Norah came and picked me up just after I had finished lunch.

Luca had wandered over to the apartment above the garage to get some work done after his shower and I hadn't seen him since.

I met her at the door, walking with her back out to her car.

"Oh my God, your neck," she said gasping, stopping in the middle of the driveway to push my hair away from my shoulder so she could see the mark better.

"It doesn't hurt," I told her quickly, knowing that the bruising made it look pretty gruesome.

I knew this because Fallon had a similar reaction that morning when I had gone to the fields to train with my hair in a ponytail; although she had thought I had been attacked by something.

"Damn," Norah whispered, followed by a laugh. "I didn't notice it last night."

She wouldn't have, I thought. I had covered the mark with my hair after we had gotten home from the cabin and Bates saw it. I would wear it proudly after it had healed, but for now I didn't want anyone to see it.

"Wait," Norah said suddenly, "does that mean you guys... you know?"

I shook my head as we resumed our walk to her car.

"No, we haven't," I sighed.

Her eyebrows furrowed.

"So Luca just marked you?"

I shrugged.

"I mean, we were doing other things..."

"Like what?" She pressed.

"I'm not answering that. He's your brother," I said, laughing.

"Oh," she said, the realization hitting her. "Never mind. Yeah, I don't want to know."

We laughed as we got into her car and began to drive off to another side of the pack.

"So," she said, "this woman's name is Cristina. She keeps quite a few kids full-time. Some of them get dropped off everyday whenever their parents go to work, but others stay with her. Her mate passed away a few years ago before they were able to have any children, so I'm guessing she started taking in foster kids so she could start a family on her own."

"So she hasn't met anyone else? She raises all those kids by herself?" I asked in awe and disbelief.

She nodded.

"Yeah, which is why my mom started sending us over to help her out. But with me passing my nursing boards and starting at the clinic and the twins still being in high school, we just weren't able to go over consistently. Hanna still goes after school sometimes because she doesn't do too much extracurricular activities. Mom will go over when she has time, but she stays pretty busy with work."

"What does your mom do?"

"She's a chemist for my dad's pharmaceutical company," she answered. "She actually worked with Cristina. That's how they met."

I nodded, impressed.

"But I did tell my mom that you have a background in the school system and she definitely thought you would be a good fit working with Cristina," she continued.

"I'm happy to help," I said. "But I'm not letting her pay me."

"Well, she'll certainly try to," Norah warned.

I just shook my head.

"There's no way I'm taking money from her. If anything, she should be getting paid," I said incredulously.

Norah nodded in agreement.

We drove for a few minutes until we reached a neighborhood on the outskirts of the border.

She pulled up to a two-story brick house that had a garage off to one side with a minivan parked out on the driveway.

It was a beautiful house, but the grass was overgrown and desperately needed to be cut. I immediately made a mental note to ask Luca if he knew anyone who would be able to help her maintain it. She was raising kids by herself, she shouldn't have had to be responsible for her lawn too.

We walked up to the front porch and Norah rang the doorbell.

The door opened a few moments later to a woman holding a baby on her hip. I immediately noticed the distinction between their skin tones; hers a deep, rich brown and his a flat, pale white.

She was dressed smartly with a button-up blouse under a gray cardigan and jeans, loafers on her feet. She had a scarf wrapped in her hair, revealing the perfectly clear skin of her face. He was in a onesy that exposed a chunky thigh, his fist in his mouth that he gnawed on with teething gums.

She beamed with a bright smile as he stared at us blankly with big, brown eyes.

"Norah! I'm so happy to see you," she said, reaching out to hug her with her free arm.

Norah smiled and tickled the feet of the baby.

"Hi Devin," she said, smiling.

The baby immediately withdrew and put his face into his guardian's shoulder.

"Cristina, this is Carrie," Norah said, introducing us.

Cristina turned to me and smiled warmly, reaching out to give me a hug as well.

"It's nice to meet you," I said genuinely.

She nodded.

"Likewise," she said, smiling.

She backed away from the door, allowing us to walk inside.

"Sorry it's such a mess," she said. "If I had known I would be having guests, I would have cleaned up a bit."

Cleaned up what? I thought.

I looked around and saw a perfectly spotless house.

I thought she kept kids? My mom wasn't even that clean with me and I was her only child.

There were cube shelves on the wall behind the couch with baskets of toys that were stowed away neatly. The TV was playing a cartoon that entertained two toddlers who sat on a blanket in front of it.

"Leesa, Alaïa, say hi to Norah and Carrie," Cristina told them as she closed the front door behind us.

Both girls turned to look at us and waved politely before turning their attention back over to the TV.

"What brings you out here?" Cristina asked.

She sat down in the chair across from the couch where Norah and I took a seat.

"Carrie was interested in helping out with the kids, if you'd have her to," Norah said.

I smiled, nodding.

"Or helping out at all," I added. "Even if you needed me to run errands for you, I'm willing to help out where needed."

"That sounds amazing," Cristina said, nodding enthusiastically. "There's always things to be done around here. My to-do list is a thousand miles long."

The baby in her arms started to lean away and she placed him down on the carpeted floor to rock back and forth on his knees, attempting to crawl.

"Do you like children?" She asked me.

"Yes," I smiled. "I actually worked at a school in Oregon until a few weeks ago. I miss being around them."

"You just moved here?" Cristina asked.

I nodded.

"She's Luca's mate," Norah told her.

Cristina looked at me with wide eyes.

"You're a Luna and you want to babysit kids?" She asked.

I just shrugged.

"I'm not doing much of anything else right now," I laughed.

Cristina took a deep inhale, still surprised.

"I would certainly appreciate any help I can get," she said. "But please don't feel obligated. I'm sure there are better things for you to be doing."

"Don't worry about me," I said. "I wouldn't be offering if I didn't want to."

She smiled.

"Thank you."

I heard a succession of thumps before looking over to see a young boy laying at the bottom of the staircase with a half-dressed Barbie in his hand.

He sat up and looked at us with a dazed expression before looking back up the stairs and then back to us, like he was trying to understand how he'd just fallen down a flight of carpeted stairs.

"Are you okay?" Cristina asked him.

He broke out into a huge smile before running back up the staircase on all fours, causing us to laugh.

Norah and I stayed over for almost three more hours. We helped Cristina prepare lunch and then lay the younger ones down for their afternoon naps.

While there, I learned Cristina's mate had passed away after a short, gruesome battle with cancer. She had used almost all of his life insurance money to pay off medical bills after his passing. She worked for a while to support herself, but said she quickly realized she was lonely. She began to foster kids and fell in love; so much so that she quit her job to do it full time while babysitting to help with the mortgage.

I left that day feeling nothing less than inspired.

When Norah dropped me off at home, I walked through the garage and found the door that opened to a staircase leading upstairs.

Hearing Luca's voice faintly, I ascended the staircase to be met by an open room with a bedroom suite on one side, a living room in the middle and an office on the other.

He sat behind the desk, which was covered in sheets of paper and file folders. He held his cell phone to his ear, speaking in Italian to whoever was on the other line.

Luca winked as soon as we made eye contact, eliciting a smile from me.

I walked around the room, over to the overflowing bookcases behind his desk.

I noticed two frames hanging on the wall.

One was a bachelor's degree in business with a minor in leadership, the other was a master's degree in business administration.

I couldn't help but be impressed.

"Ci vediamo tra poco."

Luca hung up the phone before turning in his chair to look at me.

"My mom is driving me nuts," he said, laughing.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"She wants us to go pick up more plates and napkins before the party starts tonight. She said they didn't get enough. But, she keeps asking me if you're coming and telling me to tell you that they're light pink with rose gold accents because she doesn't think I can remember," he said.

I laughed and he shook his head.

"I didn't realize you had your MBA," I said, pointing at the diplomas on the wall.

Luca just shrugged.

"I thought it would prepare me more than it did," he said. "A waste of money, if you ask me."

"It's kinda hot," I admitted, tracing my finger along the edge of his desk.

He laughed, running a hand along his jaw.

"What time are we leaving for the party?" I asked him, changing subjects.

He took a deep inhale, looking at his watch.

"In an hour. We've got to stop and get plates before we head that way, but we've also got to drive the Jeeps over. I'll probably get Bates to come over and drive one of them and you can take my car so we have a way to get home."

"Can I drive the McLaren?" I asked.

Luca let out an airy laugh.

"No way," he told me.

"Oh, c'mon," I said. "I want to feel fancy."

"I'll buy you a Beemer or a diamond necklace," he said, standing up from his desk chair. "You're not driving the McLaren."

"We'll see about that."

He leveled a hard stare.

"I'm being serious," he said.

"I've held your dick in my hand and you don't trust me enough let me drive your car?" I asked incredulously.

He rolled his eyes.

"Besides," I continued. "You should be letting me do what I want. You're still trying to get on my good side, remember?"

"Oh, am I?" He asked sarcastically, following me towards the staircase.

"Yes," I told him. "It's been a month, but I still haven't forgotten you tackling me to the ground."

"Well, I'll see what I can do about getting you to forgive me for all my sins in a week."

I turned around at the top of the staircase to stare at him incredulously.

"If you think I'm going to be fucked into complacency-"

Interrupting me, Luca bent down and picked me up at the waist, slinging my body over his shoulder.

"-you've got another thing coming to you," I finished as he carried me down the staircase to the garage.

"And also," I continued. "After I've been inducted, we're going to continue our conversation about what my role as a Luna looks like."

"Can't wait."

"I don't appreciate the sass," I told him pointedly.

"There wasn't sass. I'm actually looking forward to it," he said, walking through the garage.

Still not believing him, I reached down and pinched his butt.

"Hey!" He said, swatting at my hand.

I laughed, but stopped as his hand slapped my ass, which was still in the air next to his shoulder.

"Ow!" I exclaimed.

He set me down on the stone floor in the breezeway.

"That was barely a spank," he said defensively as I punched his shoulder.

"It still hurt."

"I'm sorry, baby. Want me to kiss it?"

I turned around to go back into the house, hoping he couldn't tell I was fighting a smile.

I showered and dried my hair as best I could with a blow dryer before pulling my curling iron out of my suitcase. I tried to curl my hair, huffing as I couldn't with the brace still on my right hand.

Whatever, it's been long enough, right? I thought, taking it off.

I unstrapped the brace and threw it on the countertop, carefully using my hand to curl my hair.

Luca walked in as I was putting on lipgloss, having just finished my makeup.

"Goddamn," he said, following it with a whistle. "You look hot as hell."

"Thank you," I said bashfully.

Luca picked up the brace.

"I don't think you're supposed to take this off just yet," he said.

"I'll be fine," I assured him. "My fingers are still buddy-taped."

He shrugged as he turned to walk back out.

I threw my lipgloss back into the makeup bag and tucked my hair behind my ear on one side before putting my earrings in.

I grabbed the dress I had bought with Norah from the hanger and put it on over my head.

"Crap," I whispered, noticing my bra straps along my shoulder.

I reached around me and unclasped it, thankful I could finally do that without the brace on.

I took the bra off from under the dress and walked into the bedroom where Luca was in his closet buttoning his white, collared shirt.

"Can you tell I don't have a bra on?" I asked him.

He turned to me and looked at my chest before looking up to meet my gaze.

"I feel like this is a trick question," he said slowly.

"I didn't bring a strapless bra," I sighed. "I don't want my tits flopping around, especially around your family."

He shook his head.

"No, you can't notice," he answered.

He walked up behind where I stood, looking in the full-length mirror, as he put on a black leather belt.

"While we're getting rid of unnecessary undergarments," he said, leaning down to whisper in my ear.

He slid his hands up my outer thighs and under the bottom of the dress, hooking his index fingers around either side of my panties and tugging them down.

I watched in the mirror as they fell to my ankles.

"It'll be our secret," he whispered, kissing my neck.

I heard the front door open, just as his lips touched my skin.

"Bates is here! Bates is in the living room! Bates is hoping Luca and Carrie are both dressed this time!" Bates shouted, announcing himself.

Luca groaned against my skin before pulling his hands out from under my dress and backing away, towards his bedroom door.

"We're in here!" He shouted to Bates.

"Yes, but are you decent?"

"Not morally, but we're both clothed if that's what you mean," he said, shooting me a wink.

Luca walked out of the bedroom and I looked down at the floor to see where my panties laid.

This dress is probably too short for this, I thought, kicking them up to catch them in my hand. I shook my head and threw them into the hamper.

I grabbed my wedges before walking out to where Bates and Luca stood in the living room.

Bates was dressed in khakis and a bright blue polo, boat shoes on his feet and a tan-colored trucker's hat on his head.

"You always wear that hat," I said, flicking the bill of it.

He pulled it back down.

"I didn't have time to wash my hair," he said defensively. "Besides, I like my hat."

I smiled as Luca reached out to give him a set of keys to one of the Jeeps.

"Take this over to my parents' house in thirty minutes," he told Bates. "We're going to get plates and napkins and we'll meet you there."

Bates nodded taking the keys.

I followed Luca and Bates outside, putting my purse on one shoulder.

He opened the garage door behind the truck and I immediately reached out and hit the button to open the door behind the McLaren.

"I said no," Luca said, hitting it again to close it.

I hit the button once more, making the door open again.

"And I said yes."

He looked at me sternly before hitting the button to close the garage door.

Not breaking eye contact, I reached out and tapped it again, reopening it.

"You're going to break the garage door!" Bates yelled, getting into the brand-new Jeep on the driveway.

I just smiled.

"You wanted my underwear, I want your keys," I said, holding out my hand.

"Donna pazza," Luca muttered under his breath.

He rolled his eyes as he backed away and grabbed the key from a lockbox that sat atop the utility shelf in the back of the garage.

He handed me the key fob slowly.

"If anything happens to this car-"

I cut him off with a quick kiss.

"I'll be fine," I said, walking over to the McLaren.

I watched excitedly as he pulled off the dust cover.

"This makes me want to puke," he admitted.

I just smiled, hitting the button in the center of the key fob, making the car's headlights turn on with a blink.

He opened the car door for me, the door raising above the car, and I got in to sit down in the seat.

"Keep it in comfort mode," he told me. "Press down on the brake and hit that button."

I did as I was told and the car roared to life, making me giggle in excitement.

"Don't mess with the buttons," he told me sternly. "I'll teach you how to really drive it later, but for now just use everything normally."

I nodded, putting my hands on the fiberglass steering wheel.

Luca just shook his head. He really did look nauseous.

"Can you please just let me drive this and you can take the Jeep?" He pleaded.

I scowled.

"No way."

He took a deep breath in.

"Don't do anything stupid and, for fuck's sake, stay under the speed limit," he said, getting into the passenger seat.

I smiled, pulling my sunglasses from my purse.

"No promises."

- - -

I got y'all with that chapter title, didn't I? Lol... I mean, but did I lie?

Ugh, also, Cristina's character is based on a real person in my life and it brings such a feeling of peace over me when I write that character. Hope she inspires you as much as she does me <3

The next chapter is... interesting. Can't wait to read your reactions to it tomorrow! (I'll be uploading it at 8:30am EST, New York time)

Don't forget to comment and vote on this chapter!

Better swish, jellyfish!

MaybeManhattan .x