Clasping her hand, “Don’t be mad at me, but we’re not going home for a bit.”
Her eyes widen. “Why?”
“I need to make sure you’re safe there, and right now, you’re not.” I swallow. “Weeks and I found a makeshift hut in the woods. Someone has been staying in it. Rowan, our plate was out there. Someone has definitely been in our home.”
Her hand tightens around mine, fear lacing her features. And I hate to see it.
“I don’t know if they ever came in when we were there, or only when we were gone. But knowing our home was enteredand by an unknown scares the shit out of me. Not for my wellbeing, but for yours, and I can’t put you at risk.” Her face looks like she wants to say something but changes her mind.
Rowan glances behind her at the funeral home, grimacing. “So, we have to stay here?”
Turning toward her, “I have a place in town where we’re going to stay.”
Her eyes squint at me, wanting me to get to the point. “Where?”
“Don’t hate me, it was the only place I knew of, since Damian is now staying in the guest apartment, but your old apartment…”
Her mouth opens and closes, looking like she’s a fish out of water trying to breathe. Standing straighter, she closes her mouth. “Okay.”
I know she’s met with my face that’s marred with shock.
She shrugs. “Whatever we need to do, Luca. You act like I’m going to fight you on every decision you make. I trust your judgment.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Because you do. But I still love you.”
Grabbing her, our lips meet intensely, like two magnets coming together; it feels like being welcomed home. I can’t help but pull her closer to my body, breaking the kiss. “Last night was a fucking core memory for me, baby.” Breathing in her scent, my dick jumps awake.
She pulls away from me, disconnecting us. “Not now.” Her little hand pops my dick-clad jeans.
“Shit.” My hips pull away from her reach.
“How long will we be staying?” she asks while walking ahead of me.
“I’m thinking maybe three weeks, if that.” I have a job that has to get done, and we need to find out who’s been at the house. "Because we are not going back, at least you’re not going back until that is taken care of."
She stops abruptly. “Luca, I can take care of myself.”
My head falls back, gearing myself up to fight with her. “For fuck's sake, just give this to me. I need you to just give this to me, Rowan.” I don’t know if I’m speaking to her or God, but either way, they need to chill the hell out.
My head is jerked down by my beard, our eyes meeting, “I already agreed. I’m just stating the facts, asshole.”
My lips widened into a smile, liking the way she had just forced me to look at her. “Yes, ma’am. Can we go sit?” I jerk my head toward a bench on the outskirts of the woods, camouflaged by the greenery.
Once we're seated, I force her legs up and onto my thighs, pulling her closer to me. My eyes roam over her face, seeing the flutter of freckles on her cheeks, how her cupid's bow has the perfect indent, and the small freckle that graces her top lip. Perfection. My thumb rubs her fingers, and I silently smile to myself. Her fingers are healing; well, there aren’t any new picks. I can’t help but imagine a ring gracing her finger, capturing her for a lifetime and thereafter. All mine. “I love you more than anything in this world, baby. Before you, I never knew what love was; now I know the all-consuming, infuriating feeling of it. And I never want to not feel it. This next job.” I breathe in, because this next sentence will cement the reality, because I won’t change my mind after I tell her.
She stares at me with her eyebrows etched on her forehead, unsure of what’s fixing to come next.
“This will be my last job, Rowan.”
She stays straight-faced. “Why?” Her eyes bounce over my face, trying to see any tells I’ll give.
I know Rowan, and she’s fixing to think the worst when I tell her why. “Because of you.”
Her eyes widen. “Luca, I’ve never asked you not to do what you do for a living. You can’t blame this on me.” Her cheeks heat, crimson marring them.
Squeezing her hand tighter, “Rowan, you. You have made me want to live. I want to be here longer than I thought I would. I have a time bomb strapped to me if I stay any longer. I know this. Just because I’m stepping away doesn’t mean I won’t still be in that field of work; I’ll just be behind the scenes.”
“Who’s going to take your place?” She asks like she doesn't already know. Because I can see the way her face becomes crestfallen. Biting her lip, not wanting the name to come out, she finally whispers his name. “Damian.”
