Page 23 of Kodiak

She throws her hands in the air and shakes her head, still glaring at me and then… she bursts out laughing. “Okay, maybe being a front person for you isn’t a good idea after all. Because I would kick someone’s ass if they were nasty to you at a signing. What about if I help you get your stuff ready or something? I’m a good organizer.”

I think about it for a few seconds and nod. My inventory can best be described as a chaotic nightmare, with books intermingled alongside swag. Demi prefers things to be in place, and I’d be willing to pay her to help me get my shit organized once and for all.

“That might work. It’s going to take a week or so, and I want you to tell me what I need to buy so that we can get it all in tip-top shape,” I reply. “And yes, I’ll pay you because you’re not gonna do it for free.”

“I don’t need the money, Luna,” she reminds me. “I make a mint at the arena.”

“I know you do, Demi. However, this is my business and I can use all the tax write offs I can get,” I say with a twinkle in my eye. I know I’ve got her there because like she said earlier, she won’t do anything that could mess with my business… unless fists are flying apparently.

“Fine,” she whooshes out with a heated breath. “But you’ll only pay me what the job’s actually worth and not a penny more. And I’ll be the one doing the research, Luna.”

“Now who’s not trusting whom, Demi?”

“Don’t try to bullshit a bullshitter, Luna dear. I know exactly what you’d try to pull on me and I won’t turn a blind eye to it either. We’re both headstrong, but I’m a little more bullheaded than you are.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” I mumble underneath my breath. “Why are you so determined to work for me?” I know there’s something going on at her day job that she’s holding back from me, and I’m not going to give up on pestering her for that information until she’s confessed all of it to me.

“You know I hate what I do, right?”

I nod my head before saying, “I do.”

As we walk in front of my duplex, she stops on the sidewalk and tells me, “Things are tense whenever I go to the home office.”

“How so? Demi, talk to me,” I beg. There’s heartache in her eyes and I don’t think it’s from an unrequited love. My girl, she doesn’t do those emotions unless it’s with me.

“All I’m willing to say right now is that there was a party, some drinking, and things taken that wasn’t someone’s to take,” she conveys, tears gathering in her eyes.

“Demi,” I say her name with a quiver. “What was taken?”

“My pride, my safety, and my self-worth,” she says, her voice hitching.

“No,” I gasp. “Demi. No.” I reach out and pull her into a hug, rocking her from side to side.

“I was a dumbass, Luna. I was in a workplace environment and I trusted that my drink wouldn’t be tampered with amongstcolleagues. I set it to the side and went to dance with a few of the girls on the makeshift dance floor.”

“You were roofied by people you trusted?” I reiterate, anger now rising that my ride or die wasn’t safe with her coworkers

“Not trusted, no. But didn’t think they were scum,” she angrily states.

“Did you complain to human resources, Demi?”

“Can’t complain when one of your assailants is the founder of the company,” she confides. “I just… I just want to be done there.”

“Then we’ll write up your letter of resignation and go to the authorities,” I decree.

“No authorities, we can’t. I just want to forget it ever happened.” She wipes the stray tears that have slowly trickled down her cheeks away and starts stomping her way to my front door.

“This isn’t over, Demi,” I whisper underneath my breath before vowing, “they will pay for what they did.”

Even if I have to ask Marcum to get involved. I know he’s got a dark side and hopefully, he’ll be willing to go to that place to help me get Demi the justice she’s owed.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

KODIAK

My phone ringslater that evening and I smile when I see Luna’s name scrolling across my screen.

“Luna Moon,” I say in greeting. “Everything alright?” I was expecting us to do our conversing via text since that was what she told me we’d be doing. Not that I don’t want to hear her voice, but to some extent, she’s driving this particular bus.

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