Page 45 of Casper
“Sometimes. One night he shoved me really hard for smiling at one of his friends. I fell and sprained my wrist. I was only being friendly.” Luna picked up the ketchup bottle on the side of the table, pouring some on the edge of her plate. “Another time I was…”
She trailed off, having a hard time putting it into words. I reached across the table to take her hand in mine, bringing it to my lips. I kissed her fingertips before signing, “You can tell me anything.”
Plucking a fry from the pile on her plate, she dipped it in ketchup, munching it thoughtfully as she gathered herself. I braced myself for whatever she was about to tell me, knowing it would severely test my inner Hyde.
“I was on my period one time,” she began keeping her voice low. “I didn’t feel like having sex. Cramps and all that. According to Jace, that meant he had a free pass to fuck any other hole in my body he desired. Whether I wanted him to or not. I’m sure I don’t need to spell that out in detail for you.”
“No you do not,” I signed, my hands shaking with rage.
I did my best to swallow it down. She was already upset enough. I didn’t want to add to that. Inwardly, I plotted Jace’s death. There was no other option for him. I couldn’t let him live. Especially since he still had a fixation with Luna.
“There were other incidents. Most of which I’d rather not relive. Let’s just say that being with Jace was toxic in the worst way. He was nasty and mean. I’d hoped he would forget about me while he was in prison.” She shrugged, reaching for another fry, popping it in her mouth and chewing absently, like she wasn’t really tasting it. Merely going through the motions.
I rubbed my forehead, doing everything I could not to pound a fist on the table and smash my dish on the floor. None of that would help a damn thing. I needed an outlet for the seething hatred I felt for this piece of shit.
Finally, I couldn’t stop myself. My hands moved as I asked, “Do you want me to get rid of him? You’ll never see him again.”
Luna’s shoulders slumped. “You have no idea how bad I want to say yes. But I can’t. I can’t have that on my conscience.”
“I won’t let him hurt you again,” I promised. “No matter what it takes. He deserves it, flower. There’s no reason to feel bad about that.”
I made sure to slow down my hands so she was able to keep up. She’d been doing so much better lately. I rarely had to type anything out on the phone anymore. Still, I would if that’s what it took to make sure we were on the same page here.
“Maybe he’ll stay away now. Maybe tonight was enough for him to realize me and him are really over. I can’t be part of something like that, Casper. Please understand.” She motioned to the burger I had yet to touch. “You should eat something.”
My appetite had faded as she spoke about Jace. To appease her, I picked up my burger and took a bite. We both knew what I had to do. Luna may not have wanted to admit it to herself. Deep down she wanted it done.
I would never claim to be a good man. God knew that wasn’t the case. I had blood on my hands. There was no guilt in my conscience regarding the things I’d done. Yet I would neverhurt Luna. Not like that. She was a goddess walking this earth. Gracing the rest of us with her celestial beauty. Anyone who dared to put his hands on her the way she’d described deserved to have those hands removed before dying a slow, agonizing death.
We finished our food in silence. Luna seemed lost in thought. Like she wasn’t fully there with me. It made me crazy to see what he had done to her. How easily he got inside her head.
Jace Ford believed that Luna belonged to him. He was wrong. She was mine. I would stop at nothing to protect her.
After we finished at the diner, I drove Luna back to her dorm. I would’ve preferred for her to stay at my place where I knew she would be safe. She insisted on going back to her own place.
“I need to be alone for a while, Casper. To decompress and get my head on straight.” She leaned over the console in the car to kiss me. Her soft hand on my face as she scraped a fingernail over the faint stubble forming on my jaw.
“You’re my girl,” I signed when she pulled away. “My beautiful flower.”
She smiled, bestowing the greatest gift upon me. “I am. Yours.”
That was all I needed to hear. With those simple words she brought a bright light to my dark world. She changed everything.
Because I didn’t trust that evil fuck, I walked her up to the dorm room, making sure nobody was around or inside before leaving her there. It didn’t feel right. Even though I’d placed a camera in the room, that wouldn’t do shit if Jace got to her. I’d never make it back in time if he wanted to hurt her.
Respecting her wishes to be alone, I left the dorm and got back in my car. Right away I took out my phone, pulling up a well-known contact to the Kings. I fired off a text that included Jace’s first and last name.
I need whatever info you can get me on this guy. ASAP.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
LUNA
The rest of the weekend was thankfully uneventful. I spent Sunday in my dorm room working on a class assignment. Doing my best to tune out the real world and lose myself in the work.
My friends reached out to me several times to ask if I wanted to meet for lunch or hang out. Needing to be alone with my thoughts, I thanked them for their concern and told the girls I would see them on campus during the school week.
I wasn’t trying to shut anyone out. Seeing Jace had really fucked with my head. So many horrible memories had been forced to the surface. I found myself looking out the window for any sign of him. Every door slam or extra loud footsteps in the hallway had me bracing myself.
