Page 459 of Scars of Fate

“That was one time.”

“You were kidnapped.”

“Technically, we were all kidnapped.”

“Not helping.”

I laughed.

Lucas’s thumb moved across my hand.

“I won’t ask you to become someone else,” he said. “But I will ask you not to disappear into another war zone without telling me.”

“That seems fair.”

“And if you’re in danger, you call me.”

“What if you’re deployed?”

“I answer.”

“What if you can’t?”

“Then you call Adam.”

“He’s very bossy.”

“I learned from the best.”

I leaned into him.

“I don’t want to live in war zones anymore.”

He became still.

“Because I asked?”

“No. Because I’m tired of running toward other people’s wars while avoiding my own life.”

“What will you do?”

“Investigative reporting. Meridian left thousands of victims who deserve to have their stories told.”

“That still sounds dangerous.”

“It probably will be.”

He sighed.

“But I won’t do it alone.”

His eyes searched mine.

“Neither will I.”

Lucas removed the chain from his neck.

He slid my wedding ring into his palm.