Luca’s POV
I stand frozen in the hallway, just out of sight of the living room door. I walked out of the living room but I never left the hallway. I didn’t want to hover over Lia while she settled things with her family but I also wanted to hear what was going to happen. Her parents shot arrows at me at every turn and yet, Lia didn’t budge in her words.
Every word Lia speaks in my defense hits me like a physical force, each one both lifting me up and weighing me down simultaneously. My fingers press against the wooden paneling of the wall as I listen to her passionate defense of me – of us.
"He's protected me, cared for me, and shown me nothing but respect," her voice carries through the doorway, strong and unwavering. Pride swells in my chest, followed immediately by a crushing wave o
