Page 124 of Lunar Crest University

“Even though…we haven’t labeled anything?”

The elevator makes small little dings with each floor we pass on the way down, but I can barely hear it over the beating of my heart. He has already been staying with me almost every day anyway, even before everything happened, so of course, I want him to move in. The thought of having him there every morning and night, having his toothbrush next to my own, makes a warmth spread through my chest.

“Would you like to label us?” His voice is soft as he gazes down at me, his eyes studying every twitch in my features, like he’s waiting for me to still run away.

Pursing my lips to hide my smile, I laugh faintly when it fails miserably, and a wide smile appears on my face. “You know I would. I guess it would have to be a secret for now, until I graduate in the spring.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I breathe.

He hums, lowering his head until he presses his lips to my neck. Kissing and nipping at the skin, he chuckles as I swat at him playfully. “Princesa, you want to be my secret girlfriend?”

Yes. Yes. Yes.

But before I can frantically say the words out loud, the elevator doors swing open, and I have to awkwardly hobble out of the elevator as people wait for me to exit before they enter. The sound of the crutches as I make my way out in the hallway seems to echo loudly, but I keep my head down as I follow Luca far enough until he’s matching my pace next to me again.

“I can bring the car around?—”

“No, I can do it.”

And I do. I amble unsteadily all the way to the parking deck with him by my side, his hovering hand there in case I need him. I’m panting like I just ran a marathon, collapsing against the side of the car as I rest my head into the crook of my arm, but he doesn’t badger me about it. He lets me stand there for a few moments, regaining my strength as I practice calm breaths.

There was a time when he would’ve undoubtedly questioned my ability to keep going or if I was okay, but now, he just knows I can. That Iwill. Luca believes in me, and that’s something I didn’t realize I needed from him. It feelsgood.

It feels good when the person you love thinks you’re capable of hard things, of impossible things. When they know that no matter the situation, you’ll be able to handle it because you are strong.

He thinks I’m strong, but he doesn’t realizehemade me strong.

“You know I think you deserve more than being a secret, don’t you?” Luca says, garnering my attention. “I don’t want you to think?—”

I cut him off by standing on the tiptoe of my good leg, smashing my lips into his. It has been too long since we’ve kissedlike this, and it has my head spinning as he groans into my mouth. His fingers grasp my sweater as he pulls me closer, eager but gentle at the same time. As I fall back on the ball of my foot, our kiss breaks, and I smile up at him.

“Of course, I know that,” I reassure him sweetly. “Guess we’re not technically free after all, huh?”

His laugh falters as he opens the passenger door for me, and as I slowly lower myself into the seat, I look up at his thin-lipped smile before he bends down to help me shift my legs into the car. There’s something obviously bothering him, but he doesn’t say anything as he closes the door and loads the bags and my crutches into the car.

As he opens the driver’s side door and slides down in the seat next to me, I listen to the shaky inhale of his breath before he clears his throat.

“Finley.”

I peek over at him hesitantly. “Yeah?”

“I could quit.”

My mouth pops open as I frown at him. “You what?”

“I’ve been thinking about it. I could quit…or transfer.” He rubs his palms on his slacks as he finally meets my eyes. “Or…there’s money. When I blew up Javier’s compound, my clean-up crew discovered a safe. One of my guys got it open, and there’s more money than you would believe inside it.”

I want to speak, but words fail me as I gape over at him. Of course, my first inkling is skepticism about that information, because I’d rather not touch anything that has anything to do with that horrid man. My gut tells me nothing good could possibly come from it, but I’m always so inclined to believe the worst all the time.

“I could just quit,” he continues when I don’t respond. “You can finish school. Graduate. Do anything you want.”

“That’s…”

“Crazy, I know.” His hand finds mine, pulling me gently until my palm is pressed against his chest. “I don’t have to, but this is your call, Finley. I’m at your mercy. I have been since the moment I met you. I’ll do anything for you. Follow you anywhere you go.”

Luca’s heart thumps erratically under my hand, but even without this tell that I’ve always turned to for my answers when it comes to him, I know he means it.

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