“Daddy, can I ask you something?”
“Anything, Luna Bean. I’ll answer anything you need me to.”
Nodding, I lick my lips nervously. “W–Why did my mom die? And how is it I have two older brothers by my stepmother when you were with Mom?”
“Fuck,” Grant mutters. “Luna . . .”
“No, she has the right to know this,” my dad interrupts him not once taking his gaze from mine in the process. “I should have told you this a long time ago. Before, I met your mother, I’d been with your stepmother. We had Grant and Granger together. She decided our world wasn’t what she wanted so she took my boys and left. I met your mother not long after that, she was amazing and I’d married her the instant she agreed. Not long after that your stepmother came back wanting to give it another shot. She wasn’t happy I’d moved on. Your mother knew I loved her, but I’d also been in love with another woman who still had a place in my heart. She decided she wanted a divorce. Said we could share the house in order to raise you in it together and we’d remained friends. I agreed to her wishes and ended up splitting my time between both homes to be with all of my children. Was this wrong of me? Yes, in the world I deal in along with your brothers we show no weakness. It might not make sense to you but it’s what I’d done regardless.”
Taking a breath, he closes his eyes for a brief moment. “I should have paid more attention to how your stepmother treated you. For this I will regret because in the end I’d given her what she’d wanted and not you. If I had, you’d never have been kidnapped.”
“Does she know you all are here?” I ask.
“No,” Granger sneers. “She left a few months ago.”
“What?” I rasp.
“Uh, I hate to interrupt . . .” Nerd mutters from where he’s standing at the end of the table.
“What’s up, brother?” Stoney asks.
“Well, if the woman you’re speaking of is Mareena Devore, she’s checked into a hotel in the town over and she was also the one responsible for putting the order out for Luna’s kidnapping. You should also know she is Delano Delancy’s sister.”
“Fuck,” Shadow mutters from next to me and I’m immediately lifted out of my seat. “Be back.” I hear him but everything becomes a haze as everything around me becomes distant. I feel myself slipping back to that place as I start to count.
One. Two. Three. Four . . .
Chapter Ten
Shadow
I fucked up. Big time. I should have fuckin’ pulled Nerd to the side to hear what he had to say first. I didn’t expect him to find shit was this bad.
I regretted that move the instant Nerd relayed this information. I felt it before I saw it in her eyes and immediately lifted her out of her seat and carried her to my room.
Without putting Luna down, I reached in my pocket, pulled out my key and unlocked the door. Throwing the door open, I push through and use my foot to kick the damn thing shut behind me.
Placing Luna on her feet. I stand directly in front of her. “Look at me, Kitten,” I command.
Her eyes lift to mine but they’re blank, just as they’d been for almost two years.
“Luna, I won’t tell you again. Look at me.”
“I am,” she murmurs.
“You are not. You’re stuck in your head and right now you need to focus on me,” I snap, forcefully.
Luna shakes her head and her body starts to tremble. “Good girl, come back to me. Remember I told you nothing touches you. Never again. Cruella fuckin’ de Vil will not get her hands on you again. She will never get close to you. I won’t let her.”
“She’s the one who’s been watching me.” Luna surprises me by this announcement.
“Come again?”
“I’ve felt someone watching me. When you’re not around that is. I don’t know how to explain it. I guess it feels as if my stomach were being twisted into a thousand knots.”
“That’s your gut speaking to you, Kitten. Why didn’t you tell me this before now?”
“I didn’t think it was that big of a deal and I didn’t want you to think I was crazy. It’s bad enough you put up with my other quirks, I don’t need you to think I’m insane.” Tears well in her eyes and I know she can’t handle much more.
Nodding, I pull her against my chest. “Alright, Luna. This is what we’re going to do. We’re staying here tonight. I’m going to go out to the main room. I’m sure the food is here by now. I’ll send Rachel and Victoria in here. You all eat, talk, do whatever. I’ll be back in a bit. Gotta get some shit straight with everyone else out there. When I get back you best be prepared for me. Got it?”
Rather than answer she nods her head.
“Want the words, Kitten,” I mutter.
“Yes, Sir,” she whispers, breathlessly.
“Good girl.” Leaning down, I reward her with a gentle caress of my lips against hers causing her to sigh. “Love you, Luna,” my mouth brushes hers with each word.
“Love you too, David. I’m sorry, I’m a freak.” A tear slides down her cheek and I reach out to swipe it away.
“Talk about yourself like that again, Kitten, and I will make sure when I get back in here the spanks you were going to get for this morning are double to the amount. You won’t be able to sit for the remainder of the weekend,” I growl, squeezing her to me.
“Yes, Sir,” she says, her eyes shimmer with need.
Fuck, I need to get this over with and get back in here.
Releasing my hold on
