"We need to talk," Luke said.
My heart skipped a beat. He sounded so serious. My skin prickled with fear. "Okay."
"I've never met a woman like you, Ella. Perfect for me, in and out of bed," Luke said, his voice heavy with emotion.
My chest filled with syrupy warmth. I felt the same about him. When I was alone, I'd started to picture the three of us together as a family. Luke, Molly and me. I'd even gone as far as imagining us married and adding to the family.
"I guess, what I’m trying to say is, I have… um… feelings for you, Ella," Luke admitted.
My heart began to race. I wanted him to go on. To say the words that had been playing in my mind… desperate to know that he felt the same way I did. Because I'd fallen in love with Luke. A new fear trembled through me. That hadn’t been our deal.
It seemed as if Luke could read my mind, because he said the same thing, "I know this was not part of our deal, but Ella, you're special… and I want you for myself. Does that frighten you?"
I inhaled deeply. "A little."
"It frightens me a bit too," Luke confessed. "When you withdrew from me, I thought you had gone back to your ex and it was killing me."
His admission infiltrated my bloodstream, rendering me unable to speak. Then I took a deep breath and told him, "That will never happen," I said and let out a trembling breath as memories of my past came back. "Stan liked to hit me,” I admitted softly, ashamed that I could have let someone do that to me.
Luke's body stiffened as his arms tightened around me. "Bastard," he hissed violently.
"I feel like such a fool now for staying, but he had manipulated me into believing that he would kill himself if I ever left him. I thought I could rehabilitate him, you know? He said he was like that because his father abused him. I believed him, but I don’t know anymore. I met his father and he seemed like a really nice guy. Anyway, in my arrogance, I thought I could help him. That maybe one day, because of my unstinting love, he would stop being a psychopath and become a normal human being."
"He was the problem Ella, not you," Luke said harshly. "Any man who lifts his hand to a woman should have his balls cut off."
I giggled. "Why the balls? Why not the hands, they're the ones doing the hitting."
"Because balls are the things that inflate his stupid ego. Cut them off and he'll shrink like a deflated balloon. "
I felt safe, wrapped in Luke's arms.
"So… shall we try and see if a relationship can work between us?" Luke asked.
I almost couldn’t believe that something I had dreamed about, but thought was impossible was finally happening. True, there was no declaration of love but this was enough. The fact that Luke wanted to have a relationship beyond just sex was unbelievable.
"Don’t make me sweat. Say something Ella," Luke teased.
I chuckled. "I'd like that.”
Gently, Luke flipped us around, so that he lay on top of me. He caressed my face and lowered his head to kiss me. "I never thought I'd be saying something like this again," he confessed.
"Me too," I whispered, his scent surrounding me, his breath fanning my face. He brought his lips to mine again, and we kissed deeply.
Luke broke the kiss. "I want you in my bed every night," he growled.
"You won’t get any arguments from me.” Luke was everything I wanted and I intended to go with it and see where it led us.
I parted my legs and Luke guided his rock-hard cock into my pussy. I wrapped my legs around his waist, drawing him deeper into me.
“Please,” I begged as those magnificent sensations came over me.
Ella
Molly and I were in the backyard, playing with Bean. We took turns throwing a small stick and he would run off and get it, a triumphant look on his little face.
Every time there was a sound from inside the house, Molly went still and listened. It was half past two, Penelope hadn’t shown up yet, and she hadn’t even called to say she wasn’t coming.
My chest ached each time I saw the hope flair in Molly’s eyes and then go off again.
Her eyes drooped, as it was her nap time.
"I'll take you for your nap," I told her gently. "I'll wake you up when your mom comes, okay?"
She nodded.
Hand in hand, we walked back to the house and up the stairs to Molly's room.
She fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.
I smoothed her hair back and kissed her forehead.
I tiptoed out and shut the door behind me. I stood outside the door seething. What was so urgent that Penelope couldn’t have found the time to call and say she would not be coming?
To me, nothing could be worse than disappointing a child. What was worse was that Penelope had been aware of the damage she had caused Molly the first time. I shook my head and went to my room. My phone vibrated from the bedside table just as I entered and a cold sweat formed on my skin.
So far, I hadn’t received any more threatening messages but waiting was another type of hell. I knew it would come and so, I was always bracing myself to it.
With slightly trembling fingers, I swiped the screen. The message was from Luke. My legs grew weak with relief.
Hi sweetheart, has Penelope come?
I typed back a reply. Hi, not yet. Molly was very disappointed.
A pause went by before another message came in. I'm so angry right now. She'd better have a good reason why she lied to Molly.
We texted back and forth a few times before we said goodbye. I grabbed my notebook and pencil then immersed myself in creating new designs, until
