Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Luna
My entire body goes warm when I see the look on Elliott’s face. It says so many things at once. Things I never imagined a man like him would feel for a woman like me. But there’s no doubt about it as he watches me approach.
How much he likes my dress.
How badly he wants me.
How he feels about me.
It’s right there, written all over his handsome face as he drinks me in.
He once casually mentioned he loves me in pink, so I bought a new dress specifically for him. For tonight. It was expensive, so I hope he doesn’t just rip it off of me the moment we get back to the hotel, but I also kind of hope he does.
I can’t help but smile as I approach him.
He immediately snakes out an arm and yanks me against his chest.
“Are you trying to kill me?” he demands, lips close to my mouth.
“In the best possible way,” I tease.
“Don’t tempt me, woman.”
“Oh, I plan to tempt you all night,” I whisper solemnly.
Our eyes lock, and I can almost see the wheels turning as he tries to decide if there’s any place we can go where he can lift my dress and fuck me soundly.
“Patience,” I say softly, pressing my lips to his. “It will be worth the wait.”
Little does he know, I bought nipple clamps for tonight. He’s mentioned them a few times but we’ve been busy, and I think he’s been trying to work up to all the things he wants to do slowly. Like he might scare me away or something.
That’s not even possible, which is why I took the initiative.
“Come look at this,” I say, tugging him by the hand toward one of the auction items. “Is this something you’d want to do? You can say no, and I’ll go with my girlfriends.”
I look down and see it’s some kind of zoo experience—with baby fucking tigers. You’d actually get to play with tiger cubs. And I’m a cat man, so this would be incredible.
“Uh, have we talked about how much I love cats?”
She laughs. “You’ve mentioned it but I wasn’t sure. So, yes? I should try to win it?”
“Fuck yeah. And it looks like it’s for four people, so you can still bring two of your friends.”
“You think Grim and Allora would want to go?”
“Allora yes. Grim? Maybe. He tolerates Cleo, but he’s more a dog guy.” Cleo is Allora’s cat.
“I think Courtney would love this.”
We walk around discussing different items and I make sure to steer her clear of the spa experience so she doesn’t see my name on it.
“Luna!” Candy’s voice is low hiss behind us. “Where’s the puck signed by Gretzky?”
I glance at her with a frown. “Right over there.” I point. “With the season ticket package for the Phantoms.”
Candy’s step falters and she lets out a sigh, closing her eyes. “Right. Okay. Sorry. I’m a little stressed.”
“Why? Everything is going beautifully.”
“You have no idea the pressure I’m under.
” Her jaw tightens. “Garth wanted everything to be first-class, but he doesn’t realize how expensive it is to run that kind of event.
You have to spend money to make money and—” She cuts off abruptly.
“Anyway, I just need to make sure we bring in as much as possible or we’ll only be able to cover expenses instead of making a hefty donation to the charity.
” With that, she turns on her heels and stalks in the opposite direction.
“What was that about?” Rage asks curiously.
“I don’t know.” I’m actually a little mystified because I haven’t seen Candy behave this way before. Normally, she’s cool, calm, and collected. “Maybe I should go talk to her, calm her down.”
“Sure. Go do your thing.” He kisses me. “I’ll be here not eating all the amazing food.”
“Don’t worry,” I purr, pressing myself against him. “I have something that’s virtually calorie-free for you to eat.”
I watch his blue eyes turn to liquid fire, and he yanks me against him again. “You really are trying to kill me tonight.”
“The best death imaginable.” I kiss him and then follow in the direction Candy went. It’s been hard to get a handle on her because she goes from complete diva to hard-working and focused to cheating on her boyfriend to worried about money.
Elliott didn’t seem interested or concerned about the fact that I saw her kissing another man and I guess he has a point—after tomorrow, we don’t ever have to see any of them again. It’s not like they’re our friends.
Still, I’m invested in the event so if there’s anything I can do to make things go smoothly, I’d like to try. Even if it means sucking it up with Candy.
There’s a small office not far from the ballroom that we’ve been using as a staging area, and I see light coming from a crack in the door. I’m just about to push it open when I hear voices. Candy’s. And a man.
“…ess protection.”
I freeze.
“What?” Candy sounds confused.
“You have to trust me and do what I say. I’ve been working on this for a year.” This is Garth’s voice.
“What does that have to do with the event?”
A laugh that sounds menacing and still, I can’t place the voice because it’s so low.
“Nothing and everything. She cost me everything when she hacked my online business. Now I want to repay the favor. Can you just keep me apprised of what she’s doing and where she’s going?
I’ve been working on her for months and fucking Rage had to get involved and ruin it.
But now I have a plan. I just need two more days. ”
I clamp a hand over my mouth and slowly start to back away.
It’s impossible to know definitively if they’re talking about me, but who else is in witness protection that’s involved with Rage? We don’t have any clients that are in WITSEC, so that leaves me.
Which means I was right all along.
All those weird things that have happened.
Everything that made my gut scream—someone has found me. I’m not a hundred percent sure but I will be. I make my way back to the main room but then skirt around the edges until I get to a small anteroom. And I call the one person who, even if he doesn’t believe me, will at least try to help.
It’s not that I don’t trust Elliott—I do.
But I only heard part of a fragmented conversation, and I don’t want to distract him if it’s nothing.
Once I have proof, then I’ll tell him. For now, I have to figure out if this was about me.
Unfortunately, without access to my laptop and a secure internet connection, I can’t do it.
Besides, it’s better if someone else takes the lead.
“Luna.” Daniil answers on the first ring even though it’s a Friday night and he’s supposed to be home, relaxing with his family. “Everything okay?”
“I need a favor,” I say in what probably sounds like a breathy voice but it’s actually me trying not to hyperventilate.
“Of course.”
“Back in Limaj, the Royal Protectors…you have a cyber expert on that team, right?” Daniil is technically one of them even though he’s no longer actively in the role.
“Jonas. Yes.”
“I know it’s the middle of the night in Limaj, and this is a big ask, but I need you to send him the footage from the security cameras in my apartment. I need him to go through them to determine whether or not the feed has been hacked and/or altered. It’s very important.”
“All right. Do you want him to discuss his findings with me or to call you directly?”
“He can call or text me directly. Please.”
“Are you all right, Luna?”
“I don’t know yet. But I’m fine. I’m with Rage and Grim. I’m not worried about my safety. Yet.”
“Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
“I will. After Jonas looks at the footage.”
“It may take him a while. I don’t know what the duty roster is back home.”
“Please, tell him it’s important.”
“I will. Hang tight.”
He disconnects, and I stand there for a few seconds, breathing in and out. Slowly. Attempting not to freak right the fuck out.
I only heard part of that conversation but what else could “ness protection” mean other than witness protection?
And who else in this room is in the program?
Obviously, there could be any number of people, but that’s statistically unlikely.
I’m not sure about the online business stuff but I’m starting to believe things are not what they seem with Garth.
I know I’m not crazy.
Hormones don’t make you have huge memory lapses.
They don’t make you hallucinate sounds. They don’t make you lose your mind.
I know that’s a generalization and there aren’t a lot of facts to back up these things, but I know myself.
I’ve been dealing with PMOS all of my adult life—and I’m not crazy. Emotional, yes. Out of my mind? No.
And now I’m going to prove it. Or rather, Jonas is hopefully going to prove it so no one can say I went looking for issues and found them.
So no one can blame this shit on my hormones.
Or any other thing. I don’t even know exactly what I’m looking for.
I know what I heard Garth say but I can’t jump to conclusions.
If someone from my past has found me, I don’t know what I’m going to do, but most likely I’m going to have to run and leave my entire life behind. Leave Elliott behind.
Unless…would he go with me?
I close my eyes and pull in a shaky breath.
I can’t think about that. Not until I know for sure.
Then I may have to make decisions that will change everything.
And not in a good way.