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“I didn’t notice anything,” she said, lifting her shoulder slightly.

“I think we should have him check again,” Zale said. “The only thing that’s changed has been you two resolving everything.”

“I don’t know,” I said, the words falling out without me realizing. “Something doesn’t feel right.”

“What is it?” Lukas asked, wrapping his hand around mine.

I shook my head slightly, probing my power for the right answer. Nothing jumped out at me, besides a refusal to accept everything was fine now. “That just feels like too easy of a fix.”

“Power is a very personal thing. Emotions have more of an effect than we realize,” Lukas said, his thumb making a pass over the back of my hand.

I nodded, eyes slightly unfocused while I let my mind run.

Lukas squeezed my hand, bringing me back to my body. “But if you don’t feel right, then it's not right. We can have Sebastian check again. Even do another drill.”

I smiled. I didn’t want to be difficult, or an even worse sin according to my mother, be a know-it-all, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t that simple. Lukas never made me feel like that.

He’d try every solution with me.

“Oh, I’m sure you’d love that.” Lukas had spent the entirety of the last drill putting his hands on me as often as possible.

Lukas raised an eyebrow. “So would you.”

If we tried again, and he was able to get a shot on my ass past me, then maybe he would soothe it with his hand this time.

Tension snapped between us, and a low rumble gathered in Lukas’s throat.

“Ahem.” Zale cleared his throat, shattering the moment. Lukas’s hand settled back on my thigh, higher this time, letting me know that moment would be coming back in full force the second we were alone. “I think it’s important to double check. Add meet with Adrian on the list. Emre has been up my ass trying to get you guys to talk. I told him you were busy.”

I felt a flash of responsibility that we’d been stupid for taking time off when this was happening.

“Before either of you freak,” Zale continued. “Emre said Adrian has been dealing with something, so you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Lukas and I shared a look. He shook his head slightly. I didn’t know what could be happening either.

“Dominic and Rose should be there, too,” I said.

Zale nodded. “Already done. Talked to Max yesterday.”

“Thank you,” Lukas said.

Zale’s chin jerked down in a very male version ofyou’re welcome. “Alright, now I’m going to sleep. Happy for you two and all that.”

Everyone rose to say their goodbyes. Zale clapped Lukas on the back and squeezed my shoulder. Eleni rounded the table, shrieking as she pulled me into a hug. I held her tightly, hoping she understood how much I appreciated her.

“I’ll still punch him if you want,” she whispered, harkening back to the first morning after my return.

I pulled back, shaking my head. “No need. Thank you. For everything.”

Eleni squeezed my arms. “Always.” Then, after a salute to Lukas and a “Happy for you, cousin,” she left.

When the door shut, Lukas leaned down, brushing my hair off my shoulder. “If we do a drill again, can I touch your ass this time?”

I laughed. “Only if you earn it.”

Lukas scooped me up and carried me into my old bedroom. And he spent the next hour making damn sure he’d earned it.

Chapter 33