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“I wasn’t brave.” The words are raw, guttural. “I was weak, Sal. I went weak when I couldn’t find you. Thinkin’ I could have lost you again ... it was too damn much, darlin’.”
She shakes her head. “No, you were brave.” Her voice is soft with a love, with a strength he’s never heard before in his life. “Because I knew. I just knew you’d come for me.”
Luke stares down at her, loving her more than he’s ever loved her. Her faith, her belief in him, never fails to shake him.
As he gently settles Sal back down in the pillows, her brow crinkles in confusion. “Wait, how did you find me?”
“Molly,” he says. “She came to the house. Told us where you were.”
Sal sighs. “Is she okay?”
His gaze slides to the bandage on her arm. “She’s fine, Sal. Thanks to you.”
Her throat bobs. “And Chris?”
“Jail,” he says with lethal quiet. “For a long goddamn time.”
As Luke was climbing into the ambulance beside Sal, he saw Chris being led away in cuffs. It took all Luke had not to leave Sal’s side and launch the son of a bitch into the sun.
He reaches out to touch her, taking her hand into his. “I hate that you went through that. After what you’ve been through ...”
Her mouth tightens at the thought. Her eyes cloud with emotion as she thinks about it, then she says, “The funny thing is, yes, it was awful and terrifying, but if anyone could handle it, I could.” Her eyes grow contemplative. “I’m not glad it happened, but I think I went through the dark the first time so I could survive the second.”
His stomach dips at the thought. Imagining Sal taking on that terror again, reliving her monstrous experience with Roy, is enough to get Luke on his knees and keep him there.
Still, she’s right. She is.
She’s endured the worst of so many things and survived. The thought doesn’t reassure him. It doesn’t make him want to protect her any less, and he’ll never stop, but neither will she. She’s a force, his wife, and whoever fucks with her fucks with him.
He brings her hand to his mouth, pressing a kiss to her palm, her tattoo.
Sal inhales a breath, tilting her dark head. “Are you happy, Luke?” Her face is hesitant, hopeful. “About the baby?”
“Am I—” Luke breaks off, his eyes wide. He straightens, trying to find the words for what this means to him. What they mean to him. “Sal, I’m over the goddamn moon.” He cups her face and she leans into his palm, her cheek as soft as a petal. “It was a surprise, that’s for sure. But a goddamn great one. I just—why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want you to be disappointed again.” She swallows and meets his gaze. “I overheard you and Seth talking on the porch about how hard it’s been for you. I didn’t know how much you were hurting. When I found out about the baby, I wanted to protect you like you’ve protected me.” Her eyes fall to her stomach. “I was planning to tell you last night.” She purses her lips, lets out a wry laugh. “Although, this wasn’t exactly how I wanted you to find out.”
He nods slowly as her words sink in, understanding rippling through him at how she put him first. Goddamn, how he loves her.
Sal’s eyes, heavy with sleep, stare into his, all kinds of solemn. “I love you, Luke.”
In response, Luke rests a hand over her stomach.
The only sound is the faint beeping of the heart monitors. The baby’s and Sal’s.
All he needs.
The most perfect harmony he’s ever heard.
Sal smiles at the late-afternoon sunlight coming in the window. Somehow, mysteriously, magically, flowers have appeared while she was sleeping. Big, gorgeous bouquets that feel as sunny as she does. Her room is bustling with people, which has her husband’s handsome face pulled into a dark scowl.
Luke, his arms crossed, keeps a tall and protective watch over her bed while she speaks to the cops, answering their cut-and-dried questions. They’ve been here for nearly an hour and she knows it’s only a matter of time before they get booted.
While the cops finish up, nurses check her pulse and blood pressure. They want to monitor her and the baby for another few hours before she’s discharged. Though the swelling on her temple has gone down, her arm’s on fire thanks to painkillers being off-limits.
She’ll take it, though.
She’ll take every shitty and great and wondrous thing this pregnancy will bring.
