Page 49 of Mocha Kisses

She needs the guidance that we can give her and I know I shouldn’t but I want that for us. I want herwithus. I want to be the one she runs to and clings to when she needs out of her head. It may be selfish of me but hearing her plead for me not to leave her? It meanseverything.

The bath water runs as I move over to Luna, crouching in front of her. Her entire body is trembling as she reaches for me again, her words trying to calm her even as I know she doesn’t believe them. “It was just a package. Not for me. They… they know about Griffin. I think. But I’m okay. I’m safe.”

Luna repeats those last words on a loop, chanting it to herself until it becomes a low hum. Her fingers tighten in my shirt as she drags me closer, tears filling her eyes.

“You are safe, Luna,” I lie. I want it to be true but with every piece that we find out and everything that keeps happening, I can’t be sure of that. Still, I’m determined to try and keep that promise. Slowly, I stand up and point to the bath. “Go ahead and climb in, alright? I’ll just be outside.” At those words, Luna gasps and shakes her head, staring at the bathroom door sitting ajar to the bedroom. I can’t imagine what’s running through her mind right now. “Luna, do you want me to stay?”

Luna pauses, looks at the tub, and then back at me before nodding.

“We have to get you out of the clothes before I get you in there, though.” I hold my breath as the realization hits her. The other two have felt the scars that lie beneath her clothes but I have yet to see the damage the men after her have inflicted. Knowing that it’s not all from Paula’s Agency angers me further. “Luna, I’ll be right outside, okay?”

She takes another moment to think before standing up. I watch as she pulls at the shoulders of the dress I bought and slides it down her body, revealing the expanse of bare skin that has my mouth watering. Even at a time like this, I have to will my cock to stay put, her gorgeous curves completely on display. Every part of her is beautiful, from her breasts to her wide hips, to the lingerie that Griffin told me all about. However, that’s when I see the scars littered across her body, streaks that never fully healed, and raised ones that looked like they truly hurt.

Luna turns to me, her gaze slowly meeting mine as her arms go to wrap around her bare chest. “Don’t cover up in front of me, angel.” I step closer and pull her arms away. “You are a piece of heaven that’s stepped into our lives and that will never change. Let’s get you that bath.” I push her toward the tub, Luna trying to fight me.

“You’re coming in, right?”

“If you want me to.”

She nods and I strip as well, stepping in first and then helping her in. Luna sits with her back against my chest, her knees pulled up with her arms around them. I pull her closer, wrapping my arms around all of her before setting my chin on the top of her head. The warm water surrounds us in a cocoon of peace, steam rising off the surface as we sit there in comfortable silence.

It isn’t long before she leans her head against my chest and begins to relax, letting go of her legs so that she can stretch out.

“Better?” I ask as I hold her. In different circumstances, I imagine Luna wiggling against me, stirring up my cock, and pleading for me to fuck her. I quite like this version, though, being able to hold her and comfort her with my presence. Luna hums her response, making no other move to answer. Taking a liberty I probably shouldn’t, I fiddle with the curls that have made it into the water, slowly drawing the tangles out until I’m working from root to end.

Her pleased sighs have me continuing until Luna has somehow twisted around in my arms, her body draped over my lap. I never understood the need for such a wide tub but I’m thankful for it now as she curls into my chest, allowing me to truly run my fingers through her gorgeous mane. I reach for the shampoo and liberally coat her hair before starting to work it into the roots. Luna’s next sigh fans my bare chest, one of her hands flattened against my skin.

And that’s when I feel her fingers starting to drag along the pattern of one of my tattoos.

“What are you doing, angel?” I ask, my voice several octaves deeper than a few moments ago.

“Distracting myself,” she whispers. I let her continue as I massage her head and work through her curls. Domestic life never suited me before Griffin and now with Luna, I can’t imagine anything else. It might have only been a few days but I want a forever with them, with Rome too. Rome’s feelings for Griffin aren't as much of a surprise as they should be, the stolen glances and smiles telling me that it was inevitable. I don’t mind in the slightest.

Griffin’s heart is so big. He deserves everything in this world. Luna, too.

“Lean back for me, angel,” I prod and she shifts a little lower so I can rinse her hair out in the bath. None of this is practical but I don’t care. The sleepy smile on our woman’s face is what I was working toward and the lack of tension in her shoulders makes me happy. However, now that I have her this close, I can’t help trailing some of those scars with my eyes—what’s visible above the water at least. “Who hurt you, angel?” There’s a raw edge to my voice as I swallow down a wanton sob. Luna merely stirs but doesn’t answer.

I don’t expect her to because the answer is too long. So many have hurt her. So many haven’t been there for her.

Placing a firm hand on her waist has Luna stiffening slightly and looking up at me. She’s waiting for me to direct this moment, to tell her what comes next. Unfortunately, I don’t have all the answers. I scoot her away from me and the poor woman scrambles to her knees, perching forward to see where I’m going. I bite back a chuckle as I reach around her and pull the plug so that the tub starts to drain before helping her to her feet and turning on the shower.

“Just need to rinse us off, angel.”

Luna nods into my shoulder as I rinse through her hair and then begin working my body wash into her skin. Maybe I should have asked but she’s turned up smelling like lemon the past few days. I’m sure the first time was an accident but thinking about her sharing the same scent as me feeds into my primal needs. Luna lets me maneuver her, even as I help her out of the bath and sit her back on the toilet to dry her off.

She clings to the towel I wrap around her and bows her head so that I can start in on her hair. “I don’t want to be scared anymore, Nova. I’m so tired.”

My heart breaks a little more as I continue, not wanting to see the despair in her expression again. A little more research hasn’t brought up much but knowing that whoever’s after her ishereand that John Williamson is most likely lurking around Spring Haven has me on edge. What does he want with a daughter he’s never met?

“They’re here, aren’t they? We don’t have any more time.” Luna angles her head up and the towel on her head slides to her shoulders. Her hands sit in her lap, her fingers pull at each other which just shows how anxious she is. “I want the truth, Nova. How bad is it?”

Just rip off the bandaid or coax her in? One look at her and I know she doesn’t want any more coaxing. “You might have had a day or two but I think it has more to do with your father being in town than the fact that they found you. Either his presence alerted them to yours or something similar.”

Her face contorts as she begins working through her hair. The speed at which she works is mesmerizing. “Did Rome tell you that I saw someone out my window the other night? At least I thought I did.” Luna launches into a little description of the man, my heart dropping into my stomach as I grab a towel and wrap it around my waist. “Wait, Nova. Why—that was him, wasn’t it? My father?” I want to tell her no but everyone that works with Paula’s Agency is either my age or younger. Why John would be stalking his daughter is beyond me. “What does he want with me?”

When I look back over at her, she’s standing, her wild curls starting to form from her dried hair, her fists clenched at her sides. The towel wrapped around her has been discarded on the floor, my naked piece of heaven staring at me, furious. The fight burning in her eyes warms my heart. It tells me that she’s not just a scared kitten, that she truly is done dealing with her father’s shit.

“I wish I knew, angel. We’ll figure this out but that’s a tomorrow problem. Tonight, I don’t want you to worry about it. No, Luna, listen to me.” I step up to her, pinching her chin and angling it upward so that she can’t look away. “They will still be here tomorrow but they won’t do anything with you in the house. Especially now that your name has come up with Griffin’s. The Agency might be into illegal shit but they aren’t stupid. Bringing in a party that isn’t tied to that loan is dangerous on their part.” Luna nods and I continue. “Let’s sleep.”

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