Instantly, my eyes snap open. It’s as if he willed them open with the words of endearment he used to call me every day. I squeeze them shut again.
“Beautiful treasure.”
I want to scream. I want to slap him across his handsome motherfucking face, but I don’t. Instead, I open my eyes and look up into the green orbs of Luciano Schavone. Luke.
The man who nearly destroyed me when he broke my heart as he ripped it clean out of my chest.
I instantly take a step back. I need to be away from him.
Dear God.
I fight the urge to ask him all the questions going through my mind. Years of questions.
What’s he doing here? Why did he leave? Where has he been?
My mind is a jumbled mess of queries, and my body is reacting with the same uncertainty of emotions. I’m paralyzed. My heartbeat is intensifying so swiftly it feels like I’m going to combust at any moment. I have to get out of here. That’s the only thing I can think. I need to be away from him.
We both just stand there, staring at each other for the longest time. I fidget, feeling like every person in this bar is looking at us and wondering what the hell is going on.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Adam approaching. By the fuming look on his face and his rigid actions I can tell he knows it’s Luke.
“Shayne, are you all right?” Adam asks.
I’m so flabbergasted and overwhelmed, the words lodge in my throat. I think I may be in shock. Adam, the sweet, caring man that he is, steps in between us and brings his warm hands up to cup my cheeks.
“Come on, Shayne. Let’s get you home.”
He links his arm through mine and while I know I’m walking, it feels like I’m floating. Like the world is happening around me and I become ethereal. I can hear people talking, but I have no clue what they’re saying…or if they’re speaking to me. Adam gets me into his truck and it’s in that moment I burst into tears.
************
I don’t remember returning home or how I even got into my bed. But I do know last night was not a dream. It was more like a nightmare.
I roll over and stare out the window. The sky is the most beautiful of blues and the breeze coming through the open glass pane is uplifting. Unfortunately, my heart feels so heavy and my mind immediately goes back to last night.
What in the hell is he doing here?
It’s been seven years. I haven’t seen or heard from him and the one time I need to come home, he’s here. How long has he been here? Did Adam know he was here?
I mentally slap myself again. I’m over him. He may have broken me once, but now I’m healed. I’m not the same naïve girl I was when he left me all those years ago. Yes, I was shocked to see him, but if he thinks he can look at me and call me ‘my beautiful treasure’, he has another thing coming.
I stretch and get out of bed to get myself ready.
After dressing, I head downstairs to go for a run. I slept in a little longer this morning than normal and Adam is probably already waiting for me. We used to run together all the time when we were growing up. I love to run, love how I feel after I’ve got my heart pumping hard and the blood rushing through my veins. After last night, I really need it to get rid of the stress. When I reach the bottom of the stairs, Adam’s sitting on the couch with his running gear on, ready to go.
“Good morning. Sorry about sleeping in. How long have you been waiting?”
“Only about an hour. It’s all good.” He walks over to give me a hug. “Are you okay?”
I respond the best way I know how. “Not really, but I will be.”
“Do you want to talk about it? You scared the shit out of me last night when we got in the truck.”
“I’m so sorry, Adam. To be honest, I don’t even remember getting into the truck. I mean, shit, seeing Luke like that after seven years just doesn’t make any sense to me at all. I’m still a little shocked, I think. I mean…what is he doing here? And, how coincidental is it that he would be right there as I was coming out of the bathroom?”
Adam’s eyes quickly glance from me to the wall and then back again. “Yeah, Shayne. About that. Hear me out before you go all bat-shit crazy, okay?” Adam leads me to the red leather couch and sits us both down. He takes a deep breath and runs his hands through his dirty blonde hair. I have this feeling I’m not going to like what my cousin is about to tell me.
Adam turns and looks at me with an expression on his face I’ve never seen before. It’s a look of regret and shame. I can see by the way he’s searching my face that he’s trying to find a way to tell me whatever it is he needs to say.
“Luke’s been back here for a while now.”