Page 49 of Under an Endless Moon

Which was why he was going to make sure Haddie got out of it before it had the chance of ruining her.

Excitement blazed in her demeanor. “It was amazing,” she drew out, tipping her face toward the ceiling. “And the dance bag I got with the money you gave me is so cute! You have to see it.” She grabbed his hand to tow him back through the arch and to the hallway that led to the three rooms on that side.

She dragged him into her room that was decorated frilly and pink.

She had her ballet stuff out on her bed like she couldn’t wait for her next class in a week.

“See!”

It was a big pink duffel bag that hadBorn to Danceembroidered on the front.

“Now that looks right up your alley to me.”

“Because it’s pink, right?!” she enthused.

A big grin pulled to his mouth. “That’s right.”

She was so damned cute. Her joy still true.

Disquiet buzzed through him when he thought about Raven back at the abandoned house. How shy and timid shewas. How she’d been stilted. He hated it for her, and he hoped to God that she was able to come out of it.

Haddie scrambled onto her bed and crisscrossed her legs, and he settled himself on the floor, which was pretty much their routine when he came to visit. “So, how’s everything else going?” he asked.

He tried to keep the edge out of it, but he couldn’t help it. Way he was always waiting for things to go south.

“Well, I got an A on my math test, and we’re learning long division, which is bleh, but I still totally aced it.” She rolled her eyes dramatically before she threaded her fingers together and sat forward. “And oh my gosh, guess what?”

“What?” he asked, his worry fading since it was clear his sister was doing just fine.

“I got invited to have a sleepover at Stephanie’s this weekend. Mom said it was totally fine.”

“She nice?”

Haddie groaned like he was impossible. “Why would I want to be friends with her if she isn’t nice?”

Well, that was pretty simple and plain, but he also knew girls could be mean as fuck. Probably making her wear pink on Wednesdays or some shit.

“Just checkin’.”

Haddie giggled. “You’re always checking on everything, and I already promised that I would tell you if anyone was mean to me.”

“That’s my girl.”

She beamed.

Otto roughed a hand through his hair, wondering how to broach it. “Speaking of friends…I met a new friend who has a little sister about the same age as you.”

Her brows rose. “Really?”

“Yeah…they’re staying with us for a bit.”

Haddie’s brows that had been high in exhalation knitted in worry. She knew where he lived only because he’d had to take her there once when their mom had disappeared for three days. He’d had half a mind to keep her, but in the end, he’d decided it was better for her here.

Where she had a real house.

He made sure she had a phone so she could reach him at any time, though, and she knew to use it if she needed him.

“She doesn’t have a house?” she whispered.

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