Page 20 of Blue Moon

And Ryder hated that. But he’d hate it more if she let her guard down and ended up in danger again.

“A little fear is a healthy thing. It keeps you alive. You want Chinese?”

“You’re going to invite yourself over for dinner like all that stuff in the restaurant in San Gallicano never happened?”

“I hoped we could talk about it.”

“What is there to talk about? You lied about your sexuality, knowing how sensitive I am when it comes to that sort of thing.”

“Technically, I never said I was gay.”

“Oh, don’t you dare.” Luna put her hands on her hips, cheeks reddening. With fury, unfortunately. “Don’t you dare make this my fault. I remember the whole conversation. You said you and your boyfriend shaved off your beards for a charity fundraiser, I said, ‘You’re gay?’ and you said, ‘Is that a problem?’ And it wasn’t a problem, it was actually a relief, and then I find out you were married?”

“I wanted to tell you.”

“Really? Was that before or after you let me share your bed under false pretences?”

“Before.”

“Then why didn’t you? Wait, wait, do you really have three kids and a dog? They live with your wife, but they stay with you on the holidays?”

“I don’t have any kids. There was a cat, but my ex-wife kept her.”

Luna turned away with a huff, and Ryder felt helpless. Helpless, the same as he had eleven years ago when he’d been trying to hold on to the last woman he’d loved with his whole heart. He’d lost Neve, and although he’d never truly had Luna, the crushing pain in his chest at the thought of losing her made the situation hard to bear.

“Moon…”

Slowly, she turned to face him again, arms wrapped around herself. Defensive.

“When I was little, I always wanted a cat,” she said softly. “But Mom’s allergic. Or at least, she says she is, but I’ve never seen her sneeze or come out in hives or anything. I think she just doesn’t like animals.”

Or they didn’t like her. Amethyst Puckett had the personality of a hand grenade.

“Do you still want a cat?”

“Honestly, I’d prefer a dog. They show unconditional love, right? But they need walking, and what are the chances of you letting me go outside?”

“Alone? Not good right now,” Ryder admitted, beyond relieved that Luna was talking to him.

“And I don’t even have a yard anymore.”

“What’s happening with your house? Your mom’s still living there?”

“And Jubilee. Mom put everything in her name, and now that she’s lost her living, breathing ATM, she’s digging her claws in and holding on to everything.”

As Ryder had known she would. Amethyst was a real bitch, and he was honestly surprised that Luna’s psyche had survived the first twenty-six years of her life as intact as it was.

“You have a good lawyer?”

“Emmy found one for me. A woman. I like her.”

If Emmy found her, then she’d be no slouch. “If there’s a way to get the house back, she’ll find it.”

“I don’t think I’d want to live there again, even if it was possible. If Ron hadn’t stolen my money, I’d just buy a new place and move on.”

Ryder considered updating her on the Hill situation, but he didn’t want to get her hopes up. And when he’d checked in with Ana earlier this evening, they still had no leads on Irina.

“Use these months at the Nile Palace as breathing space. There’s no need to decide on your future right away.”

---