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“I don’t understand why you’re so mad.”

“Don’t do this.”

“I’m doing it! Talk to me! Why are you so angry? Why have you been pushing me away? Why aren’t you my Luke anymore?”

“Your Luke?” he barked, pushing off his bike, knocking it to the floor with his anger, and coming to stand in front of me, glaring down at me. “YourLuke? You have the nerve to call me yours, when the only time you’ve rung me in months is to saveyou from a date with another man? When did you stop being mine, Gabby? Huh? When?!”

“Since you never fucking asked me to be!” I screamed back at him.

“What did you want from me? Were you waiting for me to ask for your father’s permission? Were you hoping for a property cut and an old lady title? I gave you all I could fucking give you!”

“What?” I asked, ready to launch into another rant, but he beat me to it.

“Don’t you think I see how our world works? Don’t you think I see Dante and Laura? How they’re forced together, how it's expected she’ll be his old lady? She was raised in this world, and yet she can’t fucking stand it. Even at sixteen, she’s screaming at him about being unhappy and how she doesn’t want this. And they areapproved.How was I supposed to give you anything more when you’re the princess of the Riders? I gave you all I could, Gabby!”

“You gave menothing!” I yelled, my chest heaving. “All I ever wanted was your friendship. All I ever asked for was your communication. I gave you allIhad, and it wasn’t good enough.Youpulled away fromme, Luke. You did this!” I shoved his chest as I spoke, pathetic tears springing to my eyes.

“But that doesn’t mean you throw yourself at the nearest man available!” he yelled back, even though he flinched as soon as the words left his mouth.

“You have no idea what it’s like, Luke! None at all! Darren… he was the better of two options! I have my own fuckingcousindrooling over me, making sly fucking comments, hinting and pushing, and… You don’t get it, you never fucking did!” I was almost wailing by the time I was done.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Luke soothed, all traces of his anger gone. He gathered me into his arms and held me close. “I’m sorry, Gabby. Please don’t cry. I can’t stand it.”

“I’m sorry,” I sobbed, my breath hiccupping.

“Don’t apologise, either,” he half laughed, half groaned. He pulled away and brought his hands up to my face, cupping my cheeks. “I’m sorry. I’msorry,” he repeated, his eyes scanning mine.

“It’s okay,” I whispered.

“No. It’s not.”

“So then why—”

“I was jealous, Gabby, okay? Is that what you needed to hear? I was jealous, and I was scared… and then I was relieved, and I took it all out on you. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he said, pulling me back into a hug. “Friends?” he murmured into my hair.

“Friends,” I repeated, nodding back the best I could against his tight grip.

“Good. Get inside before Darren beats you home and gives his version of events. Dante will be trying to convince him not to say anything, but—”

“I understand,” I nodded, stepping back from him.

“Go straight upstairs, wash your face, and act normal. Act as though Dante got through to him. We’ll deal with anything else later.”

I nodded again, not knowing what else to say.

“Text me when you’re in your… shit! Dante has my phone.”

“It’s okay. I’ll text you anyway.”

“No. I can’t wait that long. Get to your room, and if everything is okay, flick the lights on and off.”

“What?” I laughed.

“I need to know, Gabby. I need to know your dad isn’t waiting for you. I can’t come in there myself, so please just flick the light and let me know you’re okay and you made it to your bedroom without your dad seeing you.”