Page 42 of Mocha Kisses

“Sweetheart, what’s going on?”

“Just… home please.” I don’t want to talk out on the street anymore. I need safety, safety that only comes from four walls that include a door that can be locked. I’ll figure out my plan in the morning, whatever that may be.

Rome throws the keys over the roof of the car to Griffin and then opens the door to help me inside. He slides in beside me, wrapping me up in his arms as Griffin heads back to Spring Haven. I stay in that position, my fingers slowly curling into Rome’s shirt the longer that I’m in his hold. Neither of them try to talk me out of my anxious state. Not even when we reach the apartment and they help me out of the car and up the stairs.

I turn around in a panic, quickly reaching for my backpack and clutching it to my chest. When I finally settle enough to realize where I am—in the middle of their living room—I see all three men in different states of concern staring at me. Griffin is standing the closest, his hands in his pockets because he knows reaching for me will only set me off. The other two don’t know that though so I silently plead with my gray-eyed writer for an escape.

He leads me to his room and shuts the door behind him, eyeing me as I climb onto his bed and curl into a ball. “Luna, you said you wanted to go home.”

“Thisishome,” I whisper. It’s more of a home than anything else I’ve had. “I just need a little quiet, okay? That… I want to love it. All of it. You, Rome, Nova. But—marriage? Rumors and… we were just shopping and I…”

Griffin sits on the edge, patting my thigh. “And I’m pretty sure that something else spooked you. Can I see your phone?”

So, he noticed that. I don’t move as he reaches into my pocket and pulls it out, opening my text messages. His face falls as he reads and rereads, his thumb scrolling across the screen. “You get these all the time?”

“They stopped when I got a new phone. That’s the first one I’ve seen.” I’m guessing the last text I saw wasn’t the first one they sent today. “It’s always right before they show up but I wanted to trust that you guys… I don’t…”

“Don’t diminish your fears, Luna. They’re valid. I’m glad that you feel safe here, with us. If you had asked to go back to Ms. Elrod’s, I would have asked if one of us could go with you. Do you want me to stay in here with you or do you want to be alone?”

“Can I have a few minutes?”

“Of course, precious.” Griffin leans down to kiss my lips, soft and sweet. “We’ll just be right outside. Mind if I steal this?” He wiggles the phone at me and I shake my head. When he leaves, I curl up tighter, my backpack safe against my chest. That’s when the first tear falls and then I can’t stop the waterfall that follows.

God, I hope they can help me because I’m so tired of running.

Griffin

“Caretotellmewhat the fuck that was?” Nova barks the moment I step back into the living room. He’s furious, that much is clear, and I realize it’s because Luna means far more to him than he’s ready to let on. His jaw ticks as his arms fold across his chest, Nova leaning against the wall by the kitchen. Rome seems torn between joining Luna and staying here to figure out what’s going on.

I approach Nova slowly before placing a hand on his chest, hoping to calm his rage even as I hide my own heart breaking. Luna didn’t want me to hear but I heard the beginning of her sobs. Knowing that she’s safe in my room is the only thing keeping me from gathering her up in my arms. “She’s okay. The outing was just a lot.”

“For you?” He questions, his expression softening. It’s not a secret that I don’t leave the apartment much. Not because I can’t but because I just don’t have to. It became a bad habit, waltzing between the office space downstairs and the space up here. Neither Rome nor Nova seem to mind but I find comfort where I don’t have to deal with rumors, fake smiles, and remembering what I’ve lost.

“Well yeah but that’s not what happened. There’s a rumor going around that Luna and I got married.”

“What?”

Rome butts in, “We’re not sure who started it but Vera caught us in Red Brook and was pretty adamant about it. Thought we were the best men at the wedding or some shit. I’ve never hated how private we are about our lives till now. If they all knew that you two were dating, I’m sure this rumor wouldn’t have started. I don’t even knowhowit did but someone mentioned something yesterday too.”

Nova looks between the both of us, obviously thinking about the consequences of Luna continuing this relationship between the three of us. “Fin, she looked like she was falling apart when she came in here.”

“She was. They texted her again, a few times actually.” I hand the phone to him, letting him peruse the same texts I saw a moment ago. “She’s fucking terrified and I know her. She’ll try to run.”

“She can’t.” Those tortured, rough words come from Rome and I can see the conflict in his eyes. We’ve all found something in Luna that we didn’t believe we’d ever find or deserve. None of us are ready to let go. She’s my heart and soul. I know she fills a hole in Rome’s heart. He has so much love to give. And Nova, he needs someone to see past the rough exterior that he puts up as a guard. I do well enough but that hug earlier? I know how important that was to him, just as it was for her.

Nova’s grip on the phone tightens. “She say anything else?”

“Just that they usually only text once they’re here. What doyouknow?”

“Not as much as I want to, Fin. Fuck!” He pulls his arm back to chuck the device against the wall and then thinks better of it as he hands it back to me. I haven’t seen him lose his cool in a while. I don’t blame him, though. I’m barely keeping it together. Nova wraps an arm around my waist and tucks me into his side as he begins detailing what he does know about Paula’s Agency and the link between John Williamson’s debt and the men constantly after Luna.

It doesn’t add up though.

Sounds like a terrible suspense movie.

“Is there an endgame to this? So John stole a million dollars and offloaded the burden onto his daughter. I don’t understand the absolute need for all this.” I pull away from Nova, glaring at him for the additional information he’s holding back.

“I spoke with someone who paid off a loan recently but they weren’t speaking with Paula’s Agency. It’s someone else and the business card is top notch but it’s not the same. The last digit is off. And before you get your panties in a twist, yes, I called the number. It’s out of service. Whoever is rearranging things knows what they’re doing.” Nova runs a hand through his hair, further mussing up his black and silver strands. I recognize the dark lines beneath his eyes and the toll this is taking on him.

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