Page 25 of A Very Grumpy Green Beret

I take a shaky breath. “I love you too.”

He stares at me. I can’t read his expression. He cups my face and presses his forehead against mine.

“Again. Say it again,” he orders.

“I love you, Luca. So much.”

“Not more than me,” he argues.

“I don’t think it’s supposed to be a competition,” I inform him.

“It’s not. I win.”

“Oh my god,” I laugh, trying to roll onto my back away from him.

He doesn’t let me go far before he drags me against him again.

“What now?” I ask, running my fingers through his hair.

He tilts his head into my palm, and I smile softly, scratching his scalp lightly.

“Now we do it all over again,” he says.

I giggle, thinking he’s joking. His eyes fill with determination, and I gasp when he rolls me under him again.

11

Luca

“I hate to bring it up,” I sigh, running my fingers through Perry’s hair.

“Bring what up?” she asks, raising her head and resting her chin on my bare chest.

We’re still tangled up in bed together, and I want nothing more than to enjoy this moment with her forever. But I know the threat is still out there, and we need to talk about how to eliminate it.

“About those men. About the future.”

The light dims in her eyes. “Yeah, you’re right,” she says quietly. “I’m not sure what to do. I should probably leave town. I can try to disappear.”

“His ego is bruised now. I don’t think he’ll stop looking for you. We can run if you want to, but I hate the thought of you always on edge, always looking over your shoulder for them to catch up with us.”

“Us?” She blinks.

I frown. “Obviously. I love you, Perry. I’m not letting you go. Not ever. I thought that we already agreed to all that.”

“I know… I guess I thought that you might have second thoughts after all this. I thought that was why you were bringing it up,” she admits.

I growl, shaking my head at her. “You’re never getting rid of me. I’m never changing my mind about you,” I promise.

“There has to be a way to stop them,” Perry muses.

“I can look into them. I have friends in the government who can help. I’m sure there are agencies trying to make a case against the Bianchi family.”

“Get them arrested?” Perry whispers, staring at me wide-eyed.

“Or I can kill them,” I offer.

She shakes her head.