"Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place." – Zora Neale Hurston

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Chapter 41
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Maggie

"You're holding it wrong."

I yelped, stumbling back from my spot before my eyes jumped to the source of the surprise.

Luke was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, not a shirt in sight. The corner of his lips lifted into a smirk, hinting at the dimples he kept hidden so well.

I rolled my eyes, skipping over the hard lining of his stomach. "What are you doing in here?"

"You seriously think I didn't hear you in my room?" he called me out. "And, you took my gun." Chuckling, he nodded at me. "But, go ahead. You were doing just fine on your own."

"It wasn't even loaded," I acknowledged in a grumble.

"Uh huh," he chuckled, stepping from the doorway to offer his palm. "Give it back, Norris."

With an eye roll, I placed the pistol back in his hand. When he had it, he flicked his head at me. "I told you you'll get your own in a few days."

"Why not now?"

"Probably because you just went into my room while I was showering, and took one of my pistols," he acknowledged, but he didn't sound angry. He sounded amused. "That was real irresponsible of you, Norris."

"Well, that's because you wouldn't let me have my own, yet. What if something happens?"

Luke pulled his arms back over his chest, the pistol hanging from underneath them. "Then, the person who actually knows how to shoot: me, will be the one to stop it."

"Whatever." My feet carried me to the bed. "It's not even that hard. Just point, click, and boom."

"Point, click, and boom?" he repeated, his voice hanging with humor.

Atop the mattress, I tucked either leg under me "That's what I said, yeah."

His brow rose at me with a look of skepticism. "You know, a part of me is a little nervous that you're gonna use that saying on me one day," he joked before his expression turned serious. "Shit. Now that I think about it..."

Standing back up, I offered a sarcastic smile. "Well, do me a favor and think about it outside."

My hand pressed into his warm chest in order to push him out of the open door. His feet shuffled until he was in the threshold. Just as he took another step back, he ceased, making my own push meaningless.

"Ow," he hissed.

I cocked my head, studying him over. "What?"

"You pinched my nipple," he accused, flicking his head down at my hand, which was accurate in his accusation.

I yanked my hand away. "I did not."

"You did," he corrected, his grin depending. "Look. It's hard as shit now." He pointed to the pink bud, a grin dancing across his lips. "And, don't you dare say it's from the cold. You—"

"Get out," I hissed, rearing in disgust at the red tint in my cheeks.

I slammed the door in his face, which was already cracking with laughter. I had to get everything ready, and him bothering me wouldn't help that.

This morning, Luke and I went for breakfast, then to a clear spot to train. Him, Kade, and Levi used to practice in the same spot, just a plain land of unused territory. It was perfect.

We trained for as long as we could. Luke was patient since he knew it was my first time with a gun, but that didn't stop his teasing, either. He claimed that I wasn't too bad, but personally, I thought I was Marvel level with this shit.

Truthfully though, the weight of the gun, the recoil, everything, it made it all so real. It was hard to process that such a little item held so much power. Life or death was on either side of the gun, and only fate would depict which would be the end result.

We had argued about me having my own today, but Luke held up his point of me not having one until I was ready, and I clearly was not since it was only day one. I reminded him that this wasn't Kung Fu Panda, and I couldn't wait around for my sensei to realize my potential, but of course, he didn't budge.

While he had been in the shower though, I may have crept into his room to take the same one he'd taught me to use. I hadn't even known it was empty until I came back to my room.

I'd found myself so incredibly sexy in the reflection with the gun that I thought I was black widow, or some shit. My little photo-shoot was cut short when Luke ruined it, though.

I hurried back to the bed, nearly sinking right into the soft mattress. It would take a minute to get used to the comfy bedding, but I was enjoying it, nonetheless.

Quickly, I dumped all of the contents of my bag out. It was a lot, but luckily, I had enough room.

I didn't want to alarm the girls, but if I randomly called out on a date night, they'd figure everything out. I'd never missed out, not once, on our video calls.

It'd be one of very few in a while, though. Just like Jax, I needed to distance myself from them as much as possible. It made it easier since we were all so far apart distance wise, but it couldn't last forever.

I didn't want to give my father any leverage. If he couldn't reach me, then he would go for anything, and anyone I cared about.

Without a doubt, Kade and Levi would amputate anyone's head from their body when it came to Kimberly and Raven, but they shouldn't have to do it because of my shit. I didn't want to put them in that situation. I didn't want to hurt any of them, nor did I want to be the reason behind it.

Tonight was bead night, though. I'd nearly forgotten until Raven sent the message out. I forced Luke to take me to the nearest store for a kit, and this had been the very last one there, thank fuck.

Kimberly didn't get off of work until nine, but right now, she was showering, so I had awhile to prepare. Until then, though, I needed to get my setup ready.

My laptop came first, so I made sure to aim it toward me in the perfect position. Just as I started to arrange the beads, the door to my bedroom opened.

Luke, who still hadn't found a freaking shirt, was waiting in the same spot as before. One hand held onto the top of the door with no difficulty at all, the muscles in his arms twisting and turning so effortlessly.

My mouth went dry at the sight. I had to stop, physically stop, myself from tackling the sexy son of a bitch through the door.

It was painful to move my eyes. "Don't correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I told you to leave."

With a shrug, his fingers tightened around the doorframe while his hand stroked at his jaw. He was watching me closely, a little too closely, actually. There was nothing sexual, or teasing about it, though, it was something much more opposite.

I passed him a side glance that screamed 'what the fuck are you looking at?' but nothing changed. He continued on, his lips falling into a thin line the longer he did so.

Something dark, vengeful flashed through his features like the wind. I thought I saw a hatchet of rage chopping through his expression too, before he let it fall altogether.

With a sigh, he pushed himself through the door entirely, arms falling to his sides.

I didn't know what he was up to, or what had gotten him so angry, and I probably never would. Instead, I returned back to my beads.

He threw a head nod at the mess. "The fuck is all of that?"

"Drugs."

"I'm serious."

"So am I." I paused, sweeping through the assortment until I found a white bead. I offered it to him. "Xanny?"

With an eye roll, he stepped closer to my bed. Wrapping a hand around my ankle, he lifted my legs, then threw them off of the bed so that he could take their place.

I threw my arms in the air. "What are you doing?"

Quiet, Luke stared down at the kit as if he were trying to figure out one of the biggest puzzles in the world. His brow furrowed as he picked up a string, tilting it in all sorts of directions.

His big finger tried its hardest to pick the beads out, but all he was capable of was knocking them out, or around the container.

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop from laughing. Finally taking pity, I dumped them out. Since the bed was so large, none rolled too far out of reach. Luke flicked his head at me as a thanks, then went back to retrieving whatever he was trying to do.

At my stare, he tipped his eyes at me. "Jesus, Norris. Do you want a picture, too?"

Rolling my eyes at his confident smirk, I pulled my own string from the bundle. "I already have one."

"Really now? Where?"

"Go on your phone, go to Google, and type in pictures of Shrek," I gasped sarcastically, clasping my chest. "In HD quality, too."

His dimple came into play as he shook his head at me, chuckling. When he returned to his string, I realized that he was spelling something out. I tried to have a look, but he wasn't having it.

"You have your own string, and I have my own string," he reassured me, rolling his eyes. "I know that little brain of yours might have some trouble understanding, but—"

"Whatever," I snapped over him, drawing my string to my chest. "I don't need your shitty bracelet, anyway. I'll make my own."

"You do that, angel."

I decided to grab at random beads until It looked pretty. I was nearly finished with it before I had to restart. Luke was spelling something with his, so I was going to do the same thing.

I broke past the silence with, "Why aren't you asleep or something?"

He shrugged. "I'm not tired."

I rolled my eyes. "Then why are you in here?" He could be out right now, getting a tit-fuck from some unlucky sorority girl, but he was right here...making bread bracelets with me.

"Because I want to be," he answered, before he looked at me. "You ever thought of being a game show host?"

"No, why?"

"You should. You ask way too many questions to be doing it for free, Norris."

I scowled. I wasn't sure if I wanted to somehow choke him out with the tiny strings, or with my bare hands. Either option seemed reasonable right now, though.

"Whatever." I'd let him stay if he wanted to; it was his lost.

I'd made another decision, as well. It had been on my mind it all day, but my decision made the most sense. Us sleeping in the same bed again would be a hell no.

It wasn't normal, not at all. I knew it stopped the nightmares, but it was something that should have never been done in the first place. Two friends, especially us, weren't supposed to carry on with it as if it were a normal task.

It was entirely wrong to begin with, and as comforting as it was, I knew better. He did too, I was sure. I hadn't told him yet, but he would figure it out later.

If we were going to be living together full time now, we would have to lay, and recover some of those ground rules, for sure. We couldn't just jump in the other's life, and expect sunshine and roses.

I glanced at him, again. His eyes were squinted in concentration as he searched for another letter block, muttering curses under his breath when he came up short.

His hair was still damp, but ruffled around to perfection. He was sporting nothing, but a pair of black sweats, and a body to sweat over. Just his chest alone was enough to make my throat go dry.

It wasn't fair: for him to be this handsome. To be so easygoing about it. To flaunt it so casually.

What if I walked around here with my tits out? It would be a problem.

Just as I opened my mouth to make the argument, my phone buzzed in my lap. I held onto the bracelet I was currently making, entrapping it with one hand while the other connected my phone to my laptop, and accepted the call.

Kimberly and Raven's faces nearly had me in tears. My sisters.

My heart squeezed tight as I beamed at them. "I've missed you guys so much."

Raven matched my grin. "Don't get all mushy on me, now."

I shrugged, a chuckle falling out. "I can't help it. You know how tripped up those pretty eyes of yours get me." At her laugh, my own followed.

Kimberly chuckled, and I threw one back, nodding at her. "Don't think you're off the hook, beautiful. I've been eyeing that nice ass of yours for years. One shot and—"

"I'll be damned," I heard Kade snort in the background.

Kimberly's red cheeks stretched wide at him as she giggled. "Maggie flirts like it's her day job. She's harmless."

"Fuck this," Kade said from somewhere on her line of the call. "Let's go back to watching Tinker Bell."

Luke snorted at this, now turned to his side in front of me. "You have Kade...Kade Ryder watching Disney movies? Jesus." He shook his head, chuckling down at his bracelet.

I jerked a glare over him. I should have warned him to stay hidden before the call started. Not that he would have listened, though.

I didn't want our friends finding out about any of this until it was over. If they found out I was with Luke, the same Luke that I had threatened to violently decapitate in detail not too long ago...all hell would break loose. Both from the boys, and the girls.

Raven nearly knocked her laptop over, her eyes widened. Of course she caught it. "Was that Luke?" She lifted her laptop, waving it around in odd angles as if that would give her a better view of my screen. 

Kimberly's mouth fell as she bounced gazes between Raven and I. "Was it?"

"That was Luke," Kade confirmed in the background. A moment later, he stepped up to the camera.

Lev appeared right on cue, a humored expression crossing his face. "That was definitely Luke." He took place behind Raven, draping an arm over her neck.

"No, it wasn't." The blush in my cheeks said otherwise, though.

Kade passed a look at me that screamed 'do you really think I'm that stupid?' I passed right over it.

"We've been friends with the fucker for years," Levi chuckled, stroking through Raven's fiery hair. "You really think we wouldn't recognize that annoying ass voice of his?"

Luke scoffed, his lips parting to fire something back. Before he could, I kicked him in his shin. Not enough to hurt, but enough to get the message through.

With a hushed curse, he jerked a glare at me. I returned it, leaning away from the camera to shush him. I guessed some of the desperation must have leaked into my eyes cause when he met them, he rolled his own with a nod.

Kade smirked. "There's that smart ass scoff of his, too."

"You heard it, too?" Levi chuckled. "I thought it was only me who could recognize it."

"Nah," Kade said. "That little annoying ass snort, too. You know, the one he claims is his idea of 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it all.'"

Levi threw his head back, bunches of deep laughter following. "Remember when he pulled that shit at—"

"Okay," Raven cut in, pushing at Levi's chest. "It was nice seeing you boys play the catch up game and all, but you can do it on your time. Girls?"

I pushed out a sigh of relief, nodding in agreement.

Levi groaned, still stroking the back of her head. "Oh, come on, Red. Let me shit-talk the fucker a bit more."

Luke's phone caught my attention. It was vibrating in a pattern that I remembered was his text message notification. I'd never repeat the information aloud, but it still existed.

I tried to tear my attention away, but it was impossible with the way Luke was staring down at it. His brows were up to the roof of his face. When they finally fell, his eyes raised with it, right to me.

I parted my lips to say something, but before I could, he was turning the phone to me.

Kade: You get two minutes to figure it out on your own.

Luke: The fuck are you talking about?

Kade: The girl has your shirt on, you dumbass.

My eyes jumped to the shirt, fully expecting a defendant, except there wasn't one. I had Luke's shirt on.

It wasn't intentional. I was finished with my shower, most of my clothes were in the washer, and I was too lazy to unpack the rest from my suitcase. I'd seen one of Luke's, and threw it on for the time being. Except, even when my clothes dried, I never ended up changing back into my own.

There was nothing to it, though. It was simply a shirt. I didn't know if Luke had noticed, but if he had, he never said anything.

Fighting the color in my cheeks proved to be a challenge. My eyes raised back to the screen.

I looked at Kade, who wore his usual mold of ice, blank expression. It was giving nothing away, which I hoped and begged was a good thing. I wasn't sure if Levi caught it too, but shit. After a couple of minutes, I guessed that he didn't plan on saying anything about it to the group.

Luke was as cool as a cucumber, still tending to his bracelet. A small smile was playing at his lips, one he was attempting to hide. When he caught my eyes, he immediately erased it, averting all of his attention to the string, again.

Once I tuned back in to the conversation, I was struggling to keep up with whatever they were arguing about.

"You know," Levi started in a sigh. "Vaudest nearly killed me once."

"You've nearly killed each other millions of times," Kimberly commented softly, a small giggle following as Kade stroked her shoulders.

Levi shook his head. "I know, but for real this time. The fucker shot me."

Luke's chest bounced with silent laughter as he shook his head, continuing to work on his craft.

Raven rolled her eyes, glancing behind her to her boyfriend. "No, he didn't."

"Actually, yes he did," Kade cut in.

"What?" Kimberly whipped her head to him, her mouth agape. "Seriously?"

Levi threw his arms up, scoffing at all four of us. "So, now you guys believe me?"

Raven kissed the hand that was on her. "Of course we believed you. Your stories are just a little...off sometimes."

"Wait," Kimberly called out, blinking at all of us. "Are we not gonna talk about Luke shooting Levi? We passed by that a little too quickly."

Kade shook his head, the grin building at his lips as he kissed her cheek. "It wasn't serious, sweetheart. We all shot each other."

"What?" All three of us girls exclaimed on beat.

"LA, wasn't it, Ryder?" Levi questioned, tilting his head in thought. "Or, was it Vegas? My shit's gotten all twisted over the years."

"Neither. It was New Orleans," he responded, leaning back, and bringing Kimberly with him until she was across his chest. "We all ran off for about a week, had the cops chasing us and all that dramatic shit since we were minors. We ended up at some hotel in New Orleans, getting high off shit we stole from Levi's sister. We locked ourselves in the hotel room to stop from doing dumb shit, but we see how well that turned out." Levi chuckled in agreement, nodding. "We were watching SpongeBob, I'm pretty sure."

He ran a hand along his jaw before nodding to himself. "Yeah, it was SpongeBob. It was the episode where he was afraid of the burgers, and kept seeing them everywhere. Levi was having a bad trip off the shrooms, and thought Luke was one of the talking burgers, or some shit. So, he pointed his gun at him."

Levi nodded, picking up the story with a casual tone, "Luke pointed his own back at me, and Kade pointed one at Luke, then I aimed mine back to Kade. We all shot the other in the arm, and were forced to go to the hospital, where they reported us, of course and we ended up getting arrested." His laughter burst out a moment later. He shook his head, the corners of his green eyes crinkled with humor. "Fuck. That was such a fun night. We should go back soon, boys. How about the summer?"

Luke was chuckling in front of me, nodding to me in confirmation. The story was true.

I looked to the girls, who were staring back at Kade and Levi with pure shock. The boys remained natural, chopping it off as it that were the most casual story ever told.

"I..." Raven stammered, an uneasy laugh following. "I genuinely don't even know what to say to that."

Levi perked up, his eyes bright. "You guys wanna hear how I saved Kade from a venomous bite with nothing but myself, a leaf, Luke's shirt, and prayer?" He waved our silence off. "You know what, I'll tell you—"

"No!" All three of us girls yelled on beat, again.

Kimberly fought a laugh. "Maybe another time, Levi. We have to get started on our project for now."

She shifted around to Kade, who was already waiting. His chuckles had died down, so he tipped her chin to his, flowering a soft kiss to her lips, her cheek, then finally her head before stepping away from the view of the screen.

Levi's tatted fingers squeezed at Raven's neck as he kissed her goodbye. It lasted so long, I thought the two would never separate.

Jesus. They were all going at it as if it'd be their last kiss alive.

I looked up to Luke, who was finally finishing up his stupid bracelet. His face was tight with concentration as he tied, undid, then retied the bracelet all over again.

"Okay," Raven breathed out with a chuckle, raking a hand through her ginger curls. "We're back on track."

I chuckled. "You two have the most questionable men."

Raven was suppressing a grin at me, but failing horrendously. I tried to bypass her knowing look, but before I knew it, the agitation took over.

"What?" I snapped.

Her smile only grew. "No need to get so hostile, Mags." Her attention jumped to the other side of the screen. "Kimberly, what are you thinking about our little champion here?"

"Hmm?" Kimberly grinned in return, joining ravens look. "Nothing at all." I knew that it was definitely something, though; I just couldn't place what it was.

If Kade had said something to them about the shirt ordeal, then the girls wouldn't act oblivious about it, especially Raven. If they knew, this would have been a very different conversation. So, hopefully, I was good there.

Regardless, I didn't like them seeing me so flustered. Like they knew things that I didn't.

"Um, Raven..." Kimberly's eyes squinted behind her glasses as she leaned in. "Where's your beads?"

Raven, who was too busy designing a cross word puzzle with the letter blocks, glanced up, then dropped her tablet enough to show us the scattered mess. "Right here. Duh."

Kimberly giggled. "Of course." Her gaze followed up on something behind the camera, before moving back to us. A happy gleam followed past her dark brown eyes. "So, I have news."

"You're giving me a niece?" Raven palmed her chest, awed. "Or, a nephew—"

Kade chuckled from somewhere in the background. Kimberly's' eyes grew to the size of saucers as she shook her head.

"Hell no," she scoffed. "Sorry, girl, but you'll be waiting for a long while before I pop up with a surprise like that." At Raven's disappointment, she chuckled, glancing between the two of us. "But, I promise that you're both going to love this one just as much."

I raised a brow at her. "Are you going to tell us or..." I trailed off for her to finish, but instead, we were given a mischievous grin.

"Nope," she smiled. "I just wanted to make the both of you start thinking real hard on it."

Raven groaned, tossing a bead at the screen. "You're terrible."

Despite my chuckle, I nodded. "When can we expect an answer?"

She was usually upfront if she had news, but if she was holding it in like this, then it had to be something significant.

Her shoulders rose and fell in a loose shrug, the humor building in her expression. "You'll see."

"Kimberly," Raven stated, leaning forward, again. "Babe, if you're knocked up, blink twice, okay? If you want a—"

Kimberly's laughter sounded out, the sound light yet full. "Raven, I'm not pregnant, and I won't be for a long while, okay? Trust me on that." Another chuckle came from Kade, one that caused the color to rise in Kimberly's cheek before she rolled her eyes at him.

Raven laughed, twiddling with a string as she murmured, "I wish I could say the same."

"What?" Kimberly and I exclaimed, and in the mix, I heard Levi's voice in it, as well.

Her hands raised in surrender, her chest bouncing with laughter. "Kidding, kidding, don't worry."

Kimberly and I glanced to each other with uncertainty, before it shifted into humor. We both laughed at our friend that always seemed to spike our nerves in all the right and wrong ways.

I nodded to Kimberly. "Well, when you do decide to let us in on your surprise, I'll be waiting. Nearly a corpse from all of the curiosity, but still waiting."

With a silly grin, she rolled her lips in order to stop them from spilling. "Will do."

All three of us conversed over anything that came to mind: school, work or lack of, food, people. I didn't even care if we just sat in silence, though, honestly. As long as we were even partially in each others spaces, then I was content.

I looked up at the same time that Luke threw a string at me to attract my attention. My eyes slipped to it, then him.

He grinned back at me, swinging his bracelet around. I tried to make a grab for it, but he swung his arm back out of my reach.

With a glare, I returned to my position. Asshole.

Luke looked down at my own bracelet. He flicked his head at it, mouthing 'trade.'

I was intending to give it to him just to spite him, but this would work, too.

We both swapped, our eyes falling to the letter blocks. A small gasp slipped away from me once I realized.

We both spelled out the same exact thing.

Fuck you.

We both looked up at the same time, our shock overflowing the intent of our messages. The only difference was that we had used different colored beads: his being black and white, and my own being pink and purple.

Luke broke contact first, placing the bracelet across his wrist, and tightening it.

My mouth fell agape. "What are you doing?"

Raven and Kimberly's heads snapped up from their bracelets. Shit. I forgot to mute the call.

"Uh..." Raven watched me, cautiously. "Making bracelets?"

"Sorry, I was just talking to...myself." I offered a sad attempt of a laugh. "You know how I am. Battling demons, and all that."

Kimberly's head bobbed as she let it fall. "Whatever you say, Mags."

This time, I remembered to put my laptop on mute before repeating to Luke, "What are you doing?"

"You made this for me," he shrugged. "So, I'm keeping it. And, you're keeping mine."

Luke grabbed my wrist in a gentle grip, bringing it to his lap. His fingers picked at the bracelet he had given me, positioning it perfectly against my skin.

"I'm not keeping yours," I argued, despite my still arm.

"Why the fuck not?"

"Because it's like we're tog—" I paused myself, the word falling right back down my throat. No way. "It's like you're claiming me, or some shit. No one walks around with someone else's bracelet, or anyone else's anything like that, without it meaning something."

Luke shook his head, lips pressed in a tight line as he finished tying my bracelet. My words were apparently foreign to him.

Then, again, I hadn't moved my wrist away from him this entire time.

"And," I continued, attempting to bypass the tingles his fingers were leaving to my skin. "You're not mine, and I'm not yours. Unless we are, and unless we have a claim to each other, then we shouldn't be—"

His eyes snapped up to mine so quickly, it made my lungs seize for a moment. I had to remind myself to follow through another breathing cycle the longer his pretty eyes glared back into mine.

His expression shifted to one that wouldn't allow an argument. "You're wearing my bracelet," he insisted. "And, I'm wearing yours. No one else's. Get me?"

I blinked, and did it again just for extra measure. I didn't think that this was about bracelets anymore.

The die-hard gaze he wore was provided by agitated eyes. A look of possession had claimed him, and the longer he directed it at me, the deeper I sunk into a seat of pleasure.

"I get you," I murmured past a thickened throat. A part of me wanted to tease him, but I couldn't find the strength.

Luke watched me, before nodding and looking down to my wrist. His thumb stroked over the bracelet, my skin, then back to the beads all over again.

I didn't realize how hot my body was until I shifted. It took over without an ounce of relent. The heat rushed right to my head, nearly blurring my vision a bit from the intensity.

Fuck.

What was happening to me?

Luke continued on with his business, my wrist still in his lap. I didn't try to yank it back.

I remembered to unmute the girls, and luckily, they hadn't noticed. I caught up to the conversation just in time.

My mind was elsewhere for the remainder of our conversation. When Luke was sitting so close, with his hands on me, I couldn't find the strength to keep up with anything else.

Despite being finished with his bracelet, he remained in place, as comfortable as ever on my bed. He was on his back now, phone up in the air, a blank expression on his face.

It was nearly one in the morning, now. I didn't have anything work-wise to do, since I was technically unemployed now, but I knew Raven and Kimberly were probably going to be busy.

"Hey," I called out. A little too loudly, apparently, since Raven was mid-snore.

She bounced back, her confused eyes bouncing between the both of us. I chuckled at her benightedness, then looked to Kimberly, who wasn't doing much better.

"I'm gonna let you guys go and get your best rest," I told them. "Busy day tomorrow." They had no idea, and I wouldn't let them. Not for the next couple weeks, anyway. "I love you both, pretty girls."

Levi had put a pillow behind Raven's lazy head, one that she was nearly seeping into, now. "Love you back, beautiful."

Kimberly lifted her glasses to rub at her eyes, nodding along to anything. Kade had placed a blanket over her half-conscious figure, too.

Under the blanket, she waved at me, her eyes still shut. "I love you too, hun. Sleep good."

Even after the call disconnected, I continued to stare at it, an overwhelming sweep of longing passing through me. I wished I had them face to face, but this was better than nothing at all.

"You miss them?" Luke asked. This was the first time he'd talked ever since we exchanged bracelets.

I thought about a retort, but instead went with honesty, "I do.."

Luke said nothing, his eyes going to my lap before returning to his phone. One hand continued to fiddle with my bracelet on his wrist, the act appearing so natural, yet leaving me with so much of something.

I glanced down to my own. It was a simple piece of craft jewelry, but for some reason, the very thought of losing it or taking it off made my chest burn. I didn't know why. The more I thought on it, the less sense it made.

He wanted something of me, and wanted me to have something of him. It wasn't just about the bracelets, it couldn't be.

Why did I want it not to be?

It had to be my period. I hadn't seen the fucker in nearly a year now, but I knew the signs, obviously. It was simply my hormones being off balance.

That was the only reason why I found myself smiling with admiration at Luke's bracelet, instead of malice.

Luke stood up from my bed. Purposefully, his long arms stretched behind him, nearly knocking my head off my shoulders. I swept his arm down with a scowl, pushing him back.

Chuckling, he turned around to face me, then lowered his upper body. In homely arms, he gathered me up, and gently placed me to the other side of the bed.

The bolt buzzed along my skin at his hands. It was nearly in competition with the rounds of overwhelming heat from earlier. Either one was unrestrained.

A small grin built on his face as he leaned down, one knee falling to the bed. "Ready for bed?" If I were careful enough, I was sure I heard some excitement in there.

His body was so close, all I'd have to do was reach for it. It was troubling how much strength it took to just stop from just taking a peek at those abs of his, again.

"You're not sleeping in here," I forced out.

"Funny, Norris." Luke chuckled, rearranging the pillows in a comfortable pattern.

I tugged my arms over my chest, holding my stance. "I'm serious."

His gaze fell to mine, a look of confusion following. "What?" He released the pillow, his expression falling along with it. "Why not?"

"Because it's way too personal," My voice wavered, but I brought it back. "Normal people don't sleep in the same bed together, and they sure as hell don't hold each other while they do. Not without it being weird."

His head tilted as he thought it over. A small smirk followed up when he did.

"You're making it weird for a reason." He crossed his arms, a knowing look on his face. "Why?"

"I'm not," I argued, despite how true it was.

Luke rolled his eyes at me. Humor poured through his expression as he turned, then walked to the door without another word.

I watched him warily, but no argument came from him.

"Wait," I called out. "That's it?"

"Mhm, that's it," he responded around a chuckle. "I'll see you in the morning, angel." I didn't expect him to walk away so easily, but he didn't seem to have a problem with it. "Sleep good."

I forced a string of confidence through, "I will." Jesus. If I had to voice it, then it obviously was a lie. I had no idea what I'd do when the nightmares came, but I'd figure it out. Somehow.

I could see that sexy curl of a smirk of his from here, despite his back facing me. "You do that, Norris."

A seconds later, and he was gone. Just like that. I heard the door next to my room click open then close, before finally settling on silence. Even Fang was asleep.

Huffing, I sunk down into the mattress, but not an ounce of comfort followed from it.

He gave up quicker than I expected him to. Maybe he'd gotten the hint, and just accepted it. That was fine, too; it made it much easier on the both of us.

Except, now...I couldn't sleep.

It wasn't the mattress, not at all. It was of perfect, expensive material, spacious and comfy, but not for me. Not without a certain someone in it.

I shifted onto my back, again. As much as I hated the dark, human eyes didn't work well with light. I wished I had one of my nightlights, but of course, it was one of the very things that had slipped out of my hands at Jax and I's apartment.

I tried my side, next. My stomach. Then my back, again. An hour later, and nothing helped.

Not a thing.

I wondered if he was struggling, too. If he'd grown as accustomed to me as I had of him. It was a torture to think of, let alone be the only sufferer of it.

For a moment, I contemplated smothering myself with the pillow. It'd probably be less of a torture than what I was considering.

Fuck it.

The only thing I brought along with me was my phone, and my blanket. I wrapped it around me to help aid as a confidence booster, but the longer I walked, the more I found myself tugging at the bracelet, instead.

The beads actually helped more than I thought. It turned out to be a reassuring method, nearly effortless, but so effective, too.

I stared at the door to his room, my eyes narrowed closely at the white material. I didn't know how to ask, but I wasn't going to beg for him to sleep with me, either. That was ridiculous.

So was this, but it at least allowed me a little more dignity.

The door opened with a small creak as I twisted at the handle.

"Luke?" I called out, softly. "Are you awake?"

The room was as silent as ever. Fang was sleeping in his room tonight, so his pants weren't near. The only live thing was the television being on, but the volume was muted.

My eyes scanned the room over, and once I got to the left side of the room, my heart got caught in my throat.

Luke was on his stomach, arms wrapped around his pillow, which his head was buried in, and his eyes shut. His backside was rising and falling at a steady pace, handsome face relaxed with slumber.

My heart fell. "Nevermind, then."

I guess I was in this alone. I had my answer now, too. I was the only one who was struggling with this connection, this feeling, but I didn't find that as comforting as I thought I would.

The lights were still on overhead, despite him being asleep. I wasn't sure if it were because of me, but I figured it was, since no average person slept with their lights on every night.

My eyes slipped over his sleeping form before they fell with a heaviness behind them. "Sleep good, then."

I turned on my heel with a sigh. My hand had brushed the handle when I heard the call from behind me.

"Norris."

I jerked back around, my breath caught in my throat. Nothing except a single puff of shock came as a response from it.

Luke was on his side now, his arm tucked under his head, and his expression softened at me. I thought there would be smugness in there somewhere, but instead, it was just a mutual understanding. His smile was the same.

He lifted his blanket, flicking his head at me. "Get in here, brat."

I focused on not focusing on my next steps, because if I did, I would have turned around and walked out. If I were thinking rationally, I probably would have done just that.

I wasn't thinking, though. It was impossible to with him.

When I grew close enough, Luke grabbed my hand, and pulled me into his bed. I let him, my limbs gone mush at the contact.

We settled into a position so that his back was facing the door, with my frontside to his chest. Luke tucked me into him, an arm draping around my waist while the other went under me, then reached up so that he could place it on my back.

A gasp threatened to tumble out of me the moment he touched me. This was a much more personal position than anything else we'd ever done. I didn't fight it. I didn't want to.

Through loose limbs, I settled into his neck, moving my own hand to his back. I wasn't quite sure, but I thought I felt the shudder of his body when I did so. In it, Luke tightened his grip around my waist, our skins pressed together as he dropped his chin on my head.

That slumber I had trouble finding pounced on me, now. In his arms, trouble, anything except this wasn't even a factor. With the rounds of warmth, calm, the feeling of only right, he brought on, it was impossible to think of anything else.

I shut my eyes, carefully listening in to the calming rhythm of his heart. His hand had started stroking my back in a pattern now, so comforting and gentle. My own did the same for his.

"I can't even sleep without you anymore, Norris," he said, quietly.

His words knocked me right out of the ballpark. I couldn't understand why they hit as hard as they did, but here I was: practically losing the will to think the longer I recalled them over.

I thought about making fun of him. I thought about retorting his statement. I thought about it all. My lips parted to get it out, but I couldn't, because it wouldn't be the truth.

Instead, I settled on, "I can't sleep without you, either."

***

I nearly thought an earthquake was in motion until I realized: my phone was ringing.

My eyes parted. I had to wiggle around a bit in order to get the phone out of my bra, since Luke's hold was so tight.

"Stop it, Maggie," Luke demanded in his sleep, drawing me back into him. "You're not going anywhere."

I mustered a sample of a chuckle before slowing down my movements. It took a lot more effort than I wanted, but I finally managed to get the phone.

The screen was painfully bright, especially for my freshly woken eyes. But, I managed to clear them enough for a read.

It was a missed call from that that same spam number from the other day, one I nearly dismissed, appeared. But, as I scrolled through, I caught sight of a text message notification that wasn't too old.

One from that exact number.

My scrolling finger stiffened on the screen. The fuck?

I swiped at my eyes to make sure my vision wasn't toying with me, but it remained the same. The message, the threat, was the same.

'See you soon, sugar.'