The Lost Heiress: Loved By Three

A dangerous smile

(Luca)

I wasn’t supposed to care. That was the truth.

Girls at Prestwick were all the same. Too careful, too eager to get a reaction out of me. They wanted the easy grin, the line I’d used a hundred times. They wanted the Luca Monroe they thought they knew. I gave it to them because it was simple. No strings, no real effort.

I had tried to distract myself so many times by playing the piano. It was something that I grew up loving and I had to thank my parents for not taking that away from me, since they expected me to take over the family business once I graduated.

It was a lot of pressure, but I didn't let it bother me. I tried to be kind and reliable as often as I could. I wasn't the type of person who looks down on someone else because of their background.

Talking about background, my mind instantly went towards Avery.

I wanted to protect her, to make her feel wanted.

The thought hit me harder than I expected, like a wrong note in the middle of a song I’d played perfectly a thousand times. I wasn’t supposed to care. Not about her. Not about anyone.

But Avery wasn’t like the others. She didn’t chase me with her eyes, didn’t wait for me to notice her. She moved through Prestwick like she was holding her breath, like she didn’t belong, and for some reason that made me notice her even more.

I sighed as I leaned against the wall. I was waiting for Jackson and Elias to get here.

The girl didn’t even realize the storm she had walked into when she came to Prestwick. People like Serena thrived on weakness, and Avery had been their perfect target. At first glance, she seemed fragile, someone who could be broken apart with a single harsh word. But the longer I watched her, the more I realized there was something else beneath that quiet exterior.

And maybe I wanted to be the one to bring it out.

I heard footsteps behind me before Elias’s voice cut through the silence. “You’re early.”

Jackson trailed beside him, grinning like usual. "Yeah. We have things to discuss about protecting Avery."

Elias crossed his arms, his gaze sweeping the hall before settling on me. “Protecting her means we act with purpose, not carelessness. No drawing unnecessary attention.”

I smirked. “Unnecessary attention? Elias, you walk into a room and everyone pays attention whether you want them to or not. Jackson smiles and they melt. Me? I don’t even have to try. You’re worried about the wrong thing.”

Elias’s jaw tightened. I knew I was getting to him, which was half the fun.

Jackson chuckled, shaking his head. “You two are going to drive her insane before she even realizes what’s happening.”

“Who says she hasn’t realized already?” I asked, letting my grin widen. “I think she’s more alert than either of you give her credit for.”

Before Elias could reply, movement down the hall caught my eye. Avery. Books hugged to her chest, head held a little higher than usual. Not high enough to hide the burden she carried, but there was something different in her steps today.

She noticed us before she reached us. Her eyes moved over Elias, then Jackson, and finally landed on me. I gave her a slow grin, one I knew would get under her skin.

“Morning, Avery,” I said smoothly, pushing off the wall and stepping toward her. “Looking at you this early in the day almost makes waking up worth it.”

Her brows rose. “Do you practice lines like that, or do they just come naturally?”

I leaned closer, dropping my voice to a teasing drawl. “Oh, they’re all natural. But if you’d like, I can save my best ones for when we’re alone.”

Her lips parted, but instead of blushing like I half expected, she gave me a flat look. “Then don’t bother. I’m not interested.”

Behind me, Jackson snorted, amused. Elias, however, stiffened. “Luca,” he said firmly.

I ignored him. “Not interested yet,” I corrected, tilting my head. “Give it time. You’ll come around.”

Her chin lifted, that spark of fire flashing in her eyes. “Keep talking, and I’ll come around to shoving you into a locker.”

Jackson outright laughed at that, clapping me on the shoulder. “I like her already.”

I couldn’t help the grin tugging at my lips. Stronger than she looked. I wanted more of that.

Elias stepped forward then, putting himself slightly between us. “Enough. We agreed to walk her to class. That doesn’t mean you get to make a spectacle of it.”

"You agreed to walk me to class? You could have waited for me after you dragged me out of bed so early." she said to Elias. I raised my eyebrow, wondering what was going on there.

"I had to go back home to get some things done, forgive me if I didn't realize you wanted a ride princess." Elias shot back.

“Relax,” I said, brushing past him to fall into step beside Avery. "There's no need to act like that. You're wrong Elias and you know it. Now, let's go before we are late."

The four of us walking together was enough to make the whole hallway freeze. Students stopped mid conversations, mid step, mid breath, their eyes glued to us like we'd just descended from another planet. Whispering spread fast.

Most whispers circled back to Serena and Avery but I didn't care.

Avery tried to keep her head high, though I caught the way her grip tightened on her books. When we stopped at the door, I leaned just close enough for her to hear me. “I’ll see you later, beautiful.”

Her cheeks flushed, and for once, she didn’t have a comeback. I liked that even more.