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Chapter 1
Luna
Six years ago
Mybestfriendisan asshole. A stupid, Irish-accented, cocky bastard. But he’smyasshole, and only I can say shit like this. Prom is one month away, and I swore he was waiting to ask me to go with him. It makes sense. I’m the best friend, and he doesn’t want some stage-five clinger on his arm the whole time.
Two weeks ago, I sweated this small problem of mine. That was before. Before I realized everything could change on a dime. I thought my Italian mafia family was big enough to scare all demons away.
I was wrong.
I was naïve.
Too trusting.
It had me learning my lesson the hard way. But that’s my cross to bear. I refuse to allow anyone to suffer because of my mistake. My day of reckoning has come. I’ve made sure of it. I walk down the stairs and toward the back door, proud of myself.
“I didn’t realize you would return.”
I jump at the masculine voice. My foot crosses over the barrier from inside to out. I keep my head held high as the door slams shut behind me. I blow out a breath, feeling confident. For the first time in two weeks, I’m taking back my life.
The first step was to have some girl time with Fin’s sister Nessa. She never suspected that I was using her reaction to my benefit. I led her to believe I wanted a makeover and allowed her to dress me up. She will make an excellent makeup artist with her incredible talent.
I “accidentally” mentioned in passing some information that will have her calling her uncle. The leader of the Irish mafia. He’ll take care of my revenge, and I won’t have to lift a finger for it.
She dressed me in my favorite color. Black. Head to toe, including my eyeshadow. I’m wearing tight black shorts with a black halter top. A far cry from my normal sweatpants and hoodie. My hair is placed over my shoulder in a long braid. Something I would never have the time to do. It typically sits on top of my head, with me not knowing what to do with my dark locks.
One of Fin’s friend’s whistles, gaining his attention toward me. Fin’s head snaps toward me from the bow and arrow he just released. It has my heart sputtering. It’s an odd reaction. His blue eyes connect with mine. I watch them trail down my face and hair, all the way to my wedge-heeled shoes, until he drags his gaze back mine. My skin tingles as if his thorough glance is caressing my body like skin-on-skin contact.
I keep walking, his friends disappearing, until my foot catches on the uneven ground. My feet try to correct themselves by crisscrossing, and I begin to fall. My hands fly forward, hoping to catch myself, when a pair of strong arms grabs me. I hadn’t realized Fin was so close. His crisp scent wraps around me; it feels like home.
We’re unlikely friends. Our families are friendly, but he’s not Italian. That’s the first strike against him in my family’s eyes. The second is he’s the nephew of the Irish mafia’s leader.
I could start a war with the snap of my fingers. But I won’t. Fin means too much to me.
“What does my sister have on you, to blackmail you into this?” He gives me his signature lopsided smile. It has me blushing, and the burn of my face deepens as IrealizeI’m fucking blushing.
Who am I?
His head tilts, noticing, and I wait for him to mock me. My heart pounds, anticipating whatever it is he’ll say.
“Fin, I thought we’re having a boy’s night?” his second-best friend, Owen, yells. The boys have made a mini range, where they’re practicing with bow and arrows. It’s not much other than a portable board with a bullseye stapled to it.
“Luna doesn’t count.” His fingers unclasp from my arms but not before his knuckles brush against my skin.
Now I have the attention of all four of them. They look me up and down, similar to the way Fin did. “She sure as hell looks like a girl.” The way Owen says that has my spine stiffening.
“You taking Kylie to prom? She’s been sucking your dick so much I’m shocked you invited us over today,” his other friend, Craig, responds.
“Hey, Luna, why don’t you come to prom with me?” Owen teases.
I wait for Fin to correct him.One Mississippi, two Mississippi. He’s silent and cracks his neck with his hand on his chin. I’m going to kick him in the balls for staying quiet. As I step forward, he finally speaks. “Luna would never go with you, asshole. And I sure as hell don’t want to deal with Kylie. That’s why Luna is coming with me.”
My smile falters. It’s one thing for me to know he uses me to cock-block girls. But another for him to say it out loud to his friends. “What if I want to go with Owen?” I sass, hating that I’m allowing my emotions to get the best of me.
Fin looks stunned. The idea of me and Owen has his lips curling downward with disgust.
“Luna, let’s go discuss this prom idea,” Owen replies, while he puts down the bow, then trails his eyes to the arrow he just released. I look toward the stand to see four arrows. None of them hit the bullseye.
