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The two people that broke me and changed my life after it was already in shambles.
“Kandace, your father really misses you.” She reaches out, her fingers burning through the sleeve of the coat on my arm. “Stay. We can chat.” She pleads while Peter nods.
My father misses me?That’s laughable.
So much so that I lose myself and let out a loud, heinous chuckle. “I don’t have a father.”
Rachel’s face turns into a deep scowl. “Still as ungrateful as you’ve always been.”
Beside me, Luca wraps his arm over my shoulders, but I shake him off. I don’t need protection. I don’t need anyone.
“I am grateful.” I look at Peter, ignoring his wife. “But a father doesn’t give up their daughter. You can stop feeling guilty now. You can stop helping me. I’m fine.”
I rush off, away from them and out the door to find Hannah. Hannah is my family. My sorority is my family. They haven’t turned their back on me, and I would never neglect them.
“Kandace, wait up.” Luca comes running out as I wildly look around for her.
She’s not outside like I thought she’d be. They wouldn’t have left her out here.
“She’s in my car with Finn and Gentry.” Luca touches my back, but I flinch away.
“My car is this way.” I point to the side, but Luca snatches the keys from my hand.
“You’re not driving. The guys can drive your car back, and I’ll take Hannah home with you. Unless you want to go with them.”
“I’m not your girlfriend, Luca!” I shout, making him jump back.
He doesn’t say anything, but looks at me like I’m nuts. I am crazy. Something inside me has snapped. Seeing Peter and Rachel is bringing out the demons I keep hidden for all to see. I don’t want Luca to see them, but maybe then he’ll back off. He’ll finally see the real me and run away.
“Stop trying to make me your girlfriend.” I grab for my keys, but he pulls them further away.
“I don’t let my friends drive when they shouldn’t.” His face hardens, and I can see him holding back.
“I’m fine!”
“You’re not fine, Kandace. Whatever that was back there affected you and you’ve been drinking. I wasn’t going to let you drive home either way.” He reaches out for me. “Come on, my jeep is this way.”
I pull back again, needing a minute. I need a lot more than a minute, but I can’t face Hannah or the other guys right now.
“Do you need a few minutes?” He sighs and looks at me like I’m a lost puppy.
Sad and lonely, and not able to take care of myself. That’s not me. I used to be sad and lonely, and I learned very quickly to take care of myself.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
Luca throws his head back in frustration and looks away. “I’m just trying to help.”
“Why?” I ask with a huff of annoyance. “Why do you want to help me? Because you think you’re in love with me? It’s not love.”
“Kandace,” he tilts his head and steps toward me again.
“I don’t love you, Luca.” I back away, but he stops before getting too close. “And you won’t love me either. Just like him.” I point at the closed doors of the bar. “No one wants the poor orphan. But now, you know.”
“You can trust me.” Luca softens his voice and waits for me to give in to him.
To tell him everything and break down. He’s waiting for me to have some sort of breakthrough that will entangle us. I can’t trust him. I’ll never trust him or any man.
“Trust you? I barely know you.” I scoff at him as he tries to stay steady. “You care about me? Then leave me alone. I’mnevergoing to love you. I’mnevergoing to trust you.”
