Luke.
I missed him. Just as I was about to take some more photos, the car door opened. Luke climbed inside and grinned at me. He brought me chili dogs! Excited, I set the camera down to begin unwrapping one. The man sure did know how to please his woman. I planted a kiss on his lips, smiling wider when he began to unwrap his own chili dog. It was a perfect night. Date nights usually consisted of watching a cheating spouse. We didn’t get a whole lot of time off, considering there was always someone in need of photographic evidence.
“Did you get pictures of him?” he asked before taking a bite of his chili dog.
I nodded. “Yep. I can’t believe she thought he was away on business trips this whole time. I would have been instantly suspicious.”
Luke chuckled. “So, I guess you would have followed me the first time I said I had a trip?”
“Yup. Just like I did when you said you had to return home to pack up the house.”
His mouth fell open. “You followed me?”
I shrugged. “I had time to burn since the doctor said no working for six weeks.”
Shaking his head, he took a big bite of his chili dog. “Trust issues.”
“Whatever. I just wanted to make sure you came back was all.”
“Aw.” He kissed me, smashing our chili-covered lips together.
“Oh, look!” The cheating husband was coming out of the apartment building with a woman. Just as they kissed, I snapped a couple of pictures. “Perfect. I got that dick on film.”
“Memory card,” Luke supplied.
“Whatever.” I set the camera down. “I guess we have all we need.”
Luke came to Chicago to live with me right after the Pack fight. I stayed in the hospital for a couple weeks longer, and managed to live through the silver. The only reason why I even survived was because I still had the moon’s magic in me. For twenty-four hours after mating, mates were filled with the magic of the moon. She protected the newly mated to give them long enough to be together for at least one night. According to Luke, it was because life was a lot more dangerous for werewolves in the old days.
It was a damn miracle. Had I not chosen to mate with Luke, I would have been dead. Annie was dead. The girl had obviously been desperate to take me out with her. I just wished I could have been the sister she’d always wanted. I really did try. My plans were to take her back home and give her everything she needed to be an independent woman. Take her away from the whorehouse, and the bad people of Luna Hill.
Lance ended up rebuilding his Pack in a short time. I wasn’t sure if he just turned people, or if he found stray werewolves that were looking to join a Pack. When I asked Luke, he said that staying out of it was the best thing for the both of us. We were escaping Luna Hill, and focusing on living our new life together.
I took another bite of my hot dog, immediately hitting something hard. I swore, angry that the restaurant could be so careless. Glancing down at the hot dog, I frowned, finding something shiny and silver. Immediately, fear went through me. Was someone trying to kill me?
“It’s white gold.” Luke said.
“What?” I wasn’t paying attention to him. I pulled the object out, only to be even more confused. It was a ring. “What the fuck?”
“Will you marry me?” Luke asked.
“Do you see what’s in my hot dog? This ruins my dinner. Those people are going to get a piece of my mind. Their employees shouldn’t be wearing jewelry—”
“Riley, calm down. I put it there.” Luke chuckled, taking my chili dog away from me.
“I don’t understand. I’m not ready for marriage,” I said, looking at the pain crossing Luke’s features. Then I grinned. “Just kidding! Yes, of course I will! Now, let’s have a baby to make it even better.”
“Uh—”
“I’m just messing with you.”
We were happy. After all the terrible events from the past few months piling on top of us, we’d finally made it to the end of the rainbow. We found our pot of gold, basically. I was going to marry the love of my life. He was the last man on Earth that I pictured myself with, but I couldn’t imagine anyone else out there for me. We ran a great life together, working in sync. He moved up to the city with me, despite all odds against us. My business as a private investigator fit him perfectly. We made a great team.
Unfortunately, I lost him on Sundays to sporting events. Alex hogged him for the sweaty man-sports on TV. Other days, it was time at the shooting range, or even taking part in a secret sting. Despite Luke being mine, I wasn’t allowed to know any of that information. Luke was even hired as a consultant for the government. How the hell he’d managed that was beyond me. I knew Alex must have pulled some strings to give Luke something of his own so he didn’t completely regret the move up to Chicago. Not that my lover would admit to regretting anything, but I knew eventually one might resent the other if they didn’t find their own way in a new place.
I took Luke’s hand in mine and smiled. “I’m so in love with you, Luke.”
“Not as much as I am with you,” he replied.
Rolling my eyes, I started the car so we could head back to the apartment. We were starting to look at houses together. It was a large step, but it was nothing compared to the agreement I just made. I was going to be Mrs. Riley Thatcher. Then it dawned on me what I’d just agreed to.
Dear God, I’m marrying into a crime family. Smiling at Luke again before I pulled away from the curb, I knew I wouldn’t change it for anything. He was mine, and I was his. Giving me a questioning look when I gave his hand a tight squeeze, I said, “Until death do us part.”
“Not sure if I should be worried or not.”
“Oh, I would be worried.”
Luke gave me a quizzical look, and all I could do was laugh.
And laugh some more. He had no idea what he was in for when it came to being married to Riley Cole.
Never Die Page 19