Page 23 of Danica's Revenge

“Nothing.We’ve spoken to all the families but nobody knows anything.”He puts a hand on my shoulder but I feel no comfort.

I imagine I must look like a complete mess, I feel like one.I haven’t showered since Dante left, my hair is tied up in a messy ponytail, thick glasses are pushed over my face.Why bother with the contact lenses now?Why bother with anything?

Luca puts an arm around me and pulls me out of the chair.He presses me against his body.I can smell the alcohol on his breath.

“It will be okay—” he starts, resting his hand on my ass.

I instantly recoil from him.

“Jesus, Luca!”I exclaim, pushing him back.

I don’t want to be near anyone and definitely not someone slimy like him.All I want is Dante.I just want Dante to hold me tight again and then everything will be okay.

Luca grabs my wrist.I glare daggers into his eyes, trying to shake loose.“Let go,” I hiss.His eyes are shifty, blood red.

Luca laughs loudly, inappropriately.“You’re so cute when you’re angry.”He doesn’t let go.I’m getting very uncomfortable now.

“Are you drunk?”

“The alcohol was just the starter,” he smiles.He’s clearly high on something,

and not the mild recreational stuff—or, if it is, he has clearly consumed more than recreational quantities.

“It hardly seems like the time, Luca,” I say sternly.

“Now is the perfect time.When the cat’s away, the mice can play.”He pulls me toward him again, reaching over to try and kiss me.I shove my hand up into his face, hitting his jaw firmly.

“Go to hell, Luca!”I shout, but I still can’t shake him loose.

“You’re being a real bitch, Danica.I thought you wanted this too?”He is annoyed, touching his fingers to his bruised cheek.

“You’ve lost your mind.All I want is your brother.”

“Well, he’s not here right now to protect you, is he?I finally get to have you all to myself.”He grabs both my wrists to hold me down.

I scream as loudly as I can muster.The library is tucked away deep within the house, but one of the guards should be around.Should be.

But it’s not the guards who hear me, it’s Alicia.She appears suddenly in the doorway, staring at us confused, frozen.Luca has me by the wrists, pinned against the wall with his muscular frame pressed against me.

Her expression is not what I expect.She looks angry for some reason rather than alarmed.

“What are you doing, Luca?”she asks calmly, too calmly, walking toward us.Luca finally lets up and I shake myself loose.

“Ali…” Luca’s face changes, the fury drains instantly from his eyes.“I was just—”

Alicia doesn’t let him finish.She grabs him by the collar, bringing his face inches from hers.“You’re fucking this up, Luca.Do you understand that?”

I might as well not be in the room.I’m beyond confused.

“I—” he tries to protest, but for the second time today, he gets a fist to the face.

“Ali, please.It’s not what it looks like.”

“Really?Because what it looks like is you chasing after what isn’t yours.Again.Can you just stop making everything worse already?”She is clearly on edge.I am still in the dark as to why, but I’m starting to suspect everything isn’t as it appears.Alicia looks like she hasn’t slept in days.

“I’m not making it worse.I’m fixing it, remember?”

“Does it lookfixedto you?When are they going to call?You said it would only be one day.That it’s just to get the money and then we’re good.It’s not one day anymore, Luca.”

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