Page 77 of Shiver

Luca claps once more, beaming at his phone. “Alright, ladies, you all did an incredible job. I’m sorry for the lack of a live class today, but we made it work. Everyone, give a huge round of applause to Brandi. Not only does she flawlessly execute every job she’s given, but today, that includes camerawoman too.”

They all cheer, clapping enthusiastically, and it clicks.

Charice.

Brandi.

Luca is the one teaching the women at the shelter self-defense lessons. And according to Brandi, he has been foryears.

Shock continues to ripple through me, but I have to get out of here before I’m caught.

Releasing the handle, I spin toward the direction of our room and haul ass out of here, my mind left reeling with this new information.

I’m the worst person ever because Luca is clearly the best.

Chapter sixty

Luca

Class went better than I’d anticipated with the tiny screen on my phone, but Samara showing up was quite the surprise.

She clearly hadn’t wanted to get caught, and I had no desire to embarrass her, especially not in front of the women at the shelter.

Women she knows, I remind myself, thinking about what Brandi had told me about her good deeds.

If only her family knew about that side of her, maybe they’d be less likely to make her feel like shit for not having a partner and children yet. She already sacrifices so much of herself for others to have the opportunities that they make her feel horrible for not having. And from what she’s told me, she definitelydoeswant those things.

Regardless of whether they know or not, there’s zero excuse for the way they make her feel, and if they aren’t careful, I’ll be letting them knowexactlyhow I feel about it.

As I head back to our room, I make sure to walk slowly, allowing Samara time to get herself together and pretend she hadn’t just spent the last half hour eavesdropping on my class.

Little does she know, I always know when she’s around. I canfeelher presence the moment she enters a room. And when her eyes are on me? It nearly burns me alive.

Chapter sixty-one

Samara

It takes Luca a lot longer to get back to the room than I’d expected, but I’m thankful for that.

The extra time allowed me the space I needed to calm my heart rate and drop my ass onto one of these lounge chairs by our private pool so I could pretend to have been out here this whole time.

Luca slides the door open, poking his head out. His eyes dance with mischief, and his smirk sends my gut into a tailspin. “You enjoying your book, princess?” he asks.

“Yep, it’s really great.”

His hand slips out from behind his back, holding onto the book in question as he wags it around, taunting me.

He stalks toward me, and I’m stunned.

Goddamnit.

Luca lowers, his lips ghosting over mine. “Looks like you forgot this,” he says, his minty breath coasting my lips and sending a chill down my spine despite the lack of wind out here.

He presses the book to my lap and straightens. “I’m gonna get washed up. Your surprise will be here soon,” he tells me, winking over his shoulder before heading back inside.

Surprise?

Twenty minutes later, Luca still hasn’t left the bathroom, and I’m starting to get anxious. The phone rings in the room, and when I answer, it’s my mom’s voice that sounds through the line. “Mara, how was your excursion today?” she asks, sounding ten times better than she had this morning.

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