Moira Rogers - Crossroads

It took her a moment to answer. “It’ll heal, and that’s what matters.”

He wasn’t feeling nearly so confident. Then again, he wasn’t feeling much of anything at all, which probably had a lot to do with the trail of blood he’d left behind them. “Promise you’ll still love me if I end up with one arm.”

“Baby, I don’t care if you only have one of everything.” Her voice had taken on a strained quality, and he realized he was leaning heavily on her. “But if you don’t stop talking like this is it, I’m going to smack you.”

“That’s my Nicky. Violent to the end.” He reached up with his good arm and braced it against the wall. “I think I’m gonna pass out now, if that’s okay.”

She probably responded, but he didn’t hear it. He was too busy putting action to words.

His shoulder ached, he had wood glue all over his hands, and he’d never been happier.

Derek stepped back and caught the ratty old towel Luciano tossed at him with a wince he didn’t bother to hide. It was freeing to feel safe showing weakness after the miserable weeks in New York, though the irony of being comfortable in Luciano’s presence didn’t escape him. But there was something soothing about the heated workroom behind the sprawling ranch house. He could hear the wind battering the side of the building, heralding the kind of harsh weather he’d never had to live with in Louisiana.

Something he’d just have to get used to, since Nick wasn’t going anywhere.

He turned his attention to Luciano as the man examined the cradle they’d spent the afternoon assembling. “All it needs is a little more sanding and some stain. How’s it look?”

“Michelle will love it.” Luciano ran his hand over a side panel and rocked it a little.

Derek wiped his hands clean as well as he could and studied the day’s work with a critical eye. It had been a long time since he’d had the luxury of indulging in his favorite hobby, but he hadn’t done too badly, all things considered. Either way, it would be worth a few extra twinges in his injured arm if he managed to coax a rare smile from Michelle.

He dropped the towel to the side and grabbed a worn piece of sandpaper. “How’s Michelle doing? Nick’s wearing herself down between worrying about her sister and fussing over me.”

“She’s been quiet.” Luciano began to smooth a sheet of sandpaper over the other side of the cradle. “Keeping to herself, mostly. A little sad. But she seems to be feeling better.”

For a moment Derek was tempted to ask Luciano how he was doing, but their unspoken truce hadn’t had time to grow into friendship. Though maybe it was time to change that. “Thanks for the rooms, by the way. It means a lot to Nick to be able to stay here for a while.”

“This is Michelle’s home now,” Luciano answered quietly. “You two are welcome any time you want to be here.”

“I don’t think you’re getting rid of Nick. Not until the baby’s born.” Derek gave in and rubbed at the throbbing ache in his shoulder. “I have to go back to New Orleans to deal with business from time to time. Aside from that, I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”

Luciano grinned. “Ranch life suits you?”

It did, and more than he’d anticipated. “Someone almost ripped my arm off my body a month ago in polite, civilized society. I could do with a little more time in the untamed wilds.”

“You busted their polite society wide open. Was it worth it?”

He thought of Nick, and of how Luciano loved Michelle in his own way. “What do you think?”

Luciano was silent for several moments. “I think you and I understand each other.”

“I think you’re right.” They’d both do whatever they had to in order to keep the Peyton sisters safe. Luciano’s hell was the fact that he’d never be more than a friend and protector to the woman he loved.

Luciano seemed content, but Derek couldn’t imagine a world where he could watch Nick, day in and day out, knowing she’d never need him the same way he needed her. But you’d do it, he told himself, if it was the only way to keep her safe.

He didn’t envy Luciano at all.

“What would you do?” Luciano finally asked. “If you knew she’d never love you, but she still needed your help? If her child needed your help?”

His first instinct was to protest, to insist that Michelle might grow to love Luciano in time. But he’d seen the bond she shared with Aaron. He’d seen the love , the kind you didn’t come back from losing in weeks or months. It would be years before the scars on Michelle’s heart healed, and even then there was no way of knowing if she’d ever return her husband’s feelings.

So he answered the question as honestly as he could. “I’d take care of her, however she needed. I don’t think I could do anything else, even if I wanted to.”

“Yes, and that’s what I’m doing. I only wish Michelle didn’t feel so guilty about our situation.”

Derek felt the corner of his mouth tug up. “I’m starting to think telling a Peyton girl not to feel guilty is like asking the sun not to rise. All we can do is try to remind them we’re big boys who can make our own choices.”

Luciano laughed. “How are you faring with that?”

The words slipped out before he could stop them. “I’ll let you know after I ask her to marry me.”

The man’s laughter faded into a whistle. “The long haul, huh?”

“Pretty much. Guess that’d make you my brother-in-law.”

“I guess so. Congratulations, Derek.”

He should have felt more nervousness or trepidation or something , but he’d already faced the hardest battles. He’d killed for Nick. He’d claimed her as his mate in front of the strongest wolves in the country. As far as the animal inside him was concerned, the rest was silly formality.

Of course, there was still a part of him that wasn’t all animal and instinct, and that part was scared to death. “Congratulate me if she says yes.”

“I’ve seen you two together. She’ll say yes.”

Derek trusted that he was right and changed the subject. “I may need to borrow your truck and head into town tomorrow to pick up a few things. Everyone back in New Orleans made the deductive leap that since Nick’s birthday is next week, so is Michelle’s. I think some of them went a little overboard. You’ve got about three boxes of books on their way, thanks to Michelle and Kat bonding over a shared love of reading. Thought I’d build a couple of nice bookcases, since it was my cousin’s doing.”

“Take any of the trucks. Gus can show you where the keys are.” Luciano braced his elbows on the table and groaned. “I’m afraid to get Michelle a present. Like I’d be pressuring her somehow.”

Sympathy rose in Derek. “So help me with the bookshelves. They can be from both of us.”

“It wouldn’t be fair. You’ll be doing most of the work.”

“Buy the supplies. We’ve got a new partner at the firm, so I just took a pay cut.”

“Then be prepared for insinuations about the Parker family trust funds.” When Derek blinked in confusion, Luciano shoved his hands in his pockets. “Their mom’s parents set them up before Nick and Michelle were born. High six figures back then. Could be eight by now.”

He’d always known Nick had grown up rich, but somehow he’d never quite translated that to the state of her bank account…or how many zeroes the balance had after it. He waited for pride to kick in, or maybe discomfort at the idea of being dependent on Nick.

None came, only relief that they’d have the resources to do whatever they had to do. To take care of Michelle, to make sure the company didn’t go under while Andrew found his feet, to find a psychic to help Kat. They could take care of business.