Beautiful Storm (San Francisco End Game #1)

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Amelia

M y breathing slows as Luke pulls out of me, and I’m just about to roll over to face him when he sits up suddenly. “Was that bad?”

“What?” I giggle. Is he insane? Since when was he insecure? “I would have thought my screams in the throes of passion answered that question. Was it bad for you?”

“No, Amelia.” He huffs out a laugh. “I meant for your stress levels.”

“Oooh." That makes more sense. “No. That was the opposite of bad. I’m quite relaxed right now. But I appreciate the concern.”

“Good. On both counts.”

He nods but doesn’t move until I start laughing again. “Luke Harrison Bennett, you better get down here and cuddle me or I am going to riot.”

He finally chuckles. “Okay, I’m coming.”

I fight not to say “that’s what she said” as he drops down with a thud, making me bounce, before wrapping me in his arms. His hand sneaks under my jersey again, but this time to cradle my belly, and my heart races.

Then it hits me. I don’t just love Luke. I’m in love with him. And it’s scary as hell because there’s something about this love that’s different from my love for Preston. Deeper somehow.

I don’t only feel loved, I feel protected. And for me… that’s everything .

It’s nice to finally have someone on my side. Someone more than a friend. An equal. Someone I know is going to consider my feelings when they consider their own.

We rest together for a few minutes until I‘m desperate for the bathroom, and when I’m back, I strip off the jersey to change into my comfy pj’s, ready for some much-needed sleep. But as I’m reaching for my top, my phone vibrates across the nightstand and I groan before blindly reaching out to grab it, checking the screen at the last second to find that it’s Luke’s.

Laughing to myself, I move to put it back until an alert pops up on his screen.

Luke Bennett scandal.

Oh God. The fire.

My heart pounds in my chest as I put his phone down and grab my own, ignoring the messages from Hayley. I quickly bring up a browser before searching his name as I struggle to take in air. This can’t be happening. This is the last thing Luke needs.

His name brings up lots of hits, but it’s the first one that draws my attention, making me pause. And when I click on the link to open the photo, the blood drains from my body.

Luke in a nightclub with a beautiful blonde perched on his lap, her expression anything but innocent with his lips parted and her hooded eyes. He’s staring up at her with a gaze full of lust and his hand under her dress. No, not just his hand, his arm . Suggesting his hand is most likely making its way where it really fucking shouldn’t be , if it’s not already there.

My stomach churns as bile rises in my throat, but I can’t look away. No matter how hard I try, my eyes stay glued to the screen, making me nauseous.

“Oh Jesus, Amelia,” Luke curses as he rushes onto the bed. “Don’t look at that.” He grabs my phone before rolling me over to face him, his expression falling when he meets mine. “It’s not what you think.”

“What do I think?” I say in a daze, struggling to focus with the image burned into my brain.

“That I cheated on you. That I’ve continued to fuck around. But I haven’t.” He studies the photo and shakes his head. “This was taken over a year ago, before we first slept together. Why the fuck would they release it now?”

“You don’t know?”

“What? No.”

“Couldn’t possibly be because Storm’s favorite bachelor is having a baby and was just seen in another photo looking very loved up. This makes me look stupid and naive.”

“No.” Luke shakes his head as my heart pounds in my chest. “It doesn’t. And that’s why I didn’t want you to know about them. Because I knew your mind would go there. But it’s not true. You’re not stupid. Or naive. I haven’t been fucking anyone. It’s just gossip. I know who that is. She’ll raise hell to get this removed, and she’ll tell the world it was last year.”

I stare up at him while he panics, but while he said so much, my thoughts are stuck on one thing. He didn’t want me to know about “them.”

“How many are there?”

“What?”

“How many articles like this are out in the world?”

Luke’s shoulders drop and I see the moment he knows he fucked up. “There’s one more,” he whispers, making me slide away from him.

“So you hid it from me?” I reach for the sheet, tugging at it frantically until he lifts up and lets me drag it away to wrap protectively around myself, suddenly conscious of the fact that I’m practically naked. “Amelia.”

“Just answer the question.”

“Yes,” he whispers before straightening his shoulders. “But I did it for you. I was going to tell you. I came to your office to tell you. Then Preston called and you quit your job. You’re not supposed to be stressed.”

“And you think it’s less stressful for me to find out like this? Don’t you think it would have been better coming from you?”

“ I don’t know ,” he yells but it’s not directed at me. I can tell he’s annoyed at himself. “I don’t know any of this. But I’m trying. It’s all new and I’m—”

“I should go.” I get off the bed but keep the sheet in place. “I just need sometime and—”

“Wait. Please.” Luke rushes to my side and grabs my hand to still me, but I snap it back so fast you’d think it burned me. “Fuuuck! Amelia, please. Please. Don’t do this. I just wanted to protect you. All I’ve ever wanted to do was protect you. Stay. We need to talk about this. I can’t let you go. I didn’t do this.”

“I’m not ending things, Luke. I just need a moment. Please.”

“I can’t.” His voice breaks. “I can’t let you walk away when you’re hurting. It kills me to see you like this. And it’s not good for you or Jelly Bean.”

“How does it feel to know you’re the one hurting me?”

Luke’s eyes close but it does nothing to hide the pain in his expression. “I didn’t do what they’re saying. You have to believe me.”

“That’s the thing, Luke. I do believe you. Considering your reputation, I never once thought you were still out there fucking around. I stared at that image and never for a second believed it. You told me you wouldn’t and I trusted you completely. I was embarrassed more than anything. But what’s hurting me is that you once again kept something from me.”

“But—”

“It doesn’t matter that you thought you were doing the right thing. Look where that got us last time.”

He drops to his knees and stares up at me. “I’m so fucking sorry, Amelia.”

“I know. I—”

“No, wait. Let me speak. I fucked up. I know I fucked up. And I know you don’t want my excuses, but I couldn’t be the one adding to your stress. I couldn’t do it. I can’t do it. I’m supposed to be helping you. I’m still following our pact.”

“What?” My eyes widen as a new image enters my mind, one of a ten-year-old Luke, carrying me off the road as blood seeps from a cut in my leg.

“I promise, I’ll protect you more from now on. I’m never going to let anything or anyone hurt you again. You can count on me, Ace.”

God, I’d almost forgotten about that.

“Oh, Luke.” His broken expression shatters my heart, and when he lifts his gaze, my stomach knots, hitting me with the sudden urge to protect him. “I’ll stay.”

His eyes widen as his body physically deflates. “You’ll stay.”

“Yes,” I whisper as he stands up, before I reach out and pull him into my arms. “I’m sorry, Luke. It’s just—”

“I know, believe me. I know. And you have nothing to be sorry about.” He presses his hand to my heart and shakes his head. “We have to calm you down. Fuck, I’m so sorry.”

“I’m okay. I promise I’m okay.”

“I love you so fucking much.” He presses a kiss to my forehead before holding me in his protective arms.

“I love you too. More than I ever thought I’d love anyone.”

I ’m standing on the field as Luke accepts his championship ring, my proud gaze locked on his smile as everyone around me stares, their whispers flowing through my mind.

“Why would she stay with him?”

“It has to be money.”

“I heard they have an agreement and it’s all fake.”

All fake.

Then the laughing begins. So much laughing.

I spin around to say something but come face-to-face with two young girls from sixth grade in an otherwise empty school yard. One of them whispers to the other as they look my way, snickering behind their hands.

“I can’t believe she doesn’t know about her dad.”

I wake with a start and frantically search my surroundings until Luke’s peaceful snores fill the air from beside me.

It was a dream. Just a dream.

And I’ve forgiven Luke.

But why can’t I get over it? He was protecting me. I understand that. I would have done the same. But I can’t shake this feeling.

I shift uncomfortably for God knows how long until at some point I must fall back asleep, and when I’m roused again, Luke’s pressing a kiss to my forehead. “I have to go, but you should sleep. You were pretty restless last night.”

Shit . I sit up. “I’m sorry, did I keep you awake?”

“No. I’m fine. I promise. Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m good. I promise,” I repeat his words back to him and smile.

“Are we?” he asks, his expression anxious.

“Yes, I promise that too.” I widen my smile to reassure him and I’m not lying. We are okay. I just need to overcome these feelings that I have. It’s a me problem. “Have a great game today. I’ll be watching.”

“No you won’t,” Luke growls, making me laugh.

“Okay, I won’t be watching. I’ll be waiting.”

“Good.” He grins and I shake my head. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“You will.”

He throws me another uncertain look, but I blow him a kiss and call out as he steps into the hall. “We love you, Luke. Go and show them how it’s done.”

His smile returns as he shakes his head, chuckling, telling me he loves me before disappearing down the stairs. And I sink back onto the bed, covering my face in my hands, trying to control my thoughts to ease my rapid heart rate.

But it doesn’t work. And when Hayley calls a few hours later, I’m a mess.

“Hayley. Oh God, Hayley. There are photos of Luke with some girl and another article about him sleeping around and I—”

“Shit. I know,” she cuts me off. “But I didn’t know you did. Where’s Luke?”

“What?”

“I’ve seen them. Are you okay?”

“ Jesus . When? Here I was thinking it was only Luke hiding things from me.”

“If he hid it, he was doing the right thing. It would have been better if you never saw them. Everyone knows they’re lying. He didn’t want to stress you, and neither did I. Please tell me you didn’t do anything rash.”

“Like what?”

“Like break up with him.”

“I didn’t. We’re good. It’s me that has issues.”

“No sweetie, it’s not. You need to work this out together. You need to talk.”

“We did. We were. And I realized he was just protecting me, so I stopped fighting him. I didn’t want him stressed before his game. But then I had a dream, and I can’t get rid of this tension in my chest.”

“Did you tell him about that?”

“No.”

“So you held something back to protect him?”

Goddammit . “Yes,” I whisper as tears prick my eyes. “What am I doing, Hayley? Why do I make things so hard for myself? And Luke.”

“Because of your dad, and I use that term lightly because he’s not your dad, not anymore. But that man did a number on you, and then Preston was a dick, and Luke even… You haven’t had a lot of opportunities to trust men. But Luke’s trying. And the two of you are as cute as hell together.”

“Is hell cute?” I giggle as I sniff back the tears.

“It is in my head.”

“Okay, good.” I stare at the mirror in front of me and my entire body calms. “Thank you.”

“Anytime. They’ve just called me for my script read-through so I have to go, but I can come over later if you want?”

“That’s okay. I’m feeling better.”

“Yeah?”

“I promise. And when Luke gets home, I have grand plans to offload all of my worries onto him until he’s drowning in them.”

Hayley bursts out laughing while I smile. “That’s what we like to hear. And you know he’ll take it all on and he’ll love it. All he wants to do is make you happy.”

“I know. I’m lucky to have him.”

“You’re both lucky. As am I.”

“Thanks, Hayley.”

“Bye, Ames.”

I do feel better as I hang up, except for the guilt that now lingers. I need to make it up to Luke. I haven’t made this easy on him and he’s trying. He’s always been trying.

And he loves me. More than anyone has ever loved me before. Including my family. It’s time I showed him I feel the same.

An idea comes to mind and I grab my phone to call Lainey. Luke said I couldn't watch his game, but he never said anything about being there at the end to help celebrate the win. As long as I avoid the stress, I’m good.

I want to be there, and I know how much it will mean to him.

I’ll stay in the background until Lainey tells me it’s done.

It’s perfect. And I can’t wait.