Page 62 of Luna

Gritting my teeth, I push myself out of bed, ignoring the protest of my aching muscles. I pace the room, trying to clear my head.

I need answers. I need to understand why he’s doing this. Is he just another monster, playing with his food? Is it all a game? Or is there really something else going on. Something bigger.

My thoughts careen between fear and curiosity, despair and a fragile, foolish hope. I want to trust Lucien, want to believe that he’s different. But I’m terrified of being wrong, and of letting myself fall into another trap.

I lean my forehead against the cool wall beside the portrait of the phoenix. There is no window now. No way out.

I’m a prisoner. And I can’t let myself forget that, no matter how my treacherous heart might yearn for something more.

I have to find a way out. Even if it means leaving behind the one person who might understand my broken pieces.

Chapter 22

Lucien

The room smells of sex. Kim is at my desk, in my chair, and Trent is standing opposite practically growling.

The two of them didn’t fuck. For a wolf, Trent is strangely rigid in his approach to sex; he wouldn’t even contemplate being in the same room as an erect penis.

I notice the feed on the screen. Luna’s room.

Kim catches me looking and adjusts his glasses. I try not to let my lip curl into a smile. So, he was watching. And it turned him on enough that he very clearly, judging from the scent in the air, got himself off to it.

Interesting.

But, right now, irrelevant.

“What’s going on?” I gesture for Kim to leave my chair. He gets up and stalks around to the other side of the desk, standing next to Trent and glancing at him. “Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of Trent.” He might be a wolf, but he’s a loyal wolf. Dogs are, after all, stupid.

“I went to the Crimson Moon, asked some questions.”

“So, that’s why you look like shit. When was the last time you slept?”

Kim looks at me with an expression that says, “Why the fuck are you asking after my sleep all of a sudden? Has Luna softened that cold, black heart?”

If we were alone, he’d make the joke out loud. But he doesn’t trust Trent. According to Kim, he’s a slimy mother fucker and I’m blinded by the fact he was a cute puppy once upon a time.

He might be right. But so far, Trent has given me no reason not to trust him. Except for the way he looked at Luna, and I allowed him a free pass for that.

One free pass.

“Rumor is there’s a new boss in town who’s trying to take over the FHB trade in the city.” Kim folds his arms in front of his chest.

“I run the FHB trade.” I pick up the half-drunk glass of blood on the desk and down it in one. I glance at the screen. Luna is too distracting. I shouldn’t be thinking about her now. But what if this concerns her? What if it’s all linked?

“Apparently, someone didn’t get the memo.” Kim raises his eyebrows.

“Pretty useless information unless you know who this guy is and where he’s hanging out,” Trent mumbles, looking smug as fuck because Kim hasn’t been able to give me anything solid. He turns to me. “Let me go to the bar. I’ll get some answers.”

“Oh, yeah? And how will you do that?” Kim’s hand moves to his belt and his fingers twitch. He carries a blade these days.

“Put your dicks away, boys. This isn’t a pissing contest.”

“I’ll get a name.” Kim looks at me and bites his lower lip. Then he says, “I need to talk to you alone, Lucien.” He glances pointedly at the screen.

I hesitate. I don’t like how much I trust him. He’s a human. It seems unnatural to trust a human more than a super, but something tells me to listen.

“Trent. Leave us.”