Chapter 648

I hold my wrist up towards Luca like it's evidence as my mate's mouth drops open in surprise.

Then he scowls, looking down at the ground, clearly pissed and disappointed in himself. “I'm sorry," he says after a long moment as we walk, looking down at the ground. "I...I guess I got more distracted than I thought I did."

I forgive him instantly, hating to see him sad and stepping a little closer to his side. After all, no harm was done – not really. "I guess...I didn't really think about what it would mean for you to come down to Newtown. That you'd be recognized and that it could cause trouble for you."

Luca sighs, looking up at the sky and shaking his head. “It's not a big deal – it's not like I haven't dealt with that sort of thing before. Girls just...they have an idea about what you owe them, when you're a celebrity." He shrugs. "She won't do anything. I really am sorry, Ariel - I...should have been concentrating on you more."

I just shrug, looking up at him, my brows knitting together a bit. "Why weren't you, though? I mean, when I sat down you were all concern. But then some girls come over to you and you've got no more eyes for me?"

He smirks a little but shakes his head. "It's not like that at all, Ariel. You're the only one I care about. I just..." he sighs and looks down at his feet. "I guess I liked the attention, is all. I think...I fed on it more than I thought I did, before I came to the Academy. Women liking me, telling me how great I am all the time."

"Luca," I gasp, stepping closer and slipping my hand into his. "I tell you how great you are all the time!"

“And it means everything," he murmurs, lifting my hand in his and pressing a kiss to the back of it. “Again, I'm sorry - I'm really surprised at myself and I feel absolutely awful."

"It's okay," I sigh, taking my hand from his and slipping my arm around his waist, leaning hard against his side. "I forgive. Just...next time please pay attention more."

"This is just going to be more reason for Tony to not like me, isn't it?" Luca asks, dry, grimacing a little as he looks ahead onto the path.

"Does Tony not like you?" I ask, peering up at him, confused. "What's the deal with you two?"

"I've got nothing against the guy," Luca says, shrugging and looking down at me. "There's a weird vibe between us, but it's all from him."

I hum consideringly in the back of my throat, turning that over, wondering if Tony would say the same thing.

"Hey," Luca says after a few more steps, and I turn my head up towards him in the dark. "It was very sexy," he says, smirking at me, "when you came up and told those girls off."

I burst into a grin, shaking my head. "No it wasn't."

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"It was!" he insists, laughing and tugging me closer to his side. "You should have seen yourself. When she told you to go away and you just...smiled at her? Like you were going to enjoy it when you ripped her throat out?" A palpable shiver runs through Luca, making me laugh.

"Oh please," I say, ducking my head and blushing a little. "It was nothing like that -"

"No, it was," he says, stopping in his tracks and turning towards me, using the arm around me to pull my stomach flat against his. "Honestly, Ari, you weren't playing a role there. That was the vicious little fire goddess coming through. And it

was...very badass and very cool."

I grin up at him, desperately pleased. "Oh yeah? You like my fire goddess side now, do you?"

"I like all sides of you," he murmurs,

quickly bending his knees and

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dropping his hands to my thighs and pulling me with him as he sharply stands up. I laugh in surprise as Luca pulls my legs up around his

waist and then wraps one arm around my back, his other handnoveldrama

drifting lower. "Especially this side."

“Hmm,” I say, giving him a nudge with my nose. "The red-headed fire goddess side? Honestly, Luca, I thought you liked me innocent and blonde and sweet."

“Oh, I like that during the day," he murmurs, and I bite my lip as his hand moves slowly over the curve of my ass. "But at night.....”

He doesn't have a chance to finish his sentence as I quickly lean forward, pressing my mouth to his. Luca groans, holding me tight against him as he stumbles back into a copse of trees where we're alone in the dark.