CHAPTER 2
Ellie
“Luna is onto me,” I tell Mark, watching in our bedroom mirror as he tightens his tie.
He sighs, “I promise you, sweetheart, she’s not.”
“She is!” I get up on my knees in the bed. “She just asked to come visit again.”
“Aren’t you best friends?”
“Best friends who FaceTime each other. She lives across the country! We have to go to the same events but beyond that, it’s not normal for her to visit more than once or twice a year.
” He turns and stalks back to me, looking well below my eyes.
I should have put a robe on over this thin nightgown.
“And,” I raise my voice again as I cover myself by crossing my arms. “She keeps asking if I’m alright and if I’ve seen a therapist or had nightmares. ”
He frowns, uncrossing my arms and putting his hands on my waist. “Are you still having nightmares? You wake me every time, right?”
“I hardly have any now. That’s not the point,” On that last word his eyes drop to my very hard, cold chest, pointing almost straight through the silk fabric. “Mark!”
“Hmm?” His hands start to move so I jump back on the bed, retreating all the way to the headboard, half laughing.
“Mark, focus. I want to tell her the truth now. Today, this week, this month at least. You said we’d bring her in, warn her. When?”
He sighs, defeated. “Not yet, mi amor. I’m sorry. I told you this life would be lonely and I hate this for you, but it’s not time yet.”
“Why not?” I plead.
“Because O says it’s not. We have irons in fires across the whole world. You can’t just drop this truth bomb on her and hope she keeps our secrets. We have to plan an entire operation just to bring Luna in. And we will. O gave us his word.”
I think through all the things he’s told me so far about the mysterious mentor who raised him, taught him honor, duty, and love. If O’s word is good enough for the amazing man starting to climb onto the bed in front of me, it’s good enough for me. Finally, I take a deep breath and nod.
“Good. Now come over here and make me late for work again.”
“You were late yesterday!”
“La mejor manana de todas.” Best morning ever.
I chuckle again as he prowls toward me on his knees across the bed.
Unease still runs through me, which I know will vanish once those large, firm hands are on my body again.
So I send a quick prayer up in my mind for Luna’s protection and comfort.
I hate that my closest friend in the world is miles away, angry and confused.
Maybe even scared. All the families are going to be turned upside down one by one, including hers.
I just hope we can get her out of harm’s way before O’s promised chaos and destruction reach her Papa’s doorstep.