“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the whole story sooner,” I apologized. “I didn’t want to put you and Papa in the middle of everything or have it impact your friendship with her parents. But please don’t mistake that for my protecting Kat. That part of my life is over and I have Aubrey to protect now. So I’d really appreciate it if you’d make sure her parents know I’m done. I don’t want there to be any confusion on anyone else’s part either.”

I squeezed Aubrey tightly to me as I disconnected the call with my mom. “Sorry about that,” I offered.

“Luka, you don’t have anything to be sorry about,” she replied.

“Not even that it happened on our special day?” I asked, wanting to make sure the call hadn’t ruined our night together.

“Are you kidding me? Listening to you tell your mom how important I am to you made the night even better,” she assured me.

I captured her mouth with mine for a kiss before standing with her in my arms. My phone rang again and I figured it was my dad wanting to chime in as well after my mom had filled him in on our conversation, so I hit the green button to pick up the call without even looking at the phone.

“Papa,” I began, only to be interrupted by someone entirely different.

Aubrey must have seen the shock on my face. “Who is it?” she whispered as I pulled the phone away from my face to hit the speaker button.

I didn’t want to have this conversation at all. In fact, I’d avoided it for the last nine months. But there was no way in hell I was going to do it with Aubrey standing in front of me and not being able to hear what was being said.

“Nyet,” I hissed out loud, stopping Kat from saying anything more. “I already heard that your parents know and you’re in trouble because of it. And before you can even ask, no, I didn’t say a word about it to anyone who would’ve talked. I can only guess that someone from high school has been gossiping about what you’ve been up to while you’ve been away at school.”

“But, Luka, I need your help,” she replied, completely ignoring what I’d just said.

“And I don’t care what you need,” I answered. “You’re not my problem anymore.”

Kat changed her tone of voice before speaking again. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Luka. I made a mistake. A big mistake. Isn’t there any way you can forgive me and take me back?” she asked softly, sounding more like the girl I used to know in high school than the bitch she’d turned into at college.

At that point, I could tell that Aubrey was losing her shit. Her face turned bright red and her fists were clenched tight.

"Wow. From what Luka told me about you, I knew you were pathetic. But damn, girl. You just hit an all-time new low trying to manipulate Luka into taking you back so you can get your parents off your back. Don’t think for a second that I’m going to let him fall for it though," she roared.

I could hear Kat sputter on the other end of the line. "And who the hell are you?" she shrieked.

"Luka’s girlfriend," Aubrey replied smugly, walking over to hug me close to her body as she fought this battle for me.

"What? You moved on?!" Kat screamed, stunned by the news my parents had apparently chosen not to share with hers yet.

Aubrey rolled her eyes at me before responding. “Of course he moved on! Why would he be stuck with feelings for somebody who doesn't deserve to share the air he breathes? You must be delusional. Or maybe just really, really stupid. I don’t really care which one it is, but you fucked around behind his back for years and now you think you can just wrap him around your little finger? After you did that to him?”

“But—” Kat stammered.

“But nothing,” Aubrey interrupted her. “Luka can be a lot of things, but an idiot is not one of them. Now please leave him alone. For good. Or else.” Then she pulled the phone from my hand and disconnected the call.

“Remind me never to piss you off,” I joked in an effort to lighten the mood.

“Sorry,” she whispered as she seemed to deflate right in front of me.

“Aubrey, no. I’m not mad at you. Not even a little bit,” I reassured her. “Just the opposite, in fact. ‘Cause I just discovered how fucking hot it can be when you defend me.”

“Really?” she asked. “Tell me more about how hot you think I am.”

When I looked down at her, it struck me that this girl really was it for me. “Ya tebya lyublyu,” I whispered in Russian, the words slipping out even though I wasn’t ready to admit my love to her in a language she would understand. Not yet anyway.