Page 50 of Mocha Kisses

“I-” she begins and then sucks in her bottom lip.

“I’ll tell them.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to say!” she huffs but that playful smile I’ve caught once or twice is back on her lips.

“I do. You feel safe with the three of us. Communication has to happen between us for this to work, assuming that you want it to. You tell us what you need and we’ll make sure it happens.” I’m sure the men in the other room won’t mind me speaking up for them.

She frowns as she pulls away from me and grabs her towel, drying herself off completely and then pushing into the bedroom. I don’t comment on the way she immediately searches one of the drawers by the bed for a shirt, pulling out one of Griffin’s and slipping it on. “I don’t understand why you always know what to say. What do you guys need? This partnership feels very one-sided, not that I’m complaining. I just-” she huffs, obviously frustrated as she turns to face me. “I bulldozed in here, slid into your relationship with Griffin, and now there’s Rome, and I-”

“Angel, stop thinking so hard. We needyou, Luna.”

“Which means what?”

“Don’t run.Please.” This time it’s me pleading. I leave her with that thought as I slip on a pair of sweats and then walk out into the living room. Griffin and Rome are sitting on the couch, eagerly waiting for news as they look around me for Luna. “What am I? Chopped liver? She’s fine. Well, as good as she can be despite the circumstances.”

Griffin sits forward a little more, only settling with Rome’s hand on his knee. “What next?”

“Dogpiling in the living room. She needs the three of us tonight.”

There’s a half second before they both jump up to grab pillows and blankets, Luna emerging from the room soon after. She steps into my side, watching as the other two build the equivalent of a blanket fort in the living room, her head tipping up for a kiss when Griffin appears in front of her. He whisks her away to our temporary sleeping arrangement, Rome immediately attaching himself to her side.

She needs the three of us but it’s easy to see that she doesn’tneedme the way she needs them.

Sure, Luna feels protected in my arms but what happens when she no longer needs that protection? Do her feelings come with an expiration date? A grunt tears me from my thoughts, Griffin glaring at me from his place on the floor. He knows exactly what I’m thinking but I can’t help it.

Luna

Lastnightwasperfect,cuddled into Griffin’s chest while Nova held him and Rome snuggled up to my backside. It was everything I needed after my freakout which is terrifying. Unable to handle those emotions, I untangled myself from them the moment I could. Nova wanted to promise me so much last night. It was on the tip of his tongue. He told me not to run but how can I stay when I know that my troubles are about to fall in their laps?

They never asked for this.

I tiptoe across the living room and snatch up my bag, grimacing when the only thing I have to slip on is one of the dresses we bought in Red Brook. It’ll do for the short walk to Ms. Elrod’s. I won’t be staying long, anyway. Besides, running is what I do best.

Taking one last glance at the men whom I’ve all but given my heart to, I scamper down the steps and out the door before speeding to the bed and breakfast. It’s absolutely stupid to be doing this at night when I know that the suited goons are in town, not to mention my father but I’ll feel better locked in the little room, away from the men I love.

I’ve been running for so long that I’ve forgotten how to lean.

Sleep escapes me as I pull out Griffin’s manuscript and decide to focus on that instead. I’ll leave when it’s daylight so that I have a smaller chance of getting caught. My dark thoughts get the better of me, my body hot and uncomfortable until I’m yanking off my dress and chucking it. It marginally helps as I continue working, trying to ignore the growing panic in my chest. The hours pass by, both Rome and Griffin spam-calling and texting to figure out where I disappeared to. It isn’t until Rome threatens to call the police that I finally pick up just after nine am.

“Sweetheart, what the fuck?” He’s not sugarcoating it, is he? “I thought last night—I think you broke Griffin.”

“I can’t stay. They’re here! And what if they come after you? I’ll… I’ll finish the manuscript. I’m almost done and I don’t need to be in Spring Haven for this. I won’t let them get to you.”

“Running isn’t going to help, sweetheart. Just promise me you’re not leaving.”

I don’t respond because I can’t promise that. I won’t. There’s some shuffling on the other line before Nova’s voice filters through the earpiece. “Angel, I’m giving you one hour. One hour to deal with those emotions before I come to your door. One hour for you to explain why you ran even though you asked me last night what we needed, whatIneeded. One hour for you to decide what you truly want because fuck if I’ll let you break Griffin’s heart again. One hour, Luna. That’s all you get.” He ends the call and I sag against the mattress, realizing how much damage I’ve done.

I left Griffin. Again. He wasn’t able to say goodbye and this time, I didn’t even fucking leave a letter. I just… left. I wrap myself up tight, rocking myself back and forth. How can they still want me after Ipromisednot to leave? Time gets away from me again and I only know that it’s been an hour as my door swings open, revealing a furious Nova. He steps inside, his jaw pulled tight, the sleeves of his muscle shirt rolled up to reveal those intrinsic tattoos. I swallow nervously, scooting back on the mattress as if that will save me from the fire burning in his expression.

It takes me a few moments to realize that he’s not entirely looking atmeso much as the disarray that I’m in. Last night was a beautiful moment between us and then the four of us and I ruined it. Now, I’m here with Griffin’s pages strewn across the bed, the dress thrown halfway across the room. Which means he can see me, fully, as I truly am.

“I gave you one hour, Luna.” His voice is rough and scratchy, much different from the soothing one he used on me yesterday. A conversation like this, though, requires clothes. I scramble from the bed and slip back into my dress just as Nova closes the door behind him and approaches the bed. He grabs the chair by the vanity and pulls it close so that I’m trapped between the mattress and the sliver of room on the other side. “Explain. Yesterday you needed my patience. Today, I need answers. I won’t be gentle, Luna.”

“I just-”

“Be very careful of the words that come out of your mouth.”

“I’ve gotten really good at running, okay?” I throw out, unsure why he doesn’t understand. “It’s all I know. I want to believe all of those promises you three have told me but I can’t, not really. Not until all this is over with. You don’t understand, Nova. I’ve tried having more than a one-night stand or a friend and then they would show up, absolutely terrifying everyone I know. They’ve started calling my job.”

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