Every Broken Piece Of You

Sixty-Seven

Luke's Pov

The look on her face when she sees the bruises tells me that this is deeper than the scars on my hands. I didn't think it through when I had attacked Tristan, but he had it coming for hurting her the way he did.

The motherfucker was working for Eric, the bastard! I clench my fist and when she looks out the window, there is a strange sense of anger that washes over me, almost like I'm angry for being upset at the thought of losing her. I couldn't possibly lose her, but she doesn't appear to be in the room with me.

"Luke," her voice was soft this time, "I'm really sorry for getting you involved in this, I tried to keep you out of it." There is a tear that escapes and she seems frustrated, roughly wiping it away.

"Well, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't in love with you." I clench my fist at both the fear and surprise that I have said it to her now.

Her eyes widen and her mouth opens but nothing is coming out. Her face starts to turn a new shade of red and then she covers her mouth with her hand. I knew I should have kept my mouth shut! This isn't what I was expecting. I open and close my mouth but nothing comes out either, my throat feels like it's constricted and I can barely breathe.

I turn and walk out without another word, I need to get out of here and breathe, when I get to the front door I hear her call my name and then Natalie appears in the hallway and the last thing I see is her standing next to her sister before I close the door behind me.

I walk down to get coffee and doughnuts once I'm outside, needing something to occupy my mind, taking deep breaths, trying to clear my head and get my breathing under control. What was I expecting? Not the look on her face, like she wasn't about to say it back.

I figure what hurt the most, was the surprise on her face. I mean, surely I had shown her, how I felt before things fell apart. Why did I run away like a little girl? I knew what I felt for her was nothing to what I have felt before. I just didn't expect this crushing feeling at the thought that I lost her and that she didn't love me. I feared being crushed by the rejection more than anything.

I take my time walking back to the apartment, I'm trying to clear my head and distract myself, but it doesn't appear to be working, all I can think about is her. I had left my phone on the bed when I walked out. I knew I had to go back and that I had to face this.

By the time I get back to the apartment, it's quiet and I can hear water running. I put the coffee's down, "Victoria? Natalie?"

After a moment, I hear Victoria's broken voice, "Luke?" I take a deep breath, bracing myself.

"Victoria, where are you?" I walk towards the bathroom and then I hear her footsteps from the bedroom, she's standing in my t-shirt and her hair is dripping wet.

"Luke, oh thank God." She runs into my arms, her eyes watery. When I'm holding her, she reaches up onto her tiptoes, holding my face in place as she presses her lips to mine.

The electricity never ceases to amaze me and I don't think I will ever get tired of this. I take a deep inhale of her and the way she smells like apples and flowers. I kiss her back with more passion as she deepens the kiss. I feel her bite down on my lip and when she moans, my body moves on its own, I lift her and she wraps her legs around my waist, as I gently place her against the wall and kiss her deeper, careful not to injure her anymore.

When she breaks away and looks me in the eyes, my world stops spinning, the words that come out of her mouth steal my breath, my strength, and all the words right out of my damn mouth.

"Luke Robert Hemmings, I love you! I love you, I love you, I love you. I am madly uncontrollably in love with you." She whispers while kissing me all over my cheeks, my nose and my lips.

My heart feels like it's about to explode when the words she keeps repeating are ringing in my ears and I can't get enough of it.

"You do?" I have to ask to make sure. I may be imagining things and she nods her head with tears in her eyes.

"Yes, of course, I do! Luke Hemmings, I love you, I am so in love with you, I can't keep it to myself anymore." I kiss her back hard.

"I love you, Victoria Graham, I love you so much." This time the beam on her face is the response I realise I had hoped for. Although I guess I feel the way she did, I am in utter disbelief that she loves me back.

This time when I kiss her, it's softer, slower and deeper, exploring her emotions, trying to get through to her with my own. Then she slides down the front of my body until her feet hit the floor and she's secure.

I think about letting her go, but I hold on a bit longer as I place kisses all over her face and on the top of her head. She holds me close and I lose track of how long we stand like this, I'm breathing her in while she holds onto me, trying to savour this moment.

The look in her eyes when she looks up at me through her lashes is totally different to this morning, "I'm so sorry I freaked out earlier, I just didn't know you felt that way. Hearing you say it..." she's cut off by a soft sob, "I love you, Luke. I didn't realise how much, but I really do." Her beautiful hazel eyes are swimming in a pool of tears that slowly caress her skin as they make their way down her cheeks.

I kiss her cheeks and capture the salty tears with my lips before I remember that the coffee I got is probably cold now, "I brought coffee Babygirl, I almost forgot." She smiles and it brightens my day.

"I like it when you call me that," She says as she blushes, her eyes fixed on my chest. I can't help but laugh at how adorable she is.

"Well Babygirl, get used to it. It's your name from now on." Her messy hair is curling as it dries and bounces slightly as she nods her head before she looks me dead in the eyes.

"Well, Young Skywalker, I guess you should get used to it too." Her face is serious and I smirk.

"I don't mind baby, I'm just not sure about the 'Young' part." I roll my eyes as a sign of defiance and I can tell she doesn't like it when she sighs.

"Fair enough Skywalker. I'll come up with something even better then."

I shake my head, "Nope, Skywalker is perfect, just like you are." I kiss her forehead and grab her hand as I lead her to the kitchen before she sits down and I place the coffee and doughnut in front of her.

"Where is Natalie? I got her a coffee too." Her smile falters for only a second.

"She went to the police station. She got a call to say that Eric was taken into custody with Tristan. Melanie is in a state but Steph is with her now." Her face lifts to me and she smiles. "And you're here and I love you. I am desperately in love with you." I can't help but smile back before I kiss her once more.

*Hey Everybody! Dum dum dum!! Lol, they finally said it!! Swoon. They now both know how they feel and it only took them 67 chapters to do it, lol. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are enjoying the book, it has me all up in my feels. Thank you for reading!! XOXO*