An Echo in the Mafia (Echo Reid, Reid Family Book #1)

Part 64

Echo probably should have been harder on Luke but she was much too practical to do so.

She sat up in bed now, Christmas morning, her fingers twisting her wedding band around in circles, slipping it on and off. Sometimes she just held it up, letting the early morning light sparkle against the engagement ring, other times she cradled it by her chest. She looked to her left, smiling softly as Luke slept face down, one arm draped across her lap. She had struggled to wiggle free from his embrace earlier but now she appreciated the added warmth. It had snowed in the night and although it was now starting melt, a pretty white blanket still covered the ground outside.

She stretched out her hand, setting it down on his shoulder and grazing the scars with her fingers, as she had done many times before. There was something about the scars, she just couldn't stop touching them. She had to admit that part of it was some strange, morbid curiosity but more than anything, it was as if she was trying to soothe them. Echo wasn't unintelligent by any means and she had long since figured out that these scars were responsible for more pain than she could imagine. She wondered what happened, how did they come to be. Was it an accident? Had he been attacked? Maybe it was something to do with his job?

She knew he had a dangerous life, that now they both had a dangerous life, and somehow she'd still followed him down this path. He was a formidable man, never showed weakness to anyone... except maybe her. Without really meaning to, Luke had slowly let down his guard and Echo realized that he was much more sensitive and vulnerable than she could have ever known. That was why he'd jumped to those conclusions, why he'd acted the way he acted and why she couldn't entirely hold it against him. If she had known that his wounds were still so sore, she might have been more gentle with him, she would have been more open and she would have stayed in the North Town to force him to confront their situation.

She'd taken on a lot more than she intended to when it came to Luke and although it made her wonder whether or not she would have made the same choices, knowing what she did now, she didn't doubt that she loved this man. Yes, she loved Luke. She loved him so absolutely and irrevocably that she was willing to spend her life learning how to handle him. After all, he'd already committed himself to her an her own demons, right? She'd never met anyone who could handle her anxiety so well, who could calm her, who could be patient. He might ask for a lot, he might be selfish and arrogant, and even unreasonable but he was so tender with her and so infinitely patient.

She felt a sigh escape her lips, not just any sigh but the type of sigh that comes from deep inside you when your thoughts and feelings are just too much to handle.

He was such an idiot. God, how was it possible to love someone so much and still want to smother them with the pillow? He put her through hell. He had so much to learn. But it ached now. She was hurting and not because he'd acted like a complete and absolute jerk, but because she knew wherever the inappropriate reaction came from there was a lot of pain. She hated to think he lived with that type of pain.

She should have been harder on him but what good would it do? She said her piece and she knew eventually she would forgive him anyway, so why not now? She wanted to be with him and she wanted to be the reason he found peace some day.

"Good Morning." He said, shifting as she continued to stroke the scars. Echo smiled softly as he reached for her hand and brought it to his lips.

"Merry Christmas." Echo said sweetly, turning away from him and pulling her hand back.

"Where are you going?" He asked, confused as she seemed to be getting out of the bed.

"Nowhere... I just..." She muttered as she reached under the bed and turned. "I have something for you."