels before me while I writhe on the sink in front of him with my legs spread. There’s no mistaking Luke’s face when he grabs his mask and straightens.

Someone took that video while we were at the party. While he was eating me in the bathroom with the door still open.

My cheeks are on fire. Anyone could see this video. It’s posted to the Devils’ public social media page. Everyone can watch me come on my stepbrother’s tongue.

Luke tosses the phone back to Juliet before taking off. “I’m finding the equipment manager. We’re getting that shit taken down now.”

I cover my mouth. “Marcus.”

Juliet’s blue eyes widen. “You think Marcus did this?”

I nod, tears brimming. “He knew about me and Luke. I didn’t know how, but...he was there at the party. I thought I recognized his eyes beneath the mask, but I never thought...”

Juliet throws her arms around me, pulling me close as I break down, crying into her shoulder. “He won’t get away with this,” she promises, but it’s too late.

He already has.

Marcus found me and Luke in the bathroom together. He filmed us and waited for the perfect opportunity to get his revenge.

To destroy my life, just like he promised.

Chapter 25

Luke

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