Page 84 of Promised Love

“Come on.”

When I fling the front door open, I hear Keith’s voice. “Lukas and his girl have yet to come.”

My heart jolts.

My girl.

Is that what my friends are calling her?

But why does it sound so…incomplete? Like something’s missing.

“Keith! Can we please start using her name?” Clementine sounds exasperated.

“What’s the fun in that? Until Lukas formally introduces her, we can call her whatever we like.” Before Gavin can burst out with more nonsense, I walk in.

Any other day, I would have taken Gavin’s joke as good-natured humor, but not with Autumn stiffening beside me.

“Then you’re in luck. Everyone, this is Autumn. My wife.” I look around the room until my gaze bores into Gavin. “And from now on, I’d like you to call her that and nothing else.”

Clementine approaches us. She gives me a smile and then introduces herself to Autumn before the girls leave us men alone in the living room.

“I thought we wouldn’t see you anymore, Lukas,” Gavin says. “Autumn’s grandmother seems to be determined not to let you leave until you’ve knocked that girl up and they have a couple of grandbabies to play with.” He tilts his head toward the door Autumn left through and grins as I flop down onto the couch next to him.

My heart rips apart with the image he’s painted. “Can you please just not say this nonsense in front of Autumn?”

Gavin isn’t someone who listens to others. He’s often labeled as the loose cannon of our team. The first one to blow up whenever shit happens. But there’s also no one as sharp as him when it comes to tech.

“How are you doing?” Keith sits in front of me, and before I can answer, he adds, “You know I’m forever in your debt for saving Merida.”

He tells me this every time we have a call. The bullet that ripped through my shoulder was for Merida, and every time I think about it, my blood boils.

“You’ve thanked me enough, man. I have no doubt that you’d have done the same for me. Plus, the person behind this is caught. Let’s forget and move forward.”

Connor rolls his wheelchair closer to us. “So, are we all set for the great celebrity wedding?”

“Yes, everything is set. Gavin, you need to be there before everyone else. Minnie is arriving two days before the others. This way, no one will notice her with the Brunos outside the inn.”

For the first time in my life, I see Gavin King flinch. “I don’t like this.”

For a second, no one speaks, because the sight of Gavin King shifting in his seat is rare.

“Don’t tell me you’re scared of a little songbird, bro.” Connor chuckles.

“I’m not fucking scared of anyone. But she’s…different.” He shifts once again, and I wonder if he’s already seen the girl. “Didn’t her brother tell you she has some phobia? Do you really think I’m the right fit to shadow someone skittish?” He waves toward his towering frame, his arms covered in colorful tattoos.

I’m almost tempted to doubt my decision, but I know in my gut Gavin is the right fit. “Andy said shy, not skittish,” I correct him. “You’re also the one person who doesn’t give a fuck about all the other celebrities in this wedding. Just be with her twenty-four seven and protect her for a few days, that’s it.”

Gavin mutters a soft fuck, and there’s an amusing smile on Connor’s face when his eyebrows arch upward.

But before we can discuss more, the doorbell rings, indicating the arrival of Clementine’s family for dinner.

29

AUTUMN

Lukas and I return to his apartment after dinner. We hadn’t planned on staying the night, but we also hadn’t realized it would get this late.

In all honesty, I’m also curious to see the place where he lives. When he grabs the key from under the doormat, I can’t help a chuckle.

---