Chapter Fifteen
The rest of the evening went by in a blur. They all stayed another couple of hours, just to make sure the police charged Bakersfield. Luna assured the detectives she would be willing to cooperate and testify every step of the way. After a quick dinner, she followed Killian into his Jeep, not even protesting or assuming she was going anywhere else.
Killian seemed withdrawn the whole time, but she shrugged it off. He was probably tired. She was too, emotionally drained from the whole saga, but when he flinched as she threaded her fingers through his under the table at dinner, she knew something else was up. Was he hiding something from her?
“I need to take care of a couple of things,” he said as they entered his apartment. “Go on and get some rest.”
A cold wave of emotions washed over her. This was the first time in two days Killian wasn’t eager to have sex with her. She was exhausted, but all she wanted was to forget what happened and be in his arms. With a resigned sigh, Luna went to the bedroom, took a shower and dressed in one of Killian’s white cotton t-shirts, wanting to have his scent around her if he wasn’t next to her in bed. Meredith had explained today that as True Mates, Killian should smell particularly good to her and she to him. She had made a mental note to ask him what she smelled like to him, but she had forgotten with all the excitement.
She lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to get any sleep. It was past midnight according to the clock on the bedside table, and still, he was nowhere in sight. What was the meaning of this? An inner voice whispered that maybe he didn’t find her attractive anymore, sending a stab of hurt through her. Maybe that was it.
No freaking way. She refused to believe it. Not after all this time and not after she’d already fallen for him. She got up from bed and marched right into his office.
“Killian?” she spoke from the doorway . He was sitting behind his desk, his brows furrowed as he stared down at his laptop. The light from the screen etched the lines of worry deeper onto his face.
“Luna?” he looked up. “What are you doing up? You should be asleep.”
“I couldn’t sleep,” she said. “Come to bed, please.”
“I’m not done, yet. Go back to bed.”
Luna bit her lip. “No.” She walked over to him, determined to find out what was bothering him.
He pursed his lips and when she was standing right over him, he let out a sigh. “I’m doing some work. I need to do this. Please go back to bed.”
“No. Not without you,” she replied, her voice shaky.
Killian stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders. “This is important. I have to find out—”
“No—this is important.” Luna reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. She brought him down for a kiss and though he seemed startled at first, he responded, moving his mouth over hers.
When he pulled away, she clung to him. “Please, Killian, make love to me.”
His gaze was hesitant for a moment, but then desire clouded over them. The look he sent her was almost feral. He grabbed her by the waist and planted her on the desk, pushing his laptop aside in one motion. He caught her mouth in a rough kiss, his lips almost bruising. Hands pushed the hem of her shirt up and her panties down to her ankles.
He groaned when he found her already wet and ready. She parted her thighs and he pushed her down on her back, raising her legs, so her feet lay flat on his desk. The sound of his belt unbuckling made her shiver.
“Killian,” she cried out when he thrust into her in one motion. She closed her eyes, biting her lip as Killian began to move inside her, dragging the length of his cock along her tight passage. His fingers found her clit and one touch sent an orgasm ripping through her.
He didn’t slow down, pummeling deep and fast into her. She hung on to the edge of the desk, meeting his every thrust. Her second orgasm was building and it wasn’t long before she came again, sending ripples of pleasure all the way to her toes.
As she came down, she looked up at Killian. His face was taut, almost like he was in pain. Still, he continued to plunge into her, and while she felt the edges of a third orgasm approaching, she realized he was holding off on his own pleasure.
“Killian.”
He wasn’t paying her any attention. His fingers found her clit again, coaxing a small shudder from her body. She thought he would cum, but he wasn’t stopping. The pain on his face was evident now. What was he doing? He was gritting his teeth and his eyes were closed, the tension on his face obvious.
“Killian, please,” she moaned. “Fuck me,” she urged. “I want your cum in me. Or do you want to come on my tits? Or in my mouth? I know you like that.”
He let out a roar and thrust into her one last time, his cock twitching as he spilled inside her. She wrapped her legs around him and he pushed deep, grunting before bracing his palms on the desk to support himself. His ragged breaths slowed down, then he withdrew from her, stepping back as he helped her sit up.
“Killian. Look at me.”
Turquoise eyes stared into her. She wasn’t sure what he was feeling right now, but it wasn’t satisfaction, and it wasn’t happiness. He broke eye contact but gathered her into his arms.
“What’s wrong? Talk to me, please?”
He didn’t say a word but lifted her up instead, carried her out of his office and padded softly into the bedroom. Silently, he lay her down, slipped in beside her and pulled the covers over their bodies.
As Luna lay next to him, a dreaded feeling crept into her heart. Something was not right, she knew it. And she was determined to find out what.
***
Waking up alone in the morning did nothing to abate Luna’s suspicion that something was going on with Killian. When she woke and realized he was gone, worry began to creep into her mind again.
Meredith and Evie came around so they could finish shopping for the apartment. But as they walked around the bedding section of Bendel’s, it was evident Luna’s heart was not into the excursion, so Meredith promised them both the best Italian food in all of Manhattan. She even told Evie to ask Selena to come along; a free meal was the least they could give her after all, considering all the trouble the redhead went through.
Selena was already waiting for them, and the four women walked into Muccino’s Italian restaurant.
“I didn’t know the Lupa owned a restaurant and that her brother was a chef,” Evie said as they walked inside. “And they’re right around the corner from the office.”
“One of the reasons Killian chose the office location,” Meredith said. “Hey, Enzo,” she greeted the tall, handsome man standing next to the host’s station inside the restaurant.
“Hey ba—I mean, Meredith,” Enzo Muccino greeted back. “Um, is your husband around?” he asked, his eyes darting around.
Meredith giggled. “No, don’t worry, he’s not with us.”
“Good,” he said with a nod.
“Are you afraid of Daric?” Meredith asked with a grin.
“No,” he denied. “I was afraid you guys were going to bang in the bathroom again,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I need to warn my staff so you don’t traumatize them. Again.”
Meredith slapped him on the arm playfully. “Aww, c’mon. It’s not like your busboy needed therapy.”
“Say, did you guys pop in there for a quickie the other night? I could have sworn I heard something while we were closing up.”
“What?” she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But as Meredith turned away from Enzo, a smile was tugging at her lips.
“Right. Well then,” he nodded at the rest of the women. “Ladies, we’ve been expecting you. Frankie’s not here right now, but she said you’re our VIPs for the day and she picked out what you’re going to eat, so come with me.”
Enzo led them to a corner booth which already had bread, olive oil and a few other appetizers on the table. “Your server will be with you shortly to take your drink orders. Have some wine too, if you like,” He winked at Selena and Evie.
“Oh wow!” Selena grabbed the wine list. “Really? Maybe I should get kidnapped more often.”
“You weren’t kidnapped, Selena,” Evie reminded her.
“Whatever. How about a glass of merlot?” she asked Enzo.
“Anything for you, sweet cheeks,” Enzo replied. Evie shook her head when Enzo looked at her.
“No more wine for you, Evie-girl?” Selena asked in a teasing voice.
Evie shook her head. “Uh, never again. I’ve only gotten drunk one night in my life, and it was a big mistake.”
“Next time Connor’s being an asshole, please feel free to hit him with whatever object you have on hand,” Meredith said. “Drunk or not.” Meredith turned to Luna and explained what had happened the night Connor and Evie met for the first time.
“What were you doing at a male strip club anyway?” Meredith asked with a grin, elbowing Evie.
“It wasn’t my idea!” She looked at Selena, who had put on her best innocent ‘who me?’ look.
“Excuse me, ladies,” a deep voice said. Four pairs of eyes swung over the handsome man in the white chef’s coat.
“Chef McHottie!” Meredith greeted, standing up and putting her arms around the man. “How have you been?”
“Oh you know,” the chef said with a smile. “Same as always. Hello, I’m Dante Muccino,” he nodded to the other women. Dante Muccino was gorgeous with his dark hair, olive skin and mismatched blue and green eyes. It wasn’t surprising that Evie and Selena both were tongue-tied when the handsome young chef introduced himself.
“I’m E-evie,” the brunette stuttered, extending her hand.
“I’m…I’m…” Selena’s blue-gray eyes were boring holes right into Dante’s face.
“Selena,” Evie supplied, elbowing her friend.
The redhead’s face brightened. “Yes. Selena. That’s me. My name. Don’t wear it out. Or wear it out, if you like. Haaaa…”
“And I’m Luna.” She extended her hand and shook his.
“Well, Frankie told me to take care of you—”
“Oh will you, please?” Selena added, batting her eyelashes at him.
“Um, yeah,” Dante chuckled. “Take care of your meal, I mean. So I whipped up some veal scallopini just for you. Off the menu. I’ll have it right out, but in the meantime I’ll send more appetizers and pasta to your table, okay?”
“Thanks, Chef,” Meredith said with a jaunty, two-fingered salute.
“Selena, put your tongue back in your mouth,” Evie ordered.
“Oh. My. God.” Selena fanned herself. “He certainly deserves that nick name. Rreeowwl.”
Luna laughed. She liked Selena, the almost-witch, and hoped she would be around more.
“So,” Meredith began as she dished out some appetizers to the rest of the girls. “Luna, now that it’s just us girls, tell us what’s going on with you.”
“What?”
“Oh come on,” Meredith said. “When Evie and I arrived, you were moping around the house. And shopping didn’t really seem to excite you, either.”
Luna sighed. The three women looked at her with various expressions of concern and worry. She took a deep breath. “It’s just…I feel like there’s something wrong with Killian. With us. I think he’s pulling away from me and I don’t know why.” Her throat tightened, and when Selena put an arm around her, she burst into tears.
“Aw, honey,” Meredith said, offering her a napkin. “I’m sure he’s just preoccupied. We’re still not sure that your life isn’t out of danger yet.”
“He’s pulling away from me.” She wiped her eyes with the napkin. “I can feel it. Do you think he doesn’t want me anymore? Am I getting too fat?”
“What?” Selena said. “You are not fat! Stop saying that.”
“Maybe you’re just reading things wrong,” Evie offered. “I haven’t known Killian for long, but he seems to be the serious type. Like, he just gets an idea in his head and he can’t let go until it’s resolved. So maybe Meredith is right and he’s just got a lot of things on his mind.”
“I am right. He wouldn’t go to all this trouble to move you into his place, only to push you away.”
Luna’s mouth formed into a perfect ‘o’ at the Lycan’s words.
“Oh, please,” Meredith continued. “You haven’t left his house since your date. He’s bought you all these clothes so you have no excuse to go back to your place. For crying out loud, he’s having you furnish his apartment. Nuh-uh, no,” the blonde Lycan held her hand up when Luna tried to speak. “Yes, all that furniture is for you. I’ve already ordered the entire nursery set from that store, so don’t you dare think he’s going to toss you out. And if he does, he’ll answer to me.”
Luna sat silent, staring at her plate. Was Killian just distracted with work? Had he been moving her into his home all this time? Her hands went to her belly, and as if her baby heard her, she felt a small kick against her hand. She sighed. Maybe it was all her imagination.
Meredith continued. “Dante’s coming back with our food. Just enjoy the meal, okay? Maybe when you go back home, you and Killian should have that serious conversation I’ve been telling you to have. Christ,” she gave an exaggerated sigh. “I can’t believe I’m the adult in this situation.
Luna nodded. Yes, it was time she and Killian had a sit down to talk about their future, and their child’s. She only hoped he would say what she’d been hoping to hear.