Page 62 of Mocha Kisses

I shrug. “Didn’t even want to come anyway. Thanks.”

Griffin hasn’t let go in the last several moments but we have to walk and this embrace is going to make it impossible to do so. I tap his shoulder and he grunts before moving to my side, fists curling and uncurling at his thighs. He’s trying to stay strong and I have no idea what they said to him or if they touched him, however, unleashing my fury here won’t save anyone. I also won’t feel better for it like I used to. Griffin marches out of the room and heads straight for the door but the part I hate most is the way he dons that fake smile. These people don’t deserve that and yet he still plays the fucking part to a T.

Luna

Romehasthecarpulled around before stuffing me into the back but I can’t settle, not even when Rome tells me that Nova has Griffin. I need to see him. Is this how he felt when I disappeared the other day? God, my heart hurts and I keep forgetting to breathe, Rome reminding me every few seconds that everything is okay.

Everything isnotokay.

I nearly launch out of the backseat when Nova appears walking Griffin out of the venue but Rome locks the door at the last minute. “Patience, sweetheart. You can see that he’s okay.”

He’s not okay though. He looks like a fucking ghost. I did that.I. Did. That.

When the backdoor finally does open and Griffin climbs in, I cling to him, trying to fix him with kisses. I expect him to be angry at me, to yell at me for bringing this into his world but he just looks at me, his expression so full of love and concern. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?” I shake my head, frowning at his question. “God, I thought they did something, and then Yana…fucking Yana.”

Now I’m just confused.

“What do you think you’re doing?” A familiar but unwanted voice shouts from the red carpet. Angry click-clacks sound on the pavement as she takes the stairs rather than the ramp. Nova pushes Griffin farther inside before sitting beside us, shielding us from an angry PR manager. “You can’t leave early. This whole thing is aboutyourbook, Griffin. You signed a fucking contract.”

Nova answers for him, neither of us in a position to deal with a woman who’s turned into a witch. “You can spin this however you like but you knew that the choices you made would cause some discomfort. Besides, Griffin stays long enough for a few greetings and then heads home. This is no different.”

“No one even got to meet the supposed wife because she spent the last half hour in the bathroom!”

I tighten my hold on Griffin as he slowly moves me into his lap. His arms banded around my back feel like he’s holding on for dear life whilst also trying to comfort me. I hate this for us. I want to tell this woman off but I can’t find the words. Or my voice. Or my strength. I’m just happy that Griffin is untouched. At least I hope he is.

Nova takes a deep breath and then lets it out before slipping to his feet. He towers over Yana by a good four or five inches, the muscles in his back tensing up. “Yana, I would advise you to back the fuck up and allow us to leave. Spin your stories as you always do when it comes to the PR of selling a book, but maybe you should be checking who you let into the venue. Found a few suits that didn’t belong and definitely weren’t there for a book launch. In fact, I’m pretty sure 90% of the attendees were there for something else entirely. Griffin is contractually obligated to attendonepress release and party per book. This thing you’ve thrust upon him wasn’t planned nor was it required. He did it to please you and also to protect the woman the world now knows as his wife. Now, if you’ll excuse us.”

He climbs back into the car, slams the door in Yana’s face, and then nods to Rome who takes off. Seconds later his gaze is on us, but while it was spitting fire at Yana, it’s soft and worried when it lands on me and Griffin. “What happened, Luna?” My name on his lips is sweet heaven as I release Griffin and climb onto Nova’s lap, Griffin grabbing my feet so that my legs are splayed over his thighs. “Angel, fuck, you’re trembling.”

“I just needed a minute. Griffin said the cameras were a lot and then John was in the bathroom. Said that he’s been watching me for years.Years.And that his wife has been telling him where I am and what I’m doing and then he said since I’m married, they’ll come after Griffin too.”

Nova’s hold tightens around me. “Excuse me?” He wants to ask more questions but I’m not ready to relive those moments. I think he knows that as he drops a kiss to my head and I squirm, as it hits the same place my father’s did.

“I think I know who his wife is.”

The car pulls to a stop as we all turn to look at Griffin. The color has returned to his face as he rubs his hands along my shins, tinkering with the little bow on my flats. “I was told there were a few movie investors to meet but Yana didn’t tell me anything about them. They were pretty quick to talk about Luna’s debt and then they gave me a fucking business card. I dialed it and she picked up. Yana. It’s her. She’s the wife. The third party. The one who’s been fucking with you.” Griffin drags his phone from his pocket and pulls up the phone call. “I didn’t catch it before I put it in my pocket but it’s her fucking number.”

His gaze jerks up to mine, fury building behind those expressive gray eyes. “She’s known your every fucking move because you work for the company. You mentioned that Maximillian helped you out. He would know where you were and he wouldn’t think twice about fucking Yana finding out. She led you right here for your fucking money.”

“That doesn’t make sense, Griffin,” Rome starts. “That third party is the one looking to fund a purchase in Spring Haven-”

Nova cuts him off as he pulls me closer, setting his chin on my head. “She needs the money and she knows where to get it without paying the fucking price for it. All the burden is on Luna’s shoulders. The loan won’t be paid off but she’ll have what she needs without anyone being the wiser. If we didn’t know, Luna would be shit out of luck when Paula’s Agency came around to ask for it back. Griffin, what was the contract they were trying to get you to sign?”

He tenses. “Just that I’d shoulder the debt. They wanted me to wire money right then and then I sent you the text. They weren’t as terrifying as some of the other guys you’ve dealt with but like… I didn’t know if one of you guys would find me before I signed and I didn’t want the whole venue to know.”

I fiddle with Nova’s jacket, not wanting to deal with any of this. I’ve been played with, tossed around, and used. Griffin nearly signed that fucking contract for me. “Can we just go home? I want to go home.”

“Angel-”

“She’s fucking orchestrated my entire 20’s, Nova. I don’t want to think that one woman has had that much power over me, okay? It hurts. It fucking hurts. And to know that we have that pre-launch party next week. Well, you do, but no doubt I’m invited as your wife.” This conversation isn’t going to end here but I also don’t want to have it on the side of the road in a rental. Yana could be anywhere and I just want to curl up in bed and sleep the rest of the day away. It’s not practical but at least I can shed this dress and not think about it again.

The car starts up again in silence, everyone content that we’re in one piece. I know that the suits Griffin was with startled him a bit because he’s not wearing that smile he usually does. Was Yana’s point to break us? Because it’s fucking working.

Nova

IwatchasGriffinand Luna snuggle up together on the couch after stripping out of their fancy clothing. Luna dons his shirt before gathering him up against her chest, both of them holding each other as they draw comfort from the embrace. Ten minutes later, Griffin is snoring, Luna passed out beneath him. If things were different, I’d find amusement in Griffin sprawled out across Luna’s chest, his lips parted just above her breast, a thin layer of drool on her bare skin showing where the shirt had slid off her shoulder.

“Adorable, aren’t they?” Rome asks, pulling me out of the moment. I twist around to see that his suit jacket is gone, his shirt completely unbuttoned and the belt holding his pants has disappeared. I forget sometimes that the men around me aren’t used to wearing a suit on the daily. “You know what’s not fucking adorable?” He grabs his phone off the table and lobs it to me.

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