Page 95 of Ruined

His glare drilled into me, daring me to give him a reason. He wasn’t jealous. He actually saw Maria as a threat. Like she could take me from him.

“I didn’t think you gave a damn, considering you’ve been MIA forthree days.”

The muscle in his jaw flexed. Luca looked like hell. His hair was mussed like he’d been running his hands through it, and his clothes hung a little looser than usual. He looked at me like he carried an unbearable weight and wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold it.

I swallowed hard. “What’s going on?”

Luca shifted his weight, looking away. “I can’t get into it.”

“Now youhaveto tell me.”

He bit on his lip, his pupils blown wide.

I sighed roughly. “You can’t disappear on me. Not after I poured out my heart to you. I just want to be with you.”

Luca’s throat bobbed. “I can’t.”

“Right. Can’t have anyone knowing you like men.” I released my grip on him, a lump rising in my throat. “Must be nice to act like I’m invisible whenever it’s convenient.”

“You’re my boss. If they see us?—”

“I’ll tell Santino we can’t work together anymore. Problem solved.”

He swallowed. “It isn’t that simple.”

“You’re the one who dragged me out here.”

He grabbed my jacket, pulling me closer. His other hand slid up to the back of my neck, his fingers threading through my hair. His pupils were blown wide, shadows under his eyes so dark they looked like bruises.

Luca lookedwrecked.

“I hate it,” he said brokenly.

I frowned. “Hate what?”

His fingers tightened in my hair. “Seeing you smile at her. Watching you lean in like she meant something to you. Ihate it.”

The words came out like they’d been ripped out of him.

My chest ached. “Luca.”

“I haven’t slept for three days.”

Jesus.

My pulse raced as I tried to make sense of the mess of emotions bleeding off him. The fire in his glare was gone, replaced with something so desperate it knocked the wind out of me.

“You’re a wreck.”

His mouth twisted. “I know.”

“Why can’t you justtalkto me?”

Luca’s jaw flexed, his breathing uneven. He dropped his hands to his sides, and I saw them trembling. Whatever control he thought he had left was slipping fast.

He grabbed my wrist, dragging me down the hell.

“Luca—”