“Exactly.” Lucky nods. “And not one person, event or situation gets to decide on whether or not I stay with the woman I’m in love with.” His grip on my neck tightens slightly. “I don’t care what Franc knows or doesn’t know, what you’ve told me or haven’t told me yet. I love you, Leonor, and I intend to do that for the rest of my life.”
“We both do,” Pete grunts and I start crying harder.
So hard I have to grab onto Lucky’s wrists like these two are my only anchors to earth. “I can’t lose you again, Lucky, I can’t go through any of that and Franc is?—"
“You are not going to lose me. You’re not going to lose Pete, or Norm and Mark. You’re not losing shit, baby cakes. Not now, not ever.”
“But there are things you still don’t know, things that will make you?—"
“You can tell us everything when you’re ready, or never tell us at all, itwill not matter. I want you, Leo. I love you, I want to be with you, and I’m not going anywhere unless you make me go.”
“Me either, and we both know you can’t make me do shit.” Pete presses a kiss to my neck with a smile I can feel.
I chew my lip and move my hands to cover Lucky’s as I settle against Pete a little. “I don’t deserve you.”
Lucky smiles the smile I love so much, the one I didn’t think I’d ever see again. “You deserve the moon if you want it, Leonor, and you have four very attractive assholes who plan to give it to you.” He leans forward and kisses me softly. “You and me, Leo, this is forever. You, me, the five of us? It’s for always. Got it?”
I just nod and sigh because my anxiety meds are kicking in, and I don’t have enough fight left in me to keep going round and round with them.
I’ll let it go for now, because this shit will all come roaring back when I’m not doped up. I can focus and freak out then.
Instead, I’ll just soak up every minute I have left with Lucky and Pete until they find out what I’m hiding then eventually leave anyway. I’ll be in the moment until the hammer comes down and smashes my warped version of reality to pieces.
“I want to hear you say it, Leo. Tell me you know that. Tell me you know I love you, I’m not leaving, and we are forever.”
I swallow hard as I look him in the eye. “I know.”
Lucky looks at my face a little longer, then he nods and gives me a firm kiss before resting his forehead against mine while Pete burrows into my hair again.
“The boys aren’t coming back tonight, are they?” I ask, trying to change the subject, if only to get my mind off my fear because I almost wish Norm and Mark were coming over.
Lucky chuckles. “Sorry, Franc put them in a cab and sent them to our place. Which is why he was so pissed when our man came strolling down the stairs.” He stands and looks at the bed, frowning at the rumpled mess before he starts making the bed around me, sliding me when he needs to, huffing atour manwhen he won’t move. “Apparently they were pretty hammered when he ran into them, raving about you and the fact that we got you to play with us, so Franc missed that little detail.”
“Franc said that? That they wereravingabout me?”
Lucky stops and shakes his head. “Well, no, but Franc said they wouldn’t shut up about you, and that’s pretty much the same thing translated from asshole todecent human. I guess when Mark blurted out that I was here with you,most likely getting busyhe put them in a cab and came straight over. Remind me to punch Mark next time we see him.”
“I’m sorry, Lucky. I don’t mean to cause issues between you and your family.” I start picking at my fingers as I lean further into Pete.
I really am sorry but I know I didn’t start anything, I’ve just been fueling what was already a raging inferno for as long as I’ve been around.
“There have been issues there longer than I’ve known you, you know that. Issues that have nothing to do with you or the band.”
Called it.
“Franc is a pompous jackass who thinks he knows what’s best for everyone.” Lucky angrily fluffs a pillow and tosses it down on the bed and I can’t help but smile when Pete starts chuckling. “I learned a long time ago that Franc and I are very different people, and we will never see eye to eye on anything. He willalways try to be my big brother, and he will always fail miserably at it.”
Then Lucky smiles at me like I’m his entire world, and I believe him. I believe him with my whole heart and for the first time since Franc left, I feel a little at ease.
Lucky climbs into bed next to me and Pete, immediately pulling me to him and tugging me close, curving his body around mine as he watches Pete do the same on the other side of me. The rise and fall of their chests helps soothe me, and as I get sleepier, I just listen to them breathe.
“Je t’aime, mon douce, Leonor.Tu es mon coeur.” Lucky whispers against my neck before placing a kiss there. “Je t’aime.”
And those are the last words I hear before I drift off to sleep.
16
PETE
