Page 55 of Broken Moon

I stood there staring after himuntil Ash skidded down the hallway, his pittie smile wide and happy, and forcedmy thoughts away from Detective Rick Moreno.

ChapterTwenty-Six

Better this morning?

I stared at the ceiling for afew seconds before replying to Jared’s text, cataloging my various physicaltwinges and aches. Feeling better, definitely. One hundred percent better? Noteven close.Yes.

The exsoloup is dead and thewolves are safe. Thank you, Kait.

You’re welcome.Ismiled, then,You DID pay me a boatload of cash to do the job. I couldn’tlet the creature live.

Maybe he smiled, maybe hedidn’t. I couldn’t know over text. He wasn’t the type to send emojis.Eat alot today. Mainly protein, but carbohydrates and fat, as well. Drink more thanyou want.

I will.

Tonight, I will come foryou.

I sucked in a breath as myheart began pounding, and tears of equal parts excitement, hope, fear, anddread sprang to my eyes. Tonight.

Tonight I would meet my precious,tortured wolf.

“Please be okay,” I told her.“Don’t force him to put you down.” If my wolf went mad, the alpha wouldn’thobble her again. That would be too cruel. He couldn’t kill me, because I wasinvolved with the humans too deeply. Could he kill my wolf without killing thewoman?

That would take an insanelystrong alpha.

So yes. I believed he could.

“Please,” I whispered again,“be okay.”

I jumped when Lucy shoved openmy door and hurried in with a tray the size of the dinner table, Ash at herheels. He’d climbed into bed with me after I’d gotten home, but she’d taken himout sometime that morning. I hadn’t stirred.

I sat up as my stomach begangrowling so ferociously it scared the dog. “Lucy, I seriously don’t know what Iever did without you,” I told her.

She laughed and settled thetray over my legs, then pulled the little chair closer to my bed and ploppedinto it. She patted her lap and Ash jumped up to sit with her, watching my traylike a tasty morsel might somehow jump off the plate and into his mouth.

“How do you feel?” she askedme. “You look a lot less like warmed over death now.”

I closed my eyes and inhaledthe heavenly scent of the food she’d cooked. “I’m good,” I said, and then, whenAsh gave a small bark to encourage me to remember that he was available astaste tester, I added, “Ash looks so much better already.”

“He’s enjoying his life now,”she said, kissing the top of his head. “I hate to think about what he wentthrough before you rescued him. Jessie came into the store yesterday, by theway.”

I stuffed a forkful of bakedchicken into my mouth. It was buttery-soft and so flavorful I could only closemy eyes and moan when I took that first bite. “How was she?” I asked, as Ipicked up a roll and slathered it with some sort of honey butter concoction.

“She’s great.” Lucy smiled atmy obvious enjoyment of her cooking. “She said her ex called to say, “fuck you,keep the brat and enjoy your fucking life,” and then took off for partsunknown. She drove by his house to make sure. He was gone.”

“He won’t bother her again,” Ipromised.

“She said to tell you thankyou.”

I nodded, then threw Ash asmall piece of chicken. “I’m happy I could help, and glad it led me to thispup.”

“So about Detective Moreno…”

“He’s married, Lucy. Surely yousaw his wedding band?”

Her face fell. “He seemed morelike a guy who’d lost his wife. There’s something…sad and lonely about him.”

I agreed, but… “She’s very muchalive. I’ll invite her for lunch soon. She’s a sweet woman.”