Page 24 of My Vigilante Valentine

My jaw clenched. “Luna?—”

“Yeah, yeah. Still pretending you’re not The Blade.” She waved a dismissive hand, then pulled out her phone. “And you wanting to avoid the cops is totally normal behavior for an innocent civilian.”

“Are you done?”

“I think so.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, then nodded at her phone. “What are you gonna tell them?”

Luna’s eyes sparkled. No wonder those cookies were so glittery. She shot the stuff straight from her eyeballs. “About what? The guy who broke in? Or the mysterious regular whosaved my life and then disappeared into the night so he wouldn’t get outed as you-know-who?”

“Luna.” This time, her name was a plea.

“Relax, Blade.” She stepped closer, close enough that I could smell the intoxicating blend of coffee and vanilla that clung to her skin. Feel the heat of her body, and the warm whisper of her breath as she angled her face so she could look up at mine. “I’ll tell them the truth.”

“Which is…?”

“Guy broke in, The Blade came to the rescue, and then he dipped out like he always does.”

I studied her face, looking for any sign that she was lying. That she would run straight to the media with the truth about me the second I turned my back.

But all I saw was sincerity.

Loyalty.

And maybe a hint of challenge—one that suggested covering for me now would have consequences later. Ones I might not be prepared for.

“Why are you covering for me?” I had to know. Had to understand what prompted this unshakable faith in me.

“Because you want me to.”

I arched a brow. “And I’m supposed to believe you like being told what to do?”

Her eyes flashed with something I couldn’t—or wouldn’t—name. “Maybe it depends on who’s doing the telling… and what they want me to do.”

Then, she shrugged, moving past that loaded comment like it hadn’t just set my blood on fire and turned my world upside down.

“Honestly?” she went on, retreating a step. “Because I like having you around, Jax. And something tells me you wouldn’t stick around if I outed you. Either because you moved on to savesome other city, or because the officials who run this one would throw your butt in jail. Keeping your secret sounds like the best plan for both of us.”

“Thank you,” I said, the words feeling small after everything she’d just confessed. I leaned in a little, drawn to her light. Then, I caught myself and took a quick step back. “I should go so you can call them.”

She nodded.

There was understanding in her eyes now, but not defeat. I had a feeling that with Luna Wilde, there would never be that.

Then she reached out to brush some stray bits of broken glass off my sleeve, and instead of easily dodging her touch, I let her. I even let her linger for a second, the heat of her palm soaking through my hoodie and warming me to the bone.

Glancing down at the guy again—man, I really got him good—I pursed my lips. “I’m gonna stay close until they get here. Just in case.”

“In the alley? What if they see you?”

Meeting her gaze, I let the corner of my mouth quirk up just slightly. “They won’t.”

Mostly because I’d be on the roof, watching. Guarding her like a freaking gargoyle, primed to come alive to crush anyone who meant her harm.

But she didn’t need to know all of that.

Without another word, I turned and headed for the back exit, moving silently through the shadows like I’d done a thousand times before. But this time felt different.

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