“We can talk about it later. I want to get your hand taken care of right now.”
“I didn’t break my ears or my mouth. We can talk now,” I say stubbornly.
“Fine. I’m pissed that I’m just now learning that you’ve been living in a shed.”
“It’s a tiny home,” I say indignantly. “It has running water and electricity.”
“Fine,” Lukas says through gritted teeth as we walk back towards his truck. “It’s a shed, with running water, in the worst neighborhood I know of.”
“It’s not usually this bad,” I argue, knowing full well he’s right. It is a God-awful neighborhood.
“You’re not coming back here,” he says. “You’re staying with me.” There’s a finality in his tone that makes me so angry I could spit.
“Excuse me? You don’t get to dictate where I live!”
Lukas doesn’t yell. He never yells. But his volume climbs as he runs his hands through his hair, looking exasperated. “Keep your panties on. I’m not dictating shit. You can live anywhere you damn well please. If you really don’t want to live with me, you can move in with one of my sisters. Hell, I’ll buy you any house you want! But if you think I’m letting the woman I love live in a shitty little shed next door to a dog beating psychopath, you’re insane.”
My feet stop moving. My heart races, pulse skittering through my body as the smile pulls at my lips. He pauses a few steps ahead of me, turning back with a sigh when he realizes I’m not walking anymore.
“Why are you grinning at me like that?” he asks loudly. “You were yelling at me five seconds ago and now you’re just standing there smiling like I’m the crazy one for wanting you to be safe.”
“You said you love me,” I tell him, tipping my head and waiting for him to catch up with his own mouth.
“I did?” he asks, brows furrowed as he thinks for a second, trying to remember exactly what he said. “Well… I do. I fucking love you.” He still looks exasperated, but a smile is threatening the edges of his scowl.
“You’re mad because you love me,” I say, smiling so hard it hurts.
“Yeah. I mean, I love you, but you make me fucking crazy. You know that, right? I get this panicked phone call from you with nothing but an address in a shitty area. So I race over here, showing up just in time to see you slugging that white trash and—Jesus, Parker. That was so stupid. You know that, right? What were you thinking?”
Lukas is shaking as he brushes his hair back with his fingertips. “You scare the shit out of me sometimes. I love you, but that was so stupid. He could have really hurt you, Freckles.” His voice cracks as I step closer and stroke his cheek with my uninjured hand. I can see the fear and relief in his eyes. He looks less like a terrifying biker and more like a little boy, afraid for someone he cares about.
“I’m sorry I scared you,” I whisper, sliding my hand behind his neck and pulling him down so I can brush my lips over his. “I love you too.”