“Luca,” I groan, shaking my head and getting to my knees, still clutching the blanket to my chest with one hand and reaching for him with the other. “It’s not like that –“
“It is!” he shouts, turning back to me, fury in every line of him now. “It is like that, Ariel! You – you fucking chose him!”
“I didn’t!” I gasp, shaking my head vehemently. “He asked if I was – I told him I wasn’t – I want both of you – I need both of you!”
“You’re so fucking selfish, Ariel!” Luca shouts, taking three harsh steps towards me, making me flinch. “You can’t have both of us - not if it breaks us into pieces to do it!”
“No, I do!” I sputter, my mind reeling, trying to find a way to explain – the Goddess – she said that I – I need both – “It – it doesn’t have to break you! We can find a way –“
“Well, you already have,” he snarls, leaning down to glare at me. “What – he didn’t mark you? Did you shut that down too, so you could fuck him in secret and never let me know? So you could betray me night after night?”
“No, Luca,” I growl, my spine straightening as I glare back at him, hating how he’s lashing out at me in his hurt. “I didn’t have to shut it down – he didn’t want to mark me! Because he knew how complicated it would make all of our lives!”
“So – so you asked him then?” Luca says, softer now, but no less dangerous. “You wanted his mark?”
Dread rises in me at this question. Because I instantly know the truth.
I raise my chin and stare into Luca’s eyes, unable to say it aloud because I know it will kill him to hear it. But I let Luca have my answer nonetheless.
Luca roars and turns in the room, swiping a hand out at the various objects on top of his dresser, sending them scattering and smashing to the ground. I fall back on my ass on his bed, huddling into the corner, frightened and not knowing what to do –
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