Chapter 12
Perry
Five Years Later…
“Did you want me to drive you home?” Cameron asks, twirling her keys around her finger.
We became close friends after I got settled here, and we try to meet for lunch at least once a month. She picked me up today so we could grab a bite at the Nosh Diner, but I don’t want to have her drive me back. I know she’s excited to get home to her husband and kids.
“Nah, I’ll call Luca,” I tell her.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive,” I promise, pulling her in for a quick hug. “I’ll talk to you later.”
“See you!” she calls, hurrying to her car.
I watch her go and decide to walk around town for a bit before I call Luca for a ride.
I smile as I make my way down Main Street, waving at friends and neighbors as I go. My hand smooths over my baby bump, and I grin wider.
After five years, I finally feel safe. I know Luca is nearby.
He was overprotective of me before, but now that I’m pregnant, he’s out of control.
He thinks I don’t know about all the trackers he puts in my clothes, shoes, wedding ring, the bracelet on my wrist, and the necklace hanging around my neck, but I do.
I’ve seen him tinkering with my things, watched him take apart the sole of my boots to slip a device into the heel.
My husband’s obsession with me should concern me, but it doesn’t. I love it. I love how crazy he is for me, love that he can’t stand not having me close, not knowing that I’m safe. His love for me is all-consuming, just like my love for him.
Luca has slain all my dragons. He dealt with my family, with the Bianchis, and with Bryan Marchessi.
He was there for me when I approached the FBI about wanting to share information.
It was Luca who held my hand through all the arrests, all the trial prep, all the stress.
He comforted me when I was stressed out about testifying.
He worked hard to dig up all the dirt so that my testimony almost wasn’t even needed.
He was my rock and my biggest supporter. I fell even more in love with him through all of that, which is crazy because I was already head over heels for him before.
All the people who were looking for me—my parents, the Bianchis—are locked up or dead now.
And it’s all thanks to my husband. I couldn’t have done any of it without him by my side, supporting me.
It’s such a relief to no longer spend my days worrying or looking over my shoulder.
I’m finally free. I can finally breathe.
I hit a crosswalk and jog to make it across the street before the light changes.
“Whew,” I wheeze, taking a deep gulp of air.
I wasn’t exactly in shape before I got pregnant, but with the little bean pressing up against my ribs, I’m really out of shape.
My phone rings, and I smile when I see Luca’s name on the screen.
“Hey,” I answer.
“Are you okay? Your heart rate spiked,” he says worriedly.
I can already hear him starting his car. I roll my eyes, but I’m grinning.
“I’m fine. Just had to hustle across the street,” I explain. “There’s no need to come into town and check on me.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” he growls.
I shake my head, continuing on to the ice cream shop.
I don’t bother telling Luca where I’m going. He’s no doubt watching my tracker as he drives, and I know he’ll find me.
“Did you need anything from the store?” I ask as I pass the Market.
“I need my wife to take it easy. Why don’t you wait for me on the bench out front?”
“I’m fine. I promise,” I say as I head down the block.
My pace picks up when I see the sign for Sprinkle Kingdom. My mouth waters, and I laugh when I feel a kick in my stomach.
“Almost there,” I whisper to our son.
“I see you. Stay there,” Luca orders.
I sigh as he skids to a stop and parks next to me.
“Did you speed here?” I ask, lifting an eyebrow at him.
“I was worried about you,” he defends as he climbs out, his eyes anxiously scanning over me.
“I told you I was fine,” I remind him as he pulls me into his arms.
“You always say you’re fine,” he grumbles.
“I usually am.”
He grunts, and I chuckle, burying my face in his chest and breathing in his calming cedar and honey scent.
“I’ll take you home. I can give you a foot rub while you relax,” he says, already guiding me to the passenger door.
“Wait! My ice cream.” I pout, pointing to Sprinkle Kingdom’s front door.
“We have some at home. I went out yesterday for it,” Luca reminds me.
“I found it,” I admit ruefully. “Already ate it.”
“You should’ve told me you wanted more. I would’ve come into town for you.”
“You had work. Besides, I was getting cabin fever.”
Luca looks like he wants to argue, and I know he’s going to remind me that I always come first, before everything. Before he can start that speech, I grab his hand and tug.
“Come with me,” I say, and he falls into step beside me instantly.
Luca lives to spoil me. I think it drives him crazy that I never really want anything. I know he’d love to give me the world, but I don’t need all that. I just need him… and caramel pecan praline ice cream.
I smile, waving at Holly as Luca and I step into the shop.
I’m pretty are I’m her best customer. I’ve been craving sweets ever since I got pregnant, something I never really had before.
Luca has been a champ, running out to get me anything I want.
I have to be careful what I mention around him.
I learned that the hard way when I said that gummy worms sounded good one night and came out of my shower half an hour later to discover he’d gone into town and bought out every gummy candy they sold there.
“Perry!” Holly calls cheerfully as Luca tucks me into his side.
“Hey, Holly. How’s it going?” I ask.
“We’ve been busy today.” She smiles. “I saved you a few pints, though. Figured you might be in today, and I didn’t want to run out.”
I smother a smile. I’m pretty sure Luca pays her to have at least four pints on hand at all times.
“Do you want a cone now?” Holly asks.
Luca looks down at me, reading my answer before I can even open my mouth. “Yes. Please,” he adds after a beat.
My grumpy ex-military husband still doesn’t love interacting with people, but he does it for me.
He’s made it a point to meet and be polite to all of my friends in town.
Luckily for me, most of my friends’ husbands are just as possessive over their wives, so no one raises an eyebrow at Luca’s behavior.
I browse the candy wall as Holly gets to work on my order, my mouth watering at the Red Hots.
“We’ll take three boxes of those too,” Luca says.
I smirk. “If you keep this up, I’m going to be as big as a house by the time I give birth.”
“Perfect. Even more of you to love,” he says without missing a beat.
I smile up at my perfect man. It’s crazy to think that we met after he stalked me. Wild to know that he took one look at me and just knew. That he was willing to end his career and move anywhere to be with me.
It must be destiny because I feel the exact same way about him.
“Ready to go home, Pumpkin?” Luca asks softly, passing me my ice cream cone.
I nod, and he kisses the top of my head, wrapping his hand around mine and grabbing our bags of sweets with the other.
I let him lead me out, let him tuck me into the passenger seat, and grin as he takes my hand and drives us home.