His Heart's Desire (Book 2 in His Heart's Series)

Chapter 28

Luke

I drove as fast as I could to Nick's place.

When I reached his house, I came to a screeching halt.

I turned off the engine and got out of the car, as quickly as I could.

A car stopped beside me.

I recognized it.

It was Jason's.

Then another car came to a stop beside Jason's car.

It was Ethan.

Jason stepped out of the car, while Ethan stepped out of his.

"Stay out of this, you two," I snapped at them both.

"No. Liv called me and told me you're coming after Nick," he said. "I called Ethan."

"You two have to leave. I have to do this," I said.

"What are you going to do? Kill him?" Ethan asked.

"He deserves far worse than that!" I growled angrily.

"Luke, I don't what happened but..."

"He fucking raped her!"

Jason's eyes widened in shock and he staggered back. Ethan's face paled.

"Son of a bitch," he cursed angrily.

"He fucking violated her. He hurt her. He came to me and told me that they had slept together, and that he felt so guilty. And when he told Livie that he was going to confess, she threatened to call rape, and I believed him. So when Livie showed up and told me exactly what Nick said she would, I didn't believe her. I didn't listen. I didn't listen even when she got down on her knees and grabbed my leg and begged me to listen. I didn't. I told her to get the fuck out of my life. Even until now, she tried so many times to tell me, and I still wouldn't listen to her. Who does that? Who does that to the woman he claimed to love and sworn to protect? Who the fuck does that? Tell me!"

"Luke..."

"How the fuck does she get past that? She's right... I wouldn't forgive me either. I don't deserve her. I destroyed her and everything that we had. I destroyed something so precious and I would never forgive myself for the rest of my life."

"Luke, I don't know what to say..."

"You know that night before we left for the dinner I organized for everyone? I told her that I forgive her and that the past doesn't matter. All this time, I believed that I was the bigger person and I was magnanimous for forgiving her and taking her back, when I was the one who should be begging for her forgiveness. I said and did horrible things to her. I treated her so unforgivably. What kind of person does that? She came to me because she trusted me and believed that I loved her and that I would protect her. But instead, I turned my back on her," my voice cracked.

"Luke it was difficult for you, you loved her and..." Ethan started to say.

"Yes I loved her, and I betrayed her. I fucking betrayed her! That fucking bastard in there raped her! I'm going to make him pay for what he did. I'm going to do what I should have done two years ago!"

"Luke, you can't. Think about this for a minute. Livie and the twins needs you. If you go to jail, they'll lose you."

"I already lost them. Livie will never forgive me. I don't expect her to," I said.

"She will. She loves you. She just needs time. And the twins. They need you. They need a father. Don't let them grow up without a father, Luke. There's another way."