Chapter 16 Fair-Weather Friends
A beautiful face. But his vibe was so distant and cold, it kept everyone at arm's length.
Luna pressed her lips together. Firm. "Don't like him anymore."
Leo wasn't buying it.
She'd liked him for so long. Chasing Hayes everywhere every day. How could she just stop?
He was about to ask if she'd fought with Hayes. Or if Hayes had hurt her.
But Luna bolted in two quick steps.
"????"
Leo's face was all question marks.
He squinted. Watched Luna run up to a good-looking guy.
-
When the faint jasmine perfume came closer, Jax's hand tightened around his phone for a second.
A vein pulsed on his wrist. The only sign of panic. But his face was calm. His voice steady. "What is it?"
Luna cleared her throat. "I just wanted to say. Don't believe what they're saying online. That cupcake was for you. Not for Hayes."
"...Yeah." Jax nodded.
After that, Luna turned to leave.
She felt bad just walking off. Squeezed out one more line. "Why are you here alone?"
"Picking up a friend."
"Oh." Luna bounced on her toes. "I'll go then."
Jax nodded. "Yeah."
Polite. Back and forth. That was it.
Like mist. Came fast. Left fast.
She'd been right there. He couldn't even hold on.
-
Luna came back.
Leo eyed her.
Luna squirmed under his stare. "What's with that look?"
"I get it." Leo rubbed his chin.
Luna crouched on the ground, calling a cab. "You get what now?"
"I get why you don't like Hayes anymore."
Luna paused. Looked up slowly. "Go ahead. I'm listening."
Leo was dead serious. "You moved on."
"Moved on, my ass." Luna stood up. "Are you sick?"
"You really don't like that guy?" Leo narrowed his eyes.
"Really don't." Luna held up three fingers. "If I like him, Hayes gets hit by a car."
Leo: "......"
"Good. I know that guy. He's bad news."
The cab pulled up. Luna opened the back door. "Seriously?"
"Seriously." Leo said. "Guy looks like that, you see him once, you remember. He's Ryder's neighbor. Smart as hell."
"Ryder's neighbor..." Luna hadn't expected that.
"Yeah. Ryder told me. Their family's four people, blended. His stepdad's violent. Real piece of work. But Jax is worse. The stepdad's too scared to go home now."
"..."
Luna hissed through her teeth. She cracked the window. Wind rushed in, tangling her hair.
It felt surreal.
In her mind, Jax had always been a decent guy. Never fought back. Never talked back.
And now Leo was telling her he was a thug?
Luna still didn't buy it. Rumors had a way of stretching the truth.
The cab drove from the rundown Brickton to the manicured wealth of Crescent Bay.
-
Ryder walked out of the precinct. Bruised and battered. The cheap dye job left his hair stiff. When the wind hit, it flopped every which way.
"Jax. Thanks for this."
"No big deal."
Jax's voice was light. He looked at Ryder. The wind blew his hair back, revealing the mark on his forehead.
A large, jarring blotch. It covered half his brow.
Jax thought about the Ryder from his past life. A fight gone wrong. Someone dead. Young kid behind bars.
The day he went in, his parents were too ashamed to show.
Only Jax came.
Ryder had always worn his hair long. He thought the birthmark was ugly. Made people uncomfortable. So he hid it.
That day was overcast. He'd shaved his head. His whole face out in the open. For everyone to see.
Barely eighteen. But Ryder looked like he'd aged ten years overnight. The restless, childish kid was gone.
He said it quietly. "Jax. Thank you."
It was the first time Jax asked him about a fight. "What was it about this time?"
-
"Why does there have to be a reason?"
Leo leaned against the window. "Felt like it. So I did."
Luna crossed her arms. "You think I'm buying that?"
The cab stopped. The sky was going dark. The pond in the courtyard shimmered.
Leo said, "Me getting into fights? Isn't that old news by now?"
Luna scoffed. "Yeah. Real old news."
She'd only been asking casually. But with that attitude, she had her answer.
It was probably about Chloe.
The siblings walked into the living room and found they had guests.
Two unfamiliar pairs of shoes in the entryway. Women's heels. Men's sneakers.
Stella sat on the sofa, languid. Across from her: Hayes and his mother, Genevieve.
Genevieve was an A-list international star. Mixed race. Bold, bright features. Every move she made oozed a charm no one else could copy.
"Lulu, you're finally home." Genevieve stood with a warm smile and linked arms with Luna. "Auntie and Hayes have been waiting forever."
Nobody's that nice for nothing.
You could say this: for Luna to chase Hayes for most of her life. For a pampered heiress to swallow his cold shoulder.
Genevieve deserved a lot of the credit.
Things like: "Hayes is just a little awkward. He really does like you." "He treats you better than me, you know." "Every gift you give him, he keeps."
Her voice was sweet. Her words were sweeter.
She'd give Luna clothes and jewelry. Take her shopping.
Luna started to think Genevieve felt more like a mother than Stella.
Luna didn't see Genevieve's true face until the Harringtons went bankrupt in her past life.
When her beloved uncle's family turned on them, Luna's first instinct was to find Genevieve.
Genevieve was at her estate, drinking tea with friends. Laughing. Having a lovely time.
When she saw Luna behind the butler, she waved her off. Like dismissing a beggar.
That was when Luna learned what fair-weather friends really meant.
"Oh?" Luna's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Leo and I went out. Next time you visit, Aunt Genevieve, give us a heads-up."
Genevieve paused. Something felt off.
She stared at Luna. Studied her face. Couldn't read a thing.
Same face. Same spoiled-brat attitude. On the surface.