Page 10 of Jared's Redemption

“Next time, use your manners.”

Luna looks up at me, confusion obvious in her face until anger wins out, just as I hoped it would.

“You’re a perv.” She snaps, turning on heel and scurrying back to the bedroom while glancing back at me over her shoulder. I don’t miss the heated look she gives me, intentional or not. That shouldn’t have happened, and I was only making this entire situation worse with every interaction. I rub a hand over my face, pinching the bridge of my nose before a knock comes from my door.

From the hallway connecting our homes, Isabelle’s muffled voice asks, “Are you guys bumping uglies?”

I roll my eyes, turning the lock and opening the door for her to come in. Isabelle looks around the room, tsking while shaking her head.

“What now, princess?” I ask, shutting the door and following her back to the couch.

“Not to be weird, but I expected you guys to totally wreck this place from hot, freaky sex with all that tension you’ve got going on.” She says honestly with an evil grin. Luna opens the door, looking down at the oversized black t-shirt she wears while pulling on it.

“Your clothes are so comfortable. They’re almost worth you spanking me for them.” she says, smiling at me when she looks up. Her face falls when she spots Isabelle hiding her mouth behind her hand.

“I knew he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands to himself. Fucking animal.” Isabelle says, coughing to cover her laughter. Luna crosses her arms, giving Isabelle a small wave. I motion Luna to the couch, patting the spot next to me for her to sit down.

Chapter 7- Luna

I nod my head, bouncing my knee with nervous energy, waiting for Jared to spill his alleged plan. While trying to ignore the fact that I’m not wearing any freaking pants. He clears his throat, looking at me.

“Luna wasn’t trying to protect Steffen. She was actually after the kill just as I was, on orders from her family. If she and I work together to take him down, then she gets credit for it and we avoid a war with another family.” Jared suggests. He looks at Isabelle to hear what she thinks. I open and snap my mouth shut, because she leans around him to scrutinize me.

“What guarantee’s she won’t run back to her family and rat us out for kidnapping her?” She asks. I hold my hands up defensively.

“Shockingly enough, where I was before is worse than this. Trust me.” I say. Isabelle shakes her head and leans back.

“I don’t trust you.” The words aren’t cold as they leave her lips, but they still send a shiver down my spine while she looks at me with sadness.

“I want to, though. What family do you belong to?” She asks me sincerely. After a few moments pass, I consider just telling them, but Jared interjects.

“She’s told me, and it’s somebody who would never cause problems for us. We can trust her.” He says, his tone sure and strong.

My mind spins when I realize what he’s saying. Jared is lying to her to protect me because I haven’t told him my last name. When I do, when they realize who I am, all this supposed trust will go right out the window. Isabelle stares at him, biting her lip before sighing and smiling at me.

“Okay, first thing in the morning, the two of you and my husbands will sit down to figure out how to eliminate Steffen for good.” She says, standing up and heading for the door. She stops, turning to look at me halfway out the door.

“If you put my family in danger, or if I find out you’re lying, I won’t hesitate to kill you. No matter who your family is. I hope we can be friends, though.” With that, she shuts the door softly and leaves me staring wide eyed while Jared snorts.

“She’s passionate about her family because she never really had one before Markus and Alec came along.” He says, shrugging an arm and draping it over the couch behind me.

Part of me respects her honesty, and another part of me envies the family she has found. Jared picks up a tv remote and clicks on the large screen, propping his feet up on the table while scrolling leisurely through channels.

With his attention fixed on the television, I watch him from the corner of my eye, biting my lip as I look from the specks of gray in his beard to his strong shoulders. A long moment passes as the tension keeps building, threatening to suffocate me.

“See something you like?” He taunts.

“Not really.”

“Then stop staring.” He snarls. Feeling bold, I reach forward and grab his glass to down the last of his whiskey. It burns and my face twists as the strong flavor.

“Sure, help yourself.” He mutters, snatching the glass and stomping towards the kitchen. It had been a long time since I’ve had any fun, and I planned to tonight.

When he returns, I notice he sets the drink closer to me. I lift the glass, pouring some into my mouth before climbing into his lap.

“What the Hell are you doing?” He huffs. But I press my open lips to his, letting the whiskey run into his mouth. He kisses me back a moment before twisting us to pin me to the couch beneath him.

“Do you share drinks with everyone this way?”

---