Lucas
Seeing her like that…hurting, broken, and barely holding herself together, it fucking wrecks me. And yeah, I know it’s my fault. Every ounce of her pain? That’s on me. It’s all on me.
And now, here she is, stuck in this shithole surrounded by the lowest scum on earth. I glance down at the bald bastard bleeding out on the floor, his face already a Picasso painting of bruises. The urge to finish him off? Strong. Too fucking strong. My fists clench, but I force myself to step back. I can’t lose control now, not when I’m already a goddamn mess.
I walk away, gritting my teeth, trying to calm down. If I don’t, I’m gonna barge into that cabin, toss her over my shoulder, and drag her the hell out of there. And knowing Aria? She’d probably claw my eyes out for it.
By the time I make it to the hallway near the game room, I can already hear the yelling. Fantastic. Just what I need…a migraine on top of my guilt.
I step inside, and it’s chaos, of course. Theo’s perched on the pool table like a bored goddamn cat, while Damon and Mia are in the middle of a screaming match.
“Next time, don’t fucking carry me! I didn’t ask for your protection!” Mia’s voice practically shakes the walls.
“I don’t give a shit! I’ll do it again if I have to!” Damon fires back, gesturing wildly at her. His gaze flicks down, and his face twists in anger. “And just what the hell are you wearing?”
His hand waves at her mini dress, which, to be fair, barely qualifies as clothing. I narrow my eyes. Aria wore something similar tonight. Probably Lily too. Did they plan this?
But seriously, why is Damon this pissed? Does he like Mia? Like, actually like her?
“You and I have nothing in common!” Mia’s voice drips venom. She takes a threatening step toward him, her finger jabbing the air. “And the next time you put your hands on me, I swear to the Moon Goddess, I’ll shove them so far up your ass you’ll choke on them.”
She storms out, practically vibrating with rage. “I can’t wait to get off this damn ship!” she yells over her shoulder before slamming the door behind her.
I let out a long sigh, leaning against the wall. Damon looks like he’s about to combust.
“Alright,” I say, crossing my arms. “What the fuck’s going on now?”
“What’s going on? This is all your fucking fault, Lucas!” Damon spins on me, his voice shaking with fury.
I blink, straightening up. “My fault? What the hell are you talking about?”
“Mia! She hates me because of you! She can’t even look at me without gagging!”
“Fuck you, man,” I snap, taking a step closer to him. “Weren’t you the one cheering me on when I wanted to end things with Aria?”
Theo quickly jumps between us, holding up his hands. “Guys, chill the fuck out! Both of you!”
“No, no,” I say, brushing Theo aside. “Let Damon talk. He’s clearly got a lot on his mind.”
Damon glares at me, his chest heaving. “She thinks I’m like you, Lucas. That I’ll betray her. That I won’t protect her.”
For a second, I’m speechless. Damon’s never come at me like this.
“Watch yourself,” Theo warns firmly.”Lucas is still your alpha.”
But Damon shakes his head. “You don’t get it, Theo. She’s my mate. Mia is my fucking mate, and she wants to reject me.”
Theo and I both freeze. What? Damon never said anything about Mia being his mate.
“I can’t deal with this shit,” Damon mutters, kicking the table before storming out of the room.
“Fuck,” I curse under my breath, collapsing onto the couch. My head falls into my hands. “Why didn’t he say anything?”
Theo sighs, sitting down next to me. “I don’t know, man. But don’t be pissed at him. He’s scared. She hates him, hates us, and yeah, it’s kinda your fault.”
I glare at him. “Really?”
Theo shrugs. “Listen, man, you’re next in line to be alpha. You’ve gotta start acting like one.”
“You know what? I’ve let you and Damon disrespect me enough today,” I snap, standing up. He does the same.
“This isn’t disrespect, Lucas. It’s the truth. You’re screwing everything up.”
I take a step closer, towering over him. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about Aria,” Theo says, meeting my glare without flinching. “Stop hurting her. If you don’t want her anymore, then reject her and let her go.”
“Shut the fuck up!” I roar, my fist connecting with his face. He staggers back but doesn’t back down.
“Punching me doesn’t change the truth,” Theo says, wiping the blood from his lip. “Do you know where Serena is? She went to call your dad. She’s complaining about Aria again. Are you trying to get her killed?”
“Stop!” I yell, my chest tightening.
Theo steps closer, his voice rising. “Tomorrow’s New Year’s, and after that, this cruise is over. What are you gonna do, Lucas? Let her slip away? Lose the one girl who ever made you happy?”
“Theo…”
“What are you gonna do by then, huh?” He wipes blood off his busted lip, glaring at me like he’s not the one who just said some shit to make me lose it. “Are you seriously ready to let her go? Aria.. the girl who made you smile, made you happy…for what? Your father’s approval?”
I grit my teeth, fists still clenched. “Damn it, Theo. You know why.”
“Yeah, I do,” he shoots back, stepping closer like he’s trying to get under my skin. “Because of your mother, right?”
That’s it. I see fucking red. My chest tightens like a damn vice, and my fists twitch at my sides. Theo doesn’t flinch. Of course, he doesn’t.
“What?” He cocks his head, daring me. “You gonna punch me again? Go ahead. But hear me out first, Lucas. You were a kid back then. You couldn’t protect her. But now?” He points at me, his finger stabbing the air between us like it’s a dagger. “You’re a grown-ass man. You can protect Aria. You don’t have to let her end up like your mom.”
Those words hit like a freight train, knocking the air out of my lungs. My stomach churns, and I clutch my chest like it’ll stop the pain.
He steps back, his voice softer now, but no less intense. “Don’t destroy yourself, man. I’m telling you this because I fucking love you. You’re my brother. And I don’t want you to wake up one day and realize you let her slip through your fingers. You’ll regret it.”
I can’t do this anymore. My head’s pounding, my chest feels like it’s on fire, and I just want him gone. “Get out,” I whisper. I can’t even look at him. “Just… leave.”
He hesitates, like he’s waiting for me to say something else. But when I don’t, he nods and walks out of the room.
The second the door shuts, I collapse onto the floor, my head in my hands. Everything Theo said keeps replaying in my head, over and over, like a bad song you can’t turn off. He’s right. Aria’s right. Hell, even Sarita’s probably right. I’m a fucking coward. A letdown.
For a while, I just sit there, sobbing like a goddamn mess, until my chest burns and my head feels like it’s gonna explode. But then Theo’s voice rings loud in my mind. You’ll regret it, Lucas. Don’t let her go.
Shit. I can’t lose her. Not like this.
I spring to my feet, wiping my face with the back of my hand. My legs move before my brain even catches up, carrying me straight to Aria’s cabin.
When I get there, I’m panting like I just ran a damn marathon. My hand shakes as I knock. Nothing. I knock again, harder this time, and finally, the door swings open.
There she is, standing there with a shoe in her hand like she’s ready to throw it at me. And honestly? I’d deserve it.
“What the hell do you want, Lucas?” Her voice is hoarse, and her eyes are red. She’s been crying. Damn it, I made her cry. She doesn’t even try to hide how pissed she is to see me.
I swallow hard. “Aria… I’m sorry. I’ve been a complete fool. I like you. No, I-” I take a deep breath, forcing the words out. “I want to get back with you. I’ll protect you.”
For a second, her eyes go wide, and I swear I see something…hope, maybe. But then her expression hardens.
“Wow. That’s great for you, Lucas,” she says. “But I’m done. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want you…not now, not ever.”
“And just like that, she slams the door in my face. Along with my heart.
I stumble back, the weight of her words crushing me. Did I really just lose her?