Free Decode (Luke Series, #7) by Cassia Leo Page B

called a couple of
minutes before Luke got here to cancel. I was going to call you,
but he walked in and… and he told me we should just let you do your
shopping in peace.”
    She has no qualms with
calling Luke by his first name.
    “Mr. Maxwell told you
that?” I whisper. She nods nervously and I grit my teeth to stop
myself from saying anything that may make it seem as though I don’t
trust Luke. “You can go now.”
    “Did you still want me to
come tomorrow morning?”
    I look at her
incredulously. “Of course.”
    As much as I’d love to
take a vacation without the nanny, I know that there’s no way I can
have a stress-free vacation with the kids and Luke without Violet
there. This trip to London serves three purposes. Luke has a huge
meeting with some investors the day after we arrive. The following
day will be his family reunion. It will be the first time the
children will meet all of Luke’s mother’s family. Luke and I are
also using this trip as an opportunity to have a do-over of our
honeymoon. Our first honeymoon didn’t go so well. Lucas was only a
month old and I had trouble enjoying my time away from him. Luke
and I are planning to take a couple of days away from the kids,
while Violet takes care of them, to enjoy London.
    Luke exits Lucas’s room
shortly after Violet leaves and he swiftly moves in to kiss me. I
turn my head and his lips graze my cheek.
    “Why was Violet still
here?”
    “Her sister-in-law
cancelled—”
    “She’s not her
sister-in-law yet. And I know she cancelled the dinner, but why was
she still here if you were here? She could have left.”
    “She was putting Rhianne
to sleep while I put Lucas down. Are you okay?”
    “I’m fine, just… nervous
about flying with the kids for eleven hours.”
    “You’re sure that’s all
that’s bothering you?”
    “No. There is something
else that’s bothering me,” I say as I reach out and take a chunk of
his T-shirt in my fist. “I believe you left some unfinished
business in that dressing room.”

Chapter Two
Luke
    Every time I’m on a
business trip, I worry about Brina and the kids endlessly until I
get back home. Though I’m not exactly looking forward to spending
eleven hours in the air with Lucas and his need to jump off
anything higher than two feet off the ground, I’m ecstatic that
I’ll have my family by my side where I know they’re safe. Of
course, I’m beginning to get a strong vibe from Brina that she
suspects something is going on between Violet and me. We’ll have to
be extra careful about what Brina sees and hears over the next few
days if Violet and I are going to keep our secret hidden.
    By the time Brina and I
are dressed and make our way down to the kitchen at 6:30 a.m.,
Violet has already dressed the kids and served them breakfast. Like
yesterday, Violet is wearing a dress that shows just enough
cleavage. She’s always trying to impress me with her hair and
clothing, but Brina knows I’m more turned on by jeans and a tank
top than a tight dress and heels. Brina’s skinny jeans and the
black Vandals T-shirt she has tied in a knot at her waist is hot as
hell.
    “Good morning, sunshine,”
Brina says as she bends over to kiss the top of Lucas’s head.
    Lucas ruffles his golden
brown hair in an attempt to wipe away her kiss. “I don’t want to
go. I want to stay with Violet.”
    Rhianne giggles when her
mom plants a loud kiss on her cheek. Brina grabs a lemon muffin
from the basket on the table and takes a seat next to Rhianne. I
never get tired of the look of utter joy on the kids’ faces when
they see their mom.
    “You can’t stay with
Violet because she’s going to London, too,” Brina says and Lucas
narrows his eyes at her.
    I tap him on the shoulder
as I take a seat across from Brina, between Lucas and the empty
seat on my left. “Don’t look at your mom like that or I’ll tell
Polly to hide your tablet.”
    Brina flashes me a quick
smile before she pops a chunk of lemon muffin into