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Lucius walked out of the room, his voice fading with each step. The back door slammed shut, and though I craned my neck, I couldn’t see where he’d walked to in the backyard.
“He’s not leaving us, is he?” Sofie’s sweet voice was shaking, her hand finding mine and holding on tight.
I pulled her closer, and she cuddled in. “Of course not. It’s only a phone call. Nothing to worry about.”
Despite my words, I wasn’t sure that was the case. The crease between his brows when he walked away wasn’t very promising. And the fact that he walked away in the first place didn’t make me feel warm and fuzzy, either.
Carter dropped down on the sofa next to us, making us bounce, and Sofie giggled. “What are you pretty ladies up to?”
“Watching Daddy talk on the phone,” Sofie replied, making me tickle her.
“Don’t you know that you’re not supposed to tell other people if you’re spying on someone?”
She shrieked and jumped out of my lap, hiding behind Carter, grinning from ear to ear. “Daddy says you shouldn’t lie.”
Well, she had me there. “He’s right. Lying is wrong.”
Lucius came back inside, a deep line between his brows. “What did I miss?”
“Not much. What did we miss?” I asked.
“Gunner wants me to come back and work for him again.”
We’d been talking about where we’d go next and had settled on San Diego. I was excited to go back, to see Thea again and show Sofie the beach and my favorite ice cream shop.
But if he was working for Locked Security, I doubted we’d be moving as planned. Their head office was in Chicago.
There was no doubt in my mind that I’d stay wherever he was. No matter how much Chicago didn’t feel like home.
Lucius sighed, holding on to the doorframe. “I said no.”
I blinked at him, his words not quite making sense. Did he say he turned down the only job he ever wanted? “What? Why would you do that?”
“It’s not me anymore. And I want to spend time with you and Sofie. Locked Security doesn’t exactly provide steady work hours. I’d be gone for weeks at a time.”
I got up, making sure he saw the earnest expression on my face. I didn’t want him to regret turning down his dream job. “I’m happy as long as we get to stay together. Whether we live in Chicago or San Diego doesn’t matter to me. And if you go back to Locked Security, we’ll make it work.”
Once I was close enough, he took my hand and kissed it. “It’s only a job. I have everything I need right in this room.”
“Aww, thanks, honey. I love you too. Does that mean you’re asking me to move in with you?” Carter barked out a laugh.
Lucius shook his head. “Uncle Carter always has a room in our house, right, Sofie?”
Sofie had been quiet during our exchange, but now she came over, and Lucius picked her up.
“And he’ll come and visit?” She looked at us with big eyes, the worry clear on her face.
Carter winked at her and nodded. “Try to keep me away. San Diego has always been one of my favorite cities. Lots of impressive sights, especially at the beach.”
Lucius shot him a dark look, and Carter walked out of the room, whistling. “I’ll make dinner.”
Sofie put her small hand on Lucius’s cheek. “Can I go to the beach when we move there?”
“Of course you can.”
“Every day?”
He laughed. “We’ll see. You’ll still have to go to school, too.”
