“Shut up down there.”
“Let’s see… you stole the extra key, you took out the cameras in the parking garage, you removed the trackers,” I can see Lil ticking each thing off on her fingers because she raises her arm as high as it goes, “you found the hiding place for it, you bought and parked the motorcycle and then the shit box, you drove it… what exactly did I do again?”
“Hey, you tracked Dad to that parking garage.”
“Which was only like 5% of the whole operation.”
Ari groans. “I fell down a hyperfixation hole and couldn’t get out.”
“I can’t believe you kept that fucking thing hidden for a whole year,” I laugh. It hurts a little, but I try to make sure Ari doesn’t see me cringe. “And that it was you driving both times I saw that thing.”
“Hey, ‘that thing’ as you call it, was our Batmobile. We called him Bruce. And we gave him up for you, Beefcake, so you know, maybe let that lie slide,” she shrugs against me.
“Hmmmm, only if you give me a kiss.”
“Alright, but only because you brushed your teeth.” It’s a real kiss, though a careful my-husband-just-woke-up-from-a-coma-and-is-still-in-the-hospital kiss.
When she pulls back, I run a finger down her cheek. “You came for me.”
“You’re mine, Luca. I’ll always come for you.”
She snuggles back onto my chest and is asleep in seconds. It doesn’t take me long to follow her.
Chapter 87
What the hell is 'normal,' anyway?
Ariana
Unconscious Luca in the hospital is nerve-racking. Conscious Luca in the hospital is annoying.
Obviously, I’d take the conscious version of him any day. But my husband can only sit still for so long, and he usually works out at least once a day, so he’s used to burning a ton of energy. Not to mention the sex we’re both used to having now. It might be a new habit, but it’s one hell of a drug. His sexual frustration added to the realization that strenuous activity and lifting rules out most of our favorite positions, makes for one grumpy Luca Alexander DeVille.
It doesn’t really make for a happy Ariana Ray DeVille, either.
“What’s with the face?” I ask him when I see a particularly deep frown.
“Just thinking about how long it’ll be before we can fuck in the shower again.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Maybe the time will fly by, Hot Stuff.” He raises his scarred eyebrow at me and doesn’t look convinced. At all. “Okay, it’ll probably drag on and feellike forever.”
“Not really helping me feel better here, baby.”
I sit on the bed. His arm snakes around my waist, and he pulls me next to him like he does every time. “It won’t be forever,” I say, my head dropping to his shoulder. “I’m still just happy you’re alive and healing. We’ll go home soon, and it won’t be long before life is back to normal. Well, a new normal.”
We don’t know who Fred was working with. Who knows how long it’ll be before we can leave the house and continue checking off the list of shit to annoy Luca.
Except Lil and I had changed it while Luca was unconscious to be the ‘list of things to do even if one or both of us hates it.’ We added things to it, like do an escape room and axe throwing, things Luca would probably love and we might hate. I’ll absolutely hate the escape room, but Lil will love it. I’ll love axe throwing, and Lil will probably hurt herself.
But at least at home, we can sleep in a bed big enough for both of us. Lil can sleep in her own room and bed again. And if we need to, we can all sleep in one of them. Luca can watch sporting events with our dads. Eventually, he can get back to training.
“A new normal. A married version of normal.”
“What’s the married version of normal?” I ask.
“Well mostly that we’re married.” He grins, and I poke him in his side, where I know he wasn’t wounded.
“Smart ass.”
