Forbidden

Chosen

Luca

Luca looked down at Livy. Mostly because he needed to quit staring at Van. Seeing Principal Logan glaring at the girl had spiked the rage he struggled to keep a tight rein on. "And just what was that about?"

His tiny cousin sighed and looped her arm through his. "Doesn't it bother you she just wants to throw her life away?"

Yes. "No, why should it? You know who she is."

He felt her bump her hip against his while she shook her head. "Please, you know you don't buy into all of that. My mother says Van never even met her dad until after family died. We might know who she is, but she doesn't."

Luca remained silent as they walked across the parking lot. He always tried to smile and wave at everyone who called to him, but today it felt forced. Thankfully, most of the students still had another period to get through. He and Livy were excused fourth period because of how far ahead they were in school.

"Your mother knows not to say that too loudly, right?"

Livy snapped her seatbelt into place before replying. "We're not stupid."

He pressed a quick apology kiss against her tan forehead. "Sorry, cuz. I know y'all aren't. It's- well, you know everything is messed up right now. We have to be careful."

The Porsche roared to life as Luca turned the key, and he had to suppress every teenage douche bag cell in his body to stop himself from revving the engine repeatedly before peeling out of the parking lot. Few things gave him as much joy as driving fast cars, but his father had been very clear about staying under the radar when he gave him this car. But the gibbous moon made control a difficult thing.

Livy shook with excitement in the seat beside him. She might look all prim and proper on the surface, but the beast she hid behind those peter pan collars and pleated skirts was wild. Her appearance was nothing more than her way of keeping that animal on a leash.

"She needs a ride in this car," she moaned, sinking into the buttery leather while popping the button on her collar. "Remind her she actually survived that accident."

Luca gripped his steering wheel. "Why the hell are we still talking about Van?"

"Because," she said, licking her lips, "you get a hard on every time you so much as scent the girl."

"You're sick."

"No." Her hands went into the angled bob she'd spent hours perfecting. In two seconds, she ruined all her hard work, turning her sleek mane into tousled bedhead. "I'm right."

"You know," he began, slowing just enough to make their turn without fishtailing, "you should probably stay home tomorrow. You didn't make it out of the city limits this time."

"It's okay," she purred, stretching her legs across the dashboard. "I think she's hot too. We could share her. Some of the others are into that sort of thing."

Luca brought the car to a halt so fast, Livy would have found herself plastered to the windshield if she wasn't buckled in. A red haze filled his vision, and he counted to ten before it passed. His cousin's musical laughter almost set him off again.

"That's not funny."

"Oh, but it was. I enjoy making you loosen up. It's almost a full moon. Live a little."

"We get to live every day because I don't loosen up," he whispered, removing his foot from the break. She sobered at his words.

"I'm sorry. Maybe I'm just a little jealous."