Chapter 29 Mint Green
"If you ask me, Sam's wife should just take the hint and let these two lovebirds be."
"For real. His wife is such a shrew. Sam lasting this long is honestly impressive."
Two guys nearby started joking around, no filter at all.
Luna fanned herself and shot them a glance.
One of them, a pointy-faced, ratty-looking guy, caught Luna staring and looked over.
When he got a good look at Luna's face, he froze for a second. Then grinned, all the aggression draining from his face, replaced by a teasing tone. "Hey, little sis. What are you checking me out for?"
"Your hair relaxer reeks." Luna's face was pure disgust.
The guy didn't know what a 'relaxer' was, but he could tell it wasn't a compliment. Not with that look on her face.
"Say that again, I dare you." The man's face bunched up, ugly with rage.
Two lifetimes combined, Luna had never been afraid of anyone. Her motto was simple: nothing to lose, bring it on.
"I said, your hair relaxer reeks."
The guy clearly didn't expect a teenage girl to repeat it. He stood there a beat, then raised his hand to strike. "I'll f... ow, ow, ow, ow..."
His raised arm was wrenched behind him at an ugly angle. Leo, expressionless: "F- who?"
"My bad, my bad. F- me."
These types only bullied the weak. Loved throwing their weight around in front of girls. The second someone hit back, it was all apologies.
Leo scoffed coldly and let go of his arm.
The two men slunk off with their tails between their legs.
Leo crossed his arms and stared at Luna. "You're really something, you know that?"
Luna tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ear and snorted. "He lays a finger on me, my lawyer shows up at his door. He'll be paying till he's broke."
"Badass." Leo gave her a thumbs up.
Luna pointed at the scene ahead. "What the hell is going on?"
Leo's expression dimmed. "The one on her knees is the mistress. She showed up today, trying to force the wife to divorce."
-
While Lily threw her tantrum, Linda just held Ryder's shaking body in silence, wiping the tears off his face.
She'd always been a proud woman. After getting married, she'd quit her job, but still picked up odd jobs here and there. She walked with her back straight, chin up, everywhere she went.
They weren't rich, but her husband was honest and simple. Always went along with whatever she wanted.
She thought it would be like this for the rest of her life.
Never in her wildest dreams did she think, this late in the game, her husband would have an affair.
No secrets in this neighborhood. The mistress showing up spread like wildfire through every house on the block.
Linda watched coldly as her husband tenderly helped the other woman to her feet. A softness in his eyes she'd never seen directed at her.
"Please, I'm begging you." Lily crawled toward her, eyes red from crying, looking absolutely pitiful. "Give Sam back to me. Please?"
Sam helped her up, worried. "Lily, get up. Don't hurt your knees."
Lily bit her lip. "I'm the one who did wrong. I'm just begging for forgiveness."
Linda stared at Lily, hard, like she was memorizing every detail of her face. "You want a divorce? Not in this lifetime."
She dropped that line, pulled Ryder inside, and shut the door. All the gawkers and their gossip stayed outside.
Without a main event, the crowd lost interest. Plus, it was dinner time. They scattered fast.
Luna looked around and realized Jax was still there.
She found that oddly curious.
Like catching a saint stealing watermelons. That level of weird.
"You live around here?"
Jax nodded and pointed at a house next door. "That's mine."
"Oh..." She nodded.
Jax was about to leave, then stopped, like something just occurred to him. "Luna."
"Yeah?" Luna replied.
Jax: "Remember to find time to walk me through that math problem."
Luna: ...
She watched the boy's tall, lean back as he walked away. Her mouth twitched.
Leo looked like he'd just seen the sun rise in the west. He blinked. "You can teach someone math?"
Luna had scored a glorious zero on her first-grade math final. Filled it out carefully. Got every single question wrong.
Her math teacher had shown up at their door for a home visit.
It left a lasting impression on young Leo, who was in kindergarten at the time.
Luna played it cool. "Is that a problem?"
Leo: "...I'm having a hard time buying that."
"Believe what you want." She crossed her arms and scoffed.
Behind them, the roar of a motorcycle swelled from far off, growing closer.
It stopped right behind them.
Luna and Leo turned their heads in unison.
A silver motorcycle. The boy was tall, long legs straddling the bike. He took off his helmet, unhurried. Underneath was a head of eye-catching mint-green hair. Black tee with a skull on the front. Silver cross around his neck.
Ear studs. Lip ring. All present and accounted for. Good-looking, too. Just radiated untamed arrogance.
Luna couldn't help it. "This guy's even edgier than you."
Leo clicked his tongue. "What's edgy about me?"
Luna stood on her tiptoes and grabbed a fistful of Leo's blonde hair. "This."
"This is called fashion. You call it edgy?" Leo swatted her hand away, annoyed.
Luna pulled her hand back, but her gaze kept drifting to the mint-green boy.
The boy went over to Lily and helped her up. "Mom. Let's go home for dinner."
Oh. The mistress's son?
Lily was pale, leaning on him. She looked at Sam. "I should go."
Sam gripped her hand, reluctant to let go. "Lily, I don't want you going alone."
The boy looked like he'd had enough. "Am I invisible?"
Luna couldn't hold it in. She laughed.
A second later, the boy's sharp gaze snapped toward her.
Their eyes met. Luna froze. Something about him felt familiar.
But she couldn't place where.
He looked away fast. Said it with that lazy drawl of his: "Uncle, our place is small. You show up, there's no room for you."
Sam rubbed his hands, a little embarrassed. "Fine. Go home and take care of your mom."
The boy got on the motorcycle, took Lily, and roared off.
Leo looked down and texted Ryder, asking if he was okay.
He'd assumed the mistress had brought people to cause trouble, figured he'd come help.
Turns out, the mistress was playing the sympathy card.
Ryder didn't reply.
Leo pocketed his phone and was about to suggest dinner when he noticed Luna stretching her neck, staring down the end of the road. No idea what she was looking at.