I could feel Luke preparing to go gonzo when I heard Shirleen say, “I would think this was f**kin’ hilarious, standin’ around chatting about f**kin’ Catholic classes, but there’s a shithead out there and we’re givin’ him plenty of time to get away after he put his hand down my girl’s pants!”
When she stopped talking, she was shouting. One thing you could count on, that was Shirleen bringing the matter to hand.
“Luke,” Lee said and he and Vance moved toward us.
Thankfully, I figured this meant the latest drama was at an end.
“Right,” Luke muttered and tore his angry gaze away from Uncle Vito and looked at me. “I came by to tell you not to do anything stupid, because I know you’re gonna do somethin’ stupid.”
“I am so sure,” I snapped, unable to stop myself.
He curled me so I was facing his body. “Whatever the day brings, babe, at the end of it, we’re together. Got me?”
That took the wind out of my sails, mainly because I liked what he said. “Well then, okay,” I still sounded kinda bitchy but my heart wasn’t in it.
“I don’t like what you’re doin’ but enough time has been wasted so there isn’t any left to argue about it,” Luke told me.
I nodded.
“You wanna stay at the hotel again?” Luke asked.
I shook my head. “I think we should stay here. I don’t want to be scared of my own house.”
It was his turn to nod, his face started to get soft and his eyes warm and I was relieved he understood. Then he bent his head and touched his mouth to mine.
“Stay close to Tex, Duke or Jules,” he said, face still close.
“Jules isn’t um… working in the field during this operation,” I mentioned, my eyes slid to Vance, I bit the uninjured part of my lip and looked back at Luke. “You… erm… know why. Jules and I decided she’s in charge of Command Central.”
The angry went out of Luke’s face and body.
“Ava Babe,” was all he said, but he said it in The Voice and my knees wobbled.
“Luke,” Lee pressed, still standing close and breaking the moment.
Luke didn’t look at Lee as he said to me, “Gotta go.”
I nodded again.
“Stay safe,” he finished.
Then he touched his mouth to mine and was gone.
Vance stopped at me before he took off. I held my breath as, blank faced but eyes intense, he reached out, took a lock of my hair and tugged it.
Then he was gone too.
I let out my breath.
Dom led Sissy to my side, his eyes on my closed front door.
“You give Stark that hickey?” Dom asked me.
Oh shit, not the hickey again.
I turned to glare at him but he just grinned at me.
“Nice,” he said, nodding slowly.