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“Not staff, exactly.”
Luna wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. “I’m guessing you don’t eat?”
“I can if I want to, but it always feels a little pointless.” I pull my pants on and sit down on the edge of the bed.
She bites her lower lip, then glances at my wrist. “It’s healed already.”
“It has.” I am shirtless and notice her gaze moving to my chest. “How do you feel?”
Her nose wrinkles. She puts down the fork and moves the tray to one side. “Lighter,” she says.” As if I’ve taken a quadruple dose of my meds.”
“I’m glad it helped you.”
“You really are glad, aren’t you?” she asks, reaching for my hand.
The gesture is intimate and soft and makes me feel like I should stand up and jerk away from her. But as her fingers slot between mine and she smiles at me, I can’t ignore the desire to just be in her presence. Like this.
I’m about to kiss her again, pull the sheets away from her body and trail kisses down her throat, when there’s a knock on the door. I open it to find Trent holding a cafetière in one hand and two mugs in the other. A carton of milk is tucked under his arm and a packet of sugar protrudes from him jeans pocket. He looks exhausted, and it occurs to me I have no idea what time it is.
“You’d make a terrible butler,” I grumble, letting him inside so he can set down the cafetière on the coffee table.
“Sorry, boss. I didn’t realize you were entertaining, or I’d have used the posh silverware.” He casts a too-long glance in Luna’s direction. I sense his muscles tense. He flicks his gaze over her face, her body, even though it’s hidden beneath the sheets, and she draws her legs up to her chest uncomfortably.
Anger flares in my gut.
I slam my hand around his throat and have him pinned against the wall before he can whimper, “What did I do, boss?”
“You don’t look at her like that. Ever.” My face is inches from his. “In fact. You don’t look at her. You don’t think about her. She is under my protection and mine alone. If I catch you so much as breathing in her direction again, I’ll personally ensure you never see another full moon. Do I make myself clear?”
Trent nods quickly. “Of course, boss. It won’t happen again.”
I lean in closer, my voice barely above a whisper. “See that it doesn’t. Remember, I can smell your thoughts. Keep them pure or keep them nonexistent when it comes to her. Understood?”
“Yes, boss,” Trent replies, visibly shaken.
I know I’m overreacting. But I also know that Luna’s pulse has quickened and that she’s watching me right now.
And I need her to see this.
I need her to know I meant it when I said I would protect her.
He made her uncomfortable.
He won’t do it again.
“Good. Now get back to your post. And spread the word — Luna is off limits to everyone but me.”
Chapter 20
Kim
The Crimson Moon isn’t the kind of place I usually frequent, but tonight, I need information more than I need sleep. The bar caters to Cambridge’s supernatural crowd - a dingy, underground joint where vampires, werewolves, and other creatures of the night can drink without fear of exposure.
I push through the heavy wooden door, immediately assaulted by the smell of stale beer and something metallic that I try not to think too hard about. The bar is dimly lit, shadows dancing on the walls from flickering candles. It’s busy for a weeknight, a low hum of conversation punctuated by occasional bursts of laughter.
I make my way to the bar, sliding onto a stool and catching the bartender’s eye. He’s a tall, lean man with unnaturally pale skin and eyes that gleam red in the low light. Definitely a vampire. Thankfully, he doesn’t know what I am.
“What’ll it be?” he asks, voice gravelly.
