Chapter 8

Luca’s hand flew to his stinging cheek, and tears welled up in his eyes.

“You’re a sinner. A pervert,” she’d roared so loud, he’d been afraid the neighbors would hear.“I didn’t raise my son to be a freak!”

The words had stung worse than her palm, and he would never forget them.

The rest of the spring semester had been awful. Gone was the warm loving mother he’d always known. Instead, she’d demanded he’d change or he was going to hell. She’d dragged him to church and forced him to talk to a priest in an effort to save his immortal soul.

At first, Luca had tried his best to keep calm and to reason with her, hoping she’d come to her senses and realize he was the same person as always. He was so afraid of losing her. They’d always been close, and she was the only family he had. He’d never known his father; the guy had taken off when his mother had told him she was pregnant and hadn’t been seen since.

Luca had only been eighteen and hadn’t known how to deal with this furious woman, who took every opportunity to condemn him and his behavior.

Deep down, Luca had realized this would be the outcome if he ever told her about his sexuality. It wasn’t that she’d openly spoken against gays, because she tried her hardest not to judge anyone, at least not with words. It was the look on her face whenever she saw a same-sex couple that had given her away; a pinched expression like she’d witnessed something repulsing. So he hadn’t planned on letting her know until much later, if ever.

The situation had culminated a few days before he’d left for college. His mother had marched into the house, followed by two serious-looking, elderly men, and informed Luca he was going with them to a pray-the-gay-away-camp. At first, he’d been stunned and couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He’d pleaded and asked her to reconsider, saying she’d regret it later, but nothing had helped. She’d been adamant—he was going.

When Luca had gotten upset, one of the men had grabbed his arm in an attempt to lead him out of the house. Luca had shoved him and run out, leaving his mother and the two men behind.

He’d spent the night at a friend’s house, trying to silence his distressed sobbing with an old borrowed pillow. When he’d returned the next day, he’d hoped she’d changed her mind, but she’d been even angrier than before. With ice in her voice, she’d told him she’d never accept a freak in her house. But at least she’d allowed him to pack some things before she’d thrown him out.

Even thirteen years later, he still remembered how he’d felt that day. As if someone had grabbed him by the throat and squeezed so tight, he couldn’t breathe. Like someone had ripped out his heart, stomped on it, and left it broken and bleeding on the floor.

And thirteen years later—on the happiest day of his life—his mother had stared at him with cold eyes and spit out that hateful word again.

Freak. 5: Under the Veil

Gus opened the office door, and his breath hitched when he saw Luca. Luca sat on the fake office lawn with his back to the door, a glittering white veil spilling from his head, covering his naked body. He was curled in on himself as if he was trying to make himself smaller. Goosebumps covered every inch of his naked skin, and as Gus stood there watching, Luca shivered.

Gus had only seen him like that once before, after a visit with his mother when Gus couldn’t go with him because of a shift change at the hospital. When he’d gotten home late that night, he’d found Luca lying on the floor, naked and curled into a ball. Not crying, not raging, just exuding quiet despair. Gus would prefer a tantrum, a dramatic screaming match, or even throwing things. This scared the crap out of him.

Without thinking, Gus kicked off his dress shoes and crossed the floor in a couple quick steps. He sank down behind his fiancé and lifted the sparkly hem of the veil with careful fingers. He ducked under it, scooted close, and let it fall over his own head, too.

He snaked his arms around Luca’s waist and pulled him into the V of his legs. A weight he hadn’t been aware of lifted from his shoulders when Luca relaxed and leaned back into Gus’s embrace

Luca rested his head on Gus’s shoulder, and Gus tightened his grip. He caressed the smooth skin on Luca’s belly with his thumbs and burrowed his nose in his fiancé’s hair, inhaling the familiar scent, letting it calm his worried heart.