Page 38 of Worship
“Hell yes. How is that even a question?”
I look at the phone system in my car, dumbfounded by her thinking that’s even a question.
For the next fifteen minutes of my drive, Drew tells me Luca’s whole story. How he met Shelby at Church, the sex club, during a wild night and married her months later after she showed up pregnant.
She tells me how hard trust is for Luca because so much of his life has been ripped from him, from his parents’ deaths to whatever mysterious fallout happened with his uncle. She says that Dominic always worries and hopes that Luca will lead a life that’s not as “complicated” as his own. I understand that to mean a life away from their mafia ties.
All of what she says takes up space inside of me, as if his sadness is my own. I get it—I understand how all the disappointments compound until you start to expect them, but they always sting. It doesn’t matter that he thinks he sees them coming, he’ll always have the wind knocked out of him each time it happens. He’s hurting, but this man is the definition of complicated.
I interrupt Drew as I park my car and get out in the garage of my apartment building.
“What’s his deal with Shelby now? It’s clear something’s happened. I don’t believe he’s a guy that just cheats on his unsuspecting happy wife.”
“Oh, something happened. And no, Luca is the most stand-up, loyal man I know besides Dominic. Gretchen, Shelby’s been cheating on him. No, cheating isn’t the right word. She’s fucked all of Chicago because Luca was just a meal ticket for her.”
I call the elevator for my floor, listening to what Drew’s saying.
“He onlygave into marrying her; it was never his idea. He tried for Ella and devoted himself to trying to fall in love with the mother of his child. He allowed himself to be vulnerable, and she rubbed his nose in it.”
My free hand fists my side. I want to gut her for this. I can’t believe someone could be so terrible as to manipulate another person that way, but what really makes me sick is how she used Ella.
“Does she even spend time with her kid?”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. This topic is sensitive to me; I don’t really want to welcome Ella into the “my mom doesn’t give a shit” club.
Drew’s voice grows somber.
“No, G, she barely knows her. It was clear to Dom way before Luca caught on. That’s what’s so heartbreaking—I swear I saw a light go out inside of Luca when he found everything out at the hospital.”
When Luca was attacked, Shelby was on vacation and refused to come back right away. When she did, she immediately consulted the lawyers and wouldn’t let anyone bring Ella to see Luca. I was unfortunately privy to that information, being that I was in the room most of the two days Luca was unconscious, with Drew.
“That stupid fucking bitch. She better pray I never see her.”
I’ve never felt the kind of hatred for a person as I do right now. I pull out my house key, now that I’m on my floor, and unlock my front door.
“Same,” Drew agrees. “But I don’t think that will be a problem because Luca told Dom earlier that he kicked her out.”
I turn on my lights and toss my purse on the first available stack of boxes.
“Out, out?”
I toe off my shoes and push them next to the couch as I walk to the fridge for water.
“I guess. I didn’t ask.”I’ll kill her for not asking.
I open the cabinet next to the fridge, grab the first available mug and begin to fill it with water.
“Wow. I don’t know what to say…”
She sighs dramatically.
“Have I given you more reason to try and steal him right out from under her?”
I don’t answer right away. Instead I look down at the mug that says “World’s Best Dad” and remember this morning. The man is such a force, so strong-willed and unforgiving, pushy and too honest. But he’s also tender, and when he shines his light on me, I feel special, seen, and cared for.
I don’t take my eyes from the mug as I answer.
“I can’t steal what already belongs to me.”
