Page 108 of His White Moonlight
Bless her heart, she’s not running,I thought.
I turned up the volume on my music and focused on the lyrics until the people in the office faded, allowing me to concentrate on expenses.Whenever she left or he sat down again never registered in my mind.If someone else approached, I didn’t notice.I worked until another piece of chocolate landed on my keyboard.
Staring at it, I very briefly wondered what would happen if I flicked it away and kept working.
You knew escaping their plans for you would take time, Wren.The reason why they had plans for you doesn’t change that.Play the long game that you started playing two years ago.
I closed my eyes briefly, resisting the memory from two years ago that wanted to surface.
You’re smarter than they are.Play them all, and watch them stumble and fall.
When I opened my eyes and looked up at Bennett, I only showed the part of myself I wanted him to see.The slightly annoyed part that plucked the earbud from my ear.
“What?”
“I grabbed lunch from reception.Hungry?”
“Not really,” I said, removing the other earbud and putting it away.
“We don’t have to eat takeout.If you’d rather go out and grab something, we can eat in the park.”
“Yes,” I said, standing.
Spending time outside was much better than being stuck in his office with the blinds and door closed.
I power walked my way out of the office, well aware of the attention I was drawing.Would they think I was as crazy as Bennett?Probably more so.As a human, I didn’t have an erratic behavior excuse.
“We don’t need to stay a full day,” Bennett said when we were in the elevator, just the two of us.
“Why not?”
He ran a hand through his less-than-meticulously combed hair.Actually, he didn’t look as neatly put together as he normally did.His tie was loose and a little crooked, like he’d been tugging on it.And he’d ditched his jacket.The sleeves of his white shirt were wrinkled, like he’d rolled them up for a while.
What did it mean that he was falling apart because I’d fallen apart?I didn’t know enough about bonds to understand what it meant that he cared this much, but it couldn’t be good.
“Can I have dinner with Grandma tonight?Alone?”I asked as the elevator reached the ground floor.
“You don’t need to ask permission, Wrenly.”
“Don’t I?”I asked, turning my head to meet his gaze, letting him see my anger.
He ran his hand through his hair again.
“No.Just…just let us know where you’re going so we don’t worry.”
“Right.”I now understood that “us” and “we” only meant Bennett, and it hurt more than it should have.
Getting off the elevator, I walked through the lobby and out into the sunlight, ignoring my unwanted companion as I focused on relaxing.I passed by all the sandwich shops and fancy bistros without stopping.His offer to eat somewhere else hadn’t interested me as much as time in the park had.
When we reached the park entrance, Bennett pointed to a food truck.
“How about trying that?”
I had to admit, it tempted me.But so did a run in the midday sun.
“Maybe after I’m done exorcising my mood.You can sit on a bench and watch me lap the pond…unless that’s too dangerous?”
He looked like he wanted to break something.“You need fuel to run like you do.”
