Chapter 145
The silence after Lucas’s last words stretches so long it starts to feel heavy.
I’m the only one who speaks.
“What do you mean it was his fault p>
Lucas doesn’t answer right away. Instead he rubs his hands together slowly, like he’s trying to warm them even though the room isn’t cold.
“I mean exactly what I said,” he finally replies.
“There’s no way,” I say quietly.
Lucas looks up at me then and hs eyes are tired in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen before.
“You really want to hear this?” he asks.
“Yes I do.” My voice coming out firmer than I expect.
Because I do want to hear it if I’m going to stand between two men who clearly hate each other this much, then I deserve to know why.
Lucas leans back in the chair and exhales slowly.
“Alright,” he mutters.
His gaze drifts past us for a second, like he’s staring at something that isn’t in this rom.
“When we were younger,” he begins, “Zane and I were close. Not just business close, like Real close p>
Noah raises an eyebrow slightly, lucas notices and shrugs.
“I know that’s hard to imagine now, but it’s the truth. We grew up around each other a lot. Our families ran in similar circles, we trained together and fought together You guys were little kids then so you can’t remember much p>
Caleb smirks faintly.
“Also fought each other from the sound of it p>
Lucas lets out a quiet breath that might have been a laugh.
“Yeah, that too p>
He looks back at me.
“Zane and I used to fight like brothers. I’m not exaggerating, We’d get into it over stupid things sometimes pride, egoo, who was better at something. You name it p>
“Sounds like you,” Noah mutters.
Lucas ignores him.
“But despite all that,” he continues, “we trusted each other and nd we loved each other p>
His voice lowers slightly.
“Which is why what happened… made everything go bad pretty fst p>
My stomach tightens a little.
“And his sister?” I ask.
Lucas’s expression shifts when I say that and something soft flickers through his eyes.
“She came along later,” he says quietly.
He pauses then adds,
“And she ruined me p>
Caleb blinks.
Lucas gives him a flat look.
“I loved her, Caleb p>
The room goes quiet again as Lucas looks down at his hands.
“At first it wasn’t supposed to be anything serious. Just… spending time together. Talking nd laughing p>
His mouth twitches slightly.
“She was stubborn and way too curious for her own good. Alwayd asking questions about things she probably shouldn’t have been asking about p>
I can almost hear the memory in his voice.
“You know what she was most afraid of?” he says after a moment.
“What?” I ask.
“Her brother p>
That surprises me and Lucas most have noticed the look on my face.
“No not because he was abusive or anything like that,” he clarifies. “But because Zane was… protective of her to a fault,
Possessive even p>
He leans forward slightly.
“And he didn’t like the idea of her being involved with anyone in his world p>
“So you hid it,” Noah says.
Lucas nods once.
“We had to p>
He looks at me again.
“She was terrified of how Zane would react if he found out she was sleeping with his best friend p>
“Best friend p>
I swallow.
“So the relationship stayed a secret,” Lucas continues. “For months p>
Caleb shifts slightly on the couch.
“Until p>
Lucas exhales slowly.
“Until the night everything went to hell p>
Lucas rubs the back of his neck like the memory physically hurts.
“We thought we were alone,” he says quietly.
“Where?” I ask.
“One of the warehouses Zane and I used to use sometimes back then p>
He glances at Noah briefly.
“You remember that place near the docks?. I used to take you there when you’d leave school early p>
Noah nods slowly.
“Yeah p>
Lucas continues.
“It was late. Everyone had cleared out hours earlier so we figured we had the place to ourselves p>
His voice lowers further.
“We were…uhmmm together p>
He doesn’t elaborate but we all understand what he means.
“We were making out,” he says bluntly after a second.
Caleb shifts awkwardly even though Lucas doesn’t seem to notice.
“When then the door slammed open suddenly p>
My chest tightens, matching the way Lucas’s jaw tightens too.
“Zane walked in p>
Noah lets out a quiet whistle under his breath.
Lucas nods once.
“Yeah p>
“What happened?” I ask.
Lucas huffs out a humorless breath.
“What do you think happened p>
He looks at me directly.
“He lost his freaking mind p>
I can picture it too easily.
Zane walking in and Seeing his sister tangled up with his best friend.
L
Lucas continues.
“He didn’t say anything at first. He just stood there staring at us while we scrambled to get decent p>
His fingers curl slightly against his knees.
“And then he grabbed her p>
“How?” Caleb asks.
“By the arm,” Lucas says immediately. “Hard p>
My stomach twists.
“She tried to explain,” Lucas continues quietly. “Tried to calm him down p>
“But Zane wasn’t listening p>
Lucas shakes his head.
“No he wasn’t p>
His voice turns rough.
“He dragged her out of there p>
“Did you try to stop him?” I ask.
Lucas closes his eyes briefly.
“Yeah,” he says. “I did p>
His eyes open again.
“But I also knew something p>
“What p>
“That if I followed them right then… it would turn into a fight p>
Noah nods slowly.
“Because you two used to go at it p>
Lucas lets out a small breath.
“Exactly p>
He looks down again.
“Zane and I didn’t have normal arguments. When we fought… we fought p>
He glances at me.
“I didn’t want to do that in front of her. I didn’t want her stuck between us while we tried to beat each other unconscious p>
“So you let them leave,” I say softly.
Lucas nods.
“I figured I’d give him time to cool off p>
His voice cracks slightly on the last words.