Chapter 0315

“You were shocked?” Jesse asks, stepping forward, wanting more details.

“Yes!” Luca says, almost shouting in his need to be believed. “She was asking me about the match, and life at the Academy, and then she just dropped the question about my mate in there casual as hell! I think she knew I was going to be shocked – wanted to surprise me! And if you read the way it’s written in the article – that I blushed, and stumbled over my words – that was all me having no idea that this was coming!”

Rafe and Jesse just glare, not buying it not yet.

“Do you think I don’t know how much this fucks things up for her!?” Luca says, gesturing towards me now and then looking into my face, ignoring my brother and my cousin now, knowing that this is – deep down – about us. “Ariel,” he says, stepping forward, though Rafe puts out a hand to stop him from getting to me knowing that my judgment is compromised by physical touch with my mates.

Luca glares at Rafe for a second but then gives in, dropping his hand and looking at me again. “Ariel, I would never do that to you,” he says, pressing his hands to his heart and willing me to believe him. “I know that this is not my story alone – that you have a right to hold your secrets, and that you live a very private life on purpose! You have to believe me.”

And as Luca stares at me with his big brown eyes, passing all his love and carnestness and truth down the bond to me – I believe him. I do, instantly. There’s just…no room for deception here – he’s too raw, too open.