“Momma? Daddy?” My voice cracks. I continue on a pained whisper. “I miss you both.”
I wrap my arm around my knees and rock back and forth on the couch.
“I-I don’t know what to do. I’m in trouble a-and have n-no one else to c-call.”
Tears leak down my cheeks. A couple hit my lips, so I lick the saltiness away.
“I’m scared.”
My lips tremble as pain clutches my chest so tight I’m forced to rub the spot to try and ease the ache. It doesn’t help.
“I wanna come home. Please, Momma and Daddy. I just wanna come home.” A hiccoughing sob leaves my throat. “I’m s-so s-sorry for everything.”
I pull the phone away, end the call, and drop it to the couch beside me. Squeezing my legs with both arms, I lay my cheek against my knees. Helplessness and despair robs me of breath as I stare sightlessly at the blank screen of the TV.
It’s been a couple of hours since Theo left, and all I’ve thought about is what I should do to get out of this situation. Nothing has come to mind. Calling my parents, even knowing they wouldn’t answer, was my only option. I’m alone. Other than my parents and sister, I have no other family. I didn’t even really have friends before my coma, just a few acquaintances from work and school, and a girl named Nicole I would hang out with occasionally. I’m sure they’ve all forgotten about me by now. I could call Ella or Helen and Wyatt, but would they really believe Theo is capable of the things he’s done? They’ve known me for weeks; they have no reason to believe anything I say.
I could call the police, but that’s something I really don’t want to do. I know I’m being stupid, but I just don’t know if I have it in me emotionally to deal with everything that comes with involving the police. I just want to be away from here, away from Theo, and that’s all.
Another name pops in my mind, and I shake my head to try and force it away. There’s no reason for him to believe me either. He’s Theo’s twin, for Christ’s sake. Many twins have unshakable bonds.
I remember back to when he came to the house a few days ago. The worry in his voice when he thought something was wrong. The pain in his words when he realized Theo told me what he had done. The devastation on his face when I opened the door. I also remember the looks he sent Theo’s way on the day his family was over to welcome me home. It gives me pause, because there was something in his eyes, a look that silently told Theo he better watch his step. As if he would protect me from even his brother if he had to. I’ve felt that warm feeling radiating off him as well. I didn’t understand it then, especially coming from someone I had never met. I still don’t completely understand it, but maybe I could use it to my advantage.
Theo’s words from the other day echo through my head, but I push them away. I have no other alternative. I have no one else to turn to. Luca is my only choice, and I hope it’s the right one. I can’t continue to stay here, because I have no doubt Theo won’t stop the next time.
I drag in a shaky breath and pick up my phone. Helen gave me everyone’s number to plug into the phonebook, including Luca’s. Finding his name, I press the green phone symbol.
It rings three times before a deep voice answers. “Hello?”
I close my eyes when I hear his voice and it takes me a moment to reply. Before doing so, I send up a silent prayer that I’m making the right choice.
I strengthen my tone when all I want to do is cry. “Luca? It’s me, Jules.” I open my eyes. “I need your help.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Luca
I BRUSH MY FINGER along the bottom half of the image I’m working on, giving it a smudged appearance, then drop the pencil. Rubbing the back of my head, I look over the drawing I’ve been working on for months. Another vision came to me this morning, and I know I wouldn’t have been able to concentrate until I added it to the rest. I still don’t know what it all means, but the dream I had of her and Theo in the field suggests it has to do with Jules.
My phone vibrates beside me a second before the screen lights up with an unfamiliar number. I swipe my lead-stained finger across the screen and bring it to my ear.
“Hello?”
I hear breathing on the other end of the line, and I’m just about to hang up on whoever the fucker is, when a slight voice speaks.
“Luca?” I know right away who it is before she even tells me. “It’s me, Jules.” Another pause, and what fucks with my head is the hitch in her voice. “I need your help.”
My chair creaks as I sit up straight.
“What’s wrong?” I demand.
“I-I can’t tell you over the phone.” Her deep exhale of breath blows over the speaker. “Can you come to Theo’s?”
“Are you okay, Jules?” I growl the question, needing to know the answer before I do anything else.
“Y-yes,” she croaks. She doesn’t fucking sound okay. “But I need to see you. Please. Right now.”
The urgency in her tone has me getting up from the chair. “I’m on my way. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
“Thank you,” she breaths on a heavy sigh.
Blood rushes to my head as anger over I don’t know what flows through me. What in the hell is going on? What’s gotten her so frightened?
“I’m getting in my truck now, Jules. Meet me at the front door, okay?”
I receive her acknowledgement, end the call, start my truck, and haul ass the three miles to Theo’s place. When I walk up the front steps, the curtain flutters as Jules looks out the window. A moment later, I hear the locks disengage and she’s pulling the door open. The minute I see her, I know something major is wrong. Her eyes are slightly swollen and red from crying and her cheeks are pale and even more shallow than they were the other day. When she sees me, her body visibly slumps, as if in relief that I’m there.
I don’t stop until I’m inside the house, forcing her to move back or get her feet stepped on by my boots. I shove the door closed behind me with more force than I intended, and she jumps when it slams shut.
“Th-thank y-you,” she stutters. She pulls in a breath and tries again. “Thank you for coming.”
“Tell me what happened,” I order.
Her fingers interlock in front of her, and I notice the white in her knuckles.
“Would you like something to drink?” She looks around nervously before bringing her eyes back to mine. “I can get you something to drink first.”
“Jules,” I bark when she turns to go to the kitchen before waiting on my answer. “Why am I here?”
Her head drops, and her back is still facing me. I wait her out and a second later, she turns back. Her voice shakes as she gestures to the living room. “Can we sit?”
I jerk my head up and follow her to the couch. It’s apparent something is wrong, and it must be really worrying her for her to call me. I should be the last person on her short list of names to ask for help.
She settles down on one end of the couch, and I take the middle cushion. I should have taken the opposite end, but something tells me I need to be close to her. Her hands run up and down her jeans-covered legs and her chest pumps too fast to be normal breathing.
“Jules.”
When I call her name again, her face snaps to me. Fear and uncertainty mingle in her eyes. It breaks something in me, wondering if those emotions are directed toward me. But then, why would she call me if she were so scared of me?
Before I can stop myself, I reach over and put my hand over both of hers before she rubs a hole in her damn pants. She glances down at my big hand, frowning, so I remove it.
“I’m sorry,” she starts. “I didn’t know who else to call, and I don’t know what to do.”
“Just tell me what’s happened. Does it have anything to do with Theo?”
I’ve got my answer when the fear in her eyes triples. White-hot anger rushes through my veins. My jaw fucking aches from clenching my teeth so hard. Before she has a chance to answer, I growl, “What in the fuck has he done?”