“Your face resembles a punching bag and you can hardly move,” he raised his brows.
I guess that it might not have been a good idea for me to take Eli, not in the state I was in anyway.
“It’s only ever been me.” I croaked.
“What has?” he asked his hand cupping the side of my face, I leaned into it without even realizing.
“That’s taken him to preschool, I did everything. I’m not used to all of this.” I waved my hand round.
“All of what?”
“This….this help.” I huffed.
“Well get used to it sweetheart,” he smiled.
I searched his eyes, what I was looking for I didn’t know. But there was something there that told me to trust him.
“Okay” I slumped into him.
His arms came around me, my head leaning on his chest, I listened to the steady beat of his heart.
“I’m here now,” he whispered “You’re safe.”
Safe.
One simple word, but it meant so much to me.
A warm feeling settled into the pit of my stomach as he held me. I didn’t want to think about what it meant but I felt safe in the knowledge that Max couldn’t get us here.
“Luke will check you over when we get back” he said when he pulled away.
“What about Eli?” I panicked. “What if-”
“Kitty’s stayin’ there,” he said as he walked toward the door with a wink he pulled the door open and left.
Chapter Seventeen
“It’s healing nicely,” Luke said as he covered my leg up the next day.
I’d slept most of yesterday, I’d obviously needed it because I felt much better today. Feeling some semblance of normal I even put on some makeup to try cover the bruising, it helped a little but didn’t cover it completely you could still tell I had a black eye but it helped me feel better when I looked in the mirror.
“How long until the stitches can be removed?” I asked as he helped me sit up on the bed.
“Soon,” he said not giving me an exact time frame.
He gave me an amused look when I groaned. The difference between the Luke that I first met, to the Luke that I know now was astounding. There was still a darkness to him that I could identify with, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
His eyes were haunted.
“Luke?”
“Yeah?” he packed up his kit, not looking at me.
I waited. Chewing on my lip while debating whether I should say anything. Stopping what he was doing he flicked his eyes to mine.
“Do you think Eli will be okay?”
Zipping up his bag he narrowed eyes at me, the same look that he used to give me, only now I knew that he was assessing me. His gaze causing me to squirm.