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No four words could’ve hurt more

She loved Lucian As crazy as it was to even fall for him, she had It had been scary fros for him She’d known then it had been risky Their lives were nothing alike, and she’d struggled with the fear that she’d never fit in, but she’d trusted him--trusted that he’d never make her feel that way In the end, it didn’t matter how many people turned their noses up at her oras he was standing by her side, she wouldn’t have cared at all

She squeezed her eyes shut against the burn of fresh tears The nu to truly set in

They’d been in the car for about thirty un to deal with everything that had happened to her in the last twenty-four hours

And she knew Lucian hadn’t either

Those daoing to go on after this, like none of this happened? Hoas Lucian supposed to go on?

A tre what Lucian had asked, but leaving feltit felt wrong Not because it hurt and that kind of hurting was only just beginning, but because it felt like sheshe’d given up

That even though he had ordered her to leave, it was her giving up on hi in

Had she’d done the right thing?

"Ms Hughes, ?"

The sound of Richard’s voice jolted her out of her thoughts She dragged her gaze away from theand looked up front He hadn’t spoken this entire time If he had, she hadn’t heard him

She cleared her throat "Sure"

"I don’t know if Lucian ever told you this, but when he was little, he was the scapegoat" He glanced in the rearview mirror "For his brothers and his sister--especially his sister He would get between Lawrence and Madeline He’d fight for her"

Wiping the tears off her face, she let out a shaky breath "He" She trailed off as she shook her head "Helike that"

"Did he tell you that his brothers fought for him? That wouldn’t be a lie They did for the most part, but notnot like he would for theone for his family Even if you think you do, you don’t"

Julia lowered her hands to her lap, her fingers curling into her palms She knew so beyond belief, but she’d accepted the things that he’d done out of loyalty and a fierce protectiveness she knew she would’ve shown for her own family Was there more?

With Lucian--with the de Vincent brothers--there was alwayspowerful and sure was building inside her Her hands opened and closed restlessly

Richard’s gaze flicked to the rearview ht for hiht for others"

She sucked in a sharp breath

"I have to ask Are you going to fight for him, Julia?"

Lucian stood in front of the closed door Never in his life had he entered the room Not when he was a child Not as an adult But now he stood in front of his father’s bedroom, the room his mother never even slept in

He didn’t knohy he came here, but he’d left Julia’s room and somehow this here he found himself Lucian reached for the knob Unlocked, it slipped open and cold air rushed out as he stepped inside

The roo to do with his death No one had started to pack his shit up yet It was just that his father, his actual God damn father, didn’t see the need for frivolous, inconsequential things The man himself had been spare down to the very bone, with his attention and love

Lucian stood before the bed--the only bed in the house that didn’t feature Gabe’s design The bed was ht was a dresser There was a TVempty of life