Luke's PoV

I don't know what had come over me, yet here I was trapping Lys against the door, our bodies close enough that you could feel the electric energy passing between us. Her eyes searched mine for a reason, for an understanding of what was happening but the truth was even I had no idea. My mind was torn between letting her in and letting her go. I was so comfortable with her, even after this short time, that it felt like I'd known her for years. Kira loved her and our children had so much fun together. I hadn't seen Kira this happy in ages... yet my mind reminded me of Olivia. She was the same, she fell into my life and then I felt like she'd been there forever. She was so happy and open minded and would just go with the flow of life, knowing my job and my lifestyle couldn't be altered she just adapted to it all. Lys was like her. They didn't look the same, far from it, but their personalities were like one. It was almost scary just how similar their empathetic responses or facial expressions would be. It felt too close.
My body yearned for love again though, it had been years without me even trying to speak to any other woman. I'd rushed through life with my job and Kira at the forefront of my mind and before I knew it, it'd been four years since Olivia was gone and I hadn't even tried to date. I still didn't want to. I still wore my wedding ring around my neck on a chain. Olivia came everywhere with me in spirit and I felt like I'd be betraying her by getting with anyone else. When I was with Lys, we had an undeniable chemistry which caused me to put up my walls. I didn't want to ruin our friendship, she may not even feel the same, and then Kira would lose her only friend. If I rode it out long enough I'd forget about it, surely? Kira's happiness was something I needed more than my own. I can't imagine how I'd feel if I ruined that.
Lys's finger on my lips drove me crazy, but she'd done it so innocently, just to silence me as I continued my depressive rant. She'd been so sweet to try and help me yet I'd kept pushing it away. I thought I knew me better than she did, but her words really hit home and changed how I'd felt.

"L-luke?" Lys's voice was timid and embarrassed, it was only then that I noticed her finger had moved from my lips. She gulped before she spoke again. "I said I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." Her eyes still didn't leave mine, and neither of us moved away from each other. Maybe she did want me as much as I seemed to want her? I offered her a half smile.

"Probably the same thing that came over me." I said cryptically as I finally moved myself away from her, the space between us feeling like a void.

"Daddy!" Kira's voice echoed from down the hall and halted anything between Lys and I. I offered her a sorry glance before she moved away from the door to allow me to open it and peek my head out.

"What is it Kira, hunny?" Kira came running down the hallway with a grin on her face so big that I automatically smiled.

"Cody wants to see my playhouse. Please can we go back home so I can show him?" She looked up at me with her puppy dog eyes and all I could do is sigh internally. How innocent she was, how clueless to the situation. I wanted her kept out of all the shit as much as I could but times like this meant I struggled with the words to tell her what I needed to.

"I'm sorry baby, we can't go home right now..." I tried to keep it simple, knowing that this would not be enough for her.

"Why?" She queried rightfully. Lys and I glanced at each other for a second, my mind running with possible answers.

"Your daddy had to get some cleaners in." Lys suddenly responded, moving around the door so Kira could see her. "Something not very nice went into the house and so daddy needs it cleaned before you can go back just to make sure it was clean and safe." I smiled gratefully at her, happy that she came up with such a creative excuse Kira couldn't really argue like she did with me.

"You mean like a dirty rat or something?" Kira asked, her little eyebrow raising to make sure she had enough information. I quickly nodded, liking the fact I could relate Ivy to a rat. Of course Lys's answer was partially true, Ivy had turned up at our house and I currently had security sweeping the place, although I'd told Lys it was the police because I still didn't have the heart to tell her what I actually did as a job. Now that Kira assumed we had rats, she wouldn't be as keen to go back to our house.

"Absolutely, Kira." I nodded, trying to hide my smirk as my mind imagined Ivy as a sewer rat.

"Eww that's disgusting!" Her face screwed up as she shook her head. "So are we staying at Lys's house forever?" Kira asked excitedly. Lys and I once again exchanged glances. The pure joy and elation in her voice made me feel so happy, but at the same time we both knew it was impossible. Not only was Lys's house not really big enough to house us all, but Ivy had visited here too. I couldn't risk Ivy managing to get in here and using Kira and possibly Cody in her twisted ideas and games. It was at that moment, as if planned, that Mike rushed in with  with his phone in his hand and a grin on his face.

"Plan is in place. We're all heading to Calum's."  Suddenly I felt like a hole was growing in my chest. After everything Lys had done we were just going to up and leave again? It was unsettling, especially for Kira who had just adapted to this move. Lys smiled and nodded.

"That's amazing news. Do you need me to help you guys pack?" She asked politely, and I couldn't help but love her for acting like all of this was normal for my kid's sake as she stood beside us looking up at Mike. He looked over to Lys quickly.

"You need to pack for yourself, you're coming with us."