Page 33 of Bones

“Do you need help, Butterfly?”

Her cheeks turn bright red as she giggles. “There’s no help for me at this point. The pancakes are a little overcooked, and the bacon is,” she waves her hand in the air, “crispy.”

I attempt to give her a reassuring smile. “I’m sure it’ll be delicious.”

Walking over to the table, I take a seat and sip my coffee. She brings out a plate of food and sets it in front of me. I glance at the food and then at her. “Thank you, wife.”

I shake my head when she goes back to the kitchen and can’t see me, because this food is not overcooked. It’s burnt. I’m not sure how you even achieve the blackness of these pancakes. Athena comes in with her own plate and sets it down, before she takes a seat across from me. She glances at her food. “Don’t eat that. This is terrible.”

I cut a piece of the charred pancake and pop it into my mouth as she gapes at me. I chew and swallow. “It’s delicious. Thank you.”

Athena giggles as she holds a piece of bacon in her hand, staring at it like it personally offended her. “There is no way you think this is delicious.”

I keep eating with an exaggerated, “Mmmm.”

Had anybody else made this food I’d refuse to eat it, but when my wife goes out of her way to make a meal for me, I’ll eat it. Whether it’s pleasing to the palate or not.

We continue eating in silence, and if she notices me staring at her she doesn’t say anything. My eyes are always on her. She’s stunning and no matter what I do, I can’t get enough of her.

“You seem happier today.”

Her smile makes her face glow as she responds, “I’m excited to go outside today.”

I grab my plate and she grabs hers and follows me into the kitchen.

“You can always go outside whenever you want to, Butterfly. If I’m not here, take Jimmy with you. As long as someone is with you, it’s fine.”

She shakes her head. “I’d rather stay inside. He doesn’t like me very much.”

I chuckle, because she’s probably right since she shot Eduardo, but it doesn’t matter.

“It’s his job to protect you, and I promise he will do what he’s instructed to.”

We put our plates in the dishwasher, and I pull her into my arms and hold her close. She wraps her hands around my waist with a tiny sigh. “I’m sorry about breakfast, Luca.”

I kiss her on the top of her head. “Don’t be. I’m not. It was perfect, like you. Let me get ready and we’ll go shopping.”

She squeals with delight, making my chest squeeze tight. I don’t know how it happened, but seeing my wife happy has turned into everything, seemingly overnight. I kiss her neck and break away from her, and go upstairs to get ready for our day out. I had no idea she had wanted to go outside so badly, but I should have. Nobody wants to be kept locked up in a house the way she has been. As I walk up the stairs, I decide to not only take her shopping, but make an entire day of it. While I have work I need to do, seeing my beautiful wife happy right now is priority number one.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ATHENA

Luca watches me as I move through the store, like at any moment he’s expecting a bullet to come barreling through the air toward me, and he’ll be the one to stop it before it kills me. It might be a little much, but also, it’s nice to think he cares at all. He holds up a gorgeous black dress. “Do you like this?”

I take the price tag in my hand, and my eyes widen in sticker shock. “Three thousand dollars for a dress, Luca?”

He smirks at me. “I didn’t ask if you approved of the cost, Butterfly. I asked if you liked it.”

Shaking my head with disapproval, I say, “Obviously. It’s beautiful, but too much.”

He hands it to the cashier. “Add this to the others.”

Coming up behind me, he wraps his arms around me and kisses my neck softly.

“Money is not an object for you, Butterfly. I will tell you if it’s too much, but I guarantee you, it never will be.”

He turns me in his arms so I’m facing him, and lifts my chin with his thumb and forefinger.

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