Page 122 of Stay With Me
“I love you too, my Lunabella. Now, let’s go home.” He opens my door and helps me into the truck.
As soon as he pulls onto the main road, exhaustion pulls me under.
FIFTY-SIX
Luna- A Month Later
Icheckthetimeto make sure I have everything ready for everyone to come over later.
It’s been a month since everything happened, and it’s been hectic.
We had to get all of Jess’s stuff for school, most of which we ordered online. The only thing we picked out in person was her backpack, but we went to a store in town, none of us ready to venture farther than that.
Jess still isn’t fully back to herself and is going to therapy three times a week. It seems to be helping, along with spending time with all of us. Her therapist says it’s normal for her to pull away as she works through everything, and she told us to keep doing what we’re doing.
I thought I would have some of the same issues, but instead, I feel free for the first time since I was sixteen.
The day after everything, Hunt and his team came to the house to take my statement. What I told them lined up with what Jess said was going to happen. He let me know that they’re all being charged with kidnapping, along with several other charges.
When I asked about Aspen, I was told how badly she was beaten when they found out she was communicating with me and that she was the one who left the window unlocked so I could hopefully get away.
I wanted to see her, but she had opted to go into an intensive therapy program while waiting to testify against everyone else in The Family. We talked to each other on the phone a few times, and she knows she’s more than welcome here at Griffin’s Den when she’s ready.
“It smells great in here,” Noah says as he walks into the kitchen, his hair damp from the shower he took after setting up a trampoline in the backyard.
I check him out from head to toe. When I reach his eyes, he smirks. “We don’t have time for whatever thoughts are going through your head, baby.”
I blink a few times. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I thought I saw a spot on, uhhh, your shirt.” I look back down at the veggie tray I’m putting together.
I feel his arms around my waist and his breath next to my ear. “Whatever you say, Luna,” he whispers as he grabs a carrot.
“Hey, that’s for when everyone is here. If you start snacking, it’ll all be gone.” I smack his hand.
He laughs and backs up. “Just doing a quality control taste test.” He winks before turning around and walking toward the living room.
With a shake of my head, I just laugh as I finish setting everything out.
Within the next hour, the house is full of laughs once everyone arrives.
The girls and I are talking around the kitchen island when there’s a knock at the door.
I look around, confused, as Noah pulls up the camera app and heads to the door. “It’s Hunt. Did he message you that he was coming over?”
Pam freezes mid-bite. “Elijah is here?”
“Elijah?” Am asks with a raised brow since all of us call him Hunt.
“Um, that’s his name. It’s not weird.” She attempts to defend herself.
“It’s kind of weird. I kind of forgot what his first name was,” I say as I wipe my hands on a napkin.
“Hey, man. Is everything okay?” Noah asks as he opens the door and shakes Hunt’s hand.
“Yeah, sorry to drop by unannounced, but I was in town and wanted to give this to Luna. Is now a bad time?” he says as he locks eyes with Pam over my shoulder.
“No, not at all. Come on in.” Noah steps to the side.
“Thanks. I have some good news,” he says as he extends an envelope to me. “Here.”
