Page 49 of Knight’s Absolution

Mia, Eve, and Meredith all moved closer as well.

“We’re glad you’re here, Luna,” Mia said.

Eve smiled at her gently. “We’re your sisters now.” She chuckled softly. “Mia’s the sweet one, Merri’s the mother hen, and Grace is the big sister who will kick ass for you.”

Meredith scowled. “Mother hen? Gee, thanks.” Her gaze came to Luna. “Well, Eve’s the quiet one who secretly leads everyone astray. That female is a bad influence.”

Eve nudged her. “I am not! I’m the friendly one.”

Grace cackled. “Since I’ve been here, it’s always you that comes up with the secret plans to get the guys to do what we want. You are an evil genius.”

They all laughed, and instead of crying, Luna found herself joining them. She’d been doing that more often as well. It was exhilarating. She’d been using the internet a lot to help her identify her emotions. Putting names to the way she felt. Exhilarating was the best she could find for laughter.

Grace’s words moved through her, warm and comforting. She didn’t deserve their forgiveness. But right then, she really wished she could be part of their family. She wasn’t, though, and eventually, she’d have to leave. Spencer was somewhere in this city. He was alone, and he was all she had left. She needed to find him.

“Thank you…for everything. Coming here, meeting all of you, you showed me what kindness truly means, that it exists,” Luna said, grinning, that tight feeling in her throat trying to sneak back. “I hope we’ll still be friends, even when I’m gone.”

Grace frowned. “Gone?”

Yep, now her eyes were stinging again as well. “I can’t stay forever. I’ll have to leave eventually, like all the other demi who come here,” she said as she sat on the end of the bed to pull on her boots, taking an extra moment to get it together.

When she glanced back up, the females were all watching her, eyes soft.

“What is it?”

Grace cleared her throat. “Sorry, nothing. And no, we won’t be friends, we’ll be sisters, always.”

Luna felt warmth gather behind her ribs as she stood. “I’d…I’d like that. More than you know.”

Someone knocked at the door, and her smile widened.

Gunner.

She strode over and pulled the door open. “Hi,” she said as those now familiar but still so new flutters and swirls exploded to life in her belly.

Gunner’s gaze moved over her black jeans and T-shirt. The muscle in his jaw jumped. “You look nice.”

“So do you,” she said and stepped closer. He immediately opened his beautiful tattooed arms for her to fill the space. The first Gunner hug of the day might just be her favorite. She breathed in his scent greedily. “You feel nice, too.”

He made a kind of choking sound and tightened his arms around her. It was kick-ass, as Grace would say.

“Mmm, and you smell nice,” she muttered.

His mouth went to her ear. “You as well.”

Little tingles danced all over her skin. That was new, and it was just as nice as the belly flutters. Together they were, yeah, wonderful. Exhilarating, like laughter, but better.

Someone cleared their throat.

“We’ll just head off, then,” Grace said.

“Have a nice night, you two,” Mia added.

The other females left, and Gunner loosened his hold on her. “You ready?”

“Let me just grab my sweater.” She rushed to the bed and grabbed it, then moved back to him. “Where are we going?”

“Not far.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “It’s still too dangerous to stray far from the compound, but I hope you’ll still enjoy it.”