CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

 

Luca

 

I CLENCH MY JAW AND wait for Dad to finish showing me the used bike he bought off a friend that he’s going to rebuild. My patience is wearing thin, but I’d hate to burst his excited bubble. He’s been wanting a bike for years.

We’re in the garage, which means we’re not in the backyard where I can keep an eye on Jules and Theo. When I saw Jules talking to Aria and the expression on their faces, I knew something was wrong. I wanted to go to them, but Jules’s small headshake told me she had it under control and she didn’t need me. I still kept my eyes on them, so I saw the shift in their mood and was relieved when they both went into the house with smiles on their faces.

My eyes immediately tracked Theo as soon as they were gone, making sure his ass stayed outside and nowhere near the house. I’ve seen the way the motherfucker has been eyeing her. Like he wants to hurt her just as much as he wants to fuck her. And he says I went off my rocker all those years ago when I attacked Jules. That may be the case, but the looks he’s been shooting toward us both seriously make me doubt his sanity. I want nothing more than to pound his fucking face into the concrete patio, but I’ve kept my cool for the sake of everyone here.

The air has been tense, and I know my parents, Ella, and Vicki have felt it. They know something went down between Jules and Theo, just not what that something was. Ella has more of a clue than the others, but none of them have said anything yet. I’ve kept my distance from Jules as much as possible to not alert anyone, but fuck, it’s been hard. I can feel the anxious vibes coming off her, and I fucking hate not being able to reassure her.

“Dad,” I call, interrupting his spill about the engine he plans to buy next. “I’m gonna go check to see if Mom needs any help. The turkey should be done soon.”

“Yeah, yeah. I guess you’re right,” he mumbles, then covers the bike back with a tarp.

When we walk back through the gate leading to the backyard, my eyes scan around looking for Jules. I spot Aria talking with Ella and Vicki, but don’t see her. When I don’t find Theo either, warning bells start screaming in my head and my blood runs cold.

“Where’s Theo?” I bark to Mom as she puts a roll of paper towels down on the patio table.

“He went inside a few minutes ago to check on the turkey.” She frowns. “Why? What’s wrong?”

I don’t answer her because I’m rushing up the steps to the back door. He’s not in the kitchen or the living room when I look, and neither is Jules. I jerk my head around when I hear a noise in the back of the house. My feet are moving in that direction when I hear my dad call my name. Ignoring him, I pound down the hallway to the bathroom where there’s a light coming from beneath the door. I try the knob, but it’s locked. I’m just about to knock when I hear a whimper, then a muted growl.

Rage, pure and unencumbered, fills my system as I realize Theo’s in there with her doing God knows fucking what. I step back, and without warning, ram my shoulder against the door. It splinters open and what I see has my blood running so fucking hot with a violent need to murder my own brother.

He has Jules pinned to the sink, her arms held behind her back. Blood’s running down her pale face so fast that she can barely keep upright, while he has his sick fucking dick in his hand trying to push it inside her. The mirror in front of her is shattered, and I see specks of blood on the jagged pieces.

The shock hasn’t left his face from me busting the door in before an animalistic roar leaves my lips, and I grab the bastard by the back of his shirt, jerking him away. My fist connects with his nose and warm blood immediately starts rushing out. I hear screams behind me, but I pay them no mind as I land another punch to Theo’s stomach. He tries to double over in pain, but I hold him up by gripping his neck. When I have him standing again, I look into his eyes, showing him with mine that he’s made a big mistake. Blood drips from the corner of his mouth and his face is pinched in pain. When my face comes into his line of sight, he bares his blood-covered teeth.

“I’m going to fucking kill you,” I seethe at him and squeeze his throat, cutting off more of his oxygen.

The little fucking asshole smirks. “Do your best, but it’ll never change the fact that I’ve already had her,” he wheezes out.

Rearing back my fist, I ram it into the side of his sneering face. There’s more screams behind me, and I feel an arm trying to tug me back, but I’m so far into my rage that I jerk it free and smash my fist over and over into Theo’s face. No matter how many times I hit him, the need to do more damage grows. I want him dead at my feet. He’s my twin brother, but I want him fucking lifeless for touching Jules.

His weight drops, and I follow him to the floor, his head hitting the bathtub. Arms band around my chest and pull me back. I snarl and fight against them, but this time they manage to hold me. I kick out and gnash my teeth when my boot connects with his ribs. It’s not fucking enough though. I want more.

“Let me go,” I snarl to who I know is dad when I see his tattooed arm.

He pulls me out of the bathroom and slams me against the wall. “Goddammit, Luca. Stop!” he barks at me, his face red and the veins in his temple bulging.

“He fucking touched her,” I grit. “He fucking hurt her. Was going to rape her.”

“And he’s paying for it,” he growls back.

“Not. Fucking. Enough.” I pronounce each word slowly.

I’m wired as hell and my chest pumps up and down as I glare at Dad.

“This isn’t about you or Theo anymore. It’s about Jules.”

It’s her name that has me closing my eyes and trying to rein in my furious need to go back and finish what I started, but when I do, all I see is her face. The blood, the fear, the pain, and the helpless fucking look in her eyes. I shake my head, pushing the images away before anger takes over again. I pull in a deep breath, open my eyes, and meet Dad’s incensed gaze. Vicki’s standing beside him now, her expression no less irate than Dad’s.

“You need to go get Theo out of there,” she tells Dad. Her eyes move to me. “I’ve got him.”

Under different circumstances, her statement would be funny. She and I both know if I wanted in that bathroom, nothing, especially not her, would stop me. The only thing holding me back is knowing Jules is in there too.

With a final look at me, Dad stalks away and into the bathroom. It grates on my fucking nerves hearing Dad shuffle around in the small room and hearing his mutters as he talks to Theo. A minute later, Dad walks out first, his gaze shooting to me, before a limping Theo comes out. Dad tries to block my view of him, but I see the bastard anyway. His back is to me, but I still bare my teeth and a growl emits from my throat. When Theo stops in the hallway, I silently dare him to turn around.

Dad shoves him forward. “Keep fucking moving, boy,” he growls.

My glare stays on their retreating backs until they’re out of view. I look down to Vicki.

“He doesn’t leave this house with Aria. Got it?”

It only takes her a second before she’s giving me a tight nod and walking down the hallway in the direction Dad and Theo went. I twist my head from side-to-side to help relieve some of the tension in the muscles, take another deep breath, and go to the bathroom. What greets me has my stomach feeling like it’s full of razor blades. Ella is in the bathtub, her legs spread open as she holds Jules in her protective arms. Her face is in Ella’s neck, her knees drawn up to her chest, and she’s got a death grip on Ella’s shirt. I can see the blood on Ella’s shirt from the cuts on her head.

Never in my whole fucking life has something hurt so damn much as watching Jules cling to Ella. My chest feels like someone just ripped a hole in it and is gouging out my heart with a dull blade.

Ella’s eyes lift to mine and the heat in them makes the blue orbs blaze bright, but underneath the anger is an innate sense of pain. She’s angry but also hurting for what Theo did to Jules.

Jules pulls her head from the crook of Ella’s neck and her eyes lift to me. Her face is covered in smeared blood and more starts seeping from one of the cuts right above her left eyebrow. I grind my teeth together to hold back the agonizing noise wanting to break free from my throat.

“Baby,” I whisper hoarsely. The pain and tears in her eyes shred my insides.

Before I’m halfway to the bathtub, she’s already lifting her arms to me. Ella watches as I bend down and carefully scoop up Jules. Her arms snake around my shoulders and she grips me tight, burrowing her face against my neck. She’s shaking like a fucking leaf.

“I’m so fucking sorry,” I croak against her hair.

I need to take her to the hospital to get her head checked over, but there’s something else I need to take care of first. I step back from the bathtub to allow Ella to step out.

“Grab some gauze and peroxide,” I tell her, and she nods.

I hate to do what I’m about to, but there’s no way around it. I’m not letting her out of my sight.

I carry Jules out of the bathroom, down the hall, and into the living room. Fresh anger sprouts in my blood when I see Theo sitting on a chair with a blood-soaked rag held to his face. Vicki is standing with her arms crossed behind the chair, her expression dark. Dad is standing a few feet in front of him, his glare glacial as he stares down at his son. Both Mom and Aria are nowhere to be found, and I’m grateful she must have taken Aria someplace where she can’t witness what’s going on.

I set Jules down on the couch and squat down beside her. I cup her cheeks so she’s looking at me. Her red-rimmed eyes stab me right in the fucking sternum.

“It’s almost over, but there’s something I’ve gotta do first. Can you hold on for a few more minutes?”

She licks her trembling lips but gives me a nod.

“Good girl,” I murmur, then kiss the uninjured side of her forehead. Ella comes back into the room with my requested items and sits beside Jules.

I stand and turn to face Theo, making sure I’m in front of Jules so she doesn’t have to look at him or have him see her. Only iron will and the woman behind me keeps me from pouncing on him again. His eyes are trained on me, and the sinister ire he’s feeling is palpable.

“Vicki, call the cops,” I say without moving my eyes from Theo. She pulls out her phone to do what I asked.

“Tell me, brother,” Theo sneers tauntingly, “is her pussy as good as you remember? Or was it only good when you had to force her? You’re just as fucked-up as I am.”

I ignore his jabs to provoke me. Jules is more important that fucking up his face further.

My voice is calm despite the fire raging through my body. “You ever fucking touch her again, you mark my words, Theo, there’s nothing on the face of the planet that will keep me from killing you.”

He throws the rag on the coffee table and gets to his feet. His wince of pain is satisfying but not nearly enough. An evil grin spreads across his face and his teeth gleam with blood. “You think you’ve won, but you have no fucking clue.”

I ignore his provocation and cross my arms over my chest.

“Aria,” he yells.

“She’s not going with you.”

“Fuck you, Luca. She’s my kid, and I’m taking her with me or I’ll have you arrested for kidnapping.”

“Give it a try, you motherfucker. We can stand here until the cops get here and let them decide, but you know damn good and well they won’t allow that child to leave with you after seeing what you did to Jules.”

His hands bunch into fists at his sides. He’s pissed because he knows I’m right. No cop in their right mind, whether from this side of the tracks or the other, would allow a kid to go with someone capable of the things he’s done.

His eyes shoot daggers at me. When they move behind me to the couch, I take a step forward, my arms dropping in preparation to take him down if I need to.

We glare at each other with loathing for several tense seconds, until a small voice captures everyone’s attention.

“Daddy?” Aria says croakily. I look toward the back door and see Aria standing in the doorway, her eyes filling with tears and her face crumpled in pain. Mom’s standing behind her with a hand on her shoulder, her own pain evident on her face as her eyes move from me to Theo. When they land on Jules, her hand flies to her mouth in horror and her eyes glisten.

Theo completely ignores his daughter, not even sparing her a glance. After curling his lip up into a sneer, he turns and stalks to the door. Once he has it open, he turns back. “This isn’t over,” he says with venom. The door slams behind him.

My eyes slide over to Dad to see his jaw jumping as he looks at the closed door. I turn around and get to my knees in front of Jules. Ella is lightly swabbing at the cuts on her face.

Gently, I grab her chin. “Let me see,” I murmur.

There are several small cuts on her forehead, one on the bridge of her nose, and several more on her cheek and chin. The damage looks worse than what it is because they’re head wounds and tend to bleed like a bitch.

“After the police leave, I’m taking you to the hospital,” I tell Jules.

She shakes her head then winces with the movement. She’s no longer crying, but her eyes are swollen and red. “No.”

“What do you mean no? Baby, we need to have your head looked at.”

“I don’t want to go back there.” Her voice cracks. “Please, Luca. I don’t want to go back there.” She grabs my hand and if I were a lesser man, I’d cringe at the crushing grip she has on it. Her eyes are wide and anxious as she pleads.

I unwrap her fingers from mine and bring the tips to my mouth where I lay a kiss against them.

“We’ll let Vicki look over them and see what she thinks.” Relief fills her face. I hate to make the look fade away, but I add, “But, if she thinks you need to go, I’m taking you.” My voice is stern, while still soft.

After a moment, she nods.

Ella scoots over so Vicki can sit beside Jules. She takes over the task of wiping away the blood and cleaning the cuts, looking at each one carefully to make sure there’s no glass embedded in the wounds. I keep Jules’s hand in mine and every few seconds she squeezes my fingers against the stinging pain.

“She should be fine,” Vicki says as she applies ointment over each wound. “They’re superficial so none of them need stitches. Just watch over her tonight. If she shows signs of sluggishness or disorientation, take her to the emergency room.”

“Thank you,” Jules tells Vicki.

Vicki’s eyes turn hard for a brief moment before softening. “You’re welcome.” She leans closer and lowers her voice. “He should have paid more for what he did to you.”

Before Jules has a chance to respond, Vicki gets up, collects the trash, and walks away. I could not agree more with her assessment.

“I don’t want to press charges,” Jules says quietly.

Ella, who has moved back beside her, freezes at the same time my body goes rigid.

“Why?” I ask through a tight throat.

Her gaze stays steady on mine. “Because he’s your brother.” Her eyes flick to Ella. “And he’s your brother.” She looks back to me. “And he’s their son.” Her voice lowers even more. “He’s her father.”

“Jules—”

“No, Luca,” she interrupts. “I can’t do that to her.” Tears fill her eyes and one sneaks down her cheek, sliding over one of the bandages. “I’m not saying she should go back to him. I don’t think she should, but I won’t be the reason she loses her father.”

Everything in me says she’s wrong. Theo needs to pay for what he’s done to Jules, and if I can’t deliver that punishment, then the law should, but the anguish in her eyes, the pure misery at Aria no longer having her dad in her life…. I can’t force her to press charges, even if my mind screams she should.

With a tight jaw, I give her a single nod, and she once again relaxes against the couch.

“Please, Gamma! I wanna see Jules!” Aria cries across the room. I lift my eyes over the couch and see Aria trying to break away from Mom, tears rushing down her red cheeks.

I look at Mom and give her a chin lift. “Come here, Aria.”

Mom lets her go and she runs over to me. She stands by my side but faces Jules, and I wrap an arm around her upper legs. Her little chin wobbles as she looks over Jules’s face.

“What happened to your face, Jules?”

Jules leans forward and smiles, but I can tell it hurts from the slight grimace she tries to hide. She cups the side of Aria’s face.

“I just had an accident with the bathroom mirror, but I’m okay.”

I can feel Aria’s body shaking beside me as she tries to be strong. I tighten my arm around her, offering the comfort she so desperately needs.

“It was my dad, wasn’t it?”

Her question hits every person in the room. Aria knows way too much for a girl her age, and it pisses me the fuck off that Theo doesn’t seem to care that he’s damaging his child’s view of him. Every single person has been impacted by his actions, and Jules and Aria have taken the brunt of it.

I can tell that Jules is having a hard time coming up with a response to Aria’s question. She doesn’t want to flat-out lie, but what else can she say but the truth, and the truth would be too much for Aria to handle.

I turn Aria toward me and make sure I have her eyes. Her little hands grab my biceps. “I need you to do me a huge favor, boo.” She gives me her acceptance with a nod. “Can you go into Gamma and Pa’s room for a bit and watch cartoons? I know it’s a scary time right now and you’re worried, but I need to talk with the adults. Only for a few minutes. Can you do that for me?”

More tears leak down her cheeks, and I swipe them away with my thumbs. Aria’s had to grow up way too fast, and she shows this when she wipes her nose with the back of her hand and straightens her spine. “Okay.”

I smile then bring her face toward me and kiss her forehead. “That’s my big girl.”

I look at Mom and see her already making her way toward us. “Come on, munchkin. We’ll put on The Goonies for you.”

They walk away, and I get to my feet. “I’ll be right back.”

Walking to the kitchen, I grab a couple of glasses out of the cabinet then reach for the cheap whiskey Dad always keeps. After pouring a couple inches in one of the glasses, I down it, hissing when it burns going down my throat. I do it again, then pour only an inch the third time and fill the other glass with water. I take both out to the living room.

Mom’s back and she’s standing beside Dad, who has his arm wrapped around her. Ella is still on the couch with Jules and Vicki is in the chair Theo was in. Everyone is silent as I go to Jules and hand her the glass with whiskey. She eyes the contents, sniffs it, then looks at me with a wrinkled nose. If the situation wasn’t so dire, I’d laugh at her comical look.

“It’ll calm your nerves,” I tell her.

She looks back at the glass doubtfully but brings it to her lips. As expected, she coughs after downing the contents. I hand her the glass with water and she takes several big swallows. She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.

“That stuff is horrid,” she complains.

I take the water from her and set it on the table beside the couch before bending and scooping her into my arms, taking her seat, and settling her in my lap.

“You gonna tell us what going on, son?” Dad asks once we’re settled. “More’s going on than what happened today.”

Jules’s wary eyes watch me. I know she didn’t want my parents to know yet what Theo did before she came to live with me, but they deserve the full story, especially after what he did today in their house.

I squeeze her hand in encouragement, and I get a nod in return. I look back at my parents.

“Today’s not the first time Theo has tried forcing himself on Jules.” Mom gasps and clutches my dad’s shirt, her eyes flying to Jules. “He’s done it twice before. Before today, the last time Aria interrupted him.”

“Oh, God,” Mom breathes.

“Son of a bitch,” Dad curses softly. He turns Mom in his arms until her face is buried in his chest.

“That’s why she’s been staying with me,” I let them know.

“Aria knows,” Jules says quietly to the room. “I don’t think she knows what he was doing exactly. Only that he was doing something that wasn’t right. She asked me about it today.”

“Fuck,” I hiss, my stomach clenching painfully. I wish Theo were still here so I could lay him out on Aria’s behalf.

“Dear Lord,” Mom says tearfully. “What in the world is wrong with my boy?”

“It doesn’t fucking matter. He doesn’t come near Jules or Aria again.”

“I just don’t understand why he’s acting this way,” Mom comments. “He’s always been so calm and collected. What set him off?”

Jules shifts on my lap, and I look down at her. Guilt riddles her face, and I decide to shut that shit down right now because I’ll be damned if she thinks she’s to blame.

“This is not your fault, Jules,” I say with heat behind my words. “You didn’t make him do those things, so get that shit out of your head.”

“But he was fine before I woke up, wasn’t he?”

Ella answers before I can. “He was, but there’s no excuse for his actions. There’s nothing a woman can do that gives a man the right to force himself on her. Theo may be acting out of the ordinary, but he’s still making those decisions on his own.”

“She’s right,” Dad inserts. “A man is put on this earth to love and cherish women, not destroy and hurt them. Don’t take this on yourself. He’s an adult. He knows what’s right and wrong.”

She looks at each person in the room and they all have the same look on their faces: conviction.

“What do we do? He’s your family. I don’t expect you to abandon him because of me. And then there’s Aria.”

I know what I’d like to do, but instead of voicing my opinion, I say, “I have a friend who has an uncle who’s a lawyer. I plan to call him Monday. Until then, Aria will stay with one of us,” I inform her. “And as far as him being my family, my brother died when he tried to rape you. The first two times were enough, and fuck knows I wanted to kill him then, but after seeing what he’s capable of, the bastard can rot in hell for all I care.”

“I don’t see him sticking around very long after what he pulled. He’d be too worried the cops will be after him.”

I look over to Vicki. The woman has calmed down some, but I still see anger lurking in her eyes.

“If he’s fucking smart, he’ll hide so I never have to see his face again.”

“I know you all say it’s not my fault, but I’m still sorry.”

I pull Jules tighter against my chest.

Mom breaks away from Dad and walks over to us. Her expression is distraught as her gaze roams over the multiple bandages covering Jules’s face before settling on her eyes.

“Don’t ever apologize for those things Theo has done to you. We’re the ones who should be apologizing.” When Jules opens her mouth to interrupt, Mom talks over her. “I know it’s not our fault either, but you’re a part of this family now, and we take care of our family, not hurt them.”

Jules reaches out and grabs Mom’s hand. “Thank you. Despite Theo’s actions, I’m grateful to be a part of your beautiful family.”

Mom smiles, and it makes me so fucking proud to know my family has Jules’s back. Not that I ever doubted them. Theo may be family, but they would never be okay with what he’s done. It’s abhorrent and disgusting and fucking cruel.

It turns quiet after that, each of us in our own thoughts as we wait for the cops to arrive. I’m stiff as I continue to hold Jules, needing her in my arms just as much as she needs to be there.

I hope like fuck Vicki is right and Theo either leaves or keeps himself away from me, because if I ever see him again, there’s no stopping the wrath that’ll rain down on him.