His Twisted Heart by Ellie R Hunter
Chapter Fourteen
Victoria
Iclimb into the back of the car. Luca throws me a smirk over his shoulder, and Lily mutters a greeting I don’t quite catch.
The gun is cold and hard against my skin as I lean back and pull it out of my pocket. Now’s definitely not the time to tell him I’m pregnant. After leaving him this afternoon, I took a test I found in the bathroom cabinet, and came close to screaming when it confirmed I was with child.
Sitting forward, I ask, “Lily, can I ask you a question?”
“Go on, then,” she replies with a sigh.
“Are you jealous of Alannah?”
Luca keeps his eyes on the road, but I know he’s listening intently.
“What do I have to be jealous about?”
“That she’s had Cas all these years. He was a dad to her boys, and she hasn’t had to worry about money or putting food on the table. She had it all, and still has his love.”
She looks to Luca and snaps, “Just get me home. The two of you give me a headache.”
Luca swings the car to the side of the road and brakes sharply, jolting us all forward.
Reaching his hand back, I pass him the gun.
Lily immediately goes for the door, but Luca’s faster. As soon as he locks her in, she starts screaming.
Seeing her fear take over, I tell myself Luca promised she wouldn’t actually be hurt, and I keep my mouth shut.
Luca’s hand shoots out and slams over her mouth. There’s no one around to hear her, anyway.
“Shut up,” he snarls. “I’ve tried warning you, but you never listened. Tonight is your last chance to leave, or I will fucking shoot you and get rid of you myself.” His hand slips down her chin and he brings the gun up, resting the barrel against her lips.
“Open your mouth,” he instructs.
I’m not sure if it’s out of fear, or if she doesn’t know she’s doing it, but her mouth opens, and he slides the tip of the gun inside. Her body trembles, she’s so terrified. I turn my attention to Luca, and I see no hesitation, nor a flicker of remorse in his eyes. Only the violent desire to run this woman out of town.
“I told you not to underestimate me, and you thought you knew better. This is your fault. Now, are you going to listen to me, or do I have to put a bullet in your skull and spend my night digging your grave before I go make nice with my shiny new sister?”
She bobs her head up and down repeatedly. When he’s satisfied with her response, he pulls the gun out of her mouth, bringing with it a string of her saliva.
“Now apologise to me.”
“W-What?”
“You fucking heard me. Apologise to me.”
“For what?”
“For making me do that. For making my mom cry when you’re a worthless nobody. For fucking existing.”
“I-I’m s-sorry.”
“I don’t think you mean it, but it’ll have to do.”
I rub my hand over my stomach. The thought of telling Luca I’m pregnant tonight makes me more nauseous than the morning sickness I’ve had to endure over the last couple of days.
There’s no way I can tell him I’m pregnant while he’s in this mood. Even after Lily has left, he’s going to be riding high on his success of getting rid of her for a long while. What if he turns on me? It’s not like we’re old enough to have a baby. It’s not even like he’s in love with me, or that we’d be one big happy family. This is all so messed up.
Luca starts the car and pulls away from the side of the road, pushing the gas until I’m forced back in my seat.
“Where am I supposed to go?” Lily whimpers, her eyes wide as she stares over at Luca.
“I don’t care. It’s not my problem.”
“I don’t have any money. I won’t get far.”
“Open the glove compartment. You’ll find an envelope with enough to start over.”
I watch her remove the envelope and open it up.
“Ten thousand dollars. Anymore just makes you a greedy bitch, as well as a liar.”
Luca turns onto Lily’s street and idles outside her house.
“You have one hour. If you’re not gone by then, you won’t live to see another sunrise, I promise you that.”
I hope she fucking listens and takes heed of his threat.
“I swear to God, the moment you step one foot into this town again, I’ll blow your fucking head off.”
“Slade—”
“Slade doesn’t scare me, nor does anyone at the club. Underestimate that, and you’ll find your death faster than you will another man to slide between your legs.”
Flinging the door open, she jumps from the car and runs into the house. I climb into the front seat and wish I hadn’t. A puddle of wetness soaks through my skirt and I shriek.
“She pissed herself! It’s all over me!”
Luca’s reaction is to laugh. However, I do not find it funny in the slightest.
Pushing my skirt down my legs, I leave it in a heap in the footwell and climb into the back again.
That’s absolutely disgusting, but under the circumstances, it’s understandable.
“If she pissed herself, that means she believed me.”
“You forced a gun into her mouth, Luca. Anyone would believe you. Anyway, what are we going to do now?”
“We’re going to wait and make sure she leaves. Hold on…”
I look in the direction he’s smiling in to see Lily running out of the house with a suitcase so hastily, she doesn’t lock the door behind her.
Stopping at her gate, she looks at us and quickly turns, making her way up the street as fast as her legs will carry her.
She catches the last bus out of town, and it’s only then that Luca closes his eyes and leans back against the headrest.
“You have a beautiful face, Luca—the face of an angel. But you have the soul of the devil. You’re going to have to find the balance before you cross a line you can’t come back from.”
“Who says I’d want to come back from it?”
Leaning forward, I rest my chin on the edge of his seat. Running my finger down his arm, he keeps his eyes on the road.
“One day, Luca, you might find you have regrets, and you’ll have no choice but to live with them, never being able to outrun them.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
I check the clock above Mom’s head as she cooks breakfast. Luca and the Jacksons were leaving early this morning for their trip to Mercy. They should be at least a couple of hours away by now.
Powering up my phone, I scroll through my messages and click on the thread for Luca. I know he deletes my messages, but I’ve kept every one of his. I like to read through them from time to time.
My fingers fly over the keypad.
Me:Have you left?
“How many sausages do you want, honey?” Mom asks, hovering at my side with the pan.
“Just one, please.”
I can’t stomach much more. She dumps a spoonful of eggs onto my plate before moving on to the ones set out around the table. And with the smell of food comes my dad, the twins, and my grandpa.
Grandpa kisses my mom’s cheek and throws me a wink before taking his seat.
Dad and the twins barely have time to wash their hands before breakfast is served.
My phone pings with a reply from Luca.
Luca: An hour ago. The journey is killing me already. We’ve stopped for Dad.
Me: I have something to tell you, and you’re not going to be happy.
Luca: Just tell me.
“What’s wrong with you? You’re pale, and your hands are shaking.”
Grandpa doesn’t miss a trick, but I have to tell Luca before I change my mind.