Chapter 24: Sutton

 

After the doctor left, I finished getting dressed for the day before heading downstairs. Lucas had gotten up before me this morning. Although, I’ll admit I woke up when he did, even if I pretended I hadn’t. But the doctor had come up before I had gotten the chance to look for him. It was a good thing really. I needed the time to figure out how to face him today. To figure out what to say.

I settled on nothing. Hoping he would just act like my behavior in the middle of the night never happened. It was time to move forward. I was feeling better. Well enough to start taking some kind of action. I just had to figure out what that action was. The least I could do was let Lucas have some part in that.

I still wasn’t sure about this whole fated mate thing. The idea of being anyone’s mate again kind of made me sick to my stomach. But I wanted to forget about the past five years. I wanted to start moving on. If that was possible. It wouldn’t hurt to have a few friends along the way. It had been a while since I’d had any real friends. I wouldn’t mind if Lucas was one of them.

I found him in the office. The sun was shining through the window, making me instantly question that whole friend thing I was just thinking about. I swallowed as my mouth watered from his scent hitting me when I walked in. Reminding me of what it was like to be completely enveloped in that smell the night before. I thought about retreating but Lucas looked up before I could.

The look in his eyes had me biting my lip as my stomach flipped and a warmth spread through my core. I cleared my throat, averting my eyes as I willed the blush in my cheeks to go away.

“Good morning,” I said weakly.

“Good morning,” he replied, amusement in his tone. “I got a good report from the doctor before she left. I hope you agree with her assessment.”

“Yes, I feel good,” I said. “A lot better. Thanks to you two.” I stepped further into the office, reading the titles on the bookshelf. “So, I was, um… I was thinking that maybe I should start looking for a job. I can’t really say I have any kind of profession, unfortunately. But I have some work experience.”

I suddenly felt Lucas behind me. My breath hitched and my eyes fluttered shut as his hand snaked around my middle. His face buried in my hair. I swayed on my feet, tipping against his chest.

This wasn’t what I had planned.

“I, um… I’d like to…”

“That can wait,” Lucas said behind me. “I’d like you to lay low a little while longer.”

Disappointment washed over me. More than I would have expected. Then frustration. I stepped away from his hold. Shaking off the effect he had on me as much as I could.

“I need to do something, Lucas,” I argued. “I can’t just sit around here all day. I can’t just sit here with… with my memories. I have to do something. Paying you back for everything is at least a place to start.”

“You don’t owe me anything, Sutton,” he said firmly. “You were injured. I helped you. It was the right thing — it was the only thing to do. You’ll never owe me for having a shred of decency.” He turned to face me straight on but kept a little space between us. “But I can respect the need to keep your hands — and mind — occupied. So, why don’t we come up with a solution together? Something that keeps you home for a little while longer. At least until we hear more news from Dawn Stalker.”

A chill went down my spine at the mention of Mason’s pack.

“You’ve spoken to Alpha…?” I asked shakily.

“No,” Lucas stated. “We have some contacts in the pack. We can poke around without raising suspicion. Which is why you’re going to keep a low profile for now. Just as an extra precaution.”

“So, I’m still stuck in the house?” I asked bitterly. “I went from one prison to another.”

I yelped when Lucas yanked me against his chest, his arm going around my waist again.

“I’d like to think this is a more pleasant accommodation than a prison,” he said, his voice low and course. “But if it makes you feel better, it’s only until you decide to stay with me. Then we can make things official and they truly won’t be able to touch you.”

Again, my cheeks burned and my heart skipped a beat. But I wasn’t so ready to give into his fantasy just yet.

“And if I decide not to stay?” I asked, though my voice didn’t sound as decisive as I intended. “What happens then?”

“Then you still have the advantage of secrecy,” he said. “You’ll reject me and I’ll ensure you find somewhere to safely disappear. Leave all this behind you.”

There wasn’t any sadness or anger in his statement. It was very matter-of-fact. It made me believe he was telling the truth. But it also offended me… just a little. For some strange reason I didn’t know.

“You seem content with that option,” I said, hoping he didn’t notice the bitterness in my words. “I don’t see why we should wait it out.”

He pulled me tighter against him with a growl. “I can assure you, Sutton, I would never be content with you leaving,” he stated. “I’m simply going to do everything in my power to keep it from happening. You promised me the chance to do so.”

I really wish my stupid face would stop going red every time he made me feel something. I was really getting tired of it giving me away. Still, I tried to play off the blush by squaring my shoulders and lifting my head.

“I didn’t promise,” I argued, albeit a lot weaker than I should have. “But I agree to try. And I meant that.”

“I knew you’d be a woman of your word,” Lucas replied with a grin. “Now, let’s see if we can find you a project over lunch.”