Page 126 of Hidden

My fingers curled tighter into the front of his jacket, the leather warm from his body now, and I hated the way my mind betrayed me so quickly, pulling me backwards before I had even made it to the door. Because this wasn’t the first time I had stood in front of him wearing something that belonged to him. It wasn’t the first time he had looked at me like I was already his, like there was no version of the world in which I didn’t end up by his side.

And once—God, once—I had believed it too.

Once, I had lain in this very room with his future wrapped around me as easily as his arms, stupid enough to think wanting it badly enough would somehow make it ours. Stupid enough to think love could soften the blow of what was coming. Stupidenough to think that if I chose him loudly enough, the rest of the world might one day be forced to accept it.

It had been one of those rare mornings where nothing felt impossible.

And like a fool, I let the memory take me.

Chapter 32

Vienna

Before

24 Years Old

“Luke?”

“What’s up, love?” I murmured on the edge of sleep.

“What if it wasn’t like this?” Gabriella asked, her voice barely audible.

But it got my attention.

“Like what?” I shifted our bodies, moving her slightly up the bed until she was facing me, unable to hide her words in my chest.

“Just… this,” she sighed, waving her hand, gesturing to nothing. “Don’t you ever wish we could be normal? Look at Dante and Laura—”

“They’re far from normal,” I scoffed.

“You know what I mean, though. They don’t have to hide in the shadows.”

“Dante does enough hiding, Gabby.”

“I know,” she sighed. We were both well aware how unhappy our friends were with their match. “But you know what I mean. They can go on dates. They can be seen in public together. Don’t you ever wish we could do that, too?”

“I wish for a lot of things,” I told her, placing my fingers under her chin so I could gently tip her head back, looking into her face. “But I’m not greedy. I have you. There was a time where I thought that was impossible. And yet my club has accepted us for the past three years.”

“I just can’t help but feel as though we’re delaying the inevitable.”

“Where has this come from?” I asked, sitting up as I spoke. The blankets pooled around my waist, and then were removed from me entirely as Gabby sat up and tucked them under her arms.

“Eventually my club will find out.”

“I know. And I’ve been telling you we should just tell them and get it over and done with.”

“I think you’re right,” she said softly. So softly I wasn’t sure I heard her correctly.

Shuffling closer, I pushed the hair out of her face and behind her ears and scanned her eyes. “What was that?”

“I think we should tell the Riders. Because I don’t want to hide in the shadows any—”

“Vienna!” came a banging at my bedroom door, making Gabriella jump. “Church in half an hour! Get your dick out of the poor girl and give her a fucking break!” Crash barked, before we heard him stomping back down the hallway.

“You were saying?” I asked, rolling my eyes at the interruption and turning back to my woman.

“We’ll pick this up later. Get ready for Church.”