When he walks toward me, I can’t help but shrink into myself. He doesn’t stop until he’s toe to toe with me, his chest meeting my arms. He looks into my eyes, searching them.
“I promise I’ll do better, Jules. I swear that won’t ever happen again. I can wait until you’re ready.”
I’ll never be ready for him to touch me, not after he’s tried forcing himself on me twice, but I don’t tell him that. Instead, I nod again.
He leans down, and when his lips press against mine, I grip my mug tighter. I don’t respond to the kiss, but I don’t push him away either. It worries me to think what he’ll do if I do push him away.
“I’ll see you this evening,” he murmurs against my lips. “I’m not working late today.”
I almost laugh, because he hasn’t worked late any of the days he’s claimed he has. I wonder if he really thinks I’m naïve enough to believe him.
He pulls back, turns on his heel, and walks out of the kitchen. When I hear the front door close behind him, I release the breath I’ve been holding on a painful whoosh.
I PRESS THE PHONE to my ear and wait for it to ring. My eyes close and my chin drops to my chest when it rings six times before going to voicemail. Their hatred for me is apparently still there, and I don’t know why I even try anymore.
Even so, I talk to them.
“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 br