"My soul is in love with your soul." — R.Hart
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Bonus | 2
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Maggie

Luke's sleeping figure remained still from under me, except the rise and fall of his chest, causing my glare to intensify.

"Come on." I pressed another kiss to his cheek. "Wake up."

The scars on his neck bucked, causing my grin to grow. The rumble of his voice came next, "Angel, what are you—" His eyes opened, but when they saw the plan in mine, he closed them, again. "No."

I scowled. "You don't even know what I'm doing."

Luke shook his head, settling an arm over his eyes. "The hell I don't." His free arm drew me in closer to get me on his chest. "Lay down."

I remained in place on top of him, grabbing his arm to lower it from his eyes. "I was laying down, but I thought the house was on fire." I had actually woken up, because I was so excited for the day.

One eye popped open. "What was it?"

I grinned. "Your snores."

A scowl curled his lips, his eyes draping shut, again. "If I can handle thinking there's a whole damn apocalypse going on outside the house everytime you snore, then you'll be fine."

Fighting back a laugh, I grabbed his hands this time. They went to my thighs on their own, but he made sure to keep his eyes shut so that he wouldn't have to endure the next minute and a half.

A smile stretched my face. "Ready?"

"For my beautiful girl to get back in my arms and take her ass to sleep?" he muttered, humming, "Mhm. Absolutely."

Rolling my eyes, my lips brushed the initials on his neck, then his jaw before I leaned back. "What happened when the candle went dating?"

"It's three o'clock in the morning, woman," he groaned out.

I bit into my lip to hold my laughter back. "That's not an answer."

"You know what?" he mumbled. "I love you so damn much that I'm gonna let you have this one. Just one, though." Squeezing my thighs, he turned his head to the side to bury it into the pillow, huffing out, "Tell me."

I grinned down at him. "The answer is..." I paused, but when he didn't give an answer, I finished, "It found the perfect match."

His eyes opened, a glare wedged in the jewels.

I giggled through, "Get it? Perfect match...candle—" At his silence, I groaned, "You don't know real art when you see it, Luke."

"I do."

"How so?"

Another squeeze to my thighs as he opened his eyes. "I'm staring at my own masterpiece right now, Norris." Before they shut again, a stream of adoration flowed through them and back into mine. "Lucky as shit to wake up to her every single morning, too."

A blush buried itself into my cheeks, licking through the rest of my body like a flame. Luke, even with his eyes closed, took satisfaction in his next grin, since he knew.

With a tiny yawn, he brought his hand to my stomach, starting to stroke at the scars. The tip of his finger outlined them with love until he knew I got the message, too.

Warm sparks shot from that spot and straight to my heart, my heart softening at the meaning. I ran my fingers over his scars, my emotions stuck in adoration.

Luke kissed my wrist, a heavy smile of affection on. "Thank you, baby."

My smile softened. "For what?"

Admiration touched his eyes as he traced his name into my stomach. "I never thought I could like my scars. I barely even acknowledged them before, but when I did, it was never any good thoughts or shit like that..." He shrugged, his lips warn against my wrist. "Then, you came along and you touched them, back at the event. And for the first time, I didn't think they were bad. Not at all. The feeling only grew from there." His hand on my thigh raised to my back to stroke it, causing me to gravitate down to his chest.

His next words were closer to a whisper only my ears could understand, "When you touch or look at my scars, any of them, I don't think that they're ugly anymore." His smile grew a bit shy before he added, "You make me think they're beautiful. Good."

My expression was as full as my heart, my thumb tracing the lining of the scars off memorization. "That's because they are." We locked eyes and in the link, we only fell deeper. "Just like the rest of you."

Everything that could melt down did, his thumb tracing over my stomach. "That's you." Even in the dark, he didn't miss a single scar, both physically and emotionally. "You're beautiful. You're so fucking beautiful angel, you know that?"

Love strung through my body by the heaviest of ropes. It brought the strongest flush with it, but it happened so often, I learned to just let it be. I wanted it every single time, as long as it came from Luke.

I kissed his scars another time, then his cheek, both as warm as mine. Every time one attempted to compliment the other, we both always ended up being flushed.

Luke tucked my hair behind my ear, keeping his hand on my cheek and turning the spot into an electric landmark effortlessly. "You excited for tomorrow?"

"Of course." Excitement filled me; tomorrow would be our very first Valentine's Day together. "Are you?"

He gave me a silly look. "Fuck yeah I am. It has my heart jumping and all of that shit every time I think about it." A dazzling grin deepened his dimples. Even after seeing the sight a million times, I admired it as it'd be my last. "I get to keep my girl in my arms all day."

I giggled. "That's what you're most excited about, huh?" I could say the same; it was always my favorite time of the day.

These past few months had been bliss. In between my classes, my shifts at the mechanic shop, keeping up with my friends and Tony and Jax, helping Luke with our building, and a couple of hospital visits, it was all hectic, but loved all the same. The things I had missed out on were the things I was experiencing and would never leave now.

Then, there was this foul-mouthed, 6'4", silly, love of mine I came home to every night, too.

There was something about being with the person who was also your person. It was different than just hanging out just to do it, plain kisses and conversations, or just using sex to pass and replace time. They were different than any other person, thing, or place.

Instead, they categorized in all three. The person who made my days brighter just by being in them, the thing that made all of the other materials of the world seem like gold the second they came into contact with it, and the place that was my home, no matter where I went or where I'd go. All it would take is one look to cross the threshold into the place where my heart, and all else ran wild for him.

The days were never long enough to fully take in everything I could with him, but in knowing how I would get to do so the next day, and the ones after that made my life whole in ways I could have never imagined.

For so long, I considered love the ugliest emotion, and those were just the rare, disorientated times that I still doubted it's existence. It's only presented its torturous head in its manipulative moments, and I thought I'd never want it.

But I was wrong, I was so fucking wrong. Love was beautiful. It was warm and exhilarating, and everything that could set your soul free, but also into a flame that wouldn't burn you, if the person holding the torch was the right person to do so.

It was when you found the person that made every single word, decision, and trial in your life turn into a question as to whether or not you could have rushed all of that in order to find them sooner. It was a rush of thoughts to see whether or not you could find an exact answer as to how someone so good, and beautiful could genuinely be yours. It was also a constant question as to whether or not your heart was going to stop the next time they smiled or not.

Whoever lied and said that love was perfect was the biggest bullshitter around, though. It definitely wasn't perfect, because we weren't either. But in those times, and even in the imperfect ones, we stuck together and used our last imperfect moments together to ensure that we would have more perfect ones, too.

Luke was my comfort and peace. My best friend. My soulmate, and my half. The person who made sense, even when I didn't. Every doubt had burned to ashes, and he was the one I would always trust most to hold the torch.

I'd still smother the motherfucker, though.

Him trying to fight his grin only made it grow. "Hell yeah it is and watching you try to get on ice has me excited as shit, too."

"I told you to have a little faith in me."

"I always do, but you've never ice skated in your life, angel. You're gonna fall a couple of times."

"And I'll be taking you down with me."

Luke snorted. "I'll be damned, Norris." At my glare, he laughed, softly. "You know I'll catch you, though." His eyes shut again, but his smirk was still left behind. "Maybe."

My glare moved toward a glower, until it swept over his pillow. I was supposed to be on it, but it often went untouched since I usually slept on top of or under Luke.

Luke still had his eyes closed, so with either of my hands around the pillow, I started to lower it to his face. This would knock him off his high horse. Cocky—

"Put it down right now, Norris."

Shocked, I raised my eyes over the pillow. His eyes were still closed, but his words had reached me all the same.

"Smothering me, baby. Really?" One eye opened, an amused glint in them. "I expected better."

I swept the pillow down to my side. "Don't be dramatic. I wasn't going to smother you, I was just..." I scoured my head for an excuse, before I pressed a hand into the material. "Fluffing it for you. Because, that's what a sweet, loving, pillow holding girlfriend does."

Luke smirked, reading right through my bullshit. "Yeah?" He chuckled, the hand on my stomach going to my waist instead. "Well, as adorable as you looked doing that, you'll look even better if you try it again, after it's three o'clock in the morning." He patted my ass, squeezing down to further his point. "Now. Lay down."

"So." I giggled at his grumpy look. "You still can't sleep without me, huh?"

The other night, I stayed a bit later at work to help my manager, Sam, out. I called Luke to tell him that he could go to bed early, because by the time I left, it was way after the time we usually fell asleep.

But when I finished locking up the store and came outside, Luke, who was supposed to be in bed and asleep, was standing by my car, with his Harry Potter pajamas I had bought us on, flowers and coffee in hand, and the world's biggest frown on. It was because he couldn't sleep without me.

His attitude resurfaced, but he wiped it with honesty, "You know I can't." He scrubbed a hand down his face in frustration. "I've told you, I think I have separation anxiety or some shit."

I bit into my cheek to stifle my laughter. "You do not have separation anxiety, Luke."

His arm tightened around my waist so that he could flip us over. Through my giggles, Luke flowered kisses to my face, distracting me enough to trap me under him.

He sported a scowl. "For you, I sure as hell do," he huffed out. "And you were the one who gave it to me, so now..." He wrapped his arms around me to pull me into his chest. "Come here and fix it."

My laughter spilled as I leaned into him, my home. I threw my arm over his waist like he did mine, so that we were fit together like puzzle pieces.

He began his usual stroke through my hair, lulling me into peace. I heard him let out a contented sigh as I started to trace the tattoo on his chest.

"Luke," I called out.

He wrapped a strand of my hair around his finger. "Yeah, angel?"

I kissed his chest, my smile building against it. "Roses are red." I tipped my head, amusement prancing through my expression from the frustration in his.

"Go to sleep, Norris."

"You're supposed to say violets are blue. Or just rhyme it. It doesn't matter."

Luke groaned. "I'm not doing this."

"Roses are red," I repeated, giggling into my kiss on his chest. "Come on."

He threw an arm over his face, begrudgingly mumbling out, "Violets are fucking blue."

A pleasing feeling crawled into my chest until it was full. Peace came right with it, and I pressed my face into him, my eyes fluttering shut from heaviness.

"I never knew I would have a soulmate," I yawned out.

The palm of his hand furthered me into his chest by my back, and he used the other to draw the covers over us. It was the perfect mix to have me confusing reality with heaven. Against my head, he placed a kiss, then another.

Just before sleep claimed me, I heard him finish the riddle in a whisper, "Until I found you."

***

"If you fall and hurt yourself one more time, we're going the hell home, you hear me?" Luke warned, his eyes squinted at me. "Watching you bust your ass so much has my own shit hurting."

I scowled at him, but it quickly slipped into a curse when my feet slid over the ice a little too fast. Luke, amused, tightened the grip he had on me before I could hit the ground, again.

Huffing, I pushed my hair behind my ear. "We aren't going home until I get to the other side of the rink."

Luke bit into his cheek to stop from laughing. "Angel, with the way you've been falling, the only way you're getting to the other side now is if you lay on your stomach and I physically push you over there."

I released him just for a second to pinch his arm, and as frustrated as I pretended to be, his laugh attracted my smile. "Whatever."

Since it was Valentine's Day, we spent the entire day together, of course. We'd planned on going out for breakfast, but I woke up before Luke and decided to make both of our favorites. He'd thanked me with his words, kisses, then by bending me over the table and making sure that I was wide awake for the rest of the day.

We were supposed to go to the movies, but the time was lost and we missed it. So instead, we went to the beach, the aquarium, then dinner.

We's been at the ice rink for hours now. Luke, being the overdramatic man he is, rented out the entire rink for us. I'd teased him about it, but after the last few hours, I was more than glad we were alone.

I wouldn't say I was bad at ice skating, but I definitely wasn't going pro anytime soon. Luke had been here a couple of times with Kade and Levi, but I was too stubborn to listen to his lessons and was pretty sure my ass bones were broken now, because of it.

"Seriously, though." Luke paused our movements, tipping my head up to him, his thumb tracing my chin. "Let me see you." His eyes roamed me over for any sign of pain, before returning to mine with concern inside. "Are you okay, baby?"

My grip tightened on his arms so that I could kiss him. "I'm okay."

Luke returned my kiss with a softer edge, peering back to whisper, "Okay but you didn't hit anything too hard, did you? We can head home, if you need it."

I nodded to reassure him, all signs of teasing replaced with genuineness. "I'm okay, I promise. I swore I'd tell you if I wasn't."

"I know but..." He sighed softly, his thumb tracing my cheek as his brows furrowed. "I just wanna be careful. I'm not risking anything with you."

"I know, love." I kissed his finger, my voice soft like my smile, "But it was just a fall and it was on my back so it barely even hurt. I feel perfect."

After my dad's attack, Luke had been more protective of me the following couple of weeks, especially against the blogs and photographers. As much as I teased him about it, I understood it, especially after I was shot.

There were some nights where he'd lay and fall asleep on my chest so that he could hear and count my heartbeat in order to make sure himself that my heart was still beating. There were also times when he'd check my stomach and my old injuries to make sure they were still okay. And the first few nights after I was discharged from the hospital, I had to wake him out of nightmares he was having of me actually being gone. It broke me into pieces since I'd never seen him so distraught and afraid, but in those times, I'd wake him up, talk to and hold him, until his body and mind made the realization that I was right here with him, forever.

It'd been half a year and I was healed, but sometimes, I would still catch him watching me with a dazed expression of appreciation and gratitude, with the softest smile on to match it. I don't even think he realized he was doing it.

Like now. His eyes were glued to my face, scanning it over as if he couldn't get enough of the sight. I flushed a bit, my lips stretching back at him.

I bumped into his side. "What's up?"

He blinked out of his trance. His eyes fell, then raised up to mine with a frustrated blanket to cover them. "I was thinking about something that pisses me off sometimes."

"Yeah? Like what?" I tugged on his arm to motion us forward, and he did, pushing one leg in front of the other until we were both moving.

He did it so effortlessly, despite supporting the both of our bodies. Even the way the man skated was attractive. I didn't even care if he caught me staring at him anymore, because if he looked back right now, I might do more than stare.

"The fact that we didn't meet as kids or some shit," he said distastefully. "All these years spent without you or knowing you is so unfair. It makes me mad as shit. I could have fallen in love with you way sooner."

My gaze softened over the ice, before I raised it to him. After knowing him for the past couple of years, but after really knowing him for the past two, I agreed completely. If I knew that my other half was out in the world for so long, I would have started looking sooner.

My next thought came with amusement as I looked up to him. "Luke, do you seriously think we would have been friends as children?"

He scowled. "I sure as hell would have made us be. You probably would have pissed me off. I would have pissed you off back. We would have started this whole secret rivalry, enemy-loving, pretend to hate each other best friend type of connection at first, then we would have fell for the other. Hard as shit, too. We would have beat the other dad's ass, and probably ran away together or some shit. One of us would have gotten over our stubborn shit first, then I would have had years worth of memories to add to the ones we have now." A softer look padded his face over as he shrugged. "If the present wasn't so perfect, I'd go back and make it happen, just to have you as mine even longer."

My skates came to a stop, and his followed.

By my hands, he tugged me him until we were facing the other. His smile lighting me from the inside out the longer he wore it.

I tilted my head at him, smiling. "So, basically...you would have repeated exactly what happened between us after I vandalized your building?"

"It didn't happen like that..." he began to argue, before his eyes fell to the sheet of ice in realization, his eyebrows jumping as he chuckled. "Well, shit."

My laughter echoed through the rink. "It's nice to know you don't have any regrets."

Humor shone in his eyes. "Whatever, smartass." His eyes traced every bit of my own over, gleaming even brighter. "But we're soulmates, Norris. Every part of one mixed in with the other. We would have crossed paths somehow, and if we wouldn't...then the universe would have just had to kiss my ass, because I would have went out and drop-kicked however many doors down until I found you my own damn self." He ended it in a stubborn scowl that sent me into a mix of laughter and awe.

Pleasure carried through me as I cupped his jaw, the muscle jumping with his smile. Luke held my eyes in his like a hug that we'd never detach from.

"Spending the rest of our lives together makes the wasted time worth it." I kissed his cheek, the warmth under my lips being the best feeling there was. "Just a minute, even a second spent with you is worth a million years all at once. A whole lifetime, though?" Words couldn't graze the blessing in those words enough, so I let the emotions pour over my tongue in a stream, "Everything's worth it if we end up here, all over again. When you're mine, and I'm yours. Forever."

His expression melted around a puddle of love that I could swim in for hours. "Everything's worth it when it ends up with you having me and me having you, angel. Everything." When he said those words to me at the lake house, I never realized how true they'd turn out. They marked my heart with the same beautiful influence as before. "Loving you makes everything worth it, Norris."

Emotion swirled through his eyes, my own matching it. His hands around my waist shifted into a grip that lit my body on fire. One fell to latch onto my chin, tilting my head up, leaving a small space between our lips that was torturous to keep that way as he mumbled, "Everything that I don't want to, nor do I ever plan on losing..." I sunk right into his eyes, his heart, everything. "I found her, my strong, perfect girl and I'm sure as hell never letting her go now that I have."

My heart pumped into a rushing flow, and from the thump of Luke's chest, I knew his was doing the same. We leaned in. It was a bit harder with the slippery ice we were on, but our lips never wavered.

Despite being in the cold, I was as warm as possible in his arms. I was so entrapped, I never even realized he tightened his grip until he lifted me off of the ground, plastering me to his chest. My feet dangled from under me as our laughter tore through our kiss.

Luke's grin dazzled at me as he pecked my cheeks, setting me down. I steadied myself on his muscles, but emotionally it meant nothing, because I was just as muddled.

Luke took it with another kiss to my forehead, chuckling against it, "Norris, baby, if you keep looking like at me like this, trust and believe we sure as hell won't be here for much longer."

With a grin, I tipped my head. "Is that a threat?"

He snorted. "If you can handle what I'm going to do to you tonight, it can be whatever you want it to be."

It was a good thing it was so cold, since I could blame it on my flush. Nonetheless, Luke's smirk remained all knowing.

I tugged his wrist toward the rink. "Ten more minutes." As excited as I was for the rest of the night with him, I was determined to learn how to skate, just to blow his cockiness up.

Luke chuckled, intertwining our hands. He flicked his head toward the other end of the rink. "Ten more minutes of you slipping all over the place, you mean?"

"I didn't slip, I just..." My eyes fell in consideration. "Floated."

"Floated?" he repeated, his mouth twitching.

With his help, we began to glide over the ice smoothly. He didn't say anything, but I was sure I was hurting him with my death grip on his arm. "Mhm."

Luke chuckled, moving his gaze ahead so that he could guide us. "Maggie, beautiful, you've fallen down so many times today, I think your ass imprint is stuck in the ice."

My glare burned holes into the side of his face, making his laughter worsen. Fighting a smile, I returned to the task at hand: floating.

After I made it to the other side of the rink without falling, I used that, the bruises on my backside, and Luke's prideful kiss as my farewell to the world of ice skating. As fun as it was, I think I needed a minute to recover before I revisited it.

My throat was aching from all of the laughter, my cheeks were burning from all of the smiles we's shared, and like always, my heart was slamming into my rib cage in all of the best ways. I cherished it all.

Soon after, we were home, showered, and in each others arms on the sofa. Some movie was playing on the flat screen, and we'd made hot chocolate together earlier, but it's gone untouched when I tugged Luke into my arms for a hug that turned into us being swaddled together on the sofa.

His arms were secure around me, just as mine him, and I was at home with him. And I could admit it: maybe he wasn't the only one with separation anxiety.

When we leaned back from the kiss we'd been in for so long that my lips were numb, he wore a lazy grin. "Ready for your gift?"

I smiled against his lips. "As long as you're ready for yours."

Excitement glistened in his eyes as he leaned up, putting me in his lap. "Who goes first?"

We'd exchanged many gifts before, but that didn't stop the nervousness in my tummy. "You."

Luke paused, and if I leaned close enough, I could see the nerves in his eyes just as much. "Why me?"

I scowled. "Because you asked first." My eyes fell before I nodded at him. "And, because I'm a bit nervous."

"Hell, I'm nervous, too," he voiced around a matching scowl. "You're going first."

"Your name comes before mine in the alphabet. You're going first."

"The fuck does that have to do with anything?" he argued. "Your last name comes before mine, both of mine. If that's not a sign, then I don't know what the hell is. You're first."

I threw my arms into the air. "Why the hell me?"

"Because you don't look like your hearts about to pop out of your damn chest," he grumbled, matching my glare. "What reason do you think you have to be nervous for, anyway?"

I huffed. "I don't know if you'll like it or not."

"What?" He reeled back as if I'd slapped him, raising a hand to rake through my hair. "Angel, I love everything you give me, you know that."

A sweet feeling whizzed through me. "And I absolutely love everything you give me."

Despite our stubborn argument, we shared a quick kiss. Before we drowned in one another, Luke suggested, "How about we both turn around, and on the count of three, we show each other?"

My grin built against his lips. "One."

Quickly, we both turned from the other. "Two." We grabbed our presents from the table, purposefully grazing hands. They were both in gift bags, so all we had to do was reach in. "Three."

We both spun around.

In his hands was a rose-gold plated necklace with his name on it. It glittered and shone, so beautiful I couldn't tear my eyes away.

The only problem was that I had the exact gift.

Luke seemed to be making the realization, too. The only difference was that his was silver, but with my name engraved into the little locket.

Our shocked, widened eyes clashed.

I'd gotten the necklace made for him a couple of weeks back as a Valentine's Day gift to carry on his neck. It hadn't been ready until last Thursday, but I used some excuse to Luke in order to go and pick it up. When I got home, he left but used the excuse of going to get us food. Now, I knew where he'd really been.

Despite it being accidental, I found it just as funny but adorable, too. We both had the others necklace, now.

I shook my head, my laughter bruising my throat. "I can't believe—"

My words were snatched by his lips. Against the warm cushion of satisfaction in me, I brought a wobbly hand to the corner of his jaw. My smile gave me his own in a bigger size. His hands fell on top of my own, slyly dropping his necklace into my hands, while taking his from mine.

Once we leaned back, the air in my lungs went with it. A simple kiss could sweep them right from under me.

"I love it." His lips stretched, his dimple sinking in. His hand cupped my jaw, the spot as vibrant as ever at his touch. "I fall for you even harder every single day, you know that, Norris?"

My insides sung along to the melody of his words, and I would never get enough. Ever.

"Every day, you only give me another reason to love you." My hand tightened around the necklace, while the other went to the nape of his neck to tug him closer. "And I love my gift. It's so beautiful." My smile softened as I glanced to the necklace. "I don't think I'll ever want to take it off once I have it on."

Luke smiled his agreement, kissing my forehead before leaning back to take it from my hands. When he finished clasping the necklace around my neck, I turned and put his own on him.

As soon as we saw them on the other, we wore matching gazes of fondness. Luke reached forward, his hand running over my necklace. That same hand raised to my chin to tip it to him.

Leaning in, a heartwarming smile tugged at his lips. "Happy Val—"

The realization hit me harder than a brick. "Wait!"

Luke, who was readying for a kiss, paused and lifted a brow at me. It was a miracle I hadn't given the poor thing a heart attack yet, but he was holding on strong. "Wait for what?"

I stuck my middle finger in the air.

Luke glanced to it, me, then back to it. The confusion remained all the same.

"Norris..." Grabbing my middle finger, he squeezed it with a chuckle. "Baby, I know you might be a little mad about—"

"No," I shook my head, raising my finger again. "Look." I pointed to it with my other hand. "See it?"

Luke leaned in closer, bringing my hands closer. Once he saw the writing, his expression melted with realization.

"Norris." His eyes raised to mine, a stampede of emotions running through them. "You got us tatted on you, baby?"

I smiled, softly. "Mhm. It was hard as shit to hide it from you, though." Luke brought either finger to his lips, grazing the tattoos with gentle kisses as he chuckled. "This was why you didn't flip me back off the other night, huh?"

My heart jumped when he kissed them, again. I knew that'd be one of his favorite spots, now. My other middle finger had our anniversary date, while my wrists had granny's death date, her name and Jax's name.

I had gotten Luke and I's initials on the fingers for a reason, though. They were my favorites, obviously, and so was he. And, as much as he and I flipped each other off, it was ours, and it was beautiful to me.

I squeezed his hand. "Do you like it?"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Luke, still amazed, tilted my finger in all directions, his mouth hanging just a bit. "I love it so much. They're beautiful." His eyes pulled up to mine, sincere. "Just like you, Norris."

My heart fluttered so hard, I had to rub at my chest but ended up grasping the necklace instead. It was just as comforting as my bead bracelet was.

Luke brought both of my hands to his lap, dangling a grin my way. "Now I know for sure that you did copy me." He pointed to my initials on his neck, earning my scoff and, "Bullshit. You were the last thing on my mind, pretty boy."

"Yeah?" He waved my fingers around, his grin wide. "What are my initials doing here, then?"

"I got a little confused when the tattoo artist asked my design. Those initials were all I could think of. Don't get a big head."

"Funny," he snickered, tugging at my foot to drag me down to him. I didn't even try fighting my laughter. "You usually like my big head, especially between your thighs—"

I kicked him, a mix of amusement and a flush running through me. "You're such an idiot." Luke took it with the snarkiest grin, one hand stroking at my ankle while the other went to the back of my head. "Think you're gonna have this same attitude in a minute, Norris?"

I definitely wouldn't, but I held up strong anyway. "I sure as hell will, and not a thing will ever make me lose it."

"Shit yeah, and that's what I love about you most, angel." His lips brushed the corner of my neck, and that one spot made the rest of me putty in his hands.

My eyes fluttered shut, my moan tangled with, "You're not making me forget our hot chocolate, Luke."

"Fine." Chuckling, he locked a kiss in the same spot as before, his voice rumbling against me. "I have to go and change Fang's bowls real quick, though."

I stroked his back. "I'll warm yours up."

We exchanged another kiss before he lifted himself off of me and headed in the direction of Fang's room. When I stood up, my legs were already jelly in because of him, and the rest of me wasn't doing any better.

I walked to the kitchen, where we left our hot chocolate. Since we'd been on the couch for so long, it was definitely cold.

I started preparing them, but when I got to Luke's, I paused. The reflection of Luke's attitude today, as well as when he'd poured pepper into my soda the other morning just to annoy me, came full circle.

Then my eyes swept over to the container of salt we'd left behind on the countertop.

I shouldn't do it.

I shouldn't do it.

I'm gonna do it.

I started to sprinkle the salt into his glass of hot cocoa, but it was taking too long. Luke would be quick, so I had to be the same when it came to this.

I took the top of the salt shaker off, pouring the entire thing inside. Once I had it mixed in, I grabbed the first seasoning bottle my hand grazed in our cabinet, a dry rub seasoning. I dumped half of it inside of the glass.

I made the mistake of being too obvious at the diner all those months ago, but now I was determined to get away with it. Luke cracked up for hours after he poured the pepper into my soda a few weeks ago.

Karma was a bitch.

To make it natutral, I put whip cream on top, with marshmallows to top it. Luke liked a lot, so it helped cover my true intentions up.

My cunning smile grew as I finished it off.

Footsteps coming from the hallway made my heart jump-start. I scooted his drink to his side of the table and swept around to finish my drink.

A strong arm wrapped around my waist from behind, tugging me back into his figure. Pleasure stroked my being as I threw an innocent smile over my shoulder.

"How was Fang?" I asked.

"As spoiled as always, thanks to his mom," he retorted, rolling his eyes. "He was sleeping with that new toy you got him."

I laughed and squeezed the hand he had on my stomach. "He still doesn't use the one you got him?"

Luke shook his head, stroking my stomach. "Not at all." His sigh was mixed into a chuckle. "I guess he's just as obsessed with you as I am, Norris. Can't even blame him."

My grin grew as I stirred my hot chocolate up. Once I finished dressing it, I turned to face Luke. "I'll be right back. Bathroom."

Nodding, he kissed my cheek with a squeeze to my waist and, "I'll wait on you in our room."

My evil intent slipped at his cuteness. Hell. It was always a weakness for me.

I ignored it, squeezing his hand as I passed him. Luke tightened his grip around mine, and didn't let it drop until the distance made us detach. Chuckling, I rolled my eyes at his huff, and made my trip to the bathroom quick.

By the time I finished, Luke was seated on our bed, playing with the necklace on his neck. His gaze was fixated on it, a big bright smile on the longer he stared down at it.

My gaze softened at the sight. I cursed myself, as well as the guilt that edged into my plan for revenge.

Curse me and my damn conscience.

I took my seat next to him on the bed. "Miss me?"

Luke's hand fell from his necklace and to mine as he chuckled. "In your dreams, beautiful." His thumb stroked at mine, his eyes darting to my cup. "What'd you put in yours?"

At his adorable smile, my voice nearly cracked at the guilt, but I quickly recovered it, "Cinnamon and a bit of caramel syrup."

My sigh was quick as I watched him. I couldn't do it.

I squeezed his hand. "How about we switch? I'm craving a shit ton of marshmallows." Hell am I gonna regret this.

Luke passed me a look, since he knew that I didn't usually care for a lot of marshmallows, but with a shrug, he passed his glass to me, while I gave him my own.

I cursed myself in every which way I could. I wasn't sure when I'd learn my little famous trademark, Karma was a bitch always came back to bite me in the ass. The motherfucker never gave me the last laugh with Luke.

Luke cleared his throat, his eyes squinted as he tilted the glass around, before he started to stir it. Regret buried itself into his expression.

It was then that I realized.

He salted my drink up, too.

This mother...

I fought a scowl as I bumped into his knee. "On three."

His eyes shot up to mine and in them, I recognized that same determination to win our silent ego contest. "On three, Norris."

One.

I was gonna throw up.

Two.

I can't do this.

Three.

This conniving, cocky little—

We both took the longest sips of our hot chocolate that we could. In mine, I tasted the seasoning, but just as well the damn regret.

Swallowing it was even harder, but I managed to force it down. My eyes darted over to Luke, who looked like he was about to throw up any minute now.

I was going to win this.

I patted his leg. "One more."

Luke coughed a bit, attempting to discard of his disgust. "Nah, I think I'm hydrated now—"

"Not enough." A candy sweet smile wove past my lips. "One more sip won't kill you."

"Hell, it might," came from him in a mutter. I tilted my head at him, "What was that?"

Instead of responding, his fingers gripped the straw for dear life as he went to take another sip. My own did the same and in this moment, I prayed like I'd never prayed before in preparation.

This time, we held eyes while we took our sips. This one wasn't as long, but when the mixed substances hit my taste buds, I couldn't help myself.

Luke's expression broke at the same time that mine did. His gag was quick, before he shook his head. Through a curse, we both spat it out, but it didn't erase the taste.

Luke placed the glass aside, disgust ringing over his face. "The fuck was that?" Standing, he rushed into our bedroom to grab paper towels. "You salted my shit, again?"

I took one of the towels from him, trying my hardest to get the bitter taste out. "You did it first."

"I did it when you left to the bathroom, but I didn't know you did the shit to mine, too," he scowled down at me.

I threw the blanket at his chest. "And here I was. Trying to be selfless and loving by switching—"

"Selfless and loving?" he repeated, eyes widening at me. "You just tried to take my ass out with a damn heart attack of shock. Was the coffee not enough?"

I stood up to discard of my paper towel, my frustration still intact. "Well, you were planning to take me out, too, so don't come crying to me—"

"I knew I should have dumped the whole damn container of steak sauce in yours."

My humor built, alongside the plan for revenge. I was getting him back one way or another.

I rolled the sleeves of my shirt up as I walked out of our bathroom. "What did you just say?"

Luke, still standing, crossed his arms at me, a shit-eating grin pouring into his attitude. "Don't act like you didn't hear me." He shrugged, smug filled eyes taking me in. "Do something about it, baby."

Cool. I smiled, using the rubber band on my wrist to tie back my hair.

Luke's gaze fell, as did his arms and expression as he took a slow step back. He knew what I was doing.

"Maggie." His eyes darted over to the bed to make sure he had a good enough place to land, jumping back to mine. "Don't you dare do this shit, you hear me?"

I rolled my pajama pants up, a grin on. "You wanted me to do something, right?"

Luke's excited grin began to flourish, but he pushed it away with a glare of warning. "Norris—"

With all of my love, I hauled my body back, then tackled the love of my life.

——————————————————————
I'll mention this here just to make your day ❤️ : Three years from now, Luke takes the both of them to Glenoe Waterfall in Ireland (such a beautiful place!), and waits until Maggie's distracted by the beauty of the waterfall.

When he sees that she is, he tells her to look up, down, then, in exact terms, 'Now. Make me the luckiest fucking man alive by turning around and looking right at me, Norris.' Maggie—who thinks they're only there to take pictures and see the waterfall—turns around, and Luke is down on one knee for her with Granny's ring that she told Jax to give to Luke when he was ready to propose to Maggie.

And of course, she says yes! They have their wedding and honeymoon in Paris, and build a house from the bottom up near the beach.

Maggie and Luke DO have a child later on in their life, as well! (from gestational surrogacy- so basically the child is still genetically theirs, even though Maggie didn't carry it. The baby is in no way genetically related to the surrogate, and only carries Luke and Maggie's genes, as well as looks). They have a sweet baby girl named Elliana Dixie Vaudest, and since Maggie is her biological mother and Luke is her biological father, she's a blonde, sarcastic, attitude having, green-eyed daddy's girl and their only child! (I'm probably gonna write this, their wedding, and them being parents out one day, not sure yet.)

I hope you enjoyed the bonus chapters as much as I did writing them! 🤍 again, thank you for your support, and I'll see you with my loves Levi and Raven soon!!❤️