He waves it off like it’s nothing. “Anyway, my father must still have a few friends in the department because the files and evidence keep disappearing. They're de-digitalizing the whole thing so it's harder for them to try and get the case thrown out. The court trial is in a few weeks. Until then, he's out and he'll be looking for the snitch."
Luc exhales deeply like he's resigned to the fact that his father could come for him. He studies our hands as we sit in silence.
"So he doesn't know it was you?" I ask.
Luc shakes his head. "They kept my name off all the paperwork so my involvement was all hush hush. Didn't want their star witness to mysteriously die before the trial." Luc says darkly.
"How does Rylan fit into this?" Luc's brother pops into my head.
Luc chuckles. "Turns out, I had an older brother my parents never told me about who ran away when he was younger. He's a detective but when the ACIC authorised a raid, he jumped on the case to get me immunity and out of the game."
"Good on you, Rylan." I smile, remembering our conversation from last night.
"Yeah," Luc sighs, agreeing with me. "Grandma's living at his place while we’re here. Until we move to our own place." Luc smiles softly to himself, thinking about it.
I hesitate before asking, "What happened to your mum?"
Luc looks up at me, pain swirling in his bright green eyes. "The ACIC said if I co-operated I could keep any money I'd made from working for dear old dad so I sent her to a rehab facility. I don't know if she'll stay there."
Luc leans his head back against the bedhead. He looks exhausted. He looked weary before but after all this, he looks ready to drop.
“Are you sleeping?” I ask him, worried.
“Not really.” He shrugs, like it doesn’t bother him.
"Lay down, Luci," I murmur and he obliges. His eyes drooping instantly. He fights, blinking and never letting his eyes close—trying to stay awake.
“You need to sleep,” I tell him softly from where I’m laying beside him.
He turns his head to face me and the fear in his eyes has me grabbing a fistful of the doona to keep from reaching for him.
“I keep dreaming,” Luc says, quietly. His bright green eyes are like oceans of pain and fear.
Fuck it. I reach for his hand and he squeezes it, taking a shaky breath. His hand and warmth envelopes me as he shifts closer. I lay my head on his shoulder, silently telling him I’m here for him. He leans his head against mine.
Not even a few minutes later, his grip on my hand softens, his breathing grows steady.
Content just laying here to let him sleep peacefully, I start thinking about the home I’ve found myself in.
. . .
Fingers brushing my cheek pulls me out of sleep. I lay there for a while, happy letting this feeling of security wash over me.
“Butterfly,” is whispered to me, echoing through my mind.
My eyes open, locking on Luc’s green irises.
He’s on his side, propped up with one arm. His fingers continue brushing soft strokes down my cheek.
He’s smiling sleepily but the bags under his eyes are gone. Luc has beendevilishlyhandsome since I met him but he’s almost radiant now he’s not looking so tired.
“Hey,” I murmur, he continues smiling.
I roll onto my side, ending up a lot closer to him. My heart skips a beat when his hand moves from my cheek to rest on my hip.
I take the opportunity to examine him. After everything he told me…I'm worried about him.
He lookslighter?As though telling me took some weight off his shoulders. Or at least I hope so.
