Aiden looks at me, concern flickering in his eyes, but he doesn’t say anything. He’s always been the one to look out for me, to worry when I do things that feel out of character. But tonight, he’s letting it slide, maybe because he needs this escape just as much as I do.
“Come on,” Zoey says, tugging on my arm with a grin. “Let’s get out of here before your mom decides to call and check in on us.”
I nod, sliding my phone back into my pocket, hoping the messages from Roman don’t pop up while Luca or Aiden are watching. “Yeah, let’s go,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel.
As we head out, I can’t help but glance back at the house, my stomach twisting in knots. The flask in my hand feels heavier with every step, the night ahead promising more than just asimple Halloween party. It’s a night that could change everything—one way or another.
After hurriedly throwing together Luca’s pirate costume and squeezing into Zoey’s risqué nun outfit, the cold air brushes against my exposed skin. The thin white fabric barely covers my thighs, and the white fishnet stockings do little to keep me warm. My hair is curled, a white veil perched on my head, and my lips are painted in a deep red lipstick that matches the cross around my neck. Luca’s eyes linger on my body, and I feel my cheeks flush with heat.
“Oh, stop it, Eden, you look sexy,” Zoey smiles, her short black bob and white shirt the tamest parts of her outfit. Her push-up bra accentuates her already perfect figure, and her ripped black jeans show off her curves in all the right places.
“Can you imagine if our dad saw me like this?” I say, catching Aiden’s gaze as he finally looks my way.
“I think he’d kill you, then kill me for letting you wear it,” Aiden sighs, his outfit making him look like a young mobster. Zoey did a fantastic job styling his hair.
“He won’t yell at you while I’m here,” Luca says proudly, still unaware of the true extent of my father’s wrath.
We pull up to the party house, the loud music already blaring through the neighborhood. The tall, pointed roof of the cathedral is visible just a few blocks away. The front lawn is scatteredwith people clutching red solo cups, some already sprawled out on the grass.
“This is fun?” I ask, the smell of alcohol and poor decisions hitting me like a wave.
“This is what normal is supposed to look like, Eden,” Zoey says with excitement, linking her arm with mine. “One night of pretending we don’t have the most insanely religious parents.” She laughs, sliding out of the back seat. My phone buzzes again between my breasts, but I ignore it.
Aiden and Zoey are already making their way up the front lawn, eager to join the chaos.
“Whose place is this, anyway?” I ask Luca, who’s still sitting in the driver’s seat.
“One of my buddies from school. He didn’t finish his last semester, so he’s doing trade school locally. His parents are on vacation, so he’s got the place to himself.”
I watch as someone pukes over the railing of the deck and raise an eyebrow at Luca.
“Clearly, they made a good choice,” I say sarcastically, my phone screen lighting up again.
“You’re popular tonight,” Luca smiles, but my heart sinks when I see three missed calls from Roman. That can’t be good.
My thumb hovers over the screen, the temptation to call him back gnawing at me, but I tuck the phone under my thigh instead, forcing a smile at Luca.
“It’s just my mom,” I lie, tucking the phone under my thigh. “She’s drunk,” I add with a forced smile, but Luca’s eyes stay fixed on my lips.
“So, are you readyto—”
Before I can finish, Luca suddenly leans over the center armrest, cups my face, and kisses me. His lips are warm, but the lipstick smears, and I instinctively pull away, covering my mouth with my hand.
“Luca, I’m sorry, I just—”
“What are we doing here, Eden?” He interrupts, his voice tinged with frustration. He keeps his gaze forward, not looking at me.
“What—”
“You drag me along to spend time with your parents and friends, but every time we’re alone, it’s like you resent me touching you.”
“I’ve explained it to you, Luca. A lot of messed up things happened to me at school that I’m still trying to come to terms with—”
“Are you sure none of it has to do with a certain priest?” He challenges, Roman’s name clearly hovering on the edge of his words.
“Luca. I told you, what happened between you and Father Briar was because of my dad,” I whisper, reaching out to him in an attempt to reassure him.
But he grabs my wrist, his eyes dark with something that looked like obsessive anger. “I looked at your phone while you were changing, Eden. Roman Briar has been trying to reach you all night. Tell me why the hell he needs to talk to you when your dad has no reason to worry about what you’re doing,” Luca says, his grip tightening around my wrist, his voice trembling slightly.
