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“The Kellers’.”
ChapterForty-Six
CHARLIE
When I burst into my parents’ house, Luna’s voice is the first I hear. I follow the lilting notes of her conversation like a hound dog, my actual dog at my heels.
I find her in the kitchen, sitting at the counter, talking to my mother who stands at the sink washing lettuce.
“Everyone thinks a dietitian has to love kale, but I just can’t deal with the stuff raw. I’ll put it in soups though.” My wife rests her chin in her hand, relaxed in my childhood home.
As I pause in the doorway, knees weak at the welcome sight of her, Pig pushes past my legs and charges forward, letting out a pitiful whine as her whole body wags.
Luna faces us and quickly slides off her perch, crouching low to gather the affectionate pit bull in her arms.
“Hi, Pig. I know, I know. I missed you too.” Luna gets peppered with doggy kisses and has to provide a reassuring belly rub before I get any of her attention. When she looks up from her crouch, I watch the strength in her normally determined face waiver.
“Luna.” I only get her name out before she launches herself up, high enough to hug me around the neck.
As my arms encircle her firm waist, the panicked swirling in my chest finally settles enough for me to suck in a deep breath. The inhale bombards me with the glorious citrus scent of her shampoo, which only calms me further.
“You came.” The wording is a statement, but I hear the fragile question in her voice.
“Of course. I’ll always come for you.” My body begs to squeeze her tighter, but I don’t know what injuries she might have sustained. Just the thought has my heart rate going up again. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” Like I could have done anything, but still.
“You’re a horrible fake husband,” she whispers against my shoulder. The words pierce my gut, but when I move to release her, Luna keeps her hold around my neck. “You’re the worst fake husband in the entire world.”
If this is what she needs, I’ll be her punching bag. I’ll take all the hits if it helps ease the pain and anger of her traumatic experience.
“A good fake husband would only be nice enough to tolerate. A good fake husband wouldn’t make me fall in love with him.”
Her confession rocks through me, and I use my embrace to lift Luna up and set her ass on the counter, meeting her eyes straight on. A part of my brain realizes my mother must have left the kitchen at some point. It’s just the two of us. And Pig, of course.
“What did you say?” I cup Luna’s face in my hands, shocked to see wetness gathering in the corners of her eyes. The strongest woman I know in tears.
“I didn’t want to fall for you,” she admits. Her gaze flicks to the dining room where I notice a few more members of our families pretending like they’re not eavesdropping. My parents. Her brothers. I give Leo and Dash a quick nod of thanks before returning my full attention to Luna. She meets my eyes, lowering her voice for only my ears. “The people I love have a bad habit of letting me down.” She reaches up, her fingers coming to rest on the heavy pulse in my neck. “I’m worried if I love you, I’ll get hurt again. And I am so fucking tired of getting hurt.”
My hands shake with the need to disabuse her of this idea. But I’m not sure there’s anything I can do to convince her. Not when life has proved how careless people can be with her heart.
“I love you,” I say instead. Offering the truth. Offering me.
Luna sucks in a quick breath. Then her face slowly relaxes into a smirk. “You better. Because I decided even if you leave my heart bruised and battered in the end, being with you is worth it.”
Is she saying what I think she’s saying?
“Hell, Luna. Never. I love you so much. I never want to leave you.”
Her thumb traces over my bottom lip. “That’s the thing, Charlie Keller. I believe you.”
LUNA
What convinced me?
Well, it doesn’t hurt that yet again, he’s showed up.
And maybe it’s as simple as that. Charlie always makes sure he’s here when I need him.
Yeah, he wasn’t at the house when my dad abducted me, but no one can be around all the time. I don’t expect my husband to be Superman. I just expect him to recognize when I need him and try his hardest to support me.
