The Betrayal

Chapter Thirty-Six

"Are you sure that you'll be alright?" Valerio asked through the mind link. He was now waiting in the car while I was trying to motivate myself to knock on the door to Luca's apartment. Today was the day I was going to remove his mark and to say I was nervous was an understatement.

"Yes. If I need you, I'll call you," I said. My heart warmed at Valerio's gesture to check in on me, but I didn't think Luca would try to hurt me.

My heart rate slowly pounded harder in my chest. This was it.

I stretched my hand out, forcing myself to knock on the door. Before my knuckles could collide with the wood, the door opened. Luca appeared on the other side, pulling a shirt over his wet and tousled hair. I glanced down at his toned chest for a moment and I frowned, feeling nothing but sadness. Memories flooded of my mind of our time together.

"You ready?" he asked, grabbing his car keys from off of the counter.

I nodded my head, trying to rid myself of the memories.

He smiled down at me, walking out of the apartment. I watched his back muscles flex as he locked the door.

During the car ride, I would glance his way when he wasn't looking. I was trying to etch him in to my mind forever, just in case.

And each time I glanced at him I became more and more sad. At one point, being with him wouldn't feel forced or awkward or sad. At one point, we were friends - best friends. But I ruined that. We ruined that.

My heart ached so damn bad for him.

I turned away and closed my eyes listening to the light hum coming from his throat.

"Where are we going?" I asked, glancing out of the window, realizing we were traveling deeper and deeper into the abandoned woodlands.

"You'll see," he said, a grin tugging at his lips. He glanced at me.

We fell into a comfortable silence, just soaking in each other's energy. After a few more minutes, he pulled off to the side of the road and got out of the car. He opened my door, holding his hand out for me to take. I eyed the eerily woods around me. The trees were bare – almost as if they were dead. Broken branches and dried out vines hung from tree to tree.

My brows furrowed. Why were we here?

"Trust me," he said. I placed my hand in his, feeling his soft skin underneath mine. He grasped my hand gently in his, pulling me out of the car. He walked towards the woods, pushing away the vines and branches so I could walk. I followed him down his self-made path, listening to the complete silence of the woods.

My stomach turned. "Luca," I breathed out, examining the life around me – or the lack of it.

He stopped suddenly, turning around. "Close your eyes." He placed his long, slender fingers over my eyes as he stood behind me.

I grasped his wrists. "Luca."

"Please Mae. We're almost there."

"Almost where?" I asked, my heart racing faster. Where was he taking me?

"You'll see." His lips just barely brushed my ear as he whispered, sending shivers down my spine. I took a few more steps, walking uphill. "Okay," he breathed out. I gripped his wrists, pulling his hands away slowly, my eyes slowly widening.

My breath caught in my throat.

It... it was beautiful.

Moonflowers laid in bunches for miles and miles in front of me. The early dawn sun bounced off of their brightness, making them even more breath-taking.