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I stared out the window at Luna walking the grounds with the guy whose jaw I wanted to crack. Sean. The only thing that kept me from punching him in his mouth when he showed up here today was that he was Luna’s friend. She cared about him, and if I broke his jaw, she’d probably get pissed.
So, I’d let him in. Let him take her on a walk around my grounds as I stood here, alone, wondering…
If Luna left me one day…what would I do?
CHAPTER38
Luna
“Iam so sorry about last night,” I said, wearing one of the outfits Hunter’s guard kindly retrieved from my cottage.
With a bodyguard in tow, Sean and I slowly wandered the sprawling Lockwood estate with its emerald lawns, a rainbow of flowers, and perfectly pruned trees.
The property stretched as far as the eye could see, a lavish oasis overlooking the vast blue waters of Lake Michigan.
We stopped at the edge of the cliff, where the world seemed to pause for a moment, as I closed my eyes and let the sun’s gentle caress wash over me, the heat seeping into my bones and driving away the chill that had settled there. A comforting embrace in the otherwise dark chapter of my life. The scent of freshly cut grass and blooming flowers filled the air, and as I listened to the distant lapping of waves against the rocky shoreline and birds singing songs that sounded like whispers of hope, I couldn’t help but marvel at the serenity that seemed to envelop the estate.
“Forget last night,” Sean said. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
But I could tell there was something more he’d come to say. Sean had traveled by Metra, bus, and Uber to get here, like a ridiculous public transportation triathlon. A ninety-minute journey that could have been avoided by simply calling to check on me.
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” I said.
“You didn’t offend me, but I’ve been your friend for years, Luna. I thought you’dwantto stay with me instead of the Addams family’s long-lost cousin.”
“Addams family?” I arched a brow.
Sean looked up. “The dude lives in a creepy mansion.”
“It’s not creepy. And there would be no realistic way for me to travel into the city every day to work. Plus, I don’t know how long this is going to take.”
“So, you’re staying with Dracula indefinitely, then.”
I wondered if Hunter was standing by one of the many windows, watching us right now, joined by his uncle and his brother Grayson, who’d arrived shortly after Sean.
“Indefinitelyis a strong word,” I said.
“I take it, that’s a yes.”
“He’s a nice guy,” I said.
“If you say so,” Sean muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
I couldn’t help but smile.
“You like Hunter, don’t you?” Sean accused.
When my cheeks burned, Sean’s gaze settled on them, a frown creasing his brow.
“You like him a lot.”
I did. God, I liked him so much, it scared me.
“He’s…different from I thought,” I hedged.
Sean scrubbed his jaw, looked up at the mansion that towered over us, and then shoved his hands into his pockets. He paused, his gaze dropping to the ground as he chewed the inside of his cheek, and then, after a prolonged silence, he lifted his eyes, a newfound determination shining within.
“I don’t like him for you, Luna. He’s not good enough for you.”
