CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CASPER
When some time in the church away from everyone else didn’t help Luna calm down, I decided it was time to leave.
She seemed to be incredibly shaken up. That told me more about her ex than anything else.
It took all of my willpower and inner strength to stay with her and not go after him. He was a fucking dead man.
“Let’s get out of here,” I signed. “We’ll go grab a coffee or something.”
Luna sniffed, her nose red from the cold. She looked so fucking sad when she nodded. “Okay. That would be nice.”
I paused to tell Stray to let me know if that fucker was spotted again before leading Luna from the church. Neither of us had had much to drink yet tonight. We took an Uber back to the house to pick up my car. From there, we went to an all-night diner the guys and I occasionally frequented.
Grabbing my favorite booth in the corner, I picked up the menu, flipping to the page filled with burgers. I didn’t want to push Luna to open up too quickly, but we needed to talk. She needed to tell me more about this guy. He was up to no good.
The waitress came by our table to take our drink order.
We both opted for coffee. I already knew what I wanted for food.
I got the same bacon cheeseburger every time I came here.
Luna occupied herself by perusing the menu carefully.
I got the feeling she was using the time to gather her thoughts.
Deciding what exactly she wanted to tell me.
When the waitress returned with our coffee, I pointed at my selection on the menu. Luna shoved her menu aside and said, “I’ll just have some fries, please.”
The menu wasn’t all that veggie friendly. Maybe I should’ve taken her somewhere else.
“Sorry about the lack of plant based options,” I signed. “Next time we’ll go somewhere that has more choices for both of us.”
She waved away my concern, offering me a small smile. “It’s all good. I like fries. I mean, who doesn’t? I’m not really all that hungry anyway.”
That was understandable. I, on the other hand, was ravenous. Nothing like a good scrap to stimulate the appetite. Too bad it hadn’t ended the way I would’ve preferred. With that scumbag as just another body to get rid of.
“Are you all right? Would you like to tell me about him?” I waited patiently for Luna to open up. Pushing her too quickly would only make her withdraw. She’d allowed me to share some of my darkest memories with her. I wanted her to feel that she could do the same.
Propping her chin in her hand, Luna leaned forward on the table, a heavy sigh escaping her. “His name is Jace Ford. We dated when we were teenagers. A couple of years on and off. He went to jail when we were seventeen after killing a gas station employee.”
I listened attentively while she told me about her time with Jace. He’d been young and desperate to make a name for himself. Getting involved in various criminal activity from drug dealing to grand theft auto. Until one night it escalated, ending in the death of the gas station attendant.
“He wasn’t a very good boyfriend,” she continued. “It didn’t take much to make him jealous. If he thought I was talking to another guy, he would flip out. Beat the crap out of the guy. Sometimes he took his anger out on me.”
“He hurt you?” I held her gaze, finding her eyes filled with pain. Any man who made my flower hurt was going to pay the fucking price.
The waitress returned with our food. Luna waited for her to move out of earshot before continuing.
“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 never hurt 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.