Page 68 of Luke

“Where’s Matt? Can’t you take him off whatever else he’s doing? Maybe he can find another way to track Julian,” Luke pushed back.

Ryker remained calm despite Luke’s frustrations. “Matt is working on something personal.”

Luke looked like he wanted to argue but he didn’t. He hadn’t known that about Matt. He’d just assumed that there was another person that needed help. If it was personal, it made even more sense that Ryker wasn’t demanding more from him.

“I’m ready to go home,” Paisley said. Maybe if she got Luke alone, he’d calm down some.

“You can go through the back if you want,” Catherine said. “We’ve not had any notifications from the cameras, but Julian could be streetside if he knew that she was here.”

“I think that’s best,” Paisley agreed.

Luke nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.” He turned to Ryker. “Keep me posted on anything you hear.”

“You know I will,” Ryker agreed.

“I’ll let you know when everything is done with Father’s stuff, too.” Catherine hugged Luke and then Paisley.

She expected Luke to say not to bother, but he remained quiet. He stayed that way until they were safely locked back in their home.

“Come sit with me,” he said, patting the sofa next to him. “I just want to be here with you two.”

Paisley smiled and sat down next to him, curling into his side as he settled Garrett on his lap. His arm came around her and held her close. No words were needed as he processed what had happened, and she was happy to be there for him for as long as he needed her.

It didn’t take long for Garrett to fall asleep against Luke’s chest, and Paisley found herself struggling not to do the same when Luke started to move.

“Want to go to bed?” he asked.

She nodded and moved so he could stand up. As he headed for the stairs, he reached for her hand and she let him take it. He didn’t seem to want to lose the connection to her.

They put Garrett down in his crib and Luke led her to the bedroom. He didn’t speak as he pulled back the covers and waited for her to crawl in. He followed and snuggled up against her.

“You’re not leaving, right?” Luke asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Confused, Paisley twisted in his hold until she was facing him. “What?”

“Now that it’s over with my father, you aren’t going to leave, right?” he clarified.

“No, of course not.” It had been a while since she’d even considered it. “Why would you think that?”

“I just wanted to make sure. I know you kind of stayed because of the threats and now that those are probably over for us, I just wanted to know.” He looked lost and it broke her heart.

“Luke.” Paisley wrapped her arm around him. “I don’t plan on going anywhere. I’m in this with you. Unless that’s not what you want, but maybe even then.”

“I don’t want you to go anywhere unless it’s with me,” Luke told her.

She settled against him again and started to relax. Heavy conversations didn’t need to happen today. They would need to eventually, but it all could wait.

They slept until Garrett woke up. Luke went and got him, meeting her downstairs where she made his bottle.

“I’ll do it,” Luke said, taking the ready bottle from her.

“Thanks,” she murmured, following him to the living room.

They sat quietly as Garrett ate, and she turned over the one thought that had been on her mind since she’d woken up. She wanted to do it, needed to tie her life to his forever.

“Let’s get married,” she blurted out before she lost her nerve.

Chapter Thirty

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